NationStates Jolt Archive

Paris, France

It was muggy outside the Parisian apartment. It was a rather dingy second-storey apartment but served its purpose well. Inside two Estovakian agents decyphered Estovanian diplomatic communqiues and eavesdropped on claudestine Estovanian activities. Two other Estovakian agents slept.

One of the awake agents, Julie, originally a French national, tapped her computer screen. "I figured out what team 7 is up to," she said.

The other agent, Gerard spun around in his seat. Countrary to his french name, Gerard was an Algerian emigree and was a member of the sieable French-Algerian community. To Julie, he was quite attractive. Despite his sometimes crude humor he was nonetheless a well-bodied individual and bright when it came to decryption, and during the long hours of the night when they worked together, he was her only company. "Industrial sabotage?" he guessed.

"Dassault Aviation. They have uncovered some information about the new nEUROn that is coming out in 2010."

"Estovanian bastards!" Gerard leaned closer to get a view of the monitor. "HQ will love to get some of that information."

"I will relay that information. Or rather I will leave a note for Georges and Marcel and let them do it. It is ten minutes to six; it'll be their shift soon. I'm tired, I'm going to bed."

"Same." Gerard began to clean papers off the desk. Julie logged out of the computer and gathered her things. While she worked in one apartment she slept in the adjacent apartment. She did not want to sleep with the other three.

She unlocked the door to the adjacent aprtment and let herself in. She was so tired she did not bother getting undressed and crashed on top of her bed. The sun was already peaking out from the horizon and daytime traffic was already beginning to pick up. She slept during the day and worked during the dark hours of the night. She had no problem falling asleep.

She didn't know what time it was when her phone woke her up. "Son of a bitch," she muttered.

Groggily she picked up the phone.

On the other end a man panted frantically. "We've been compromised! The network! You need to get out now!"

Julie's eyes widened. "Adam? Is that you?" She could hear police sirens in the distance. Adam was an Estovakian agent working in Hamburg, and being that the Paris and Hamburg intelligence cells often had overlapping jobs and intelligence, they often communicated together.

"I don't know how or why but the police hit us here, they hit us in London, and I lost contact with Amsterdam. I barely got away myself in my car. I got hit in the neck and in my shoulder and I can't stop the bleeding. I'm going to lose consciosness soon and they'll catch me. Tell HQ immediately."

The call abruptly ended. Julie peered out the window. Outside an all white inconspicuous looking van was parked out front. A police car of the Police Nationale, ever so casually blocked off the street. "Shit, they're here!" Julie quickly got dressed, and grabbed her multiple fake IDs and passports of her nighttable. She ran next door and banged on the door loudly.

"The police! We have to get out now!" The office instantly became a disheveled mess.

Gerard, half-awake himself, yelled to her to get out immediately. "We'll take care of the hard drives, you get out now and tell HQ we've been compromised."

Julie immediately ran out of the apartment to a fire escape at the end of the hall. She climbed down quick enough to escape and ducked into a nearby store. Soon afterwards the police surrounded the apartment. She got away as fast as possible to as far as possible. Eventually when safe enough, she called into HQ. Fianlly, deciding nothing more could be done, she checked into a hotel room on the southern coast of France. It was not until she saw the evening news from her hotel room in Nice that she saw Gerard being wheeled away in a strecher, dead.

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Overseas Intelligence Bureau Headquarters, Stovakgrad, Estovakia

A digitally illuminated map of the world was projected on a central screen. It illuminated the darkened room with a variety of colors, which danced across the uneven and broken silhouettes caused by a multiude of desks and computer monitors.

Red dots were blinking on several areas of the world. Hamburg, Germany; London, UK; Paris, France; Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Islamabad, Pakistan. Vancouver, British Columbia started blinking next.

The director of intelligence stood awestruck watching the screen illuminate with red dots. "My God!" he exclaimed, "We're losing our whole intelligence network!"

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Yugarian-Stovadonian Border

Hundreds of Estovanian tanks roared across the border, while Estovanian bombers taking off from Stovadonian bases made strategic bombing raids. Cruise missle attacks on regional air defense stations and barracks reduced and slowed Yugarian reaction to the surprise attack. By mid-afternoon Yugarian border defenses had been destroyed, disabled, or captured, border forces were effectively routed if not destroyed, and the Yugarian regular forces clumsily took the defensive. A limited counterattack during the night by Yugarian forces had limited success, but was not followed through and thus the ground was retaken by Estovanian forces. The Yugarian airfleet was grounded due to Estovanian air dominance and throughout the day and into the night Yugarian forces suffered from bombs.

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War Department, Stovakgrad, Estovakia

"The Civil Guard has been fully mobilized and have been moved north. The National Police are being mobilized under article 57 and the Junior Officer Training Program is taking over the patrol duties." The Lieutenant snapped into a salute.

"Very good," replied Kenneth Albrecht, Chief of the Armed Services. "Carry on, Lieutenant."

"As you wish, sir."
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Presidential Palace, Stovakgrad, Estovakia

"It's happening all too soon. We're not ready for this," Generalissimo Maxwell slammed his fist on the table. "I've worked my whole life to make this country what it is. I cannot allow this to happen."

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The Estovakian Response: The Estovakian Ultimatum Live from the Presidential Palace

"Ladies and gentlemen of Estovakia, citizens of our most glorious nation, a terrible and most atrocious act has befallen our neighbor Yugaria. Early this morning Estovanian military units, under permission from their respective government, had engaged Yugarian armed forces in a surprise attack in a most devious manner. The armed forces of Estovania did not stop there however, and have attempted to subjugate and subdue the independent free people of Estovania. Estovania, as the aggressor, without any prodding or agitation to unnerve it, has attacked an innocent nation. As a soverign nation, Yugaria cannot be allowed to be molested and butchered by Estovania. As a glorious and powerful nation, a nation filled with the brave and the loyal, the intelligent and the gifted, and the powerful and the mighty, we cannot allow the ruthlessness that Estovania has instigated into this modern age.

"War is an obsolete practice to bully nations and to destroy peoples. A modern world does not allow for war to happen. As a modern nation, we cannot allow barbarians to prevail. We must act. The economic aspect not only to Yugaria but to us and the rest of the peninsula proves that their aggression hurts not just Yugarians but everyone as a whole.

Estovania has 24 hours to forgo all occupied territory, and to immediately retreat back to their border. Otherwise, action must be taken.

"And if it must come to that, God help us all."

