NationStates Jolt Archive

Besk, capital of the Popular Republic

Space Coffee wasn't the greatest name for a coffee shop -or perhaps it was, for those in whom thoughts of space cuisine brought up images of freeze-dried bags of this and tubes of that- but it was all that Street 19 had. Street 19 wasn't exactly pushing the envelope, either, but having lost its Stalinist name during the reform period, well, that was it, for now. There was some irony to be had, here. Space Coffee was recently Starbucks, set-up just a few years ago only to be closed owing to financial difficulties in the US and changing popular opinion in Bulgia, and was re-opened by a local -as Space Coffee- before the street could even be re-re-named. The people who'd voted the Communists back in were quicker as entrepreneurs than the Party was in naming things after revolutionary heroes. Inside, the cafe was stilted, like the nation had been these last few years. But now Communist kitch was back in style, and that suited the owners fine. They could sell Chocolike and Mokka Fix Gold -crap ration junk during the People's Republic era- and call it trendy, charging more than real cocoa and coffee!

"In two weeks Lev will be gone! We can't wait around and wait around until we've all done our national service. It's got to be now."

Rain pattered on the grotty street outside. It hadn't been swept -save for one parade just as Nechita was elected, years back- since the People's Republic collapsed and the state stoped paying for it. Within the coffee shop, behind the big windows supposed to expose the outside to what was offered within, what was within gurgled and steamed. But it wasn't coffee in the pot, it was terror and a plot.

"All right. We'll do it. The east gate is asking for it. Right into the black hills when we're done."

Bulgia had one thing really going for it. Tar sands. So long as the price of oil didn't drop back to those daft ten or twenty dollar a barrel prices, Bulgia was set, however irresponsible her economic management. The sands had been utterly ignored during the Soviet era, much like, well, most of the oil reserves of the USSR. But now Istok and Kronyatensko were going to use them to prop-up their centrally planned economy. Inefficiency be damned! We can sell dirt for dollars!

124 Terror Suspects Face Firing Squad!

"...sponsored by the international bourgeoisies attempted to destroy the Chechghio refinary on October the 17th, but were thwarted after a Securitat mole exposed the dastardly plot and police swooped on a coffee shop in the capital. Four ring-leaders were arrested, two were shot trying to flee the scene..."

"...remember, Securitat is your mother... Securitat could be your brother!"

"Muzzle the cryer, it's pathetic!.. All right. Squad! Shoulder... Arms!.. Take aim!.." The Securitat officer looked at his watch, and seconds ticked by.

Background- The Bulgian Popular Republic

You may never have heard of it, but Bulgia is lately one of the world's busiest and most changing places. Through the second half of the twentieth century a People's Republic within the Soviet sphere, Bulgia's transition to a reformist Republic was confirmed with the election in the 1990s to the new post of Prime Minister of the dashing young Costel Nechita, head of the Bulgian Socialist Workers Party, though strong-arm President Grigore Istok remained firmly in place, promising to over-see the return to a market economy and multi-party democracy from a position of stability-offering strength.

But the change and excitement in Bulgia had hardly begun! Countless citizens lost their life savings in pyramid schemes and dodgey investments that they, raised under a Marxist-Leninist system, ill understood, and the nation's heavy industry failed to adjust as a world of new competators and clients was opened to them. Unemployment was a terrifying and alien concept, and with it came unheard of homelessness, the end of free healthcare, and enormous emmigration.

In this climate, the gloss came off Nechita's reform platform, and his dashing features aged at an increased rate as if personifying the decline of his party and its reform agenda. President Istok, by some estimations still the real power behind Costel's crumbling throne, remained shielded there as the tide of change washed back again from Bulgian shores.

At the last general election, Lubmila Kronyatensko, widow of the last General Secretary before the felling of the Communist Party in the nation's own Velvet Revolution, was swept back into government with a powerful mandate. Rumours persisted: Istok was a closet Communist, and Kronyatensko no more than his agent. The Bulgian Communist Party (BCP) retitled the nation a Popular Republic, and initiated reviews into Nechita's reforms, halting further privatisation and other schemes until their completion at some undefined future date.

Then, upheaval in neighbouring Bulgislavia gave the Communists the opportunity to begin their own reforms as a humanitarian crisis threatened. Istok declared a state of emergency and issued a ten point plan. Military leave was cancelled, reserves called up, and the draft expanded until 2.1 million of the nation's 45 million citizens were enroled in some branch of the armed forces, which were reorganised as the Bulgian Popular Army. Martial law was declared and the borders closed as the President's so-called Bunker Defence Plan was radically expanded, while strike action was banned in areas defined as Vital National Industry, and new production targets set for the defence industry. The infamous Securitat, the People's Republic-era secret police, gained broad new powers in a reversal of trends during Nechita's term in office.

Tanks on the streets, smoke on the skyline

Reports of smoke rising from Chechghio oil refinary in Bulgia, a vast facility responsible for making fuels from the product of the nation's considerable tar fields, have been quickly joined by rumours of more smoke coming from parliament buildings and the headquarters of the anemic opposition, the Bulgian Socialist Workers' Party.

Perhaps not surprising given the establishment of martial law, troops can be seen on the streets of Besk, the capital. But these have been joined by battle tanks and fighting vehicles in recent hours. Speculation is rife, but it seems that dissident attacks against the oil industry may not have been completely averted by the recent mass arrests, and that Popular Army troops may have shelled the BSWP HQ and possibly even the national parliament.

Exiled dissident Maria Olyenko warns that the Bulgian Communist Party is making its final and decisive move against the reforms of Nechita's BSWP, and that its success in these actions will seal the fate of the country.

Press Communique from Duke Blaise



Whilst we in Rechburg are a long way from Bulgia in miles, we are very close to those Bulgia citizens that cherish the light of democracy. In noting that the dark forces of the past seemed to be returning, that past darkness that seems ever threatening to the light of democracy in Bulgia. Duke Blaise urges all nations and peoples who cherish democracy and freedom to help resist the darkness that once again pervades in Bulgia.

Help us, now! Now!

Alexsander Gavrilov Prison, outer Besk

Yet another plume of smoke pointed to more trouble in the BPR as inmates rioted in the midst of a break-out attempt launched by friends of many of the recently arrested terror suspects.

In the courtyard, the intended executions of the first four of seven amongst these set to be executed today, after an amazingly rapid trial process had seen 124 convinctions in less than a month, had gone awry when several of the rifle detail hesitated and then, rebuked harshly by the presiding Securitat officer, and openly refused to shoot, calling the officer's bluff when he drew his sidearm. Seeing the majority of the detail united in defiance to his commands, the officer made the fatal mistake of turning his back on them and making for the doorway to the guardhouse. He'd been shot and seriously wounded, perhaps having sparked a primal predatory response from one of the agitated men as he tried to run.

Now the prison was like hell, as if a Bulgian gaol weren't bad enough to begin with. Inmates, staff, and civilians breaking in, nobody knew who was on their side, and nobody knew how many people were being shot, stabbed, beaten, or trapped as flames licked through the 1940s structure.

During the excitement, somebody began broadcasting from the prison's radio station, hoping to be heard across the nation and perhaps beyond its frontiers. It wasn't clear who was broadcasting, and one might assume that prisoners had stormed the room. In fact it was a young corrections officer, appealing for help. It wasn't clear to whom he was appealing, but even as he broadcast his desperate appeal, Securitat armoured personnel carriers were converging on the prison grounds, tank shells were falling on parliament, and elite troops were storming the BSWP HQ.

"...Bulgia... this is Bulgia calling... Bulgia... Help us, now! Now!"

Bump
(More trouble to come)

Because the central government in Chernobyl-Pripyat was collapsing, many people took to selling various military equipment on the black market, often with border security turning it's blind eye towards it, for a price, at least.



