NationStates Jolt Archive

"Your resentment towards this assignment is understandable, General, in light of the developing situation in Alberia, and of course those overseas, however I am certain you can understand our reasoning as well. Your experience as Governor of the Haven Colony, as well as your earlier experience in reconstructing the southern expanses following the end of the Yaforite war have demonstrated in no uncertain terms that you have more than the administrative wherewithal and tactical competence required of you.”

General Lew Nys’ky stood there, smarting under the disinterested gaze of General Iljievo, the Commander in Chief of the Generian Imperial Army. The shower of compliments was nothing but a façade, following what he had just been told. They were pulling him out of Haven, away from the outpost he had transformed into one of the most profitable trade hubs and most formidable military garrisons in all the Empire, and in return for all of his services to the Imperial throne, were sending him to some rock to drill for oil. It was an insult of the highest caliber.

“With all due respect, I’m still not sure I understand why you feel so compelled to pull me personally from duties that I am certain are more important to the overall health and prosperity of Generia.”

This was genuine. While he and the commander in chief had in the past maintained a rocky working relationship, he had always been certain that Iljievo recognized his competence as an officer, an administrator, and a loyal soldier, and simply could not fathom why, now, in light of all recent international developments, he would be assigned something as degrading as a backwater colonial expedition. Iljievo replied without delay.

“As attached to your garrison as you are, General, and as much as the Emperor appreciates your ability to assess international politics as regards your own situation as an Imperial officer, I am certain you will agree that it is the Emperor himself, and his immediate subordinates, who are most qualified to assess where it is you are most needed.”

The sarcasm was delivered in a monotone, which in a way added to its affect. Nys’ky knew further protest was useless. He stiffened and offered a salute, which was the best he could throw back at the commander in chief of the army in this situation.

“Your exact orders have been sent to you electronically, General. You’ll have a week to prepare your expedition before you depart. Good luck.”

Nys’ky turned and stepped out of the room, into the cool corridors of the General Staff Building, in the heart of the north corner of Sofia. He scowled as he made the journey back to his own office, where he found his orders as promised.

To General Lew Nys’ky, Commander, Garrison of New Generia Colony,
From the office of General Sverik Iljievo, Commander in Chief of the Imperial Army

We of the offices of the Imperial Generian General Staff, on behalf of his Infinite Majesty, Emperor Kazatmiru I, Sovereign Lord of Generia and her Dominions, will begin first by congratulating you on your excellent work in securing the defense and prosperity of the Imperial colony in the Haven region, especially in the wake of certain notable skirmishes with hostile nations of that same region. Your dedication to duty and loyalty to the Empire and to Kazatmiru have not gone unnoticed.

However, in light of other more recent developments, specifically the developing situation in Alberia which threatens important Imperial resource collection industries, and subsequently the findings of a recent expedition to the landmass south of the CAD continent referred to previously as “New Borneria” which yielded impressive finds in terms of fossil fuels and valuable ore, the Imperial government has seen fit to request your reassignment.

As mentioned, the activities of Alberian criminal organizations and militant rebel groups poses a direct threat to, specifically, Imperial ore mining and oil drilling operations in that region, which, as you well know is the heart of both of these industries in all of Generia proper. More than half of Generian oil comes directly from Alberia, where it is shipped throughout the Empire, as far as Port Belgrade, for refinement. At least 15% of Generian gold, upon which her economy rests, is mined in the same province, as well as 21% of her silver. Clearly, therefore, any disturbances in this particular area will have wide ranging effects as concerns the Imperial economy.

While the Imperial government has absolutely no doubt that the situation will be prevented from developing further, and will be handled speedily, the Emperor has ordered that additional sources for valuable ore and fossil fuels be found to relieve Imperial dependence on such a volatile dominion. While your own colony in Haven has certainly contributed via the creation of a formidable mining industry, it is simply not enough to fully realize the Emperor’s vision.

Therefore, the Imperial General Staff has proposed an expedition consisting of military engineers, Imperial soldiers, and civilian contractors to be dispatched to the landmass of New Borneria to establish a colony for the purpose of resource extraction. The Emperor himself, on the council of his Vizier, Lord Varus Tiberius Alexei, has specifically requested that you be given command of the expedition, an honor that comes with the responsibility not only for the colony itself, but for the fate of the entire Imperial economy.

Your first task will be to establish a strong garrison in the northwestern portion of the landmass, where probing expeditions have discovered a high concentration of mineral deposits and oil. Following this, you must oversee the establishment of a mining and oil drilling industry in this region, as well as the maintenance of “colonists” and other personnel.

You are to be prepared with your expedition to leave in one week. Good luck, General.

General Nys’ky sat back in his chair, and lit a cigarette. It would be a long week.

He had been studying the same map for what was closing in on 4 hours, now. The ash tray at his elbow was running over with charred butts and his coffee cup was empty. The General’s cap hung on the edge of the desk, and a bic pen rested between his fingertips.

New Borneria was a strange place, and on paper it certainly didn’t look like much. It was big, but nothing compared to Generia or even neighboring Mass Pwnage. For years it hadn’t been much more than a destination for political refugees who couldn’t get into Generia or curious tourists who grew weary of the coast of southern Generia. It was loosely under the auspices of the Empire, but there was simply so little there that it was not worth calling a ‘dominion.’ Therefore, its ownership was currently debatable.

It was not, however, uninhabited. Its population, as mentioned, consisted of communities of exiles and political refugees as well as dens of smuggler gangs seeking respite from the Imperial coastal navy. None were citizens, however, and few would hear any objections they made to the arrival of an expedition led by a renowned Generian commander.

The land itself was an odd hodgepodge of geographical features. It was a temperate zone, the northern reaches of the landmass not reaching the southernmost longitude of Generia itself. The climate was, therefore, inviting, though it varied in the central mountains and those on the southeastern coast. It was heavily forested where it wasn’t rocky, and it was dotted with streams and rivulets that fed the major rivers.

