NationStates Jolt Archive

The night was filled with crowds of people standing in the cold all awaiting the unveiling of the giant memorial to those lost in the bloody history of the modern CSN. The state had fallen many times but somehow stood back up and now unified and prepared for the future they respected those that died to shape the state into what it was today. Before the crowd stood the leader they chose for the future, Tanya Victoria, her sex was something most would say classified who she was as a leader and yet her position and her past would say otherwise. She was a revolutionary in the Nerotikan revolt and a soldier for three years under Darinsky, her civilians days were filled with protest against the Kazakhstani affair and finally led to her campaign and victory in the elections for the new Chairman of the state. Tanya was a women most would never be able to figure out, someone who's looks were noticable but her powerful pressence took your eyes away. Her voice was not unlike a womens and yet her speech was like so many men in positions like hers, her passion for Nerotika gained her the chairmanship and she intended to show the nerotikan people that she was worthy of the position they gave her.

This building was her gift to the people, something she believed they wanted and those killed needed. No memorials had ever been set up even in the days of the soviet regime and so she intended to give respect to every lost soul that helped build what she stood for today.

As she cleared her throat the people settled down and finally silence as she spoke.

"I have led you only for a short time but in this time we've seen more action toward peace and diplomacy than any other leader of this state. Nerotika is no longer a soviet regime, nor a neglectful council of socialist power hungry council members. We are lighting the flame to the future but before then we must pay respect to our past. We have not had it easy, we've seen our blood shed many times before but we are a thriving people who are not easily stomped into the ground. Within that bloodshed were the roots of our modern nation, those that died fought to honor this state and paid the ultimate price for their love of this country. In that spirit I have brought this memorial, one that pays respect to any and all men and women that served this nation through our good and bad times.

In this nature I have respected all forces of our country, soviet and nerotikan alike. Even in the revolution soviet soldiers fought to maintain the unified nation they had bled to built previously. It is sad that such a war had to be fought to establish what we are today and in no way will I dishonor those on either side of that revolution. We were people of a nation then, however, but now we are people of Nerotika and no matter the nationality of the blood that flows within all those inside our borders are Nerotikan.

So I say, open this memorial so that the souls of those lost to build this great nation may finally have peace."

The lights on the building lit up brightly as a Nerotikan flag rose high above the main building dome.
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The memorial was now publically unveiled, but would not be opened until national leaders were allowed to pay respects mainly to those lost in the Hirgizstani slaughter.

The man smirked silently at the speech the Nerotikan head of state gave to the fallen troops. He had a completely different view on the whole conflicts the Nerotikan soldiers had fallen in, most of which the Nerotikans had brought upon themselves, and he knew first hand that the Nerotikans hadn’t really fought with honor. At least not during their conflicts with Cotland. He should know. After all, he had commanded a brigade of the 86. Infantry Division during the Nerotikan invasion a year ago, seeing action at Sharya and southwards to the border, and seen first-hand what the Nerotikans were capable of. Needless to say, the man wasn’t impressed.

Now, a year later, the man had been promoted to the rank of Major General in the Army as a result of his achievements during the invasion and given command of an infantry division of his own. It was also because of this combat experience and the reputation he had been given among the Nerotikans (according to the prisoners of war the Cottish had taken during that conflict) as the "Butcher from Kostroma", given due to the fact that the brigade he had commanded had been responsible for at least five thousand enemy combatants dead and twice that captured. His presence here would no doubt upset and maybe even inflict fear in any veterans that may have survived their encounter with the Royal Cottish Military and been repatriated to Nerotika – there were still some twenty thousand Nerotikan prisoners of war in Cotland – as well as the Nerotikan leadership. The man knew that the Nerotikans knew who he was and what he had done during the war.

The apparel he was wearing didn’t do much to reduce any tensions either. He proudly wore his class A uniform, with three medals that would be more than enough to piss off any Nerotikan who knew what they meant and why he had gotten them. The first was the Kostroma Campaign medal, which had been awarded to all the soldiers who had fought in the defense of Kostroma, including the Hawdawgian soldiers and Layartebian airmen who had assisted the Cottish. The second medal was the War Cross (http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/552/krigskorsetlc5.png), which had been awarded to Cottish soldiers who had distinguished themselves in battle – the General’s tactical genius and actions had earned him that one. The third medal was perhaps the most mocking medal. The Medal of Honor (http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6553/resmedaljenwt4.png) had been awarded to him by the King personally for his rapid reaction in getting his brigade first from its base to Sharya in time to stop the Nerotikan paratroopers from taking the city and subsequent push southward to annihilate the rest of the Nerotikan invasion force.

