NationStates Jolt Archive

At 3:53 A.M. local time on Saturday, March 24th, 2007, a nuclear explosion ripped through a borderland of Eternia, AKA The Dictatorship of Skeletor The Great.

Eternia's lack of a nuclear program means that we can't learn anymore at this time. We humbly ask if any fellow countries are willing to offer nuclear technicians.

At this point, we believe it was a terrorist attack, although it might have been an experiment gone wrong for Eternia's fledgling nuclear program.

More info will be added as it is discovered.

To: Dictator Skeletor
From: General Conrad Strom, Minister of Defense; Armen Zeroun, Minister for Foreign Affairs

Subject: Seismograph Readout

It has come to our attention that, on what would be the Morning of Sunday, March 24 (local time), we recorded what was a significant earthquake eminating from your country. Futher Press Releases from your nation have confirmed a nuclear explosion.

We therefore request that you allow access to a Nuclear Containment Team, who, given the circumstances, will endeavor to contain, analyse, and arrange to begin to clear the result of the explosion.

We await anxiously your reply.

Yours,


General Conrad Strom
and
Armen Zeroun

Trolls are no good with anything more complicated than a longbow, so we can't help. We CAN however send a team of enforcers to make sure nobody bothers the workers.

Nightclaw of Trollskog

The Dontgonearthere Empire would be most pleased to render assistance should you require it.
For a consideration we could provide satilite imagery of the blast, as well as the aftermath and events leading up to it, which should assist you greatly.

DINS

To General Conrad Strom
and
Armen Zeroun,

Permssion is granted for the nuclear containment team. It is a top priroity to odiscover just what happened here. If the yield is 50kt or above, assume that the explosion was the responsibility of terrorists, and evacuate all personnel. Our army can handle it from there.

To DINS,

Satellite imagery would be a definite must. Our lack of a strong space program meant that we have no observation devices in orbit. If I may be so bold, your FIRST priority should be discovering whether this device was a launched ballistic device, a nuclear IED, or simply a freak accident.

Yours Truly,
Skeletor

Dictator Skeletor;

Our NCT will be enroute within days. We advise anyone without radiological protection to stay away from the area.

We shall require an escort to the site - we wish our analysis to be done without compromisation by the possibility of a terrorist attack.

PAB

Caution; we have a suspected nation. This is the body of a telegram recieved 16 hours ago:

The United Socialist States of Sariown
Received: 16 hours ago
i dropped the bombs

PAB, we shall meet you with a full military escort. Be advised, the smallpox infection is still at a critical stage.

The Armed States of Theoropia
To: Eternia
Re: Nuclear Explosion

The Armed States of Theoropia, although engaged in a conflict, would like to send medical supplies and food to Eternia. Anyone that was hurt, or will be hurt, can also be transported to our hospitals in case of overcrowding in your medical facilities. Also, any hospitals that contain your patients will have a full military guard in case of a terrorist attack. The medical supplies will be delivered in two days, along with a military protection unit.

Great Khan Eric
Supreme Commander
Lesser Khan Theo
War Chief

Skeletor:

Duly noted, with thanks. We shall bring a biological containment team alongside, to monitor danger to our men.

Expect our arrival imminently.

To the Dictator Skeletor,

While we disagree with your lack of political freedoms, we cannot allow the people of your land to suffer. We are willing to dispatch a Century of our Engineering Corp to aid in immediate restoration of water and power.

Furthermore the Youth Brigade has managed to collect 300,000 cans of food and soup that can be distributed to the victims of the attack. Our Merchant Fleet stands ready in the harbours of Port Victory. We merely await your reply.

Go with peace,

Consul Edward Verimus

From The Frenzia Defense Council:

Due to the seemingly unprovoked nature of these attacks,we would like to provide assistance in both the clean up and preventing another attack.With your permission we would like to dispatch the 3rd NBC weapons battalion to assist in the clean up.This unit has been involved in various cases in Frenzia due to attacks by Raven corps.We would also like more information on this ''mystery nation''.This seemingly unstable nation must be stopped.

To the Honourable Skeletor the Great,

When he heard of this tragedy that befell your country, His Most Christian Majesty, the King, was greatly distressed. In his Most Infinitesimal Generosity, His Majesty has implored me to donate to you £1000 from the Royal Treasury. This currency is to be used to fund efforts to rebuild the damaged area.