It would be a difficult place to move an army, not to mention establish a garrison, and Nys’ky considered this as he drew on his cigarette, rolling back in his chair.

Pushing aside the map, he drew himself up in front of his computer and began drafting the first his orders.

To Colonel Mikhail Leikev:

Following a thorough study of the terrain of the New Borneria landmass, I have concluded that it would be unwise to, as originally planned, make a landing on the southwestern coast and march north to the series of clearings bordering the foothills of the northern coast. The terrain would simply make the logistics of such an operation impractical, and instead I have decided to order you to land first-

Nys’ky yawned and sat back. He looked towards the clock and then towards the couch in the corner of his office. It would be impractical to go home, but he figured he may snare a few hours of sleep before dawn. Extinguishing the cigarette he got to his feet and stretched.

((OOC: A map: http://img129.imageshack.us/img129/5351/newborneriagw2.png (http://imageshack.us)))

News of this relative unknown land with the chances of being rich in minerals spread like wild fire within the upper levels of the Imperial Government, the hope of finding rare metal deposits was enough to send a taskforces to strike a claim and search for these rare metals which was badly needed to support the Imperial Banking system alive and well.


Months later

A taskforce was send to the landmass to strike a claim and set up a major base of operations for future operations on this landmass, the mission commanding officer was Commander Aleksander Nikitin Stukov, his mission simple strike a claim and set up a base in the Southeastern regions of the landmass. A few days later his taskforce made land fall and stake a claim for the Imperium, and begun to set up a base of operations by off loading the supplies from the supply ships in the fleet. It was only matter of time before they made contact with the locals.

Colonel Mikhail Leikev touched his lighter to the tip of his cigarette and drew deeply. In the distance, across the sea where the last purple rays of the sun made their graves, the mountains of northern New Borneria were silhouetted against the sky. He walked to the railing at the prow of the Imperial transport vessel and stared out at the distant sight, at the first glimpses of the wilderness where he and 12,000 others would make their home for some indefinite period of time.

Beyond the walls of the gathering night lay a feral land. He imagined, as he knew the rest of the men under his supervision at that moment were imagining, what could possibly befall him over the course of the coming days, weeks, months, years even. As is the case with many men confronted with such ideas, he felt a strong urge to pray, but as is also common, could not muster in his mind a subject on which to focus.

He turned, awed by the prospects and closed his eyes, relaxing in the cold air.

“A cold night for a stroll, Colonel,” came the voice of the ship’s captain, Andrei Mikhailovic. Colonel Leikev smiled without opening his eyes.

“Aye, but not for a smoke.”

The Captain chuckled. The two had become fast friends over the past few weeks at sea. He produced his own silver cigarette case and followed the Colonel’s example.

“You’ve never been there?” he said, gesturing at the distant silhouettes.

“No,” replied the army officer.

“I was there once. Almost a decade ago, now.”

The colonel was quiet, smoking in the fast falling darkness.

“There’s not much there, really. A few villages. A lot of trees.”

“Gold, too, apparently,” said the Colonel.

“Apparently. But still, I can’t fathom what the Emperor would see in a place like that to send 12,000 men.”

“We’re only the first wave.”

The Captain laughed. The first stars were now appearing in the twilight, beside a bright Venus.

“Your General, Nys’ky, have you ever met him?”

“Once. He’s an imposing individual. We didn’t speak much, aside from written orders.”

“I’ve heard about him. A real iron man. Wrought a civilization out of the barbaric lands in Haven.”

“So we hear.”

“Do you trust him?”

“I have to. He’s my superior. The Emperor himself placed him on this assignment.”

“Then he holds it for good reason.”

“I imagine so.”

Leikev turned back towards the horizon. Behind him stretched a veritable armada of glowing lights: the vessels of the Imperial expeditionary force. Aboard them were the souls that would make of break the Empire’s efforts in the new land. General Nys’ky himself lay dormant in his cabin aboard the Imperial flagship, the carrier Alexei. His dreams were still tonight. Come tomorrow, he would begin his efforts afresh as the Empire lay claim to a savage continent.

Commander Aleksander Nikitin Stukov was in his makeshift command center busy reviewing the latest geologist reports on the terrain around them, so far nothing of interest for now.

Then his second in command Lietutenant Colonel Fazil Iskander Gorky enter the command center and said “ Sir, the scouting party for the mountains, has just left and they will be back in 48 hours. We are maintaining contact with them constantly, of course. Besides if anything happens and they need e-vac…we have some air support from the light carriers in our small fleet. So nothing out of the bloody norm…just sending scouting parties out into the wildness for a hiking trip…fun fun.” Remarked Lietutenant Colonel Gorky

“Indeed…lets hope we find something of value..or this bloody mission to this bloody land was waste of our time and money…” remarked the Commander Stukov

“Yes, transported over 8,000 people, 4,000 are Imperial Black Legions Soldiers and the other 4,000 are civilians, and half of that are scientist and etc…bah, besides we have small fleet compose of one light carrier and a bunch of destroyers and transports. That must have cost us a good lot of funds..so yea I agree with you, sir…there better something worth our while over here..” said the Lietutenant Colonel

“Apparently so….have we made contact with any of the locals yet?” asked the Commander

“No sir…we haven’t made contact with anyone…since we have made land fall.” Replied Lietutenant Colonel

“Oh good…its just us and nobody fun fun..” remarked the Commander

President Reid pushed open the doors of the usual central executive chambers, where his secretary of the interior and a handful of aides worked as they prepared the projector and lined it up with the screen hanging on the far wall. "This had better be worth my time, I'm a lot more busy nowadays, secretary."

"This will be more than worth it, Mister President," Replied interior as he shooed away an aide from the laptop sitting on the table, "We may have another solution to our fuel shortage crisis."

