NationStates Jolt Archive

As released on State Television, via spoken word:
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At the retirement of the former Emperor Reiss Keuginesro there is forming a strong divide between the two main contending successors. The first, Ariana Shurtas 74, a publicist libertarian, who served in the papal cardinalship prior to appointment to her ceasarate. She holds strong support of the Civis, Provincia Legises and the Secretariat.
Her main contendor Jengh Uartek the feirce social conservative who resigned as a Legionis Duke to enter the public elections in the Provincia of West Farland, to take a secretariate riding some 30 years ago at the age of 42. Climbing the political ranks and serving many posts through the Royal line, he found himself appointed as ceasaer by Emperor Reiss only last year.

This is the first Seym Election in the memory of the history of Diea and for the Deien (* SIDE NOTE: Dians - spelling has shifted as per franglias/latainais as becoming more popular than the angloitalic over the last 20 years now both spellings are acceptable Pronounced "Day'en) to actually appear to be ' a real race for the top spot, as most were prerealized landslides with surmounting majority support in the Seym going to a favoured Cesare.

Some fear that should Ceasare' Uartek not be elected by the Seym that supporters of Uartek may attempt to by force install Uartek. This over the last three weeks prior to the retirement of Emp. Reiss, has played out to potentially cause a Schism, with a stoping of legal process and implementation of Martial Law, to allow for elections after a purge. Stanch Imperial Nationalists hold that peace should be insured for the state and that the Seym should it not tie in the vote be upheld by the True Deien.

The Emperor has issued the following proclaimation, leading up to his retirement from active office to the Imperial Emperors Circle, a.k.a. the High Imperial Privalcy, where 4 of the last 5 emperors still hold office as Life Fathers or Vipa's.
Translation:
"Let it be known that on this date, the Emperor has spoken. These words are true and ment for us to hear and to understand. The Word of the Empire in reason should be upheld, and that the Seym in their opinion as seeing fit to elect the Imperial Maxim, should not be vainly ingored, and should be seen as due process. Should the Senate or Seym disagree with the Word of the emperor and thus contest the executive orders by powers of law, then that should be seen as treason if exercised outside their powers of veto, as designated by the histories of the law and thus word of the state. THis not to say that those assemblies composed to serve and direct the Empire should be made impotent, but rather insure that democratic representation of all the parts of the Empire whether clergy, iurus, militar or the essclesia's publicis and those imperial citizens. The will of the Empire is to uphold itself in honour.

In mind of the pending potential of a coup d'etat, it is pressed that the Militar does not attempt to remove Cesear Shurtas by use of force just for being elected by the Seym to fill this role, to be frank. As known I will be leaving office in 4 days, and it is highly likely that Ceasares Shurtas and Uartek will both serve the Empire dutifully as both are life long public servants, although their views may differ on some points, do not devolve our assemblies to mear force in arms. I endorse both of these as successors and heirs to myself, and trust that our esteemed Imperial Seym shall be able to make the decision and for those regardless of their political veiws uphold the will of Dia.
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Later Ceasar Uartek went on record and stated
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"For my supporters in the Militar and other MIlitasia, I ask that the Emperor is respected, and that regardless of your devotion to myself that you do not force a scism and purge of so many capable public servants with public and institutional support who have served the Empire so well.
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So in 4 days we will see what the future holds for The Holy Empire. We ask everyone to remain calm on the seym's election day. If rioting or war does break out, we ask that you respond only to official emergency services call ups and postings, and that should you be given orders to kill anyone in public office that you exercise your right to abstain from duty should you not be convicted of the order, to preserve your beleif. The judicature will be open, as well as the sheriffs offices and other magistrates to take official informations should you suspect an order of treason to be issued.

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Seym Election day rolled around. Secretariat press were abuzz reporting this historic moment. At 1 minute past midnight the Seym vote was closed.

Voting ran around with just under 43% of the Vote going to the now Empress Ariana Shurtas, the aged great Grandmother from Dian heartland.

Although seen as a major rival the close to polling day elections quaivered some support for Cesare Uartek who finished with just under 15% of the vote. Most were asleep when the official vote came in, but leading up to midnight when the sand in the Seym Election Vase ran down, most public votes were known.