The Dominion is fortunate that, even though we often have great blizzards, tempests, and earth quakes, our climate is such that we have never been subjected to a nuclear explosion. It is for this reason that His Majesty can not in all honesty express empathetic feelings, although he is certain that it must indeed be a very frightening and terrible disaster.

Signed,
Jan Sebastien, Lord Chancellor

To: Dictator Skeletor
From: Minister of nucular energy, Sterotops
Message:
Hello,
having just heard about the recent nucular blast inside your nation and subsequent request for help we thought it would be aproite to assist. If it is ok we would like to send some of our best nucular scientists to help figure out what caused this. If we send these people we would need to know, would they be allowed to have a goverment provided body guard? As you know, you cant trust people these days. Please respond as soon as possible so we can move the scientists.

We will meet your scientists at the airport.

OOC: How bout my battalion?

We will be sending them in at around 1200 local time to your international airport

That morning, several C-17s were seen flying over an airport in Eternia. In them were carried the several parts that made up a Nuclear Containment Team, along with extra Anti-Biological Warfare equipment, plus a Medical Contingent to administer aid to civilians.

Landing at the airport, the rear of the C-17s opened up. Men, shortly followed by Stryker IFV's, ran and lined up in front of the man in charge - Colonel Preston. This man was used to being on the frontline, commanding the NBC Warfare Corps. He knew what he was doing, and he kept a tight rein on his ship. No mistakes could be made in NBC warfare, and he knew it.

"Gentlemen! As you know, we're here on an analysis and containment. We've been informed of a suspect nation, so keep your wits about you! There'll be Eternian Military meeting us here soon, so I want you all saddled up and ready to rumble. Do I make myself clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!"

"Right then...lets show Skeletor how Barronia does it! Saddle up!"

The convoy cruised along. They had passed the Skeletor border about 30 minutes ago, and were currently headed toward Eternia. The convoy consisted of twenty trucks, carrying the supplies, three Gorm Light Tanks, five T-80s, and ten BMPs.

The Sergeant wiped his brow. Goddam, what a fucking hot place this is, he thought. Can't wait to get there. Then maybe I can take a piss.

(OOC) My turn!

1)The HACS-02HG-MPS Grizzly Heavy Gears marched into the airport. Seeing the Barronian units, the mechs came to an at ease position. Four of the 20 gear detachment encircled the airport, heavy autocannons directed out towards enemy territory. Commander John C. Bagna's gear kneeled down, and the chest cavity opened up. The battle scarred commander's face was revealed, and he offered a grin to the new arrivals.

"Hey there, gentlemen! We're here for your escort. Boys?"

The 15 gears came to stiff, officer-on deck positions.

"Heh heh... like 'em?" He looked towards the east. "Well, shall we get started? The sooner the better... we've been fighting brigands ever since we deployed. They seem to be more abundant since the explosion..."

2) The Kodiaks stepped in front of the speeding convoy, the commander holding up his mechanical arm.

"Name and destination? Failure to comply will result in termination."

The 15 gears leveled their particle cannons at the vehicles.

"Well?"

"Interesting choice of transport, Commander. We....prefer the wheeled variety, as you can see. And as for those Brigands...we'll be well prepared." - he points to the various models of Stryker - mortar, anti-tank missile, troop transport - "So. Shall we make a move? Let's roll gentlemen! Race those Eternians to the exit!"

A roar fills the air as the engines of the Strykers start in unison. Capable of 60mph, they were still at a push to beat the Eternian Grizzlys, who were much quicker off the mark. In all, it sounded like a giant piledriver - the thumping of the Grizzly Gears, and the roaring of the Strykers.

Heading east, the blistering heat was getting to the men. It was hotter than even Barronia could manage! The linen scarves across their mouths did little to stifle the hot wind.

With the Gears running alongside, it looked somewhat comical - like a model set of cars with people running with them...

Suddenly, a bright light emerged to the south.

"Holy...!" The commander shouted, as a massive artillery barrage bore down on the convoy. "Boys, take defensive positions!"