The president's expression became skeptical as he took a seat, "Another nation we can take control of through a puppet government? Remember how well that took in Valla Verde?"

The advisor shook his head, "No, no, this is something entirely different. There is a land mass that has gone unsurveyed by our departments for some time, although it doesn't appear to have been properly claimed within the community."

"Are you suggesting that we start making claims to this little subcontinent?" Asked Reid in a not so serious tone, "Well, how much of a challenge would it be to establish a settlement?"

"Not much, although there are inhabitants already located there," Interior started, "I've been informed by our military advisors that they would present almost no threat to any operations, at least on the island to the Southeast. We could establish a small settlement, along with the necessary military facilities to protect it and begin from there to take hold of the resources that would be available."

"All right, but I want it checked first by our forces, perhaps a SCAR unit in first to support an engineering brigade as they work on the settlement," Said the president as he rose to leave, "Speak to the Joint Chiefs and see what you need."

"It's an interesting little mud hole though, isn't it?" Emperor Starrus I questioned.

"If you say so Emperor. Parliament will need a reason to support establishing a colony there though." Prime Minister Judgehammer responded.

"Hah! That's easy! I've heard they have oil there, and possibly mineral deposits. Not to mention that it would open even more nations to trade with, and hell we could even send our exiles there." the Emperor interrogated.

"So, we could finally stop selling the traitors and what not as slaves? Excellent! Parliament will support this entirely! I'll go inform them about the Colony of Exile immediantly!" the Prime Minister exclaimed.

Official Act of Parliament
To: Generic Empire
From: Vantanas
The Democratic Empire would like to inform you that we wish to buy land in the southwest area of New Borneria. Specifically the southernmost area going from the river west, north all the way to were the river takes a sharp bend east, which will be our northern border. Will this be acceptable?
***
Meanwhile, the Navy, Army, and Air Force were preparing for a military expedition.

Official Act of Parliament
To: Generic Empire
From: Vantanas
The Democratic Empire would like to inform you that we wish to buy the southeastern area of New Borneria. The border would follow the southeastern river into the mountains, the southeastern mountains north until their end, in which the border would go straight to the cost. Will this be acceptable?
***
Meanwhile, the Navy, Army, and Air Force were preparing for a military expedition.

OOC: Hope you realize that KLM is already in the southeastern a area of New Borneria..

OOC: Dang it. What about the island?

OOC: I belive Aequatio took that, but there is pently of land to claim in the southwestern regions.

OOC: Hope you realize that KLM is already in the southeastern a area of New Borneria..

OOC: Dang it. What about the island?

OOC: I belive Aequatio took that, but there is pently of land to claim in the southwestern regions.

OOC: Right... southwest area.

OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC COMMUNIQUE

To His Infinite Majesty, Emperor Kazatmiru I

Greetings, brother!

The streets of Korronis are abuzz with talk of a new Generian endeavour, in the spirit of the age of exploration: the taming of a continent, bringing with it toil, strife, and ultimately profit. I must confess, such rumors call to me.

Brother, I will be frank: the Imperium greatly desires a hand in the coming colonization. I do not know what level of involvement is acceptable to you, as New Borneria is rightly regarded as Generian soil; we are willing to take what you offer. Already Imperator Vuell has petitioned that I ask your permission to unleash the Legions on this den of iniquity (his lack of restraint disappoints me), Kregaian Industries wants me to secure exclusive mineral exploitation privileges in the southwest, while my own Lord Regent hints that we should ask you for permission to annex southwestern New Borneria outright.

My brother, I do not ask any of these. I merely present the concerns of some of my subjects; I admit, any of the above outcomes would be yet another tie between Generia and the Imperium, which as always benefits us both. However, the choice is, of course, yours. I hope this letter finds you in happiness, strength, and prosperity.

His Divine Majesty, Sacred Emperor Lucifer I

Emperor Kazatmiru removed his glasses and placed them on the desk in front of him. Looking up at Lord Varus, who sat in a leather chair by the fireplace on the other side of the room, he held up the request from the government of the nation of Vontanas.

“What do you think?” asked Kazatmiru.

Lord Varus knocked the ash from the end of his cigarette into the fire.

“It seems like a reasonable request, though I’m hesitant to suggest giving them that large a chunk of what amounts to Imperial territory.”

“What do we know about the southwestern peninsula?”

“Initial reports didn’t seem promising with regards to resources. It could be worthless, or they could have missed something. I doubt it would be hard to part with it though. Plus, we could charge rent.”

The Emperor laughed a little.

“Alright. Send them a response. Give them a smaller chunk of land than what they asked for. Find something reasonable to charge.”

The Imperial Vizier nodded and got to his feet.

“Yes, your grace.”

-----------

Official Imperial Communique:

From the Government of the Empire of Generia; His Infinite Majesty, Emperor Kazatmiru I

To the Government of the nation of Vontanas:

The Imperial Government, under the wise direction of His Infinite Majesty, the Emperor, has decided to permit the sale of a portion of the Imperial territory of the New Borneria landmass to your nation. We cannot, however, sell you the full extent of the territory you requested, though a portion of approximately one-half the size has been appropriated for your use, and should be found to still be satisfactory, as it permits access both to the southern extent of the western river, and the South Sea of Generia. You will find the territory highlighted exactly on the enclosed map.

The Empire has decided to charge an initial fee of 12 billion American dollars, and will also demand an annual rent consisting of 6% of the net worth of all resources harvested within the boundaries of the territory in question. Should your government uphold the terms of this agreement, you will be permitted to use the land however you choose, without interference from the Empire or any other foreign government.

We hope the terms of this deal are satisfactory.

---------------

Colonel Leikev beheld the breathtaking wilderness from the open door of the Imperial airforce helicopter, soaring a few miles inland from the coast over the forest that dominated the land all the way up to the foothills of the central mountains. He could still see clearly the glinting metal of the Imperial fleet that rested off the shore and expanded into the distance as far as the eyes could see.