The Cottish considered this man, who found the nickname “the Butcher of Kostroma” flattering, a genuine war hero and the perfect person to represent the Realm at this opening as a painful reminder for the Nerotikans of just how badly they had fucked up in Kostroma and of how easy it would be for the Cottish to fuck them up even more if they tried any more stupid actions such as invading the Realm or its allies.

The Foreign Ministry had also made it perfectly clear for their Nerotikan counterparts that if any harm came to the general during his stay in Nerotika, the Cottish would consider it an act of war and act accordingly. For any half-assed Nerotikan military analyst, what exactly those actions would be were very clear: The Cottish Army would cross over the border and not stop until they had annexed Kirov, Mari El, Chuvasia, Penza, Ul’yanovsk and Saratov, and sacked and burned Volvograd to the ground. The analysts would also know that the Cottish had both the forces, equipment, resources and resolve required to pull such an endeavour off, and that the Nerotikans wouldn’t stand a chance in hell to resist them, especially not after having had their best equipment destroyed or captured and their infrastructure pounded to bits during the past few wars. So, the obvious conclusion would have to be that no harm could come to the general, lest Nerotika as a nation ceased to exist.

Knowing this full well, the General was in attendance at the memorial, in full uniform with the medals easily visible on his uniform jacket, not bothering to even try to conceal his feelings about the Nerotikan dead and their skills (or lack thereof). He had an arrogant and confident attitude when it came to the Nerotikans, but he had reason to.

Baruti walked graciously along the small stone corridors that ran alongside the name engraved marble walls. Occasionally he would stretch out his hand and let his fingers follow the letters of the men and boys whose names are forever etched into the annals of history. His legs grew week and his eyes damp as he thought of the needless end to such promising life. More than one time he nearly gave way and rested upon the shoulder of his close friend and Chief of Staff General Hamza Mahiri. Mahiri stood obediently at his side, not because of his position but rather out of respect. Baruti could not comprehend the motivation behind this terrible act. Are we not all men, he whispered out loud. Mahiri said nothing, only nodded in agreement.

Baruti, along his travels of the facility, came upon the Cottish General. The man stood, tall and proud, enviable had it been a different occasion. Baruti looked upon this man with disgust. Even within himself he was beginning to feel the resentment against The October Alliance. He tried to push away such thoughts but they had grown on him with every action they took. This man felt no remorse, even at such hallowed grounds. This was human loss on a tremendous scale! He sighed as a father does upon his son who has misbehaved. The General took notice of Mahiri. They had previously met a few years prior through a luncheon in Hirgizstan. The General made a crisp military salute which Mahiri, against his own emotions, returned with a diplomatic politeness. The duo moved on with a delicate quickness.

Mahiri, unlike his Cottish counterpart, was not in military dress. Instead he wore a solemn black suit. These fallen soldiers, he thought, have seen enough of war. He walked alongside the President until they found Mrs. (I am guessing) Victoria. She was quietly talking to a group of people. She was quite elegant while at the same time showing her respect to her fallen compatriots. She had an aura about her, passionate and caring while at the same time powerful. Baruti had seen this type of woman before in his predecessor Sarah Ovambo, whom he greatly respected. He silently slipped to her side, waiting courteously for her to finish her previous engagement so he could introduce himself.

Duke Achaeus Leto stood quietly within the crowd of foreign and domestic officials listening to the speech made by the Nerotikan State Chairman, or Chairwoman he thought, as he looked at her speaking. He was rather comfortable in the evening cold, his body accustomed to the frigid temperatures of the Baltic, and smiled sadly as he looked around.

Behind him stood four officers of the Thrashian Imperial Army which had accompanied him on his visit to Nerotika; Colonels Macks, Dobrev, Alinatov, and Wurtemburg. Each wore their black dress uniforms and polished knee-high boots. Each stood at stiff attention, trying their best not to embarrass either themselves or their Duke. Leto was hard put to hide a smirk from them. While he was considered by some to be a Warrior-Duke, he still had enough humanity to appreciate the hilarity of the four officers looking like overly stiff tin-soldiers.