Border Checkpoint, Soviet Republic of Chernobyl-Pripyat

Several civilian owned ZIL-131, all filled with military equipment drove up to the border check point. Security was tighter then usual, given the fact that this particular road seldom saw use. The first truck in the convoy pulled up to the post, and one of the soldiers walked up to the side and began to speak to the driver.

"Turn around, this is a restricted area. What's in the truck? Do you have papers?"

"Party supplies for friends in Bulgia. I'll show you my papers, hold on."

The driver reached over to the glove compartment, and pulled out a passport type thing, with a modest sum of Rubles in it. At the present, it wasn't worth too much, but a person normally wouldn't turn down a gift.

The soldier looked over the papers, pocketing the money.

"Ok, we'll act like there's nothing but wild dogs and trees out here, but you'd better get moving before we change our minds."

He signaled to the man at the gate, and he lifted the barricade allowing the group of trucks to proceed through.

[ooc: assume it's heading for a Communist militia]

I should probably say a bit about Bulgia, to be helpful (IC post working-up now).

Geography

Bulgia lies in the East Balkans/Central/Eastern Europe depending on your definition. Basically, it replaces Romania. The only clearly defined borders are to the south, where the tiny People's Socialist Republic of Bulgislavia is sandwiched between Bulgia and (NPC) Bulgaria, which share borders on either side of that tiny nation, locked between them. Other neighbours would be NPC Serbia, Hungary, Ukraine, and Moldova, and possibly Romania if that gets shunted north, but I don't mind replacing any or all of those with player-controlled nations.

Geography is essentially the same, except that Romania's historic oil reserves are replaced by larger tar sands, which have barely been exploited until very recently. There are probably tens of billions of barrels in heavy oil, though exploitation and infrastructure is fairly modest, and under attack by dissidents. Of course place names are changed to Bulgian ones.

So, the nation covers roughly 237,500 square kilometres and has 225km of coastline. The climate is temperate, and the terrain is of several plains intersected by two major mountain ranges that dominate much of the country. In addition to tar sands and natural gas, resources include coal, timber, arable land, hydropower potential, salot, and iron ore, making it energy-rich if nothing else.

People

Bulgians are a unique race of largely Slavic blood, mixed with that of various invaders and migrants over the centuries, mostly steppe peoples. They are twice as numerous as the Romanians they replace, with a population of 45 million.

Economy

Geared to the Soviet bloc, Bulgia inherited a focus on heavy industry, inclusive of a significant military-industrial complex capable of building small arms, armoured vehicles, short-range rocketry, light and mid-sized warships, and light aircraft, plus the capability to service, maintain, and modify combat jets, chiefly the MiG-23 Flogger series, which has evolved considerably under Bulgian attention. Still, under Nechita's reformist BSWP, privatisation began, much heavy industry went inert and as such has not been updated since the 1980s, and many skilled people left the country. The Communist Party wants to stop all of that, and reverse it.

North Suburbs, Besk

http://www.nationstates.net/images/flags/uploads/bulgia__0.jpg

Popular Army and Securitat forces entering the city through the bohemian northern outskirts were flying a new flag, advertising the fact that they, Istok, and Kronyatensko represented a real shift in Bulgia. The Popular Republic wouldn't be much like the former Republic. The banners were over-sized, fluttering from trucks, jeeps, 8x8 armoured personnel carriers and old second-line self-propelled guns and medium tanks.

One BTR-B70 was leading some soft-skin vehicles down St.Nicholas Bvd., a street lined by tall baroque flats, rare in the systematic nation. And then it was consumed in a plume of fire. "Free Bulgia! Long Live Nechita!" A second Molotov cocktail fell from the third floor, this time in the rear of the convoy, and then from several windows on both sides of the tree-lined street rifle fire and the puttering of cheap submachine-guns as lately raised partisans ambushed the Securitat detachment.

Skirmishing lasted some eight minutes, but all attackers had fled through adjacent flats.

Fifteen minutes later and hardly eight hundred metres away, in Karl Marx St., not re-named by the reformists for fear that it would be going too far too soon, regular Popular Army troops came up against a barricade. People had ripped up paving slabs and stacked them across the street, reinforcing them with a belt made of torn-out iron railings from infront of people's gardens. At its least, the wall was three foot thick in iron-reinforced concrete and eight foot high, with loop-holes made by turning some slabs on their sides. Even 14.5mm machinegun fire was failing to make an impression, and partisan snipers were appearing on the rooftops ahead of the barricades.

(Bump for interest)

The Goverment of Sultenia
Internal Administration of Foreign Relations

Closed communiqué to recognized President Istok and rightful goverment of Bulgia

Interests within our nations private sector would like that the situation developing would come to an end, with the current crisis at the global market it is imperative that nothing hinders the flow of resources on the market nor that the market becomes "alarmed".

At present our stockmarket has had its ups and downs and our nation would like to explore new markets and see new nations emerge on the global market to "flat out" the pitfalls and sharp spikes on our stockgraphs. Slow, maintained growth has always been Sultenias interest therefor a new stable nation with a solid demand would aid our markets interest and set them on a more stable track.

The goverment of Sultenia wishes to send a mission of 3000 handpicked soldiers with a support detail of 1000 with command cadre and a contigent of 15 Jutenheim-class corvettes http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ae/HMS_G%C3%A4vle.JPG
with official mandate of "Peace-enforcing mission to protect the interests of the people of Bulgia, maintain shipping routes, enforce order, control and stability of the region, aid the goverment when needed, protect possible assets of The Emirate of Sultenia, aid international economic stability."

The nation of Sultenia looks foward to your response.

Signed
Vogel Ravenholdt, primeminister of Sultenia

Voices sounded throughout the room, various members of parliament discussed the decision that had been recently made by the Zweete Zëmmer, and would now be officially confirmed by Premier Hirtz. As the cabinet took seat opposite to the members of parliament, the talking continued. It took the head of the ZZ some time to calm down the MP’s, but Hirtz soon was able to start his speech.

‘Ladies and gentlemen. Following Zweete Zëmmer decision number 12091, motioned by MP Paul Koch, LDG, regarding intervention in the Popular Republic of Bulgia, assisting Sultenia in their peace-enforcing mission. This motion has been accepted by a majority vote of 365 versus 125. 10 members abstained or were not present at the time the motion was passed. This means that a military force henceforth known as Van Luxemburger mission in Bulgia, abbreviated VLMB-1, will be formed under the command of Brigadier Cristiano Ferri, 54° Regimente ‘Garde di Giustra’. The force will consist of the whole Garde di Giustra, numbering three-thousand, five hundred and fifty men and women in active service, assisted by around thirty-thousand men and women in support positions. A 50-men detachement of the Draachentrupp Paracommando’s will be the VLMB’s special operations service. Offshore support will be given by the ZMS Arvaglio, Amphibious Assault Ship of the Arvaglio class, as well as two warships of the Gutenburg-class, classification Frigate, the ZMS Gutenburg and the ZMS Altdorf. The Arvaglio will be protected by the ZMS Monteforte, Valkenberg-class Guided Missile Destroyer. Air support can be given by the aviation component aboard the Arvaglio, as well as the regiments’ helicopter detachment.

As of now, these troops are preparing to go aboard their ships, and the Van Luxemburger people stand by them and their families on this mission abroad. It is expected that these troops will arrive in approximately one week, while they will be relieved by units of the 71. Regiment ‘Luxembourg’ within half a year, if necessary. Their mission will mainly consist of peacekeeping tasks, and maintain stability in the Popular Republic. VLMB will assist Sultenian troops currently en route to Bulgia as well. Van Luxemburger troops have been given the possibility to return fire if attacked, and if, I quote, ‘A clear danger is presented to the serviceman or –woman’

With these words, the Grand Duchy sent around 5000 active troops (including naval component) to the area, supported by an extensive amount of support personnel required to make the mission they had been given viable. Even though Premier Nicolas Hirtz reported that it would take them one week to arrive in Bulgia, many of the troops had already loaded their equipment aboard the Arvaglio, and the ship could head out of port anytime desired, meaning the ship could be on point in 3 days. Just after the decision had been made by the ZZ, Both Bulgia and Sultenia were notified of the decision, and informed about the actual time of arrival of the Van Luxemburger troops.