The gears dove to the ground, even as shells struck mere yards from the team. As they picked themselves off the ground, the gears' "eye" sensors gleamed with deadly reds as they hurled off towards the threat.

The commander surveyed the damage. A good dozen or so Strykers lay sideways on the ground, obviously destroyed; the rest scurried about, unleashing their own deadly counter-barrage. Preston crawled out of a smoking Stryker, his new scars matching the Commander's own.

As a tank came over the hill, the Grizzly pointed the autocannon directly at its propulsion system and fired. The heavily armored tank shattered under the power of the APFGDS: HEAT -Armor-Piercing, Fin-Guided, Discarding-Sabot: High Explosive AntiTank- round.

"Need a ride, Colonel?"

The Artillery was unexpected. As the shells burst around the Strykers, more than a dozen were destroyed.

The other Strykers moved into a counter formation - widely spaced, with two anti-tanks and a fire support vehicle to the front, then the mortars and transporters. Men, anti-tank weaponry in hand, moved with the Strykers, shadowing every turn.

The Colonel, crawling out of the wreckage, immediately took control. He burst out, screaming orders into his wrist-held communications system:

"Right, I want you to get on to the Ministry ASAP! We need to double our numbers out here, or we'll be dead by the time we get to the site! We'll need engineers, medics, everything! And see if they'll relinquish some Airborne Spec Ops!"

"Yes sir!"

As the Commander clambered into the passenger seat of the Gear, the sensation was new to him - walking, without walking. With the Commander blaring orders, this whole operation seemed to be going somewhat down the pan...

The Colonel bounced around as the commander took off towards the nearest military base at Targa. Distant explosions could be heard, like thunder under a blazing, cloudless sky.

The radio crackled to life. "Hey Commander, need some help?"

Ten Mammoth gears came moving over the next hill. The heavily armored "striders" had massive "Snub" cannons affixed to one arm, and a missile battery strapped to the other. The heads were heavy autocannons, much like those yielded by the Grizzlies.

"Barnes?!? Thank God almighty you came."

"Sorry, we just got deployed. You know how slow these things are!"

The Mammoths strode towards the battle, antitiank missiles spewing out of one arm, snub cannons unleashing deadly fury from the other. Within a time period that seemed to take hours, the guns ceased.

"Commander, this Lieutenant Avery. The brigands are gone. We've won it!"

"Nevermind that, Avery." The commander frowned. Always dedicated to his squad, he inquired "How many losses?"

"Well, sir... five gears have ceased communication."

"Oh, for the love of God..." The commander nodded to himself, then turned to the Colonel.

"Colonel Preston, I humbly apologize for this occurence. Our sensors failed to pick up the enemies, and thus, we both lost many good men." Giving the Eternian salute, fist to heart, he straightened. "God have mercy on their souls."

(OOC) If you're curious, check this out:GEARS (http://www.dp9.com/Worlds/HG_page3a.htm)
That's what our army looks like!

The Theoropian convoy crested over the hill. What they saw wasn't a pleasant site. Barranoinian Strykers were on their sides, burning. However, the Sergeant saw a few Skelotorian GEARs. He turned to his driver and said, "Drive me down there. Now."

The trucks and tanks moved down the hill, heading towards the GEARs. The truck stopped a few feet from the first GEAR, and the Sergeant jumped out.

"It looks like I got here just in time, Commander! Where do you want these supplies?"

"Jesus!" THe commander exclaimed as Theropian units drove down, Kodiaks on escort. "I would assume you're the Theropian team? Well, we're headed for the base at Targa. You're welcome to bring the supplies there." The commander raised his mouthpiece back to his face. "ALL UNITS, MOVE TO TARGA ASAP!!! Targa," he said, turning back to the Sergeant, "is only about ten miles to the north. Let's roll!"

OOC It's not Skeletorians, it's Eternians (think He-Man)

OOC: Its Theoropians, not Theropians :P

The Sergeant hopped back into his vehicle, and ordered the driver to follow the GEARs. No one noticed a small group of men running parallel to the convoy, holding RPGs.

OOC The ball's in your court, PAB. Let's get it going.

Targa was a sprawling military compound, and the destination for the convoy. Colonel Preston, bouncing around in the back of the Commander's Gear, was on the secure line back to the MoD.