After Russkyan involvement on what was referred to as "The Peninsula," the Russkyan Intelligence and Security Service had maintained a series of small intelligence-gathering cells, referred to as "Offices." One flashed an encrypted communique via long-range burst transmitter to a communications satellite. This was "bounced" to a recieving dish in the mountains of Russkya's Western Oblast, where it was then transmitted via buried fibreoptic cable to a communications bunker manned by RISS operators and intelligence officers.
The "Office" originating the signal was located in Estonavia, in a bullet pockmarked concrete apartment building. It was guarded by stone-faced men who had assault weapons within arm's reach if not cradled in firm hands, and the defensive peremiter was known as a matter of fact to the locals. They simply accepted it as more foreign intervention in their homeland. They suspected, but didn't know, that the facility was manned by Russkyans, and they suspected, but didn't know, that it was also an intelligence cell rather than organized crime or something similar. Being so open was not comforting to any of the RISS operators, and they looked forward to being redeployed elsewheres at the soonest possible convienence. Scheduled for three days from now, as was RISS's way.

In the well lit, clean, and comfortable surroundings of the communications bunker, an intelligence officer reached for the USB cable on the metal desk he sat behind, plugging this from his tempested computer to the laptop-sized encryption box. He then unlocked a drawer, pulling out a five-ring binder, black, and flipping to the appropriate page.

Rolling back the sleeves of his white dress shirt, the intelligence officer glanced up at the suit jacket sitting on the coat-hook by his workstation before opening the laptop. Glancing up at the jacket also let him note that his five other colleagues in this paticular bunker were also hard at work, though only one other was preparing to decrypt a recieved message. The procedure for this was simple; simply open the laptop like device, hit the power button, ensure the USB cables were securely connected, and then enter the appropriate code strings to allow the machine to decode the message. These code strings were stored in the binder on sheets of paper that were lined with "quick tear" perforations. The ink was water soluable and the thin paper turned to ash with the touch of a match - Russkyans took their communications security seriously. This was only one form of encryption that was commonly utilized.

The officer tore the appropriate strip out of the binder before immediately closing it and replacing it in its drawer, locking that drawer. He referenced the sheet while typing by feel, then hit "ENTER" and let the machine whirr into action. It took four seconds.

Message length was limited to two hundred and fifty characters for operational security reasons only. The end of the first message advised the man that two more messages were inbound with further information. These were likewise recieved, decrypted, compiled onto a message sheet, and then couriered to the watch officer on duty in the communications bunker, who immediately reencrypted them with a different scheme and transmitted them to RISS Central Headquarters in Berisak, Russkya.
There, after three minutes work, the data was sitting infront of the Politburo.

--

Estovakia, RISS "Office," Fifth Floor.

Vadim walked along the hallway, dress shoes clicking on the linoleum. The comforting weight of a CZ-97B resting in its pancake holster was on his right hip, and he knocked twice on a wooden door. This was opened from the inside by a man in olive drab combat trousers bloused into black calf-height boots, adorned with combat gear and weaponry. The contrast between precisely tailored suit and combat gear was sharp, but common to both men.

"What do you need, Vadim?"
"Just checking security. I'd like to take a look, if I may."
"All clear here. Suit yourself though."

The officer walked past the operator, who simply picked his SVU rifle back up and went up the ladder to the sheltered roof which had been built up to look like a sixth floor and consisted of a series of shooting cells providing near-perfect urban concealment and observation of all approach angles. Up here there were already two marksmen in the same garb as this operator on watch.

They'd move in three days. Equipment was being packed already, transport arranged by field officers. These field officers came and went occassionally, always at night to protect their identities, only after tremendous countersurveillance checks. Darkness was in two hour's time. An hour after that, and one of the field officers was scheduled for a face to face check-in and data handover. He'd be wearing blue jeans, a black leather bomber jacket, and an OD Green "Commando" sweater, common enough kit in Estonavia nowadays. He was unarmed.

--

Just as the RISS missives from Estonavia were raising alert flags in "Intel Central," the International Television and Radio Monitoring Department of the Foreign Intelligence Directorate shunted a warning up the priority channel, accompanied by a copy of the Generalissimo's words.

Satellites were re-tasked, RISS's Aequatian, Kilrany, Spazjenian, and Brabander counterparts were alerted and offered cooperation, and the first overhead thermals of Estovanian armoured formations were recieved and analyzed.

Summa summarum, the ball was now in play.

OOC: Didn't know you posted. Will post tomorrow. I actually have a post almost completed, I just don't want to finish it right now because I have to wake up early tomorrow and I just want to go to bed quite early.

OOC: Well, I'll post whenever I can ,I should have said.

IC: Estovania answered the ultimatum by driving hard and faster across Yugaria. A disproportionate amount of force was driven against the Yugarian defenders, easily swiping them aside. One Yugarian division refused to advance, and one division commanded by a regional military governor decided to create his own puppet government out of a southern province, rather than fight the Estovanians. Yugarian units from the capital were heading south, but they would take time. In the meantime, there was nothing that could be done.

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Karadjevo, Estovakia

Blood trickled out of the lifeless woman sprawled out on the floor. Captain Pinzon removed the silencer from his pistol, and tucked it neatly away in his overcoat pocket. He started to wonder if the person he had just killed was indeed a spy of some sorts, such was the innocence of her looks.

Too late now. Pinzon moved forward into her apartment. he searched every drawer, every pile of papers, every nook. Eventually he found a small address book. He looked through it briefly, found something, and smirked. He left the apartment quickly, making sure not to step on the corpse he never bothered to move.

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Anglestadt, Estovakia

It came without warning. Estovanian aircraft, having punctuated the Estovakian air net, sent their packages raining down upon the northern Estovakian city.

“Quick, quick, quick!” a bomb screamed down toward a busy intersection. Sergeant Borisov, a police officer, ducked inside the lobby of an office building. The near miss blew out the windows, wood and metal shards, and sprinkled the lobby with a thick coating of dust. Outside, a few vehicles that had once contained living people now contained intense flames. He pulled up a female civilian he had thrown to the ground who though thoroughly pissed, was nonetheless grateful. She ran off. Borisov went to help other civilians who were lying on the ground and dragged an unconscious man into the confines of the lobby to protect him from any further bombings. He ran to his patrol car down the street. His partner, Constable Gardner, leaning on the outside of the police car, was on the radio.

“No, no, no! Not later, now! We need first aid at the corner of 12th Street and Oradea.”

Borisov walked over to his partner. “Screw it. By time they come it’ll be hours later. Take the two injured that can walk, fit them into the back of the car, and take them to the hospital.”

“What about you then?” Gardner asked.

“Me? I’ll be fine. There’s a police kiosk not too far from here. I’ll go check in there see what all the fuss is about.”

“Good luck then.”

“Thanks.” Sergeant Borisov ran off in the direction of the kiosk.

The first of the Estovanian bombs landing on Anglestadt landed squarely on the roof of a building beside the apartment housing the "Northern Office" for RISS operations in Estovakia. Two of the men there were killed instantly by flying glass and parts of the wall blasting inwards from the force of the explosion, the third torn in half by his desk kicking back from the wall nearest the explosion with colossal force.