(OOC: The organisation of these troops can be found in my factbook (link in signature.). Note that the Arvaglio, as a landing ship, has a VSTOL deck, and has an air wing of around 45 Harrier jumpjets and 15 helicopters, mostly NH-90’s. For now, I have decided on using the following paintjobs for my vehicles:
‘VLMB: Military operations (camo) and Peacekeeping (white) paintjobs’ (http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b76/VanLuxemburg/tp-08bulgia.png)
Let’s just assume Bulgia and Sultenia have been notified. I don’t feel like writing a huge letter to both nations right now; hope that’s OK with you guys. I won’t be too active, but I just had to take part in this. Oh,. Just another thing: Sultenia, your picture is fooling around with my screen: could you scale it down, please? And Bulgia, is there a port town I can use to land my troops? Constanta, perhaps?)

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c197/USCMC/nationstates/eagreatseal.gif
Diplomatic Directorate - Official Communiqué

From: Dr. Michiko Flax, Director General, Diplomatic Directorate of the Unitary Technocracy of Etoile Arcture
To: Vogel Ravenholdt, Prime Minister of Sultania, Premier Hirtz of Ban Luxemburg, President Grigore Ishtok of Bulgia
Classification: Restricted, eyes only
Subject: Peacekeaping operations

The General Secretariat of the Unitary Technocracy has noted with great sadness the continuing violence that is undermining progress on democratic reforms in Bulgia. As such, in the interests in maintaining regional peace and security, I announce that the General Secretariat will contribute to the peacekeeping operations being organised by the governments of Sultania and Van Luxemburg.

As of 6 PM Etoile Arcture Standard Time authorisation has been given to divert Task Force Auriga, a naval carrier group, from exercises in the North Atlantic to Bulgia with orders to provide logistical and materiel support to peacekeepers, and will be issued robust rules of engagement but will not enter Bulgian territory if not invited.

Additionally, a special operation group of the Etoile Arcture Special Forces has been placed on 24 hour jump notice to deploy to Bulgia as peacekeepers. The total force earmarked for this operation will therefore constitute: Task Force Auriga

EAS Auriga, CVN-21 Class w/ 90 aircraft wing
EAS Costaguana, JCC(X) Class Joint Command Ship w/ 40 aircraft wing
EAS Hermes, LH(X) Class Amphibious Assault Ships w/ 3 LCACs landing 10 M35A2 Cataphract tanks, 30 M65CA7 Talon+ IFVs, 90 logistics vehicles and 1,100 troops
EAS Aeolus, CG(X) 14,000-ton Missile Defence Cruiser
EAS Perugia and EAS Meridia, DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class 14,500-ton Multi-Mission Destroyer
EAS Vengeance, SSN-774 Virginia Class 8,000-ton Attack Sumbmarine

On standby


478th Special Operation GroupTask Force Auriga will arrive no later than 48 hours from your receipt of this diplomatic note. I seek and welcome urgent discussions with all parties on the best way to move forward in this matter, and how best the international community may assist the Bulgian government to restore security and democracy.

/signed/ Dr. Michiko Flax

OOC: Ditto on the page-breaking picture.

From: Leader of the Communist Republic of Bulgoria, Chairman of the Bulgorian Communist Party, Director of the Soviet Union Civil Security and Intelligence (KGB), High-Commander of the Bulgorian Armed Force, Nick Anastasovich Sturm
To: President Grigore Ishtok of Bulgia
Classification: Restricted
Subject: Military & Financial Aid.

Comrade Ishtok,
I am deeply dissapointed to see a neighboring country of us undergoing such problems. We can provide you the 1st Expeditionary Force, only if you allow the landing of our helicopters in your territory. Please, explain when and where you want the 1st EF deployed.
It consists of:

2000 Men armed with ZO IMI Galil's and Standard Battle Arnament of the Bulgorian Armed Forces.
30 ZA Mi-8 Transport Helicopters (will be used for transporting troops)
400 BTR's, Jeeps and Light transport vehicles as much needed.
Establishing of Supply lines.

I only wish to help your nation in these difficult times. Please, time is not on your, nor on my side. I expect your reply shortly.

Signed,

Nick Anastasovich Sturm, Leader of the Communist Republic of Bulgoria, Chairman of the Bulgorian Communist Party, Director of the Soviet Union Civil Security and Intelligence (KGB), High-Commander of the Bulgorian Armed Force.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b76/VanLuxemburg/Headers/DefenseHeader.png
Communiqué – Private and confidential.

To: President Istok, Bulgia, Commander of the Sultenian contingent in Bulgia, Sultenia, Commander of the Etoile Arcture contingent in Bulgia, Etoile Arcture

Dear Sirs/Madams,

As commander of the Van Luxemburger Mission in Bulgia (VLMB), I would like to inform you about what I believe that our objectives are. Next to that, I seek to make some clear agreements on the international peacekeeping mission in Bulgia, if allowed in by the Popular Republic.

First, let me voice my gratitude to the Emirate of Sultenia and the Unitary Technocracy of Etoile Arcture for assisting us in the mission, and we welcome the Unitary Technocracy into the mission, at least from our side. However, I believe that we cannot let this mission succeed without making some firm agreements, especially regarding the territory we operate in and what we believe our objectives are.

Allow me to start with the objectives. If we want Bulgia to return to the world in peace, it is, according to us, absolutely vital that free and fair multi-party elections are to be held, in which all relevant parties can participate. These elections should take place as soon as possible, with international peace troops meanwhile guarding a ceasefire to be agreed on by all parties. As soon as the new government can guard the security of Bulgian citizens, the international force can leave the nation. If necessary, security troops can be trained by foreign powers, in order to ensure the security in Bulgia after we leave.

But, before we can go over to multi-party elections, the nation should first be stabilised, preferably by reaching a ceasefire between the different parties in this conflict. The international troops are here to enforce this ceasefire, and temporarily take over law enforcement in order to maintain strict neutrality of all security forces in Bulgia.

To achieve this, the international troops should be divided by nationality and be given their own sectors to patrol, the size of the sectors directly related to the size of the troop contingent sent by the nation. Of course, international troops are allowed to take actions in other sectors, as long as this has been agreed on by the commanding forces in this sector. Currently, we propose to divide Bulgia into three sectors, for each of our troop contingents. If other nations join later on, they should be added to the existing troop contingents in the sector, or be given their own sector.

Even though we divide Bulgia into sectors, we prefer to also keep the central government under President Istok in place. This government will represent Bulgia to the outside world, until democratic elections can be held. Inside the nation, we would like to urge all parties to coordinate their actions with the international contingent.

Even though our main missions are peace and law enforcement, we would also like to start with restructuring the Bulgian economy. Seeing it is currently orientated on heavy industry, we think it is necessary to offer economic assistance by advising Bulgian factories on modernising their factories and products. This can be done by offering advisors coming from various nations.

Of course, if any nation thinks they have a better plan for Bulgia, or if the Popular Republic does not agree with this, they are free to voice their concerns. Currently, our ships have recently passed the Gibraltar Strait, and we expect to arrive in Bulgia in around two days.
Signed,

VLMB Commander
Brigadier Cristiano Ferri,
54° Regimente ‘Garde di Giustra’
Groussherzogliche Arméi
Groussherzogtum Vun Lëtzebuerg

Karl Marx St., North Suburbs, Besk

One soldier had been killed and three more wounded by sniper fire form the upper floors, and a misjudged attempt to ram through the barricade by use of a BTR had lead to the driver running from his damaged vehicle with his clothes burning after more petrol bombs were chucked onto the stricken APC, but the partisans' succcess was brief.