Many individuals abstained, most with a history in the Militar, Uartek's main support zone.
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Only a few disturbances happened in the early hours, no major coup was noticed or reported by anyone. Uartek himself did not support the idea, and thought it may be foreign fueled, in an attempt to destabalize the Empire.

At 9 am Shurtas was escorted to the Emperor's Palace on the Imperial Island in 'Lakes', a long with Uartek and some other high dignataries mostly from the upper cabinet, but bearing in mind only 50% of any house may be assembled at any one time together to avoid mass death and c.o.g.

Tommorow would be the rites and ceremonies, today was figuring out what exactly was going on in the Empire. One thing was startling Shurtas's first act was to nominate Uartec to be her Lugal, essentially giving him the highest militar advisor position available, equivicable to commander in cheif, under the Empress. Many other appointments were voiced, in large part due to the slinky ladder that was the Empire. The next couple months would likely see a lot of movement in the lower runs as some new faces entered the 'life service' lines, especially in the Provincial Senates and Viscounties.

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Uartek started communication with the Marshal's Office's and in line the Provincial Provosts, and started to communicate with Imperial Casa Militar, in an attempt to be given motions for breifings. The former Lugal, was moved to the Emergency Security Counsil, part of the C.O.G., as an adivsor to the body.

Early reports came in that there were a number of disruption attempts, the only notable in the Foreign Legion. Still there had been one operation ongoing since the weapons heist years back, that had yet to be stopped.

Still Shurtas was well out of reach for any expelled people to get to her, and she was relatively liked and dedicated symbolis.

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One thing hadn't happened yet though, and that was all her family members, children, grandchildren and extended family to be brought under Lictor Gaurd. Her Grand Daughter, then only 23 was the first victim of politics.

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As broadcast via Computer Network the images were horrifict. Unknown extremists on video raped then put Liana Shurtas through a large wood chipper. It was horrific and graffic straight out of a horror movie. With the vow that anyone that supported her would also suffer the same fate.

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Within ours of the information being made public Dian Special Forces were already tracking the area that she was last, vacationing on a Island in the east coast isles satalite and public surveilance started the tracking, and before long the Imperial Navy was called in. The investigation started two days before, but was not made public until now.

Without a long story, the people who perpetuated the attack were found, but no trial happened, as no bodies were recovered but information was, that they were actually hired by an old foe, the same person said to be responsible for the warhead heist years ago.

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New changes were coming the first was higher security requirements for all senior government officials families including extended families. The exact details were not known yet.

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What wasn't known that Liana wasn't ground up in a wood chipper, it was a staged event by the still unknown foe, Liana was transported secretly out of country. The purpose unknown the message clear and meant to disturb, digust and enrage.

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The opposite happened in the public to what might be expected from such a greusome threat. Public support poured out for Shurtas, and the memories of a potential coup started fading as the week unfolded. Everything went ahead as schedeuled, with slightly higher security than normal.

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The investigation wasn't over and more personnel were dedicated to specifically counter the mad genious behind a string of attacks that as of yet had gone unresponded, and very high level acts at that.
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Civil war seemed to fade, but in Command Circles they knew it was someone who had high level knowledge, and now everyone who had ever been in the Lictor Service was suspect, and a very high level and confidential probe was started perseonally headed by Uartek.

The first three months had passed. It was a debacle, a new order was implemented by Lugal Uartek that full biometric data including DNA and a full body scan would be reqired for all Lictors and above. That in itself was of concern for the Defence aparatus, as it was basically a tag on every new secret police officer, essentially the most essential security officials in the Empire. How exactly the data was going to be kept, or used, was still unknown. Obviously it would be kept in a secure facility deep beneath the ground but still the worry of what would happen if that data were ever found or used by an enemy state was far to heavy on the minds of the Casa Militar. Specific new protocols were to be implemented on special agents and special reserves for altering of data and having secret caches, that would be known only to high level life long State officials, and out of reach for anyone not cleared for the information. Just how old lictors and other high officers data was going to be obtained was unknown, but it was essential for narrowing down how the past heists and murder had taken place. If they could connect the people and trace them to their origin then they mind be able to track the participants that had yet to be identified. It was known a handful of past agents were involved but the connection was loose, it went back to three different mercenary companies - were they hired for it, or were the companies somehow involved.