When the speech ended and Chairwoman Victoria stepped down to allow other to pass, Leto stepped forward. His officers followed him at a respectable distance.

The first thought that passed through his mind was that there were so many names, and just as many most likely forgotten and not written into the stone. It was a sad and sobering thought. Leto had been briefed by his aides on the Nerotikan wars, what had happened and who had been involved. He couldn't say he blamed the Nerotikans, but he felt they weren't free from the guilt that put so many young men into the earth to sleep.

Duke Leto bowed formally to the center of the memorial and said a small prayer for the soldiers' souls to be at rest. Behind him in unison all four colonels snapped their heels together and saluted. They wore different uniforms, fought for different nations, and followed different creeds; but a soldier was still a soldier.

Leto turned away from the memorial and walked away. He bowed formally to Chairwoman Victoria as he passed and started back to his place in the crowd. He stopped next to the stone-faced, proud-bearing Cottish general who stood in full uniform. The general met the Duke's eyes.

"Were you a Cottish general involved in any of the Nerotikan....disasters?" asked Leto.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION

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TO: The Council State of Nerotika, and the world community
FROM: COH Department of State
SUBJECT: Nerotikan 'War Memorial'


The unveiling of this memorial was, at first, largely ignored in the Commonwealth. But as word spread a number of new newspapers and media outlets in Germany and elsewhere in the former Fourth Reich have become deeply disturbed, leading to a number of minor civil disturbances protesting this blatant celebration of state criminality.

The Council State of Nerotika saw fit to invade the Fourth Reich, namely Kazakhstan. People were murdered, women and children raped and the land utterly pillaged and devastated. The so called 'soldiers' enshrined in the memorial are nothing but the common dogs in the street, war criminals and disgusting filth of the vilest order, succoured by the world's most vile regime.

It is a travesty that nations such as the United States and the Cottish Realm would see fit to attend a memorial glorifying the rape and murder of innocent people. But such hypocrisy is to be expected when lies abound.

The Commonwealth utterly and completely denounces this memorial to war criminals. Plainly, the only nation that has seen fit to deal properly with war criminals is the Commonwealth. 15,232 were dealt with, to be precise. Their names shall never be known, their bodies consumed by the fire they will surely face eternally for their crimes against the Kazakhstani and Germanian people.

It is a shameful day when the deeds of criminals, rapists and murderers will be enshrined in memorials, and respects paid by the so called 'great and good' of the world.

HIRGIZSTANIAN DEPARTMENT OF STATE

END OF MESSAGE

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The Council State of Nerotika

To: The Commonwealth of Hirgizstan
From: The CSN Council of Foreign Affairs, Chairman Iznor Shultz
Subject: Response to COH International Communication

The only reason your nation has yet to fall under trial for your acts is simply your position among the October Alliance. Your blatant disregard for human life is the true war crime. Where we the Nerotikan people have attempted, while admitting our mistakes, to pay honor to those that died for such pointless causes you have only made the grief worse. The federal judicial court has put to trail already several council members who were involved in making the dicision to invade Kazakhstan and we are trying best to mend our nation from the severe wound we recieved.

While you sit back blaiming the new administration for the olds mistake you fail to realize what you have done. What you did was not simply execution but text book definition of slaughter. You are the true war criminals and such accusations should only be made regarding your military and your government. If you cannot answer for your failure to protect human life then you are nothing but a coward of a government that abuses power for personal gain. And so as far as the CSN is concerned there is nothing more to say to such a government.

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ooc: It's actually Miss.

Tanya had a quite smile on as she spoke to a few council dignitaries from the CSN's many states, the small group of three stood in line infront of her. Finally finished she turned and stuck her hand our toward the man from the United States.

"Tanya Victoria, and you would be?"

General Alexandr Romanov stood alongside Lieutenant-Ambassador Maret Kovac. Both used to the cold, coming from Eastern Europe, they stood in their three-quarter-lengths, the wind occassionally whipping the coat back to show their uniforms underneath (all Barronian Crown officials wore uniforms, part of the idea of promoting unity in the government).

As their first official outing, they knew little of the war that had passed, but the powers-that-be had decided that any diplomatic interaction was better than none.

Applauding softly when the speech finished, Romanov and Kovac made their way slowly around the memorial.

"Beautiful architecture."
"True...unfortunate that it's for such a cause, however."
"Agreed. So many names..."
"To think a war could claim so many lives..."