Outside, Alexei Mitarenko swore long and hard in his native tongue, ears ringing from the blast. He ducked as more bombs detonated, the blast knocking him flat and he simply lay there coated in concrete dust until the raid finished. A helpful local rolled him over to check his vitals. He pushed him away, shouting "I'm fine, I'm fine!" in Estovakian. Rising to unsteady feet, he helped his new companion check a dozen more before sprinting towards the shattered apartment that once was the "Northern Office."

Strangely enough, despite half of the building being collapsed, the other half seemed structurally stable. He bounded up stairs littered with debris and fogged with floating dust, two at a time, and stepped through the doorway of the office. Then the scent hit his nostrils and he gagged.

Sergei, torn asunder, barely had time to register surprise at the blast. His face was toppled between his legs, still in the wheeled office chair. Mitarenko spat to clear the sour taste of vomit from his mouth, steeled himself, and proceeded from the entranceway, scrabbling in a closet clogged with debris. He found the small case he was looking for, jammed shut. He screamed in frustration, pounding it against the floor, and hearing a strange structural moan from the building, got up to leave. Sergei's intestines had landed near Boris and Nikolai, both shredded with glass, Nikolai's torso now home to a chunk of structural support from the far building that had blasted through the now-absent wall. Over this bloody mess, Alexei walked. He found the crypto machine, still with the thermite grenade taped to the side of it, miraculously undetonated. Opening the lid, he pulled the pin, let the lever fly off, and closed the lid again after placing the destructive cylinder inside. It sparked to life, he turned, and ran from the building as the encryption/decryption suite melted into slag. That fire would likely set what little remained of the building on fire.

Outside, Alexei bashed open the case with a jagged piece of what once was an exterior wall. He glanced around for policemen, hoping in the chaos he'd not be taken as a looter, tearing the sheets from their place inside the case. He pulled a bottle of water from the case, taking a dram to clear his throat, then pouring the rest over the papers. The water soluble ink dissolved instantly. He stuffed the sodden mass into a coat pocket, intending to burn it once it dried out. This task complete, he joined the rescue efforts after a quick cellular phone call.

--

"Central Office, Anglestadt here. Everything's gone. Alexei is alone, going to join you by tomorrow. Goodbye."

Vadim closed his phone. The conversation had lasted less than five seconds. Mentally he reviewed the list of people in the Northern (Anglestadt) Office. Three dead, with only Mitarenko as the survivor. Taking a breath, he ran up a flight of stairs and slid to a halt outside an open door, startling the communications technician brewing a new mug of tea.

"Looks like Northern Office got smashed when Anglestadt was attacked. Send it out, high priority. I'm going to talk to Mikhail. Get ready for a second message."

"Konyeshna Vadim!"

The tech whirled, unlocking a reinforced case and flipping through the book inside. Pianist's fingers selected rotors, set them to the appropriate setting, inserted them into the machine. Plugs were reset, and those fingers rested on a keyboard, ready to type. As he typed, the following appeared on a screen.

01.240.907 [ZXEQ/DEGH]
TDDA EQIF CPXF JBVD BDFY AWAL ZQMK VZSH TQVD DKGI AQHP ZMRU SJYJ IDVD WGZD KPRQ UIJA ORQW IANB GRJY OJNL ATPQ XLDY SVAM T

--

Recieved in Russkya, the decode went directly to the Politburo without any preliminaries. A "War Council" was convened, consisting of the primary members of the Politburo and the Parlimentary Representative. With Lieutenant-General R.V. Astakhov and Major-General Valery Pavelovich Zhidyev in attendance, the meeting began with the straight decode of the recieved message displayed on a two meter by two meter square screen attached to one wall.

It read:
.ANGLESTADT.ANGLESTADT. BOMBED BY ESTOVANIAN FORCES. NORTHERN OFFICE DESTROYED. AWAIT FURTHER MESSAGES. END.

The missive was replaced as the minute passed by a map of the Stovakian Peninsula. Estovanian incursions were marked in light red, spilling across their border and into the occupied areas. Anglestadt was marked with a black dot.

Astakhov was the first to speak, the others silent in contemplation.
"Well, there's that and then there's our satellite overheads and intelligence reports. I have some months of experience there as you all are probably well aware. I'd say it's worth fighting for, the average Estovakian impressed me with his capability, and to Hell with the objection that "They're Fascists!" Respectfully, of course."

The debate kicked off, ending with a messenger delivering a message to the Generalissimo. It was brief, to the point, and offered assistance. It read:


Knowing you to be a practical man I will not stand on flowery diplomatic niceties in this time of emergency. If desired, redeployment of Russkyan combat and support elements to Estovakia can begin shortly. Good hunting to your armed forces - good luck to your populace.

Best regards,
[Signed]
- General Secretary I. Krushamev

Presidential Palace, Stovakgrad, Estovakia

Generalissimo Maxwell folded his hands, stretched himself in his plush seat, and stared at his desk. "Our army is spread across the four corners of the Earth. Most are in Pacific Estovakia, guarding our extensive territory, training in vast open fields, guarding installations, etc. We are more than a match for the Estovanian army combined. However, this attack took us by surprise. Estovania knows we can't do anything to stop them with their forces being as large as they are. After all, they have mobilized a whole generation's worth of manpower. They outnumber us on the peninsula and could easily overrun us.

However, if we can hold them off somehow while we bring our army back, we can stretch them to the limit. Their country’s economy will start to cannabalize to survive and they will fall into ruin if they stay at war too long.

What i don't get is that they fully know the risks involved. Why take it? Did they gamble and think they could get away with a land grab? Somehow, I doubt Yugaria is their real target. But why invade us? They know we could kick their asses any day once we get our army on the peninsula. Thus, I am concerned Stovakistan must be involved somehow. They're the only ones that could prevent us from shipping troops back to the mainland. I'm beginning to think Estovania is up to something more devious."

"Generalissimo, we have been friends for a long time, and I see the implications a possible war will be for our country. I don't know what will happen but Estovakia will survive. I can assure you," his chief of staff responded.

"You can assure me nothing. Even if we win this war, we lose another. Pacific Estovakia has been growing exponentially. The power's there, not in the old world. Old world Estovakia will crumbled and fade into the limelight. We won't be the protector father, but the feeble old man on his last legs. We'd have to give in to the Pacific Estovaks, move the capital, and leave the peninsula to rot. They'd be running the show from then on. We are at the end of an era."


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Kongisburg, Estovakian Pacific Home Isles

"We cannot count on the Russkyans and the Aequatians to come to our aid. We have to prepare to fight this war alone. Right now, we deal with guarentees, not 'maybe's." Oberst Hakoyamo narrowed his eyes.