The first groups of Imperial soldiers and engineers were just disembarking along the northwestern coast, preparing to establish the camps that would house them in the initial stages of the colonization operations. General Nys’ky himself would not arrive for several days, leaving Colonel Leikev some time to explore the extent of the island, specifically the sector intended to be used exclusively by Generia, himself.

Overhead, a pair of jet engines screamed as a modified GIF-1 interceptor, converted to a surveying craft, solidified the notion of a strong Imperial military presence on what had been at one point a worthless hunk of rock.

“Look over there, sir,” said the helicopter’s pilot. “A refugee city.”

Sure enough, in a clearing in the middle of the forest was a collection of near houses of wood and stone, clustered around a central courtyard. The Colonel could make out a few figures moving around below, and wondered if the arrival of one of the world’s most powerful armed forces had any effect on their lives this day.

He gestured to the pilot to take him further inland, closer to the base of the mountains dominating the eastern horizon.

-------------

General Nys’ky furrowed his brow as he read a series of reports, himself tucked into the confined comfort of an officer’s cabin aboard the flagship of the naval expeditionary force, the old Imperial battleship Conquest.

“Aequatians? Vontanans?”

He placed the documents back on the small desk. He had not expected foreigners to arrive this quickly, not to mention beat him there. It was a different ball game now, and he understood finally why the Imperial government was so keen on sending a military expeditionary force as opposed to a strict civilian expedition. It would be a careful balance of diplomacy to keep things on the island peaceful while colonies developed, especially if the reports of vast resources were true.

----------

Official Imperial Communique

To His Majesty, Emperor Lucifer I

The Empire is pleased with the interest you have taken in what will no doubt prove to be a successful and lucrative endeavor. As always, I and Generia herself look to Kregaia as a brother nation, and of course will not deny you the glory and profit that will no doubt come from the colonization of a land as rich as New Borneria.

Specifically, the Empire is willing to offer you a stretch of land on the southwestern peninsula, north of the territory appropriated for Vontanas, and nestled between the bends of the southwesternmost river. [see the map for exact detail]

We offer this to you as a gift in friendship, without charge, to do with as you please.

Good luck in your endeavors.

Emperor Kazatmiru I

----------

((OOC:

Red: Aequatio
Maroon: Warmaster
Green: Vontanas

My claims and the KLM's claims are not illustrated, as they have not been officially demarcated. Generia will occupy the northwestern quadrant, and the KLM, the southeastern. Also, ignore that black line in my territory. I was using it to judge the extent of generian expansion when I was making the map, but its meaningless now.

http://usera.imagecave.com/mobrule132001/NewBorneriaedited.bmp.jpg

Official Imperial Communique:

From the Government of the Empire of Generia; His Infinite Majesty, Emperor Kazatmiru I

To the Government of the nation of Vontanas:

The Imperial Government, under the wise direction of His Infinite Majesty, the Emperor, has decided to permit the sale of a portion of the Imperial territory of the New Borneria landmass to your nation. We cannot, however, sell you the full extent of the territory you requested, though a portion of approximately one-half the size has been appropriated for your use, and should be found to still be satisfactory, as it permits access both to the southern extent of the western river, and the South Sea of Generia. You will find the territory highlighted exactly on the enclosed map.

The Empire has decided to charge an initial fee of 12 billion American dollars, and will also demand an annual rent consisting of 6% of the net worth of all resources harvested within the boundaries of the territory in question. Should your government uphold the terms of this agreement, you will be permitted to use the land however you choose, without interference from the Empire or any other foreign government.

We hope the terms of this deal are satisfactory.


Official Diplomatic Telegram:
To: Empire of Generia, Emperor Kazatmiru I
From: Democratic Empire of Vantanas, Emperor Starrus I

The terms of this agreement are more then acceptable. The initial fee of twelve billion American dollars has been sent. Pleasure doing business with your fine empire.

***

They had recieved authorization. The naval ships hovering around the southwestern border of New Borneria swooped in, jets zooming forward to the borders of the new colony. Marines were dropped off on the shores while the smaller naval ships went to scout around the river.

Initial explorations turned out to be perfect. A giant swampy forest that extended across half of the territory. To the north a plateau which seemed to have mineral deposits. A few dotted refugee cities here and there. Perfect for the exiles. Speaking of which, the exiles were being sent already. Along with a wave of colonists, and an extremly greedy corporation.

“Raven-winged Korronis, the chthonic beast that spans mortal lifetimes
Reaching with tenfold ten hands to nurture the world with blood...”
-“Emperor’s Embrace”, a Kregaian poem

As his Inner Court took their seats at the conference table, Lucifer thought of Paradise Lost, or at least its second book: the council of demons, “hatching vain empires.” He smiled distantly, a hard look in his eye. The Sacred Emperor had plans in mind, plans for New Borneria, and it would have been a fool indeed who called his dreams vain.

“Gentlemen,” he began, without preamble, “Emperor Kazatmiru has recently offered us, with typical generosity, imperium over a sizable chunk of the undeveloped continent of New Borneria.” They muttered among themselves, voices tinged with satisfaction, until the god-king raised his hand for silence and spoke again. “The area, as I am sure you are aware, is practically flooded with oil and richly endowed with all sorts of precious materials. Gold. Silver. Perhaps others. Nobody has conducted a full geological survey yet.

“We must all be grateful to Emperor Kazatmiru for his gift; now the issue is what the Imperium desires from New Borneria. The answer, of course, is simple: exploitation, to the fullest. The population is not large or prosperous: easy converts to the true faith. They will provide sacrifice from both their properties and from their very souls. The minerals they are sitting on will fuel Imperial industry. I want them in the palm of my hand, my children, and I want them to remain there willingly. They will be a territory, true, but no matter how much we take from them, I want them to thank us for it! Imperator Vuell?”