"I don't quite get it, do we move to detain the employees and directors of these companies? Do we have enough evidence, we know they worked for them, but we don't know if they were on payroll when it happened or if it was unconnected." The officer in charge of this operation since the original nuclear heist that had seen the snatching of some nuclear warheads was still on the case. The last instance lead to the Northern Reserves of the Imperial Crownlands, but still turned up no nukes, and no leading officers. Now they were operating from what it appeared to be, out of state, but where? What type of resources.

" All I know is that these biometrics orders are suppose to be phased, and standard for everyone at age 15 when entering the cadet service. The rollout is on a 15 year plan. It'll tag every emergency services person for good or ill. I still think this will lead to some type of citizens database, and visa scan requirements, we won't stop it, but it'll only get worse Uartek as far as I can tell was given free reign of the security apparatus, Shurtas when i was in the room said that She is mainly interested in ensuring that the historic and administrative aspects of the empire are given her priority and that she will leave it to the senate and casa militar and primus as voice of the public to provide her with information on any security related issues. While Shurtas is now Empress she is making it obvious there is no need for a coup by Uartek and his supporters to flex security issues." The man pauses and catches his breath. "The other security officials who were acting as the Emperor's Gaurd that weekend, concluded that Shurtas will not be decisive in military capacities in an emergency, she doesn't understand enough, and she has made it clear that unless the primus steps in, or the senate the casa will have free reign in any and all emergency situations. In mind of that we have good news and bad news."

"Good news first," The young Dux motions for progress in the suspense.

"We lost two lictors yesterday, the good news is that 17 opposition operatives were gunned down and four captured sorta alive. Two are on life support, one in moderate care but should live, and the last was captured alive but has been uncooperative. If your wondering what happened, well they held true and are attempting to kill supporters of Shurtas, two papal officials were also killed with a history of supporting SHurtas in her political moves. We've with approval of those involved, staged the death of a handful of Shurtas's familiy in an airplane crash so that we can take them underground and insure they won't be targetted. We have a number of other accidents and deaths planned on both sides of the operation to remove other high profile targets, and bump up security on those that don't agree with going into protective custody. Shurtas does know about this, and has been breifed."

"Wow, I wouldn't think you actually fake their deaths to get them out of sight, on that scale." The duke replies.

"We did, and if your wondering where we got the information, well here it is. The person in intensive, well we drugged him once he stabalized Sodium Pentothal and a bunch of other substances. He said that she wasn't killed, she was transported to the South West somewhere, and that he was on one of the boats that met up with them. It leaves a lot of ground considering how many territories are to the north east. Considering the amount of security near the straight I'm starting to think they must have taken an alternate route, unless security in that area was in on it. We'll keep working on the guy but it could take a while, and it's only a matter of time before the guy's a vegetable if this keeps up. We're transporting them to a research facility that can fully scan them, the irony is that lictors will be going through these same scanners starting next month. At the least we think the company owners may be able to get us more information on who's hiring them, but we may need to hook them up the same way, and that could be issued, considering we'd have to take out a mercenary force, where ever it happened to be, but we might get lucky"

"I'm able to speak with Uartek before I leave?" D. replies

"Yes, and you can put together your own team but we need them all cleared, and if you don't leave by next week with authorization you may be put under some new operations rules, which means you will not have a carte blanche as they are setting up new comittees that include a mixed authorization unit including both Judicature lines plus command, a little new, on Imperial Immunity operations." He hands him a small chip about the size of a button. "All the data is on here including new authorization codes, info on the nuclear devices including deactivations systems. THis is big and you'll be out of the den. I'm here until thursday, hold questions until tommorow, we'll meet for seista with the new Lugal." The man gets up from the pillowed beige bucket seat does a Dian Salute, called the "How" by non dians smiles to a flat face and leaves before a response of 'ok' even parts the duke.

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He pauses for a moment, anyone on the team, I think it may be time to call up some of my old basemates, this may get personal.