Another BTR-B70 made use of its high-angle gunmountings to pour 7.62 and 14.5mm machinegun fire into third and fourth floor windows even in near-by buildings, and at close quarters experienced soldiers with AK-series assault rifles had largely untrained partisans outgunned as they tried to make do with hunting weapons, workshop firearms, molotov cocktails, and some few WWII vintage submachineguns and bolt-action rifles, the latter of which were useful for sniping but an encumberment when close-quarter fighting got under way.

The Securitat detachment, after a brief chase that failed to track-down its own attackers, was soon redeployed to attempt a flanking operation against the concrete barricade on Karl Marx St., but ran into further obstacles surrounding the street for several blocks, and the plan was abandoned in favour of a new operation. The Securitat, more deeply feared by the defenders, engaged them as they expected, occupying the flats ahead of the barricade and settling into something of a sniper duel down the street.

Meanwhile, the regulars merely knocked through the walls in basements on one side of the street and crawled through roof spaces on the other, soon coming out behind the barricade. After defenders realised that they were taking fire from the rear, the barricade itself was quickly abandoned as most tried to flee, only to find themselves hemmed in.

Other barricades on neighbouring blocs were thrown into panic as soon as it was realised that one side of their defensive network had been breached, and a sorry sort of rebel syndrome set in. People declared that they'd rather die at home, or fight to defend their own property rather than get killed on the barricades, and defenders began to melt away hardly more than an hour after the Securitat unit was first ambushed. With organised defences abandoned left and right, already Popular Army forces were tearing down obstacles and bringing in fresh police and local reservist reinforcements.

Alexsander Gavrilov Prison

The radio broadcast coming form within the rioting prison was by now the principle mouthpiece of the revolt in the Bulgian capital, with dispatches coming in even as rebels and inmates struggled to subdue remaining guards and Securitat snipers began to take pot-shots from outside at anyone who appeared on the prison walls, already having killed two inmates and a caterer who was trying to flee.

The transmission claimed that partisans were being executed in the gutter on Karl Marx St. and people's homes raided by the Securitat, but swore that the rest of the population would rise if only they believed that somebody would help them.

Bulgian Communist Party

Parliament, said a statement issued jointly by the Party and the office of the Transitional President, was dissolved for good. In this condition of national emergency, the insidious special interests of the bourgeois elite could no longer be allowed to cause mayhem on the streets and interfere with the honest labours of the long-suffering working class. It was no longer even being pretended that the bourgeoisies and the criminal underclasses were anything other than bedfellows, the statement read, as was being testified to by the right's use of convicts to cause insurrectionary pressures.

Grigore Istok would relieve himself of his transitional office and take up the full premiership as General Secretary of the Bulgian Communist Party, and Lubmila Kronyatensko would, having been Prime Minister, now carry out her function as head of government through the office of Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of the Popular Republic.

Replies to the World

After some delay, the newly establish Greneral Secretary dispatched a reply to Prime Minister Ravenholdt in Sultenia, stating that his nation's corvettes would be allowed to base themselves temporarily in Bulgia, though their mission would be subject to short-notice cancellation at any time by Besk. They would be permitted to aid in the protection of economic shipping into and out of Bulgian and adjacent waters against the threat of international 'meddling' during a time of crisis.

Brigadier Ferri's communiqué was less well received. Bulgia had only relatively recently held a General Election, and Kyonyatensko's resurgent Bulgian Communist Party had trounced the incumbent Nechita's Bulgian Socialist Workers' Party and the former opposition, the National Union for Reform. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Istok and Kronyatensko saw Van Luxemburg's position as threatening to their newly affirmed hold on power. Van Luxemburg, and by extension Etoile Arcture, would find themselves suddenly targetted by enthusiastic BCP propaganda as the perpetrators of foreign espionage and intrigue now alleged to be behind the insurrection, allowing political opponents to be quickly slandered as agents of foreign capital and delt with using emergency powers while martial law persisted in light of the violence in the capital.

It was with haste that the air force and Bulgia's small navy were placed on maximum readiness, 'in preparedness to repulse impending foreign intervention as per the plans of the treacherous rebel conspirators!'

The Bulgorians, meanwhile, were invited to deploy their force to Tomigrad (where Constanta would otherwise be) to ensure that the vital port city was not compromised, 'as it would appear to fit with the increasingly evident terrorist plan to see this city handed over to revolutionary enemies.'

The Armed Forces of Sultenia

Official communiqué

To:
VLMB Commander
Brigadier Cristiano Ferri,
54° Regimente ‘Garde di Giustra’
Groussherzogliche Arméi
Groussherzogtum Vun Lëtzebuerg

From:
Head command of the Sultenian contingent in Bulgia
General, Rodj Volennto
National Army of Sultenia

Second in command of the Sultenian contingent in Bulgia
Flotilla Admiral Hoojt Reej
Sultenian Naval Forces

_______________________________________________________________

The Emirate of Sultenias main ambition is to secure that the nation of Bulgias economic interests are kept secure, that supplies and cargo from the global market will keep the nations populance fed and clothed and keeping Bulgias export industry alive to maintain economic stablility.

Politics is none of our missions concern, national sovereignty is Bulgias own right and duty to maintain and keep. But to keep the nation alive and stable it is of utmost importance that the civilian sector is undisturbed and the shipping routes remains safe for import and export.

Major shipping cities, international harbours and naval routes are considered "protected areas" by our forces. Hostile actions will be met with force, Rules of Engagement apply (self defense and provoking actions).

International Waters
15 Jutenheim-corvettes and 1 medium sized transport ship containing 250 soldiers, holding formation with the transport in center and the corvettes around it.
_____________________________________________________________

Lead Corvette
Bridge

"Maintain speed, adjust to 44..."
"....then break left...."

Chatter could be heard all over as this one ship kept the others in line and keeping them on course towards their target, a vital port city bearing the name Tomigrad. Their mission, to secure the harbour and main costal region around the city of Tomigrad and ensure import and export industry remains undisturbed. At least, that was what they had been told by the Flotilla Admiral.


OOC: More later. Not much time :(

From 5 in the morning the 1st Expeditionary Force was on foot, getting to the helicopters and passing the border to Tomigrad.
2 Mi-8's crashed into each other. 4 qualified pilots died, along with 48 men. The memorial is being put in place in these moments.
The other 28 helicopters did all day routs in and out of Bulgia, with music coming from giant stereo speakers put right on top of the rocket launchers of the Mi-8s.
The North border sounded everything from Guns N' Roses to Dragonforce.
Deployment of Forces continues normally.
Need further information and/or orders from Bulgia.

Soldiers wrote on a giant white sheet: "WE'RE GOING TO FREE THE SH.T OUT OF YOU!" that was put on the main antenna of one of the helicopters.
Commanding officer of the 1st Expeditionary Force found this joke untasteful, and the responsible have been punished by standing naked for a night outside campus.
He is terribly sorry for the "little accident" as he called it.

ZMS ‘Arvaglio’, Amphibious Assault Ship, Vun Lëtzebuerger Marine, around Malta.

‘Great job, Brigadier. You just fucked up the mission by that incredible stupidity of yours! If you decide to go ahead with a landing, you will be met with force, a force way larger than your own regiment. Just… Great.’ The officer’s face was shown on the video conversation screen, his facial expression showing great rage.

‘The IVD couldn’t warn me any earlier, could they?’ Brigadier Ferri remarked, even though he knew who was the man on the other side of the line. In fact, he knew very well.

‘THE IVD!?’ The officer seemed to explode. His position as head of the Van Luxemburger intelligence and security service, IVD, gave him the right to do so.

‘You! You fucked up the whole mission! The IVD is going to clean up your mess, just so you can set foot on Bulgian soil! Be happy we’re here, or else you’d be dead by now!’ The officer shouted, his eyes almost popping out of his head.