The big man, Head of the Kregaian Imperial Armed Forces, stood and bowed. “Yes, Divine One?”

“General Decevus Ctani is to assemble a force, take it to New Borneria, and commence the conquest and integration of our new territory there. Offer incentives for companies to invest there, and deport citizens there to assimilate them into Kregaian culture. And once we have the land given to us, gentlemen, we will be able to consider further exploration elsewhere on the continent...”And at these words, the Inner Court leaned forward to hear the vision of their Sacred Emperor.

***

“They came from out of the west like a ponderous tidal wave. We didn’t know it was coming until too late, and even as it engulfed us we weren’t sure what to do. They taught us...broke down our concept of who we were, what we believed, what we wanted, and before we knew it, Bornerians who had only wanted a peaceful life in Generia were offering human sacrifices, sending our sons to the Legions, and thanking the Sacred Emperor for stripping our freedom away.”
-excerpt from a heretical Bornerian history text

It was a while before they arrived. But when they did so, they came in force. A huge fleet of supply and transport ships accompanied the squadron of warships that backed up the invasion force. In the bellies of these great ships waited thousands upon thousands of deported Kregaians, eager to make a new living in the vast new territories of New Borneria. There would be more coming by private boats, and more after that, for a sort of gold rush was taking place. He who could stake the greatest claim would have the greatest power in Borneria, and the ambitious among Kregaia’s billions of citizens clamored for their chance at wealth.

They established a beachhead a few miles inland, a vast plain of prefabricated buildings, after bombarding the few towns in the way into dust. A major road passed nearby, an artery through which Imperial troops could seize the heart of the region allotted to them by Emperor Kazatmiru. The skies darkened as transport planes and helicopters swarmed from the carriers offshore towards the forward base, unloading food, weapons, war machines, and all the baggage of Imperial conquest. It was the storm of the century, and it was already engulfing New Borneria, mere weeks after the land was handed over in a transaction that its inhabitants knew nothing about.

That was about to change.

***

“Dad! Dad! Look outside!”

Antonio Farenzi, upon hearing his young son’s excited voice, stood up from his computer and hurried to the window of his small house. Outside, on the tiny lawn, his son stood pointing and hopping around, eyes wide. Following his son’s outstretched finger, Antonio scanned the landscape...and gasped.

Coming up the road was a column of armored vehicles, at least ten of them, flying a flag that he had seen from time to time in political magazines: the five-armed cross of the cruel and arrogant Kregaian Imperium. His own eyes widened, but not with the excitement of his son: this was terror. An image flickered through his head of his family on some bloodstained sacrificial altar, and he moved like lightning. Throwing a few possessions and some water into a duffel bag, he yelled to his son, “Get in here, Marco! Take what you need, we’re leaving!”

But there was no reply.

Antonio looked out the window again, to be greeted with an arresting sight: his son had wandered into the middle of the street, and the treads of the leading APC were almost upon him. The machine showed no sign of stopping.

Antonio sprinted outside, hauling his little boy out of the way just in time. However, in doing so he’d jumped into the thick of things. All around him, up and down the street, shocked Bornerians were leaving their houses and shops to look at the massive, chugging, black machines, which were even now forming up in the town square. Hatches opened on the back, and a squad of men jumped out from each: a dozen of them, each dressed in black-and-grey urban combat fatigues, complete with bulletproof vest, heavy-looking backpacks, combat boots, an armored helmet with faceplate, and toting a long, powerful assault rifle.

This was the first sighting of Imperial Legionaries in Borneria.

There were eleven APCs in all, eleven full infantry squads; however, the twelfth vehicle seemed to be a command post of some sort, boasting a complicated antenna array, and from its depths jumped not a dozen hardened warriors, but a man in the uniform of an officer, complete with a scarlet cloak, carrying a large, ornate scroll in one hand, and flanked by a few aides. The officer took advantage of the townspeople’s shocked silence to step forward and address the Bornerians.

“Townspeople, greetings in the name of the Kregaian Imperium.” More silence met this proclamation, and the officer continued. “You will not be aware of this, perhaps you are not even aware of your previous allegiance, but this area of New Borneria has been presented to our ruler, the Sacred Emperor, to do with as he likes. We have officially annexed this town and its surrounding territory.” Angry mutters issued from the crowd, and a few of the braver fellows openly shouted at him, but the Kregaian merely unrolled the scroll he bore and began to read aloud over the rising din.

“In the name of His Divine Majesty, Sacred Emperor Lucifer the First, his Imperium, and the Seven True Gods, I henceforth declare this land to be under Imperial martial law. All citizens are expected to comply with the directives of any Imperial serviceman except where such directives conflict with those of a higher-ranked soldier...” The crowd began to yell at him, enraged, but he plodded on, simply raising his voice above the din. “...are expected to willingly fulfill all duties of Imperial citizens, among them conscription, sacrificial procuration, conscripted labor...”

He got no further. One onlooker hurled a small rock at the scroll, which tore through it and struck the Kregaian in the gut. He didn’t flinch, but merely climbed on top of one of the APCs and raised his right fist. Shouting for all to hear, he intoned, “For rejecting Imperial law, resisting conquest, and assaulting an Imperial soldier, I pronounce this town to lie under the death sentence. The Nine Hells await you.” So saying, he dropped his hand, and the scene went from conquest to nightmare.

The Legionaries snapped up their assault rifles and opened fire, armor-piercing rounds tearing easily through the flesh of the horrified Bornerians. They fled, scattering in all directions, but to no avail; as they put a bit of distance between themselves and the lethally accurate Legionaries, the 35mm cannons on the Sidewinder APCs opened up with a vengeance. The soldiers’ rounds had perforated the rebellious Bornerians; these rounds literally blasted them apart. As silence fell over the square, the squads dispersed through the town, hunting the remaining Bornerians like cattle. In a matter of minutes, the place was a ghost town.