"As long as the sealanes stay open I do not see any considerable problem. Actually, I don't see any problem at all. The homeland is a match to Estovanian airpower. Estovakian troops should hold off any invasion, especially with Yugaria also becoming involved. Once we transport troops to the mainland the homeland will easily fend off the attack," Prime Minister Brownstone responded.

"Yes, but we know that Stovakistan is going to help them out. Holding 'naval excercises' right off the coast of the homeland is not a coincidence. Our naval forces are not strong enough to counter a sea control navy and if they successfully blockade the homeland we will never be able to break through." The Oberst leaned over in his chair.

"Who is dealing with 'maybes' now? Oberst, we are not even positively sure the Stovakistannis are involved. It is a possiblity, granted, but what would be the motive, what would they gain from an act of war?" The Prime Minister straightened out his suit collar. "Nonetheless,we are pulling all nonessential naval craft to the naval base in preparation. And we have a few surprises up our sleeve. I have to leave to go to another meeting. This meeting is over."

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Anglestadt, Estovakia

“According to emergency protocol, the police of Anglestadt have been officially mobilized as Reservists under Article 56. Everyone should be aware of their rank or rate in this event. Thank you.” The overhead speaker in the hallway of the police station produced some feedback and then finally shut off.

Borisov was waiting in the downtown central police station. The day before the city was bombed, indiscriminately he found out. The civilians were being evacuated from the city but the Estovanians were driving down fast toward the city. He doubted whether all the civilians could be evacuated in time.

The Estovanian invasion was now real. The aerial bombs were indeed Estovanian. The random bombing was designed to sow confusion in the midst of the civilian populace. The Estovanians were now barrelling down toward Anglestadt. The Estovakian army deemed it best to evacuate the city. The army would evacuate the city and set up defensive positions in a more advantageous position. The police were supposed to be a stopgap measure to slow the Estovanians down. Cannon fodder. Now Borisov was standing in the central police armoury downtown waiting in line to get his weapons.

The armourer leaned forward to speak through the glass divider separating the hallway from himself. “Your Article 56 rank or rate?”

“Sergeant.”

“Trained on?”

“Pistols, shotgun, rifle, and assault rifle. Not trained on SMG, nor in riot or in Spec Ops equipment.”

The armourer disappeared for a brief moment and returned with an HK33A2. He loaded one clip into it and gave another to Borisov.
“I just need you to sign for it.”

Borisov scribbled down his name.

“Thank you.” The armourer handed Borisov the rifle through a slot in the glass.

Borisov was to make his way to the 14th Street barricade which was made easier by the fact that civilians were exiting to the south while the barricade was more in the northern portion of the city. Still, he noted that unless they opened up north lanes as well to southbound traffic, not all the civilians would be evacuated in time. He wondered if his friends would make it out in time. His friend, Constable Gardner, was officially assigned to help evacuate the city and would make it out alright. He hoped anyway. With the Estovanians, who knew what was going to happen.

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Presidential Palace, Stovakgrad, Estovakia

An aide walked into the President's Office. "We received a missive from the Russkyans. They offer assistance."

"I wish I had time to give a response personally. But these damn Estovanians are keeping my attention right now. Let them know the risks invovled. They may get involved in a war against two countries- we don't really know for sure if Stovakistan is in or not officially. And if the former is the case, then Stovakistan and Estovania are in a position to isolate Penninsular Estovakia by air, sea, and land within the next 48 hours. The Stovakistanni navy is designed for sea control, and while Estovania's naval strength is concentrated only towards sea denial, never underestimate the power of the submarine against a commerce fleet. They must know what they are getting into."

OOC: Apologies for not getting a post up sooner, but here it is now.

Ebon Tor, Magna Casa, Aequatius Prime

The conclusion of Operations Haven Sentry and Haven Express which followed the effort for peace on behalf of the Questarian Commonwealth afforded the return of normalcy to the Aequatian capital as many of the top political and military leaders, in addition to much of the population, returned to the city, having left due to fears of strategic attacks. President Holden Reid had spent the entire week of the war's duration sitting in the underground facility known only as "The Palisade" for security reasons, the bunker complex having been built after the Federban War, when attacks with chemical and biological weapons against the nation called for increased protection of the president and military leaders. However, even with his return, there was still much work to be done, most of which revolved around the establishment of Haven Command or HAVENCOM and the transfer of the nation's armed forces to permanent forward positions.

Reid entered his office as usual and took note of a particular dossier which was marked with the seal of the nation's intelligence agency and was forwarded by the RISS concerning the now on-going situation growing in the troubled "Peninsula Zone" as it was named from the Republic's previous peacekeeping mission there earlier. The files contained within reported on the situation as they were aware of it currently, an aggressive cross-border invasion and complaints of underfunding for continued surveillance of the region, suggesting that the field personnel of the RISS already in-place continue to gather intelligence until Aequatian personnel could be deployed. It was the fact of the invasion that caught the president's attention as he called for a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff in thirty minutes in the Tor's chambers.

The president allowed himself light breakfast of an onion bagel and a lox spread with a cup of coffee before making his entrance to the meeting room where the most powerful Aequatian military officials were seated. In the Chairman's position was a relatively new face, the former Chairman Chief General Krist Von Mann having retired after the Questers War's conclusion, and was the former Navy Chief of Staff, now Chief Admiral Alice Chesterton. president's first question was one that all of the officers had been waiting for, "What are our options?"

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To: Generalissimo Maxwell of Estovakia
From: President Holden Reid of Aequatio

Following the attack committed against your nation and its people by the armed forces of Estovania, the Aequatian Republic has decided to mobilize its own armed forces to aid in your defence. At this time, the First Special Warfare Applications Group, along with Air Force support units, can be deployed immediately and on the ground in your nation within thirty six hours, this can be followed up with the Sixth Marine Commando Brigade and Navy Task Force 120.

----------

Two hours later, Hawker Air Force Base, Arrio, Aequatius Prime

Colonel Willem Sawyer sat in the passenger seat of his "Stallion" general purpose vehicle as it passed through the gate of the Air Force Base, the young private driving turning towards the Operations Centre for Central Command. He thought back to the briefing he had received the briefing at the Central Special Operations Command when he was assigned the command of the 1st Special Warfare Applications Group's 3rd Brigade Combat Team.

"We need you to do this, Colonel," Said the spectacled Lieutenant-General, "There is no one else better suited to lead this brigade than you at the moment. You were there for the unfurling of their colours and through the personnel application approvals and subsequent training-"

"Yeah, until you motherfuckers took me out of the brigade for when I tried to take the bitch out of those boys," Interrupted Sawyer as he slammed his fist down on the table, "You fucking desk jockeys pulled me out of the CO position in the training detachment and assigned me to a god damned 'liaison' position in the regimental headquarters for my efforts."