‘I wish you a good afternoon, Sir. Please take less caffeine the next time you try to communicate with someone.’ He replied to the man, before closing the line and letting the screen return to black.

Only minutes later, a message was sent to all involved parties, despite the dispute between the IVD and the Arméi.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b76/VanLuxemburg/Headers/ForeignHeader.png

From: Premier Nicolas Hirtz, Ministry of General Affairs, The Grand Duchy of Van Luxemburg
To: All parties involved.

Dear Sirs/Madams,

First of all, I would like to express my worries regarding the current political situation in Bulgia, which seems to be sliding down into a state of civil war as we speak. And this is exactly the reason why I am writing this letter.

That is because I am afraid that the commander of the Van Luxemburger contingent in Bulgia made a grave mistake. After discussion with the Sultenian contingent, we have concluded that our mission will mainly consist of economic stability, instead of the by Brigadier Ferri expressed political stability. Even though some parts of his letter are indeed correct, mainly regarding economic support from the Grand Duchy, we feel that passages regarding political stability and elections should be reconsidered.

Van Luxemburger troops will mainly be taking care of the security of food supplies for the Bulgian citizens, avoiding a humanitarian disaster. We are aware that the Van Luxemburger contingent carries heavily armed and armoured vehicles, but we feel that the heavy equipment of these troops is necessary to ensure safety of the food shipments. Next to this, we see that a possible instability in Bulgia may result in the complete disintegration of the nations’ economy, a thing which should be prevented. Therefore, Van Luxemburger troops will also ensure the safety of trade routes, to guide the Popular Republic during this time of instability.

We once again wish to state that the Grand Duchy of Van Luxemburg currently remains neutral in this conflict, and will only arrive in Bulgia to avoid a humanitarian and/or economic disaster.

Signed,
Premier Nicolas Hirtz
Ministry of General Affairs
Groussherzogtum Vun Lëtzebuerg



As the day passed by, the Arvaglio and it’s three-ship escort (As well as two transport ships, who would probably remain moored in Tomigrad during the mission) neared the Bosporus, and at the time night fell, the six ship contingent slowly moved through the strait. The troops aboard had little to do as time passed, and had resorted to walks on the flight deck and well deck.

Several hours from here, the ship would come to a halt. It would wait in the Black Sea, well outside Bulgian national waters, until it had received clearance to proceed to a designated port. If it would not receive clearance, the ship would start patrols, and perhaps exercises, in the Black Sea, before finally returning home. At least, that was the official planning.

Only a few hours behind the Van Luxemburg task force the Etoilian carrier battlegroup was steaming in the Sea of Marmara making for the Dardanelles, the thousands of sailors and soldiers embarked aboard the numerous ships unaware of the controversy that was even now raging both at home and in Bulgia because of their mission.

“The Joint Task Force, lead by the CVN-21 class aircraft carrier EAS Auriga,” explained a lieutenant at one of the several briefings occuring at the Maritime Force’s headquarters in New Athens that day, “Are scheduled to pass through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles Straits into the Black Sea within the next 6 hours, upon which they will take up station in international waters off the coast of Bulgia. The deployment of JTF Auriga comes amid continuing unrest and violence in the Bulgian capital of Besk. The presence of Etoilian and Van Luxemburg naval groups in the Black Sea is intended to reassure all parties in the region that the crisis in Bulgia will not spread beyond her borders, and in no way constitutes a threat to any nation’s security. JTF Auriga provides the General Secretariat the option to conduct humanitarian operations there should the Bulgian government request such assistance. To date, no such request has been recieved from President Istok or Prime Minister Koryatensko.” Behind the scenes a new diplomatic note had been issued even as Van Luxemburg issued its own correction.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c197/USCMC/nationstates/eagreatseal.gif
Diplomatic Directorate - Official Communiqué

From: Dr. Michiko Flax, Director General, Diplomatic Directorate of the Unitary Technocracy of Etoile Arcture
To: Foreign ministers of all parties concerned
Classification: Restricted, eyes only
Subject: Stablisation operations

I write to you to reassure the government of Bulgia, and its regional partners in Bulgoria, Bulgislavia and the Emirate of Sultenia, that the Unitary Technocracy has no intentions to violate the sovereignty of Bulgia or to interfere in your nation’s internal political affairs. Our intention is to provide humanitarian assistance to the population of Bulgia and support, if so requested and agreed by President Istok’s office and the Council of Ministers, whatever help we may be able provide to restore and maintain peace and security in your nation.

/signed/ Dr. Michiko Flax
Diplomacy now required that even a nation that could summon forces anywhere in the world in just a few scant days should tread carefully. As one commentator dexribed it in her newspaper column.

The deployment risks increasing tensions with Bulgia’s immediate neighbour Bulgoria and with the Emirate of Sultiania, who have both agreed to deploy naval and land forces to the Bulgian port of Tomigrad to assist the regime. The Diplomatic Directorate and Van Luxemburg foreign ministry have both denied claims of assembling a surface action group in the Black Sea, and have issued statements expressing a desire to work with Bulgia and other nations in the region. Bulgian dissidents are claiming systematic human rights abuses to supress the opposition and are calling for a more robust response to the crisis by the international community.
“It is unclear whether the Bulgians realse they are treading a fine line,” another pundit explained on a rolling 24 hours news station, “If the evidence of widespread and systematic human rights abuses committed by Bulgian security forces becomes inescapable and overwhelming it would be a game changer in regards to how the international community will view the legitimacy of the government.”

The radio broadcasts from inside Alexsander Gavrilov Prison would not normally have carried far beyond Bulgia’s borders, but with the help of Internet streaming it was now possible to relay the harrowing voices of the opposition to a worldwide audience, and no amount of spin doctoring could paper over the e horrific stories being related by frightened voices describing the brutal actions of the Securitat. And meanwhile the ships of two western navies begun to assemble in the Black Sea pointing even more inquisitive electronic eyes towards the troubled nation.

Morning 0700 hours
Bulgia territorial waters, off the cost of Tomigrad

As the sun rose over the morning sea, seagulls could be heard in the distance according to the charts Tomigrads main port was only around 40 miles away.
The corvettes and the transport ship maintained speed at a steady pace without complications.

At the bridge of the lead corvette stood Flotilla Admiral Hoojt Reej, second in command of the Sultenian contingent in Bulgia holding a radiomicrophone to send a message to all the other ships in formation.

"Attention all National Sultenian Ships, message from Flotilla Admiral code. 23197, break current formation and form a combat line. NSS Raven and NSS Thÿr, remain in defensive position around NSS Vold, the rest hold combat line and accelarate to maximum speed. Maximum alert."

Sirens on all ships started to sound off forcing crew men off duty to return to active duty at instant. Combat positions are quickly manned and live ammunition was loaded.
The Jutenheim-class corvettes maintained a multi-role ship armnament with different classes of weapons.

1 Bofors 57mm Mk. II naval gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_57_mm_gun)
1 Bofors 40mm AA-gun (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bofors_40mm)
8x RBS15 MkII Anti Ship missile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RBS15)
4x Type 43/45 torpedoes
4x ELMA Antisubmarine grenadethrowers and depthcharges


13 of the 15 corvettes increased speed to 30 knots and formed a line of ships heading towards Tomigrad ready for anything that might oppose the mission.
NSS Raven and Thÿr remained with Vold to secure its approach, after all Vold was the transport vessel and lacked armanament.

Inside Vold the 250 soldiers of the security detail had also heard the sirens wich meant for them to get ready. The storage area had simple bunks for the soliders to sleep and put their stuff on, it was dimly lit and cramped. Their 3000 main contigent was still way out on international waters and were orderd not to move in until the ports were secure and routes safe.

The soldiers stressed to put on their protective vests and helmets, some made their weapons ready some secured the straps of the protective vests one more time.

*bump*
op. come on.