They continued their walk, reaching the main memorial, where a man was stood in prayer. Waiting for him to leave, they murmured one of their own before continuing around.

The General heard someone walk up beside him, so he turned to see who it was. It was a civilian the General didn't know, but he didn't look Nerotikan. That meant that the man was rewarded with a polite answer, which stood in complete contrast to the body language and attitude displayed by the General since he arrived in this God-forsaken country, if one could call it that.

"Yes. Major General Andersen, Royal Cottish Army. Also known among our Nerotikan hosts as the 'Butcher of Kostroma' following their little invasion of our sovereign soil last year. My brigade was responsible for adding about five thousand of these names that you see around us to these walls." The General said lightly, his voice betraying that he took pride of that particular feat.

Sensing that the man might be taken a little aback with the directness of the General's involvement in filling a significant portion of this memorial with people to be remembered, he added in a cold voice, "We taught the Nerotikans that their imperialistic invasion of our sovereign soil under the banner of communism, and the coldblooded murder of fifty thousand of our people, including a thousand orphans in the opening strike, was a very bad idea."

The numbers were exaggurated, being about three times higher than they actually were, but those were the numbers that the Cottish medias had spread throughout the world, and those were the numbers that were taught to the Cottish soldiers, school children and civilians. Only a few people knew the real figures. Besides, the real civilian casualty figures were still pretty high. The General had every reason to feel proud that he had inflicted such high casualty figures on an enemy who had invaded sovereign Cottish soil and fired cruise missiles into an orphinage, an act which had outraged the Realm even more than the invasion itself.

Baruti nodded with a smile and took Tanya’s hand, “Ngozi Baruti from the United States,” he said. He stepped back allowing Mahiri to move up and shake the Chairwoman’s hand, “and this,” he said, “is Hamza Mahiri.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Victoria,” Mahiri began, “you spoke passionately.” His English was fluent, as it was the official language of the states, but like most Africans it was masked by a rather thick accent.

He returned to his position slightly behind the President allowing him conversation with the madam Chairwoman. “This is a worthy memorial,” Baruti gestured as his head glanced around the complex. “The United States supports you in this hard time, we do not agree at all with the Hirgizstan viewpoint, let that be clear.”

He began to slowly walk with no true destination in mind, but it helped him think. Victoria was following closely by his side fixated on the conversation.

“We are investigating the incident now but Hirgizstan’s policy on national sovereignty limits our ability to take action. We will make our fuss, but sadly I doubt anything will come of it.”

Tanya nodded in agreement, her eyes glancing at the cold stone beneath her feet.

“We understand you are no longer abiding by Soviet policies. Surely that will make rest of the world happy to know. I ask, is your aim democracy?”

Stepanov stood there as the memorial was being unveiled. Although his face did not show it things within him began to move. The Hirgizstanies have shown the world that they are not only the most of evil of men but that they also have no shame, nor honor. It was hard for Stepanov to have to deal with such people but there were larger objectives that had to be reached. In the land of Rus it has always been said "The one who is right is strong", the Nerotikans were right and that made them strong, not now, but later there would be revenge and there would be justice for the Hirgizstanie criminals. For now, the memorial stood as a reminder to the Russian Federation of who carries the banner of evil is in this world. Nothing is forgotten, nothing is forgiven, for the Slavic blood that was unjustly spilled that day there would one day be payment.

"Democracy, yes but the idea's of a modern democracy have me a little worried. I don't understand fully the capitalist system that goes side by side with democracy. Although I trust my people money can make the worse of anyone and if it were to come down to providing services for a cheap price over an expensive one I feel, saddly, that any normal human would choose the money."

Tanya was happy to see someone here who understood that, although not perfect, the CSN was attempting to cut ties with its terrible past.

"Although we have no respect for our soviet past we cannot dishonor those that died because of their tyranny. They were but soldiers, men who fought not for their leader but for their country and thats all. Its an idea that I wouldn't expect most to understand." She threw a glaring glance toward the cottish general. They were no longer enemies, at least in her mind, but his appearance made it seem that way.

It had been a long time since the attack against Cotland, one that was brought forth by their own imperialism, and really no resentment was felt by the common Nerotikan any longer. Her intentions after speaking to Baruti was to make sure the cottish generals presence was not ignored.