"Your methods were too unorthodox, colonel, it was unacceptable," Replied another colonel sitting beside the general, "A large number of soldiers would have been harmed or killed in the training regimens you outlined and later applied."

"Not one of those soldiers, men or women, had to be removed from brigade for more than a week thanks to my programme, I taught them well enough to take care of themselves in the field," Explained the colonel, "And once I did that, I was removed."

"Transferred," Corrected the general, "But regardless as to what has happened, all is forgotten if you will take command of the brigade now, Brigadier Newsom is in no shape to lead that unit into combat, especially of this sorts."

Sawyer grumbled in his seat as he thought to himself, "I might as well take this position, anyone else leading those soldiers will only get them killed," He looked across the table at the lieutenant-general, "I'll do it, but I want to bring my own officers with me and place them in commands, I have the list here," He said as he reached into the breast pocket of his utility uniform's shirt and slid it across to the general.

The officer smiled as one of the other officers retrieved the paper, "That will be fine, assemble with your brigade for movement to Hawker Air Force Base at thirteen hundred, you are dismissed."

The light truck turned a corner and the colonel watched as the two battalions of paratroopers lined the tarmac with their kit, each company in its respective assembly areas as Air Force C-181A transports loaded the brigade's vehicles. C-767A airliners would be transporting the personnel, as they were not dropping into a combat zone, and would be operating on the ground initially. In addition to the usual light vehicles of the Stallion family, 3rd Squadron, 23rd Cavalry Regiment had the brigade's heaviest vehicles, the new M59 Russ light tank and the hastily-refurbished M113A5 Gavin armoured vehicles refitted for cavalry and reconnaissance duties with the new MG280 heavy machine guns and FGM-330A Halberd anti-tank missiles.

Sawyer's meeting with the CENTCOM operations staff was merely cordial, as he was already well aware of the situation and what the OPLAN was for Estovakia. The brigade would be deployed to Estovakia to reinforce their forces along with the remainder of the mobilized SCAR, the latter being redeployed from Haven with the conclusion of Operation Haven Express.

In the dense woodlands of the Southern Oblast, a RISS transceiving station sent out a burst transmission to an orbiting communications satellite. This satellite then relayed the burst transmission to the recieving dish on the roof of the "Central Office" in Estonavia, a bordering and war-torn country to Estovakia.

The message sheet taken down by the reciever array staff upstairs and carried down to the encryption/decryption rooms in the center of the building read:
02.290.907 [KULI/ZABS]
EIOZ LTXQ BVMD UKLB DMEU VIVG BOSL WHKG UIUJ BGHK HFHJ ESVW IRCX VSZJ OFHB WGZE ZJUY KDOJ HSDU YUCU NHJS SBRF XFJK WXOL MMB

Working with a speed born of years of practice and practical experience, the encryption technician unlocked the cover of his machine and set reflectors and rotors appropriately. After the digital encryption was decoded, he would still have to run the resulting coded text through a machine not unlike the Fialka Model M-125-3MN, though of course modified and improved slightly by the RISS itself. The "cryptobook," as the ruggedized and high-performance laptop was nicknamed, displayed the appropriate text. Stretching long pianist's fingers, the technician began typing. He copied the cleartext on to a message form and sent a colleague to fetch Vadim.

Vadim arrived quickly, having taken the stairs three at a time. Despite that, he was not out of breath - he prided himself on his physical fitness despite having such a "desk job." The technician handed him the sheet wordlessly and finished resetting his machines to neutral status for reasons of communications security. Vadim read:

STANDBY TO RECIEVE LIASON TEAM. PREPARE TO SUPPORT COMBAT OPS IN REGION. COOPERATE WITH AQUATIAN INTEL SERVICE. END.

He left the office to begin implementing his newly recieved orders. Human intelligence assets - spies, in other words - tuned into a frequency on their VHF sets that was just one point below that of a classical radio station broadcasted worldwide from Paragranodgrad, Russkya. They heard a cleartext stream of phonetic alphabet and numbers spoken by a soft female voice or one of three male voices in Dutch, German, English, Russian, Russkyan, and a child's voice in French. This was a "Numbers Station," masking itself behind the broadcasted strains of, at this moment, Vivaldi. It switched between the languages and speakers daily as a piece of operational subterfuge. Within ten minutes of the "Central Office, Stovakian Peninsula" recieving their orders, that Number Station began broadcasting only in a melodic Russkyan-speaking female voice, the content identical to before. The signal was clearly audible in the Stovakian Peninsula.

Field officers headed towards the frontlines to confirm intelligence estimates. One of these men, a former Spetsnaz NCO before being recruited by RISS, seemed to merge with the woodline as he went into his hide and waited to be rolled over by the Estovanian leading echelons. With him he had a VHF transceiver, over fifty meters of antenna wire neatly spooled onto a reel for field-expedient antenna use, three week's worth of food and water, his personal weapon - a modified NEAK RAR-4 assault rifle in 7.62x39mm - and plenty of reading material to bide the time until his optics could become useful. Other field officers were dressed in civilian clothes, some asking nearby Estovakian soldiers and officers what was expected to come this way before joining the evacuation of civilians. The officers who took this latter course of action then returned to the Central Office.

These efforts were to attempt to confirm the intelligence estimates that RISS had prepared for the Russkyan General Staff through satellite imagery and other means.

--

Departing directly from Berisak, a long-range MIRL-38 twin-engine passenger jet lifted off carrying the ten man liason team and their equipment directly to Stovakgrad, Estovakia. The Estovaks had of course been alerted that the liason team was enroute in a sealed diplomatic communique that also promised military support and kind thanks for the "heads up" on the threat posed by the Stovakistani and Estovanian militaries.

--

Large elements of the Russkyan Navy were sent to Active Duty status via enciphered burst radio traffic. An entire Regiment of Naval Infantry stood to, as well as two Regiments of Infantry, five of Artillery, two Armour Regiments, and numerous supporting Specialist Brigades and Battalions. Notably, the same method also alerted the Russkyan First Parachute Brigade to stand-to. Men were called off furlough and returned to base, combat refresher courses and exercises were undertaken, to be completed within the week, and replenishment of supplies and a massive portion of the logistical power of the Russkyan Military was made available to the stood-to units.

Most importantly, a quartet of Haenulf-class SSJs departed harbour after recieving hand-delivered sealed orders. Kapitan Dvya-Ranya Filip Isovich Dmitrev stood in the red-lit command room of his advanced hunter-killer submarine, shrugging into his deckcoat before stepping to the ladder that led to the conning tower's topside stations. The red light prepared his eyes for the darkness outside as the four Haenulfs left the Tsyentralnoye Morye, beginning their straight-shot course from the Zuiderzee Strait to a station fifty kilometers offshore the Estovakian coastline.

Dmitrev shouted up the passageway; "Man on deck!"