Tomigrad

The residents and Popular Army forces in Tomigrad greeted Bulgorian forces with puzzled expressions on their faces. The loutish presentation of the 1st Expeditionary Force was yet to win many admirers in Bulgia, but it seemed all the stranger once people learned that fifty of their comrades had just died.

On the bright side, for the Bulgorians, Besk was now content to let them remain while it was resisting intervention by other states, as everyone had the impression that the Bulgorians probably couldn't fight their way out of little girl's tea party.

Unfortunately, however, some of the anti-Istok dissidents had the same idea, and saw the arrival of brash but vulnerable foreign military forces as an opportunity to really increase their struggle's international profile. Propaganda posters began to appear around the city -and they were replaced as quickly as the police could tear them down- claiming that Istok and Kronyatensko were selling the country out to foreign cowboys in order to gain personal wealth and power. Before long, demonstrations were being organised against the Bulgorian presence, and, worried by violence in Besk, the local authorities quickly activated their heavy riot police units and began to cordon off areas of the city, putting blue police armoured cars on the streets to remind everyone of the facts of martial law.

Off shore

The Sultenian flotila's sudden acceleration and move to combat formation caused some raised eyebrows in Bulgia's naval command, and saw the local fighter division placed on readiness. Two MiG-23 were sent up to patrol over-head, chiefly to observe, for now.

Tomigrad, off shore, harbour approach

As the naval group increased speed the skyline of Tomigrad was now visible in the distance. The corvettes kept speed and formation, weaponsystems online and positions manned. The crewmen got a bit nearvous and some were alarmed, such perperations was not at all common nor protocol unless the ships were going into a potentially hostile area.

On the bridge of the lead corvette NSS Jutenheim II, Flotilla Admiral Hoojt Reej studied the maps over the area they were entering. His crew, tough a bit nervous and curious about the commanders latest orders they had far too much respect for him to question his intentions.
Radar officer Jurg Voolente was sitting at his post, he had been dragged up from his bunk at full combat alert and he was not quite awake yet. He wears the same standard fatigues as all Sultenian naval personnel, a dark blue overall made to shield the one who wears it from the hazards of cold wind and water on the open ocean and a white balaclava made also for protection. He sat leanded over the radar screen, took a few caffine tablets to quickstart him. Not expecting this at all, although radarsystems was important, his radar screen was made to "calculate distance, speed and size of contacts and mark them", in other words, it was a combat system, regular radarsystems on the Jutenheim-corvettes just watched for contacts, Voolentes and his radar screens job was to mark the contacts for fire mission.

To his left radar operative Eric Maale noticed the incoming blips on his radar, a standard radar system with a quirk, sacrificing its ability to correctly calculate distance for extended range it could detect targets farther away then normal radars as a head warning to the flottila, when the targets got in range Jurg Voolente could pin them accurate, it might seem a technological hassle but the sooner you can detect an enemy the better according to Sultenian doctrines "Better to know something small than nothing". The correct range come second as the area this "overall radar" works well outside the effective range of the ships most weapon systems.
"Admiral, got incoming contacts from the mainland, fast movers, unkown type." Maale said out.

Voolente quickly snapped up, mostly thanks to the caffine.
"I already got them on the edge of my radar, multiple?" Some heard the remark and seemed puzzled, the target radar did not come close to the range of the overall radar.
"That can't be, they just appeared on mine... now they are gone..." Maale said.
"They are not gone I have them here, bearing 215322, mission 2255311, moving at supersonic speed. The signal is solid. Orders Flottila Admiral?"

The Flottila Admiral came over, the crew seemed quite puzzled by this. At the briefing they had been told this would be a regular port patrol mission with low readiness. "Back to your posts!" The Flottila Admiral shouted.
The bridgecrew resumed their duties. "Radar operator Maale, run a diagnostic check on your radar, now. Officer Voolente, mark the contacts for fire mission, send the data to all our vessels, order them to arm the targeting systems and stand ready with the 40mm guns, load them with air-burst ammo. (OOC: The Bofors gun is of course L/70 latest model, just to set it straight)

_____________________________________________________________

Sultenian Parliment
The Emirate of Sultenia, Jutenheim (capital of Sultenia)

As all representatives of the different parties of Sultenia gatherd in the main room of the parliment. Sultenias prime minister Vogel Ravenholdt was standing by the podioum as everyone sat still.
"Representatives of Sultenia, the situation in Bulgia is getting more severe, turmoil increases, politics seem to fade out and foreign peacekeepers are on the rise. Our main mission, to secure Bulgias economic interests are our interests, with the continual global economic crisis and our spikes and pitfalls on our stockmarket, a stable nation like Bulgia should be a prime candidate to negotiate a stable trade agreement, but I fear that the rightful goverment of Bulgia no longer speak for themselves. With the continual turmoil it is most certain that the goverment are no more than figureheads for another power, in response to this the mandate first chosen for this peacekeeping mission must take a more interventionist stance, I and my goverment want give our armed peacekeeping contigent in Bulgia a full mandate to carry out the original mandate in a way they see fit. To protect the interests of the people of Bulgia, maintain shipping routes, enforce order, control and stability of the region, aid the goverment when needed, protect possible assets of The Emirate of Sultenia, aid international economic stability, all Bulgian parties and fighting groups must be pacified, the goverment of Bulgia must be secured as they are now assumed hostages, strict control must be enforced and the goverment of Bulgia must be put back in "correct" control."
(OOC: I have not misuderstood the affair, my PM is this way, paranoid, interventionist, a bit psycotic and so on.)

As Sultenias Parliment consisted mainly of the govermental partys representatives the proposition was of course met with clapping.

The Black Sea, somewhere off the coast of Bulgia

While the Bosphorus Straits was one of the busiest shipping channels in the world, used to as it was the routine of supertankers and bulk carriers, traffic had almost halted for the passage of the EAS Auriga. It had no doubt been a sight that the former Soviet republics of the Balkans had once dreamt to claim for themselves for the honour of being the first transit of a supercarrier through the straits. But today the bones of the ships that were to make this history lay decaying where they had been abandoned a decade earlier in run-down former Soviet shipyards.

The historic image of the passage at least blunted some of the Bulgian furore being directed towards Etoile Arcture through the international press. But beyond the obvious PR value of the passage itself, the Etolian military commanders were also sending another message, this time to Bulgia and her neighbouts. For on the flight deck of the EAS Auriga were arrayed aircraft from her air wing including F/A-38 Sentinel’s and MV-22 Osprey’s. All intended as a stark reminder of the firepower and raw capability that the Etoile Arcture Maritime Force could bring to bear.

By the next morning the task force had entered the Black Sea and was steaming to its initial station. Following protocol, both the Diplomatic Directorate and the Maritime Force had sent seperate communique’s to Besk, Sofija, Terevesti, Jutenheim and other capitals. This obstensibly informed the governments of the arrival of JTF Auriga and reassured them of its peaceful purpose. The messages also made direct offers to President Istok of humanitarian assistance by the task force. The message had been carefully constructed to emphasise this latter aspect and sent to all capitals involved and released publically to put pressure on Istok and the Bulgian regime, knowing full well the international community would by and large view negatively a nation that refused humanitarian aid.

The Auriga had by this point launched a pair of F/A-38s as a combat air patrol, and put up a EV-22 Osprey with triangular Phalcon radar to provide airborne early warning. The last aircraft launched by linear electromagnetic accelerator motor from the Auriga’s flight deck was an AQ-39B Clarion uninhabited reconnaisiance and combat aircraft. Controlled over near-realtime jam resistant datalinks by a pilot and sensor operator aboard the Auriga the drone could navigate itself by INS and GPS coordinates and even react to threats automatically with manouevres and countermeasures. For this sortie it’s only payload would be its own hyperspectral electo-optic suite and low probability of intercept UHF radar. The EV-22 Osprey also recieved the video and radar feeds from the subsonic aircraft as it sped towards the Bulgian coast virtually undetectable thanks to its small size and low observable airframe.