***

The rumor of that little incident spread far and wide, tales expanding with every telling. A thousand Legionaries, it was said, had laid waste to a town of Bornerians for not bowing down before the image of the Sacred Emperor. Others said a single squad of Kregaian warriors had methodically gunned down the entire population, saying nothing and offering no reason for the slaughter. Still others swore that every man, woman and child had sworn allegiance to the Imperium and been shipped away across the seas, to be displayed at the court of Korronis. The Kregaians themselves, meanwhile, cared no more than they would for crushing cicadas; as the saying goes, woe to the vanquished.

The Imperium knows and has always known that fear is a weapon like any other; perhaps even more potent, for he is either a fanatic or a madman who is armored against fear. Fear spilled from the wounds of the Bornerians as they were gunned down, and washed New Borneria in a fast-flowing tide. The continent was bathed in it, and the leaders of that rich land told the people it was useless, that there was no fighting against fanatical warriors, heavy armor, and seemingly endless air support. Resistance, they said, would earn them all an agonizing death; there was no other option, then, but to submit.

The storm of Imperial conquest fed off the surrender of towns and cities and districts, but finally reached a levee that for the moment was unbreachable. There lay the boundary of the land that Kazatmiru had given to them. Miles southwest of that boundary, Vontanan colonists were probing their claim, but for the moment, the Kregaians paid no heed. Thousands upon thousands of architects, sculptors, priests, engineers, construction workers, and various other public workers were offloaded and swarmed across New Borneria; fortresses were erected, especially on the border, with missile silos, airfields, bunkers, and emplacements strung across the land like a spiderweb. Geologists found the veins of gold and the oil deposits, and the corporations fell over themselves trying to be the first to extract the precious minerals. The native Bornerians were systematically "Kregaianized", their children reeducated and held as hostages while the parents were slowly broken through fear, propaganda, and the religion of the Empire. Meanwhile, the cities expanded to make room for the Kregaian colonists coming to make a new life here.

Ports were hastily constructed to allow the freshly extracted treasures of New Borneria to be carried back to Kregaia, along with thousands of captives. The plunder fleets sailed back to Korronis, a new thread in the vast web of tribute and goods that floated new cargo into the Imperial capital every day; Borneria had already become another capillary in the Imperial circulatory system, and the Sacred Emperor was thinking of a new name for it even as Bornerian captives entered his service. As Caesar once said, "War gives the right of the conquerors to impose anything they wish upon the defeated."

***

On the southwestern border of New Borneria, a pair of off-duty Legionaries stood smoking, surveying the fortifications being built on the border with Vontanas. The concrete bunkers and stark weapons installations stood at odds with the clear blue sky, and the roar of construction equipment rumbled over the two soldiers' conversation.

"I'm telling you, man," one insisted, taking a drag on his cigarette, "they'll do what they're told. They never had any kind of real religion or order; now that they've got Imperial law, they're gonna notice that a lot fewer people get killed, or drive drunk, or get raped. No matter how many people they gotta offer for sacrifice, they get a good deal."

His companion snorted and shot back, "Dude, when was the last time the Imperium conquered a nation that just submitted? That's right. Never." The first soldier sighed and replied, "Yeah, but this isn't a nation. Borneria is just some shithole for the pricks who can't get into Generia. Trust me, they'll take the law, and the true faith, and they'll get their shit together."

"They'd better...I don't know anything yet, but there's word tricklin' down the chain that we're not done yet."

"What?" His friend started in surprise. Smiling slightly, the Legionary looked over the border, at the Vontanan territory, its empty space contrasted with the bristling mini-fortresses and SAM emplacements that dotted the Kregaian boundary, and laughed aloud.

"There's going to be hell coming over this border, man. Pretty damn soon. Just wait for the reinforcements to come. There's gonna be fucking hell, man..."

The scouting team to the mountain finally returns to base camp after 48 hours of hiking throughout the mountains. The geologist reported that they have some gold in the riverbeds, which hints that there maybe a major gold deposit further up in the mountains and just hints that there might more valuable mineral deposits in the mountains.

Which was good news to Commander Stukov and Lieutenant Colonel Gorky, this find give made their mission worthwhile and not a waste after all. Just the commander order more scouting teams to go into the mountains and find more deposits of rare metals and anything worthwhile. Also the Commander learn there some settlements of locals mainly exiles from GE near by, the commander decided it was best to make peaceful contact with the locals and try to get them to help his forces in recon and other matters.

A small cloud of red dust rose and covered the black leather as the boot of General Nys’ky touched the fertile soil of northwestern New Borneria for the first time. The rotors of the Imperial gunship upon which he had arrived were still turning, but as he removed his cap and stood to his full height, taking a look around, the engine was cut off, and shortly thereafter the void was filled with the sounds that had become typical in these past weeks: the voices of workmen and Imperial soldiers mingling against a backdrop of electric tools.

The colony had progressed a great deal to his eyes in just ten days. Already, the main body of the original expedition had been moved off of the ships, and with the help of the building materials that poured off the supply vessels daily, a sturdy base camp was being constructed a few miles inland. The loosely termed “first encampment” was in effect a large complex that served the purpose of barracks, airfield, supply depot, and headquarters all in one.

The largest portion rested upon a raised section of flat sheet rock covered in a loose layer of hard earth. The area around this particular clearing, upon which rested the main buildings of stone and steel, had been cleared of trees and was now the site of the extensive construction of long wooden and concrete barracks to house the 7,000 soldiers and engineers who had been offloaded from the ships. Those who had no structures to move into lived in a series of tent cities that had sprung up near the worksites. All in all, an area of approximately two-dozen square miles would soon be, if it wasn’t already, the site of extensive development, all in preparation for the far more important second stage of the colonization process: the establishment of effective mining industries.