The senior petty officer on deck shouted back down: "Come along!"

Thus cleared to pass, Dmitrev climbed the ladder to the outside world. Below him, the forty-five crewmen of the Stortbek-B / Haenulf class SSJ ran the third check on all shipboard systems since casting off from the pier inside their submarine pen. A few hundred more kilometers until a rendezvous with a replenishment ship to top off fuel tanks before diving and arriving silently on station. Dmitrev lifted nightvision-capable binoculars to his eyes, the strap around his neck, and scanned the sea's surface out to the horizon. Slight chop here, one meter high waves, not whitecapping.
He smiled, soft rubber sole of his left duty boot atop nonslip panelling tapping in time to a tune playing through in his head. He addressed the watch crew standing around him, facing outwards, without taking his eyes from the binoculars. His calm voice rang out clearly in the darkness.

"Onwards, gentlemen."
"Onwards," the watch crew replied instantly, chorusing their vessel's motto.

OOC: Continue?

Estovanian submarines attacked two Estovakian merchant ships in two separate locations, sinking both with no survivors.

On land, Estovanian forces continued west through Yugaria. Then they altered their course south.

They reached the Estovakian-Yugarian border. Waiting for them was a battalion led by Oberstleutnant Walker of the Border Guards. With orders to defend the Czek Pass at all costs, Walker fortified his men around the Estovakian border town Czek-Friedstadt. His four infantry companies formed a semi-circular defensive perimeter in the direction of the Yugaria border. Walker mined the road and positioned his anti-tank company along the road and within houses to attack armor. His reconnaissance platoon manned the heights above the town ready to plug any gaps in the perimeter, while his heavy mortar battery formed up on an advantageous hill to the south east of Czek-Friedstadt. The two light mortar sections available were located a little ways back from the defensive perimeter and into the town and on the left and right flanks. Finally, Walker positioned his headquarters company on the heights to the southwest of the town where an old border guard station, complete with bunker replete with communications equipment, lay.

At 0500 the next morning, Estovanian reconnaissance light armor advanced along with a reconnaissance platoon behind a thick smoke screen created by Estovanian smoke shells. Estovanian light mortars began their bombardment but counter-battery fire from the heavy mortars prevented the light mortars from concentrating and from steadily bombarding and kept them on the move. Heavy MG fire slowed the recon platoon and the light armor was driven off. By 0515 the skirmish died down as the reconnaissance force retreated north.

At 0620 Estovanian T-72s advanced and assaulted the perimeter. Mines crippled most tanks and both light and heavy mortar fire prevented the supporting infantry from following up with their assault. The attacks fizzled into a general skirmish until Estovanian mobile howitzers began assaulting the Estovakian perimeter.

Estovakian air support in the form of 5 F-16 fighter-bombers and 2 attack helicopters flew in, the jets successfully destroying most of the howitzers while the attack helicopters performed suppressive fire to keep the perimeter safe. 2 Estovanian fighters chased the 5 Estovakian fighters as they returned but the Estovakian air-defense perimeter halted the jets before they could get in range.

By 1400, the Estovanians launched a general assault concentrating most of their force into the center, hoping to take advantage of a small gap in the defenses. One engineering platoon and two Estovanian infantry companies supported by four BMPs assaulted the center, while two Estovanian companies assaulted the left and right flanks respectively. Meanwhile, two Mi-24Ds assaulted the left flank of the infantry. Heavy mortar fire and mines again took their toll, with all four BMPs disabled due to mines and one destroyed by accurate mortar fire. Light mortar rounds caught the Estovanians out in the open on tough ground, which was littered with small rocks and pebbles. The tough ground was impossible to dig into and bullets, if they did not hit their target initially, ricocheted off the small rocks and pebbles. The mortars concussion forces also loosened small rocks, making them dangerous projectiles. The Estovakians, behind larger rocks and boulders, and having dug in and were fortified, sustained little casualties. The Estovanian attack fell into disarray with heavy casualties and the attack turned into a rout. The two Mi-24Ds attacking the left (western flank) were met with heavy fire. Nonetheless rockets and cannon fire wiped out one squad of infantry and on their first pass, the Hinds managed to destroy one troop transport truck and two light vehicles. One Mi-24D was brought down by a shoulder-fired missile, forcing the Mi-24D to crash land nearby with its crew being captured and held prisoner. The other Mi-24D, in the face of heavy fire and a compromised airspace, withdrew to the north.

Meanwhile, a small Spetznatz contingent that had snuck passed the left flank on a mission to destroy ammunition and supply stores accidentally ran into a patrol from Headquarters Company. The patrol was wiped out, but the skirmish alerted Walker to their position. Two headquarters platoons reinforced by the recon platoon engaged the Spetznatz force, completely annhilated the contingent.

Sporadic bombardment continued until the Estovanians again concentrated mobile artillery and heavy artillery onto the Estovakian position. Due to increased air defense presence in the area, Walker was left without air support. The artillery barrage was followed by another general assault which was again repelled with minimal casualties.

By 0230 the next morning most mines had been either detonated or cleared and the Estovanians tried an assault again with two platoons of T-72s supported by two companies of infantry who were in turn supported by 4 BMPs, this time on the left flank with suppressive fire on the center and right flank by two more infantry companies. One unexploded mine damaged a T-72, causing its crew to abandon the tank while tank trenches and large boulders hindered movement, preventing them from effectively overrunning the Estovakian force. Estovanian artillery zeroed in on the left flanks, causing moderate casualties, though Estovakaina artillery prevented Estovanian forces from exploiting the weaknesses.

At 0530, the seven remaining T-72s pulled back while the infantry companies and BMPs pressed home their attack. They were in turn reinforced with two more companies and medium and light mortars, effectively bombarding the Estovakian positions. By 0700 the BMPs had punched a hole between the two left-most Estovakian companies leaving the left-most company isolated. Suppressive fire prevented the isolated Estovakian company from reunited with the others while, two Estovanian companies solidified their gain by positioning themselves between the Estovakian company and the main body. Heavy Estovakian mortars bombarded their position and boobytrapped houses in the town caused significant casualties for the attackers but counter-battery fire took their mark and knocked out two Estovakian mortars. Further bombardment made resupply along the main road difficult and supplies ceased coming.

However, Walker bombarded the Estovanian bulge with the light mortars and diverted men from Headquarters Company, the recon platoon, and the isolated company and launched a surprise assault at around 1000, destroying two platoons outright with 100% casualties and severely diminishing the Estovanian assault force. If it wasn't for the timely intervention of the T-72s again at 1030, the Estovanian force would have been annihilated. However, the outflanking that the Estovanian bulge had created added to the vulnerability the defenses by the main road had. Combined with the armor presense the leftmost platoon and the center platoon of the main body was exposed and the formation withdrew to the south east around the rocky height surrounding the town. The isolated company staged a breakout and reunited with the Headquarters Company and recon platoon on top of the Southwest heights. Estovakian forces continued to bombard the Estovanians entering into the town. The BMPs and T-72s faired badly in close quarters combat and during their press into the town, four out of seven T-72s were destroyed, while all BMPs were disabled by strategically placed sachel charges along the roadsides.