When the two Floggers sortied out from Bulgian airfields it was therefore easily detectable from the EV-22. This response was both understandable and had been anticipated. Less predictable was the sudden spike in electronic activity detected by the EV-22s ESM suite among the Sultenian corvette squadron. Even so, no alarms were sounded in the minds of officers aboard the Auriga concerning this odd reaction, and the reconnaisiance mission of the AQ-39B was unchanged, tasked as it was for a high altitude pass of Tomigrad for the purposes of intelligence gathering of Bulgorian movements and to image and radar map for the town to plan possible future operations...

Murska AB

"As you've all may have heard, there is a similar situation going on in neighboring Bulgia. Because we do not want this spilling over on our soil, I want a check point on the interstate up within a few hours. While you prepare I will send a message to their government informing them of this plan."

An Mi-26 loaded with 120 paratroopers was prepped for takeoff, while it would be escorted by a pair if Mi-24E's. They would arrive before Motor-Rifle platoon did, which would also bring along a pair of T-72BM1.




------------

To: Bulgia leadership
From: SRCP high comand

Due to civil unrest reported in your nation as well is ours, it is decided we will deploy security forces along the border. Feel free to reply with any questions.

(OOC: This acts as a disguised bump, actually.)

Having arrived on it’s destination some hours before the Etoile Arcture fleet, the Arvaglio and it’s 3 escorts had formed a defensive ring around the two other transport ships, which carried very little weapons with them to fend off possible air or naval attacks. As the hours progressed, the ships moved closer to Bulgian national waters, but still kept a reasonable distance to make sure they couldn’t be attacked for violating national waters.

Meanwhile, movement could be spotted on the flight deck of the ZMS Gutenburg. A single NH-90 helicopter was prepared to take off from the helipad on the frigate. In fact, the ship was so large the helipad could land much larger helicopters, hence the international naming of the 9,200 ton Gutenburg would be closer to a ‘Destroyer’. In Van Luxemburger service, it had been classed as a ‘heavy guided missile frigate’. This merely had to do with the fact that the ship only possessed one main gun, calibre 155mm. If it only would have had two main guns, it would have been a destroyer: a thing the ZMS Monteforte had.

The Monteforte, meanwhile, had two main guns, but weighed in at a whopping 45,000 tons, and had a length of 265 metres. This made her as heavy as a battleship, but she only carried two double 155mm guns, and was perhaps the prime example of the fact that warships continued to grow larger and heavier. That said, it also was the heaviest destroyer ever to be put into service with the Marine of the Grand Duchy, and it’s admirals had already stated the ship was too heavy and too expensive for the Van Luxemburger needs. The ship probably wouldn’t be replaced by an even heavier destroyer.

As the preparations had been completed, a single NH-90 NFH helicopter took off from the Gutenburg, and circled over the small fleet two times, before disappearing in western direction. It would quickly survey the Etoile Arcture fleet, before starting regular ASuW patrols around it’s own fleet. To ensure the helicopter wouldn’t be shot upon, the helicopter first opened communications channels with the fleet.

‘Etoile Arcture ships, this is NH-90 NFH, callsign Gamma One, of the Van Luxemburger Marine. We are part of the aviation component aboard the ZMS Gutenburg. We will be flying over your ships in minutes. Repeat, we will be flying over your ships in minutes. Gamma One out.’

The medium-sized helicopter continued on it’s flight path, and passed over the fleet at low altitude, and quickly noting if the original assessment was correct, before banking hard and flying past the ships once more, before returning to the Van Luxemburger fleet. There, it started it’s ASuW patrol against possible intruders from below, deploying sonobuoys at regular intervals to listen for enemy submarines.

(OOC: good bumb, hope we can continue)

Black Sea, somewhere off the coast of Bulgia

“Gamma One, this is EAS Costaguna command center,” came over the squawk box of the approaching Van Luxemburger NH-90. “Copy your transmission. Gamma One, you are cleared for overflight.”

The tumblehome-design of the EAS Meridia’s hull combined with her clean deck appearance almost lent the Zumwalt-class destroyer the appearance of being a modern day inheritor of USS Monitor, one of the first ironclads. Sporting a single 6 inch Advanced Gun System on her deck the Meridia might have seemed outclassed by the Monitor’s dual 11 inch Dahlgren guns, even if only on paper. Separated by nearly one and a half centuries of naval engineering the Meridia’s extensive sensor suites was matched only by the numerous cargoes carried by the shells she fired and the twenty MK 57 vertical launch system cells on her deck.

Manouevring to defend JTF Auriga, both the Meridia and her sister ship EAS Perugia had taken up picket positions while the cruiser EAS Aeolus based off a more conventional flared hull remained with the taller and more vulnerable carrier and assault ships. Sharing the same slab-sided stealthy appearance of the destroyers the Aeolus lacked any gun at all, sporting in its place a staggering fifty-two VLS cells that almost qualified it as a arsenal ship.

A pair pf SV-22 Sea Osprey’s had been sent from the carrier EAS Auriga for underwatever surviellance using MAD and dipping sonar in case of submarine threats. The large Opsrey’s were an interim solution, each being the size of a E-2 Hawkeye or C-2 Greyhound. The two MK 50 torpedoes mounted by stub wings to their fuselage sides looked akward, but each aircraft could fly faster and remain on station longer than any helicopter equivalent.

“This is EAS Costaguana command center to VLBM task force. Be advised, friendly aircraft in the air,” the Van Luxemburgers were warned in turn.

Besk

Though unhappy about the growing level of international attention on his nation during its time of transition, his brainchild nurtured since the fall of the Iron Curtain, General Secretary Istok reluctantly moved to accept Etolie Arcture's aid offer. "The Bulgian Communist Party is of the People, and will not allow terrorist dissidents, bent on disruption and reactionary reform, to endanger the general well-being. We welcome aid efforts, and our security forces will do all they can to make sure that it is delivered safely to the People."

Karl Marx St.

A few small fires were largely under control, and there was still sporradic gunfire to be heard, though it was dying down. The bulk of it was oddly uniform, coming in brief volleys and then immediately subsiding for some time. In a little courtyard on Teodoric St, a small alley off the main road, between two old baroque apartment blocks, captured rebels were being executed by ad hoc Securitat firing squads.

Alexsander Gavrilov Prison

The radio broadcast was still going. The rebels claimed to be in control of the prison, though violent sounds could be distantly heard throughout the latest transmission. They were issuing demands, calling for the abolition of recent reforms, chiefly the replacement of Parliament with the BCP-dominated Council of Ministers.

The dissidents said that they, acting as citizens of the defunct Bulgian Republic, had arrested leading traitors at the prison. The BCP would soon refer to these as hostages, as it prepared to order the prison's storming by security forces.

Then, an air force MiG-27 put a stop to the broadcast, finally being authorised to attack the transmitter with a laser-guided bomb...

Tomigrad, harbour approach

At the harbourarea and surrounding area, people were about to get a rude awakening as the foreign corvettes closed in at horrendus speed.
The 13 Jutenheim-corvettes closed into the harbour area, lead-corvette NSS Jutenheim II sent out the signal to put the area in a blockade preventing all ships to enter or leave the port area.
The corvettes superior speed and maneuverability swiftly moved to put up a defensive ring around the port.

NSS Jutenheim II closed in at the center slowly. Flotilla Admiral Reej stood with a prepared message on the ships bridge holding a microphone connected to a megaphone on the ship. Jutenheim II was longer away from the port than the other ships otherwise the signal would be to loud for anyone to hear.
"Is it on right now?" Reej asked his electronics officer. "Eh...yes sir. It works ok, but your voice might come out a bit "electronic"."