At this moment, however, the expedition was still in effect being directed from the flagship, the Conquest, which loomed offshore, its large caliber guns dormant for the moment. The mission was yet a peaceful one, and its commander continued to make his bunk at sea.

This was not to say that he was in any way detached from the progress being made ashore, however. Far from it, he had hand selected several teams which were now probing the vast expanse of the so-termed “northwestern quadrant,” the northwestern corner of the island which the Imperial Government and her hand selected commander believed would prove to contain the most lucrative deposits of oil and precious minerals.

Neither would the military nature of the expedition be lost on a spectator. Against the noise of the jet engines of Generia’s warplanes, the hammers fell on steel as SAM missile emplacements were put up in strategic locations to guard the construction sites, and the barrels of artillery cannon rose against the pristine mountain ridges on the horizon. Though the fleet was for the moment the expedition’s security as well as its supply, Nys’ky took no chances, and had established a complex barrier of mobile and emplaced radar beside a net of infantry patrols, watchtowers, and alarms. No one would likely be crashing the Empire’s party anytime soon.

General Decevus Ctani, recently anointed Lord of Tiraeum, stared down from the hill at the bustle of activity below. Weeks had past since the Kregaians arrived, bringing with them their laws, their traditions, and their armies...and already the few thousand natives scattered across the area had submitted.

New Borneria had ceased to exist: now there was Tiraeum, a new province of the Kregaian Empire. Where below this very hill there had been untamed shoreline, now the port of Brasidas was springing up; thousands of Imperial construction workers toiled, building warehouses, ammunition dumps, airfields, bunkers, batteries...Brasidas would be a military port, a necessary one, and the Imperium was pulling out all the stops. To the north and the south, along the shore of what Kregaians had dubbed the Tiraean Sea, similar facilities were being constructed, and inland, a network of fortresses and AA batteries were nearing completion. Once they were finished, the Imperial stranglehold on the Tiraean interior would be complete, leaving only the border fortresses to be finished.

General Ctani frowned slightly. All the activity was very strange indeed. The Imperium was pouring a great deal of money into this network of fortifications, much more than was strictly necessary to secure this place, and he wanted to know why. Twice now he had considered simply sending a message to Imperator Vuell requesting the information he needed, but had decided against it. The Imperator liked to play the cards close to his chest, and would probably just get angry at him for his umbrage.

Again Ctani surveyed the horizon. A convoy of oil tankers was fading into the distance, bound for Korronis, while in the finished sections of the port below a column of captives was boarding a small transport, likewise destined for the Impenetrable City. A flight of C-7 Generia planes, on the makeshift airstrip below, disgorged squads of Legionaries, who immediately got on a convoy of trucks to take them to the southwest border with Vontanas. Something had to be going on down there...

Abruptly, General Ctani felt a buzzing against his hip. Reaching for his handheld, he saw that he had just received a new encrypted message. As it slowly decoded, he smiled.

GENERAL CTANI
REPORT TO FLAGSHIP IMMEDIATELY, IMPERATOR VUELL WAITING TO BRIEF YOU CONCERNING OPERATION BLACK THUNDER.

Finally he would learn what High Command wanted here...

"General Ctani."

The voice of Imperator Jakran Vuell boomed from the speakers in the private channel room. General Decevus Ctani himself bowed stiffly in response; he didn't get along well with the Imperator.

"Sir, you summoned me so that you could brief me about a so-called Operation Black Thunder. I'm eager to hear your explanation." Vuell's mouth tightened at his weary tone, but decided to ignore it. "Operation Black Thunder is an infiltration exercise. It is the beginning of the next phase of our conquest of New Borneria." "Tiraeum, sir?" Ctani interjected, mock-helpfully. Vuell smiled coldly. "No, General, New Borneria. There is more to this continent than Tiraeum, and we mean to take what we can of that. Now listen to me and be silent, because the Divine One himself has ordered this mission, and you will begin carrying it out as soon as I break this connection."

***

Over the empty hinterlands that held the border between Vontanan Borneria and Tiraeum, a number of cargo trucks marked with the symbol of the White Shield, an international relief organization, drove along the meager roads of New Borneria. So far only the Imperial side had any security to speak of, and that some distance back from the border itself, and so the trucks passed quickly and unnoticed over the countryside. Their courses diverged, like a rope unraveling, each headed for a major water source: lakes, rivers, ponds...each carrying with them only silence, and protected only by a false symbol of innocence.

***

OFFICIAL DIPLOMATIC COMMUNIQUE

To Prime Minister Judgehammer of Vontanas

We are aware of your own exploration and extraction efforts in New Borneria. Rest assured we will be keeping a close eye on your activities, and we will not tolerate any interference with our assets. As an insurance of your good behavior, we are claiming exclusive oil drilling rights off the southwestern coast. Do not attempt to stop us; the Imperium takes what is its due, and we have a far better claim to New Borneria than you. If you follow the terms, we do not doubt that our nations will share a very profitable relationship.

General Decevus Ctani, Lord of Tiraeum

From the deck of his flagship, General Nys’ky surveyed the progress along the coast of the expanse of land now being called “Tiraeum” by its Kregaian conquerors. He frowned as he lowered the binoculars. Beside him, Colonel Leikev bore a similar expression. Hands fingering the handle of the high caliber automatic pistol resting on his hip, he approached the railing.

“I don’t like it, sir. I know they’re our allies, but they’re plotting something ugly over there.”

Nys’ky nodded his agreement.

“I get the same feeling. Those border fortifications can’t be overlooked. I fear for the safety of their neighbors.”

Colonel Leikev offered a dry chuckle.

“With all due respect, sir, I’ve not known you to fear for the safety of anyone.”

Nys’ky took a drag on his cigarette.