By 1845, The Estovakians had refortified along the heights. Resupply was now impossible and command had ordered Walker to, if possible, reform further south although he no longer had control of the roads. Encroaching bombardment made the border station to which Walker had made his headquarters vulnerable and around 2100 direct hits had destroyed the radio array and destroyed the station on top of the bunker. Several more direct hits damaged the bunker and at around 2330 the bunker was penetrated in the through the radio room, killing by chance the artillery forward observer and several of Walker's closest aides. A feint with infantry at around 0050 concealed a spetznetz assault against the bunker resulting in penetration of the bunker by the Estovanians. After vicious close quarters combat the Estovakians managed to repel both the infantry and the Spetznatz resulting in significant casualties for both sides. A chance grenade injured Walker in his left arm, leading command to be temporarily handed over to his subordinate, Major Czebel.

At 1100 the next morning, after two assaults by infantry on both the main body and the isolated body with Walker, the former left company, and the recon platoon, Walker decided the position was untenable. All artillery as either knocked out or out of ammo, all of his troops were low on ammunition and supplies, and his forces had suffered significant casualties due to relentless bombardment and repeated attacks. With no reinforcements, Walker detonated severely charges along the mountaintops causing rock avalanches, killing many Estovanians in the town below and temporarily prevented the Estovanians from using the road. He then radioed his forces to begin withdrawal by any means necessary around 1200. Walker took as many wounded as he could and in a daring and risky move, decided not to try a break out to the road and instead transversed the low mountains and inhospitable mountains. The rest of his battalion did what it could. The remaining three infantry companies and AT company decided to split up to decrease its overall concentration. One company decided to transverse the mountains in a manner that mirrored Walkers force. The two infantry companies and the AT company decided to break out to the road and retreat south. However, with already severely diminished forces, the plan mostly failed. Most men did not make it to the road with many dying or altering their objective. The remnants of the AT company followed a small hidden streambed to safety. One infantry company retreated in relatively good order with one platoon making it to the road and retreating southward and the rest withdrawing along an incredibly rocky route. The final company was not so lucky. After suffering severe casualties the company’s order disintegrated with some surrendering and the rest dispersing through some of the rocky and sylvan terrain features, retreating south as haphazard squads and individual men.

In all Walker tied up an entire Estovanian Brigade, severely depleting two battalions and preventing entire Estovanian divisions access to the road for three days, buying critical time for the Estovakian forces. He suffered severely losses, including over 60% of his battalion in a hard fought battle.

OOC: But of course. Apologies for the very brief response.

Dmitrev was in too-small generic black coveralls on the sail of his submarine, looking up past the bulk of the submarine tender. Both were common designs, the Isselmere-Nielander Haenulf was fairly widespread and so was this particular tender. She flew Questerian colours; the submarines displayed none. Resupply would be completed in thirty minutes, they'd already spent a good day on the surface taking on fresh stores and refuelling the four submarine strong group.
Belowdecks the submariners gratefully stripped off the black coveralls they had to wear abovedecks as part of their perfunctory disguise. They'd be joined by "Force E," a surface warfare group that was conducting final provisioning before steaming for the Zuiderzee Strait at best cruise speed.

The four submarines, "Sierra One Kilo" through "Sierra Four Kilo" would conduct operations against Estovanian and Stovakistani shipping, placing a priority on any aircraft carriers, other major surface combatants, or large merchantmen they came across. At 1700 hours NLT the submarines dove and the tender carried on her way. They seperated from one another, heading to widely distant operational areas.

--

Signals sent to the Estovakians inquired as to the possibility of air-landing via strategic heavy-lift aircraft an expeditionary force under the command of Lieutenant-General R.V. Astakhov. It would consist of an Infantry Brigade backed with a battalion of PLT-24 tanks, and two Gun Companies from a Type 210-E Artillery Regiment. This ignored the three squadrons of fighters and associated support aircraft and groundcrew of 214 Wing who would assist the Estovakian fliers in contesting the airspace and destroying ground targets.

This force would rapidly expand into a full Infantry Regiment, Artillery Regiment, an Armour Brigade, and form the core of "Russkyan Expeditionary Force Estovakia." If all went as planned, REFE would be reinforced by sea.

--

An encrypted diplomatic signal was sent to the Aequatians. In typical Russkyan fashion, it simply read:

"The game is afoot. Join in the festivities?"

The escalation of the conflict pushed the Aequatians to reconsider their mobilization, especially after the fact that the sea routes could be challenged, much to the chagrin of Chief Admiral Alice Chesterton, who called for a more extensive deployment of forces across the branches. the new deployment was dubbed Operation Noble Shield and included a number of different unit, including the 1st Marine Division aboard their Amphibious Readiness Force and the hastily formed Naval Task Force 1220, the latter included three Enterprise class fleet carriers and a single Cravanian-designed Laurana class command and control battleship, the RNS Krist Heart. which would also be committing its 18-inch guns to naval gunfire support for ground operations.

The Army would be the second largest contributor of personnel behind the Navy with their deployment coming completely from Fort Bradley outside Arrio with IV Corps headquarters as overall Land Forces Command along with the 5th Infantry Division and 6th Armoured Division along with the 2nd Guards Dragoon Regiment (formerly the 7th Cavalry Regiment) who would act as a Corps-level counterattack and reconnaissance force. In support would be the 9th and 10th Field Artillery Regiments along with IV Corps entire number of combat support and service support units. The Army personnel would continue to train at Fort Bradley for their deployment for the time it would take for their heavy equipment to be transported by Navy sealift vessels, after their arrival in Estovakia, the personnel would be airlifted via the Air Force's MAC transports and they would reunite with their equipment on the ground.

The Air Force's contribution would be in the form of not only the massive airlift capabilities of Military Airlift Command which would be transporting a large portion of not only personnel, but supplies and weapons both Tactical and Strategic Air Commands would be providing a plethora of combat aircraft to support the ground forces and degrade the Estovanian capability to wage war. The 11th Air Expeditionary Force would consist of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd and 4th Air Wings, with the 5th and 6th Fighter Wings fro TAC providing the entire force with extensive air cover using the advanced F-124A Bullwhip. SAC would be providing the 8th Bomber Wing equipped with the devastating B-12D Vanquisher supersonic bomber, capable of both strike and interdiction missions in dire circumstances the aircraft can also provide lose air support with its massive payload.