"Yes, sir, 13 down. Unexpected artillery fire. Okay sir. I'll see if I can get co-ordinates and airspace freedom to get more in straight to Targa. Thankyou sir. Erm, Commander? I'll need to see the man in charge at Targa once we arrive. I hope it has a runway. They'll be sending the Pelicans...."

Meanwhile, the group of men following the convoy had stopped. Kneeling down, they loaded RPG's, aiming carefully...

Hopping out of the Gear, the Commander turned as the Colonel was getting out. Night had fallen, yet the air around them seemed to glow.

"Well, as you can see, the Targa airstrip is probably adequate for your needs." He gestured, and the massive concrete ocean that made up the runway stretched as far as the eye could see. Lights, which explained the glow, illuminated the whole base.

A sudden explosion shook the air, and another just behind. Whipping around, the Commander pulled the Colonel to the deck just as one of the Gears on garrison duty landed with a huge SMASH onto the tarmac where he had just been standing. The base became alive with the chattering of machine guns, the slower jackhammers of the autocannons, and massive booms of the Mammoths' snub cannons. As the Commander watched in horror, large shadowy shapes on the Southern outskirts of the base arose, hardening into the shapes of Spitting Cobra-type Gears. In addition, the forms of infantry equipped with man-portable rockets were visible, sprinting away.

"Oh no!," the Commander shouted at the Colonel over the blast of the battle, "those are Southern Gears. It's the rogue element of the Eternian military!" As the pair dashed back to the Commander's Gear, he layed out the background: Eternian forces in the deep south of the nation had turned on the main body, stealing nearly all Southern Gears and the facilites required to produce them. "We still have the designs for all Southern Gears," the Commander continued as the Gear powered up, "But we instead focus on improving Northern units." The Gear rose from its kneel, and brought its autocannon to bear on the attackers. Even as it did that, its other, eerily humanoid hand groped at the "waist" of the machine, finding a Gear sized grenade.

"GRENADE!" The Commander shouted into his headpiece as he lobbed it into the mass of warring machines. As if by magic, all Northern Gears cleared out of the zone, leaving the Southerners confused and looking around. Suddenly, from within the circle of Gears, a shockwave emitted, blowing off the legs of the enemy Gears. Crippled, and laying on the ground, many released their weapons, the chests opening to reveal a Southern pilot with his hands raised.

Unfortunately, three more of the Commader's crack team was visible in the pile, all crushed beyond survivability. A drone in the air announced the arrival of the Pelicans.

"Well, Colonel... I'll understand if you want to leave now."

"Well...civil war is it? Interesting...we'll carry on. We need a look at this explosion site. Time is the government's money, after all."

As the Pelican landed, tires screeching, the Colonel observed yet more Strykers being unloaded, as well as more personnel, and the brand new VLT M5a and M5b trucks.

"Colonel! Where do you need this gear? And...could you sign here please?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. Paperwork."

"Here, here, initial here...not there sir. Here, here, and finally, here. Print your name here sir. Thanks."

"No problem lieutenant. Now then, let's see. Erm...get the new Strykers over there, and get the M5a with Command Centre over there, and the rest...line them up here, we'll deal with them as needed."

"Thankyou sir. Gentlemen, you heard the man, let's move!"

The cavalcade of trucks came out the rear and front of the Pelicans. The new VLT M5 series was the latest design, costing the military a fortune. This was their combat training of sorts.

"So, Commander. Now that my reinforcements have arrived, where to?"

"You're really serious..." The Commander sighed. "Well, we head to these coordinates," and he punched in a set of coordinates into the GPS. "Now, we'll be leading you, but if you get separated, head here. Lock and load, boys!"

A loud series of clanks and clicks came from the array of Gears, all checking their firearms in an oddly human way.

"All right, we sprint as fast as we can. Barnes, I want the Mammoth formation to bring up the rear. Lieutenant Avery, I want the Grizzlies spread out on our flanks. Colonel," he added, turning to the superior officer, "I know that you have the authority over me, but I request that you keep your unarmed units inside the column. The Kodiaks," he added, as if an afterthought, "Will be our forward units. Now, let's ROCK AND ROLL!"

For the casual listener, it seemed as if thunder had suddenly sruck the Targa military complex.