NationStates Jolt Archive

Field Marshal Jacob Wallington watched the Verenberg plains stretch into the distance as the last of the mountains receded beneath them. It was almost symbolic, he mused, the effective end of an era of Lyran near-isolation. Konigsberg, the capital of Verenberg, was ahead, and with it, the future.

A problematic time, perhaps. Lyrans would be exposed to outside influences, possibly undermining the famed Lyran education system. Still, the chance to use this new base for research and development was almost too good to resist. Verenberg had space, lots of it, while over-industrialised and well-populated Lyras finds space at a premium.

Two strike-fighters hung back, trailing the airliner. The loss of this plane, perhaps more than most in recent memory, would have repercussions felt across the Protectorate, Storn Archipelago, and in all likelihood the whole world.

To his left, on the other side of the spacious diplomatic plane, Field Marshal Karl von Helmgart, Director of Lyran Intelligence, sat, apparently lost in thought. If anything happened to upset these talks, he would no doubt see it as his fault. The man was brutal, ruthless and efficient, but had a bad habit of blaming himself and his own agency when plans went awry.



Lieutenant General Aleksandr, the Director of the Governmental Trade Department, was ahead of him, seated at a desk, and going through his notes about the latest financial issues. The man, architect of the relationship with Verenberg, was nothing if not meticulous. He had engineered a highly beneficial trade negotiation for both parties involved, and had pushed the Warhound-class MBT to international export success.

Though in doing so the man was fulfilling his mandate, and effectively, Wallington concurred with Lyran Intelligence in objecting to the sale being offered in the first place. The LY3 Warhound was cutting-edge, the answer to any armoured vehicle in the world, and now, without a doubt, at least a few would fall into the hands of the Varessans, who would come up with a counter.

But the rest of Executive Command had disagreed, and the sale had gone ahead. Not just sale of tanks, but sale of the production rights. Wallington, who had overseen the Warhound's development, had been furious.

General Tokovsky, Protectorate Military Supply and Ordnance was the fourth senior officer on the plane, and the man most personally responsible for pushing the Warhound through to export, and was riding high on its success. To date, just shy of $285 billion had flowed into the Lyran coffers from sale of the Warhound, and General Tokovsky was expecting, with good reason, to receive his fifth star as a consequence, when Warmarshal Krell retired next year. With it would come a seat within the highest echelons of Executive Command, and mark him as one of the nine most powerful people in the Protectorate.

Unless examples of the tank ended up in the hands of someone that the Protectorate was fighting, in which case he would be in serious trouble.

That aside, this was Wallington's first trip outside Lyras in quite some time, and he was looking forward to seeing the outside world. Not that he'd admit it to anyone else, of course.

In particular, he was interested in talking to Heinrich Muller, the head of KWF, Verenbergs main armaments producer, to discuss joint ventures. Wallington knew, as did most Lyrans, that every inch of their country was constantly scoured by Varessan orbital surveillance. The same could not be said of Verenberg. Developments of Lyran equipment on the soil of the Holy Empire offered a great deal to the Protectorate.

This base would go ahead. Too many parties had too much at stake.

And, either way, Wallington would get to see how Verenberg, and the outside world, was going, with his own eyes.

bump for Verenberg...

the sound of High-Boots rang out through the Corridors of the Kaisers Imperial Court, as a Soldier ran he burst through the door, there upon his Throne sat the Kaiser of Verenberg and the rightful Ruler of Surrounding Lands, the Ancient Figure Dismissed his buissness with the wave of a Fingure, the Soldier was breathing heavily, "im sorry to barge in my Kaiser, but 3 Lyrain Aircraft have been spotted crossing the Border and are now in Verenberg Airspace, the Anti-Aircraft Batteries have been stood down, they will be here in a few Hours",
the Kaiser Raised his Ancient Hand to his mouth and rubbed it in thought, "this will be my Legacy", he said, "summon the KWF spokes men and the Ministers and tell them to prepair for arrival, we wont have the talks here it wil be in my Imperial Castle in the Mountains of Baten, there we will be safe, mobilise the Army this cannot fail, we must have these talks"
although very old the Kaiser was a very modern thinker, it was he who raised Verenberg from the Ashes and re-built it with a mix of old ideals and customs with Ultra-Modern Technology,
the Kaiser sat in thought, he did not usually like Foriegners that much, because he saw them as weak, but the Lyrians where somhow different, they reminded him alot of Verenberg, with there Millitary traditions and Customs, he had Great respect for them and hoped that these talks would go well

The touchdown was bumpy, but the turbulence explained it away. The two fighters remained on station, circling the taxiing plane.

Time seemed to slow down. Wallington hated taxiing. He knew the purpose behind it, of course, but after the flight, this stage just seemed so slow.

He looked out the window, and caught a glimpse of the welcoming parade that Verenberg had prepared. Lyrans generally shunned parades as a waste of time, but appreciated the impact that the could have on the psyche.

The parade was impressive, the Field Marshal had to admit. He didn't bother to estimate the numbers, but it was certainly more than he expected.

A convoy of black cars (doubtless armoured, he thought to himself) rolled up behind the dais, and, to Wallington's horror, he noticed that a lectern and microphone was on station as well.

He would have to speak. He hated speaking.

Terror welled up within the man's soul. He had fought, with his fists, no less, against men with machine guns, without flinching.

But a mistake here would make Lyras appear foolish.

Karl von Helmgart caught his eye, then smiled, and nodded.

Bless the man. Wallington called down all the good will and blessings of the God and gods he didn't believe in upon the Director of Lyran Intelligence. He would take the speech, although his role as head of an intelligence service exonerated him from the responsibility. Von Helmgart was saving his hide, and Wallington wouldn't forget it.

It was with a considerably lighter heart that Field Marshal Jacob Wallington exited the big diplomatic plane, as the parade commander ordered 'present arms'.

the Imperial Guard Snapped to Attention and Held there Rifles to their Shoulders, there Black helmets reflected light, as did there shiny silver buttons and the medals many of them wore, they had Black Dress uniforms on, Verenberg was a Germanic Nation and the Uniforms reflected this, these where the Veterans that put Down the Communist Uprising in the North, which still remains a thorn in the side of the Empire, they were also the troops that along with the Regular Army Decimated Enemy Forces in Gyresberg, which was a Former Region of the Empire it with its Thriving Economy was the Heart of our Agriculture Industry in the Old Empire now it was was again, these were the troops who also liberated Uber Flaugarn another Region of Verenberg with its Power House Economy was the Heart of Verenebrgs Industry and was once more....with the Help of the War Hound MBT.

the Troops stood there Proudly, along with a Brigade of their New MBT this was a great time for Verenberg, a Prospurous time, the Empire was Growing, in the North it was cold and snowing, in the South it was the exact opposite, with the added Economies of re-joined regions it would be become very powerful


it was not Just the Troops who turned out, Thousands of Citizens from all around Verenberg to see, many had never seen a Foreigner and where eager to see what they looked like, the Average heght for a Person from Verenberg was Close to 7ft tall for a male, as they were bred for war....and working
the downside to this was that everything bought from other countries had to be modified to fit them.....the Citizens were Quite suprised and the stature in comparison these men seemed 6 ft at the most


the Parade Commander Turned and Marched toward the Arriving Dignitaries with a Parade sword in one hand, he was a Hauptmann (captain) he waled up to one of the dignitaries with stars on his shoulder he toward over the man and with his best English (Citizens speak German but Government Ministers are expected to learn english)
"Haw do Yow Like ower Parade
it is not Just a Parade, It Is Your Millitary Escort"