The first units to arrive on the ground, however, would be the Army's Special Combat Applications Regiment and it supporting units to provide security for airbases as the 11th AEF was to arrive after a long-haul, ferry flight from Aequatio to begin supporting the Estovakian forces already engaged. Colonel Sawyer was one of the first officers for the regiment's 3rd Brigade to step foot on the tarmac as the rest of the units began to assemble into their respective companies fr their deployment.

----------

At sea, the first Aequatian Republic Navy vessels to approach the theatre of operations were two Reese class light cruisers which had been undertaking a long-range patrol cruise of the oceans and had recently met with their replenishment ship before being ordered to the zone. Captain James Ray stood in the CIC of the RNS Mansel Reese as he considered the threat assessments provided by CINCNAVCENTCOM and its intelligence unit about the threat of prowling submarines, which was why the pair of MH-96K LAMPS VII or Catfish helicopters had been readied for action, with one already in orbit upon their arrival.

OOC: Stovakistan definately has something to do with the war and are not going to be friendly. However, Stovakistan has not officially entered into the war nor has violated any international regulations yet. Any act against them can be seen as an act of aggression and thus an act of war on your part so be cautious when or if you decide to attack.

IC:

The Estovanian surface navy was a total joke but its quiet, silent diesel submarines navy was a different story. The submarines took full advantage of differing currents and salinities between varying bodies of water to distort their echo, hid in sonar-confounding bodies of water, trailed in ships' sonar blind spots, and utilized the DSL to its full potential. And of course, never, never used active sonar. In this manner the Estovanian submarine force managed to claim two more Estovakian merchant ships and severely damage a foreign-registered vessel. That nation strongly condemned Estovania and charges were brought against it in the World Court.

Nonetheless, the damage was already done. Insurance rates on shipping shot up exponentially around the southern half of the peninsula and insurance companies refused to insure ships that set from port that were either Estovakian-registered or were heading toward Estovakia. Shipping companies and manufacturers, feeling the loss in profits and not willing to risk loss, decided to cut losses and refuse to ship to the Estovakian Mainland. With a small merchant marine due to strict ship and crew regulations, high registry fee, and a mediocre maritime history, there were not nearly enough ships to supply Estovakia with basic necessities. Estovakia might receive help fom other nations in the form of troops, but there was nothing to feed them while in Estovakia. With supply lines unreliable, and shipping irregular at best, Estovakia was going to starve.


Meanwhile, the Stovakistanni Navy continued monitoring the Estovakian coast. Stovakistan had not attacked Estovakia directly, but they were harrassing ships with frequent and excessively long searches, stalking them, and sometimes outright turning them away from Estovakian trade routes. The Stovakistannis declared the waters around Estovakia as "unsafe" and issued a severe advisory to any ships venturing into the area to turn around immediately. Under no conditions could arms or weaponry of any sort be transported to the Estovakian Mainland.

The Stovakistannis knew Aequatio and Russkya were sending naval and air elements. The Stovakistannis did not wish for combat, but were prepared to offer it.

However, the Stovakistanni naval hierarchy were not alarmed. Far away from resupply bases, Russkyan and Aequatian naval elements would be arriving at a disadvantage due to higher risks of breakdown and an overreliance on supply ships while unfamilarity with the oceanic characteristics surrounding the peninsula would lead to disaster if not careful.

Since flight from the north, west and east was risky due to Estovanian AA defenses, Russkyan and Aequatian air elements would need to fly in from the south and thus directly within range of Stovakistanni AA frigates and cruisers, as well as aircraft carriers and all sorts of vessels found in a sea control navy. Here too the Stovakistannis had an advanatge, as air elements arriving would be in little condition to fight due to flight fatigue.

Nonetheless, the Stovakistannis, as confident in succes as they were, did not wish to bring open war. The Stovakistannis issued a statement toward all air and sea elements of any nation to immediately turn around and return to their home nation or to dock or land on the neutral island aptly named Neutralia to the southeast of Estovakia until the situation could be resolved peacefully and diplomatically. But until a diplomatic solution could be reached, Stovakistan would refuse to let any air or sea element into Estovakia.

As Dmitrev recalled, "Operations against the shipping of a foreign nation" - as defined by Russkyan doctrine - involved everything from stalking naval groups to actually sending them to the bottom with a broken keel. According to the O-Group held aboard S1K prior to the splitting up of the force, S3K and S4K would stalk the Stovakistannis, their merchant shipping and their naval vessels, in order to determine trade routes, activities, standard operating procedure, and other such information as could be gleaned by a detailed reconnaissance.

S1K and S2K had already encountered the, in the words of at least one sonar operator, "fucking weird" current patterns and water conditions as they closed in on the Estovanian's areas of operation.

Disposition of enemy forces could be, and was being, determined by variable-spectrum imaging and signals intelligence satellites. This data was analyzed and relayed to the Aequatians as part of the cooperative intelligence effort, where it was then scrutinized again and compared to Aequatian-generated overheads.
Some forms of intelligence gathering, however, simply required "boots on the ground" or, as the case may be, the predatory shapes of Haenulf-class submarines in dark waters.

The Field Intelligence Officer deployed in his hide was in the process of ensuring his optic lenses were masked before he raised the binoculars to his eyes again. Estovanian Army formations were passing through this area, being contested by the Estovakian Army, and his greatest fear was not being discovered by a combat patrol - he was exceedingly well hidden, even against thermal imagery thanks to the IR-suppressant uniform he wore and a camouflage net with the same properties - but being hit by an errant round of any calibre. His RAR-4 rifle sat next to him with the safety on and one round sitting comfortably in the chamber.

He had a notepad. It was filled with data on what he'd seen: apparent tactical organizations, behaviour of troops in the field under these circumstances, their equipment, et cetera. He'd broken the tip off his pencil twice now in the past three hours thanks to an unexpected shellburst causing him to instinctively flatten to the ground while he was in the middle of writing.

In about five minutes, he'd transmit using the one-time pad he carried and the VHF radio transciever. He blessed the burst-transmission capability of the set that shared his hide with him.

Stovakistan issued an official quarantine of Estovakia, refusing to let in any arms or military related material into Estovakia. Ships began patrolling in a 500 mile arc around Estovakia's main port area.

Meanwhile, Estovanian forces were moving with ease in Yugaria as the Yugarian army became effectively paralyzed by the lack of capable commanders.

In Estovakia the fight was much more difficult. With neither side having a significant air advantage over the other, Estovakia was not able to mercilessly bomb Estovanian forces, but Estovania was not able to the same. Narrow passes and familiarity with the terrain mitgiated and neutralized Estovanian supremecy. Nonetheless, the forces continued heading in a direction that was uncertain. Estovakian troops heavily fortified the passages leading toward Stovakgrad as well as Stavidad, the commercial capital of Estovakia.