Chief of Staff Sir Michael Fry stood through the proceedings dressed in full military uniform, although for vastly different reasons to the Cottish General. He did so as it was the tradition of Pynholt, rather than to gloat. When the speech was over, he and the accompanying Diplomatic Corps enjoyed the Nerotikan hospitality. Some of them, including the Chief of Staff, went over to the Thrashian Duke and the Cottish General, while the rest went over to the Nerotikan leader and her counterpart from the United States of Brink.

As the Chief of Staff walked over towards the Cottish General and the Thrashian Duke, he sensed a great deal of unease between the two, like something could possibly be brewing. Knowing that their was currently negotiations going on back in Pynholt concerning closer relations with the Duchy of Thrashia, he decided he would introduce himself after the Duke had finished with the Cottish General. However, he was also concered about any animosity between Thrashia and the Realm of Cotland, as Cotland was a nation that had shown nothing but friendship through its diplomatic dealings with Pynholt, so as the Duke began to speak, the Chief of Staff wondered whether he should intervene and divert the conversation to something slightly more neutral, should the brash Cottish General allow that. He decided to wait for the Cottish General to speak.

Hearing his words, he thought it would be best if he introduced himself, and changed the subject.

"Duke Leto, General, I am Sir Michael Fry, Chief of Staff for the Pynholtek military, I would just like to introduce myself to two nations that my Government holds in very high esteem. I believe one of your ministers is currently in Sita Pynholt right now my Duke. furthering the good relations between our two countries, and our nation is indebted to the diplomatic support given to us by the Realm of Cotland when we were faced with threats from the Russian Federation.

"I must say, the building is rather grand. I should rather like that Pynholt builds such a grand memorial of its own, although we would not have as many names to write on our walls...is the weather always this miserable in Europe?"

Sir Fry was one of the many Governmental figures in Pynholt that had a perfect grasp of Standard English, and he was doing his best to keep any conversation strictly amiable.

"Yes. Major General Andersen, Royal Cottish Army. Also known among our Nerotikan hosts as the 'Butcher of Kostroma' following their little invasion of our sovereign soil last year. My brigade was responsible for adding about five thousand of these names that you see around us to these walls."

"We taught the Nerotikans that their imperialistic invasion of our sovereign soil under the banner of communism, and the coldblooded murder of fifty thousand of our people, including a thousand orphans in the opening strike, was a very bad idea."

Probably against his nature in certain circumstances, Duke Leto smiled. His piercing green-blue eyes focused on the general. The man was tough and very cunning. One look at him was enough to know that the man had had his boots dirtied more than on a few occasions. It was that kind of hands-on attitude that Leto approved of, though he mentally recoiled slightly by the general's candor.

"Kostroma...ah, yes. I've read the battle report on that little operation." Leto looked over his shoulder. "Colonel Macks here was quite taken with it and has made a point of adding it to our OTS reading curriculum. He was most impressed."

Colonel Macks came to a stiff attention and then bowed slightly. He was quite pleased and honored to be meeting General Anderson, even if they were strange circumstances.

"And it is only natural that a nation must defend itself," continued Leto. "The invasion of one's sovereign territory and the infliction of death upon one's people cannot be allowed to go unanswered. Perhaps, I hope, the Nerotikans will have learned from that. From what I have seen and heard here I believe they have and will soon become a promising nation state.

"Perhaps in the future the Duchy of Thrashia will have the honor to become closer to Cotland in friendship. A promising outcome no doubt, and one that my military attaches would be eager for."

Suddenly another delegate appeared. Another military type.

"Duke Leto, General, I am Sir Michael Fry, Chief of Staff for the Pynholtek military, I would just like to introduce myself to two nations that my Government holds in very high esteem. I believe one of your ministers is currently in Sita Pynholt right now my Duke. Furthering the good relations between our two countries, and our nation is indebted to the diplomatic support given to us by the Realm of Cotland when we were faced with threats from the Russian Federation." The man turned and looked at the memorial.

"I must say, the building is rather grand. I should rather like that Pynholt builds such a grand memorial of its own, although we would not have as many names to write on our walls...is the weather always this miserable in Europe?"

"And greetings to you Sir Fry," replied Leto. The man seemed worried and a bit on edge for some reason that the duke couldn't place. "Ah, and yes my dear friend Minister Hans Goethe is indeed visiting you. I'm expecting good things from it." Leto looked up into the evening sky.

"And I think that this weather is normal. Not nearly as cold as what the northern parts of the Duchy can get, but still cold."