“If the Kregaians start something, and a war comes to New Borneria, it could jeopardize our own interests. Our presence is for industrial purposes, and security, not colonial warfare. The land that the Vontanans control was given to them by the Emperor himself. How would it look if an Imperial ally suddenly decided to repossess it for their own purposes?”

Colonel Leikev looked over at his superior.

“General, sir, they’re aliens. Foreigners. What do we care if they get burned?”

“Nys’ky grunted and flicked the butt of his smoke over the side.

“I just don’t like it, Colonel. That’s all.”

Leikev turned his eyes back to the coastline. The Imperial port was clearly visible, and great progress had been made in the past month. Already, dozens of industrial size cranes unloaded crates of supplies from heavy freighters that pulled into the harbor daily. The roofs of the barracks had replaced much of the white tent city that had once dotted the coast. All stood under the shadow of the Empire’s coastal batteries and landward artillery emplacements, a silent reminder of who called the shots.

As the month pass, the KLM outpost in New Borneria was growing day by day as more new comers came to make this new land their home. Soon the port of Karamazov was establish as the seat of Imperial Government for KLM Borneria.With the growth of the local populations and growing investment of the mining and oil companies in the region, the Imperial General Staff order the deployment of two infantry reserve divisions (Russian 88th Rifle Division and the 108th Belarusian Rifles Division) the Eurasian Dominion to garrison the region from any threats of attack. It was going to be sometime before the Region can become a dominion of the Imperium…for now it was just colony under direct rule of the Imperium.

Also Commander Stukov made it one of his goals to make use of the locals to help his men to explore the region and create a lasting friendship with them for future use. The Commander decide it was now best time to make contact with the other nations of the landmass, first on his list was the Imperium close allies of GE.

To: General Nys’ky
From: Commander Stukov
Topic: Greetings

Greetings from the Commander of KLM forces in New Borneria, it’s been too long that our respected forces in this region haven’t made direct contact with each other, in till now. I believe it would be in the best interest of forces to have face-to-face contact to discuss claims and other matters of interest between our two respected states.

To: General Nys’ky
From: Commander Stukov
Topic: Greetings

Greetings from the Commander of KLM forces in New Borneria, it’s been too long that our respected forces in this region haven’t made direct contact with each other, in till now. I believe it would be in the best interest of forces to have face-to-face contact to discuss claims and other matters of interest between our two respected states.

RE: Greetings
To: Commander Stukov
From: General Lew Nys'ky

On behalf of the Emperor Kazatmiru and the Generian Imperial Government, I, his loyal servant, send my regards. I too believe that it would be wise for us to have a face to face meeting, especially in light of the presence of other national interests and the percievable value of the resources this country holds. I offer the use of the Imperial flagship, the battleship Conquest as a safe location for the meeting, though I am open to your suggestions if this does not suit you.

To: General Nys’ky
From: Commander Stukov
Topic: RE: Greetings

Very well, we shall meet on your battleships. I will be coming within the next 48 hours via one of the frigate within the KLM fleet station here. I look forward to meeting you, General.


48 hours later, the A.M.S.S Fort Red, Neustrashimy Class Frigate was coming within range of battleship Conquest. The Fort Red Captain signal the Conquest that they had Commander Stukov and his second in command Lieutenant Colonel Gorky requesting to come aboard for their meeting.

OOC: It pains me to do this, but if Vontanas doesn't respond within the next few days I will assume no resistance and occupy his territory. He's had plenty of time. I'll TG him again to make sure.

OOC: Unfortunately, Vontanas has not posted...so I'm going to assume no resistance. I'll put up a short IC post about it soon, too busy tonight. If he posts before then, then he can keep his land.

The preparations had been flawless. Covert agents had introduced toxins into the Vontanan water supply. They had been in the process of inciting discord in the laborers' camps. All of it had meant nothing in the end.

A few days after the agents had infiltrated Vontanan Borneria, divisions of crack mechanized infantry, accompanied by sizable detachments of heavy armor and enjoying remarkable air support, had stormed over the fortified border, intent on plundering and seizing all before them. Imagine the Legionaries' consternation upon discovering that there was to be no resistance at all.

It posed an interesting question to the warrior psyche. Was it still honorable to slaughter enemies who didn't raise a hand to protect themselves? This had never happened before, and the Legions simply did not know how to react. In the end they simply began their integration programs, executing leaders and taking hostages to insure good conduct, making examples of various groups of laborers for trumped-up charges, simply so they could argue that the Legions had triumped against something. After all, with no resistance and no casualties, one might very well argue that those strange events were not even a war but a glorified drill.

However, the results would not have been any different had the Vontanans put up a fight, or so the Kregaians believed. And there was no arguing that the Kregaians weren't benefiting. There was now a new Imperial province abroad, a new platform for further exploitation in Borneria...

To: General Nys’ky
From: Commander Stukov
Topic: RE: Greetings

Very well, we shall meet on your battleships. I will be coming within the next 48 hours via one of the frigate within the KLM fleet station here. I look forward to meeting you, General.


48 hours later, the A.M.S.S Fort Red, Neustrashimy Class Frigate was coming within range of battleship Conquest. The Fort Red Captain signal the Conquest that they had Commander Stukov and his second in command Lieutenant Colonel Gorky requesting to come aboard for their meeting.


Captain Andrei Mikhailovic replied to the transmission, giving permission for the Commander and his adjutant to come aboard. General Nys'ky made his way to the deck, preparing to meet the foreign military delegation.

Commander Stukov and Lt. Colonel Gorky came aboard the battleship Conquest, when they came aboard one could tell right away that both men were not of the branch of the arm forces, Commander Stukov had on a Black uniform which meant he was a officer within the Black Legions and Black Hawk branches and Lt. Colonel Gorky had on a green army uniform. They exchange greetings with the Captain and awaited to be taken to meet the General.