The flottila admiral read out the message wich should be heard across the area.
"Ths harbour is currentley in control by the Emirate of Sultenia by standing orders to secure govermental control in Bulgia. To enter and leave the port area any ship must report to any of our vessels and get clearance to enter or leave the area." The flottila admiral turned his signal officer and away from the microphone. "Order NSS Torrj to fire a blank 57 mm in the air." The signal officer still a bit shocked by the situation eventually complied and sent the order as a computer message.

Torrj fired her 57 mm naval gun within seconds after the order was sent. The sound was loud, sharp and could be heard well around the harbour area.

Reej turned back to his microphone and continued his broadcast. "Failure to comply wil be met with extreme force. No exceptions."

The diplomatic note sent to General Secretary Istok's office was suitably dry as befitting the tense situation, limited to asking permission as to which port was most suitable for the EAS Costaguana to land its supplies and offered whatever logistics help the Bulgian government might need to distribute the supplies once ashore. The note even offered to fly in a small liason team by tiltrotor to help coordinate Bulgian and Etoilian humanitarian operations.

A similar offer was also transmited to the Van Luxemburger commander, tho the operative word was cooperation rather than coordination. With so many weapon systems gathered in one place the one thing that needed to be avoided was any misunderstandings or mistakes. As such, a liason aboard each task force command center was proposed as a way to mitigate these issues.

As this was happening the AQ-39 drone had completed its reconnaisance mission and recovered back to the EAS Auriga, having been undetected by radar and to far out to sea to be seen visually. Despite this nothing was assumed and any further missions would be launched under the additional cover of night and if neccessary electronic jamming. Nonetheless, the intelligence bounty was great and continued to be post-processed aboard the EAS Auriga for dissemination to the remainder of the task force.

Meanwhile, in the crowded cabin of the EV-22 the three operators were dealing with a multitude of radio traffic, both encrypted and broadcast in the open, not least the continuing radio traffic from Alexsander Gavrilov Prison. Intelligence officers on the Auriga were requesting a satellite pass of the capital and planning a drone overflight, though due to the sensitivity of such a mission the final decision as to whether to proceed now rested with the technocracts back home in Concordia. For now the diplomatic track took precedence, and all other plans were to be contingencies only...

OOC: Bulgia seems to have taken a nap.

Tomigrad

As Bulgia's main port, and the location to which other foreign assets had been directed, the response to Etoile Arcture's note cleared Costaguana for entry to Tomigrad's harbour.

As the Sultenian corvettes showed up, they passed several tugs and harbour pilots managing traffic to and from one of the biggest ports on the Black Sea. The Sultenian vessels were utterly dwarfed by several container ships, a ferry that was moored up and out of action during the crisis, and a small oil tanker steaming out with a hundred thousand barrels of Bulgian heavy crude for transfer to a supertanker waiting out at sea. This was under escort by a corvette of the Bulgian navy, basically an old Osa-I with its anti-ship missiles removed and other defensive systems added in their place, as both headed to the mouth of the harbour. A few more military vessels, including a small destroyer, a D/E submarine, and two patrol frigates were also moored around the vast facility.

Significant numbers of uniformed security forces could be seen dotted about ashore, the government clearly keen to avoid having this vital lifeline compromised as unconfirmed reports of violent clashes now coming out of a number of lesser towns and cities, just as it seemed that Besk was on the brink of being subdued.

Even though the Van Luxemburgers hadn’t been directly contacted by the Bulgians, they would sure join the Etoilian troops in Bulgia. Therefore, the Arvaglio set sail for Tomigrad, flanked by it’s three escorts and followed by the two remaining transports. Even though the mission was supposed to be friendly, CIWS systems were active on all ships, and missile systems prepared to fire in case of attack. In terms of guns, the combat positions had not been manned, confident in the capabilities of the missile defences aboard the ships.

Inside the Arvaglio and the two transport ships, meanwhile, troops were busy sorting out their gear and prepared their vehicles. Vehicles were directed to the roll-on/roll-off decks instead of the well deck, so that the vehicles could drive onto the dockside immediately, instead of having to be transported to the port by hovercraft.

Moments later, the command center aboard the Arvaglio confirmed the Etoilian message, and already started the assembly of a liaison team to be sent to the EAS Costaguana. This included a team of around 6 persons, each belonging to a part of the taskforce. It did not take long for the team and their helicopter to be ready: the NH-90 had already been prepared for these missions and was on the deck, rotors turning. Five minutes later, the helicopter was on it’s way, clearly marked on Van Luxemburger and, probably, Etoilian radars.

After the NH-90 had been launched, the flight deck was used again, this time by two Harrier GR.9’s, to be used as a reconnaissance and a combat air patrol over the fleet, and fly over Tomigrad for reconnaissance purposes. This was clearly communicated to all involved parties, but mainly the Bulgians.

As the Harriers approached Bulgian waters, they contacted the Popular Republic’s Air Control, once again stating their intentions to pass over Bulgian territory.

‘Tomigrad Air Control, this is Van Luxemburger Naval Air Arm Combat Air Patrol Lambda, contact VL9711. We are requesting approval for flying over Tomigrad for reconnaissance purposes, as part of the joint Etoile Arcture/Van Luxemburg humanitarian mission in Bulgia. We will be checking our mooring positions. VL9711, out.’

Tomigrad harbours

As naval traffic seemed unmoved by the naval groups message the situation seemed rather ridiculous.
Paranoid as his PM, Flottila Admiral Reejs first sudden thought was what he feared, the harbour was in control by rebels. The PM must be right.

Still following protocol to the best of his efforts Reej himself sent a coded message to Tomigrad harbourcontrol. Simple, short and neutral.
"Who is in command? Advise via radio frequency 175.223, we have our orders to keep the harbour in control to prevent unauthorized personnel and shipments to leave the country please advise."

The 13 corvettes stood their ground in a perimeter around the naval area. As naval traffic seemed undisturbed by the Sultenian contigent there was still a sense of unease lingering in the area.
Reej stood at his tactical screen and started sending out encoded orders to his naval group. All orders seemed other than "peace-keeping", as a precaution to keep the initiative "just in case" rebels really controlled the harbour.

12 Corvettes were present under NSS Jutenheim II:s control, four corvettes got orders to target military class vessels in the area with appropriate armament. three corvettes got orders to target "key structures on shore" anything looking like a command area (tall structures, office areas) with the 57mm and 40mm guns and a maximum of one RBS15 MkII Anti Ship missile. Another three got the orders to cripple the harbour by strategic missile attacks and 57mm fire. The rest got the role to stand in support, mainly overwatch and air-defence. The weaponsystems on the vessels started to move slowly. NSS Raven, Thÿr and Vold still off shore got the rapid orders to move in.

Bulgian coast, Tomigrad harbour approach

Orders were relayed from Concordia back to JTF Auriga following the Bulgians granting of permission for the EAS Costaguana to enter Tomigrad harbour. The decision to use the command ship rather than the assault carrier EAS Hermes was in part a ruse to position command and control as close to the action as possible. The Costaguana also offered a less threatening countenance compared to the Hermes, whose flat deck and air wing screamed warship. In this era of rolling 24 hours news it was simply not good enough to do the good deed of offloading humanitarian supplies, you had to look the part too.

Before Costaguana broke from the task force it took on the Van Luxemburg NH-90, the six-man liason team it landed being immediately ushered into the command center to work alongside the staff officers. The most immediately benefit at least from the Van Luxemburger perspective was the intelligence the Etoilians volunteered to share with them following the drone fly by of Tomigrad. The short cruise to the Bulgian harbour was now all the time the two staff’s would have to mesh together, on both the personal level and the two separate command and control systems used by the Etoilian and Van Luxemburger navies.

The task force then escorted the Costagauna to the edge of Bulgian territorial waters to take up new positions there. A pair of AQ-39s and F/A-38s were readied on the EAS Auriga’s deck as a precaution, and various tiltrotors and helicopters continued their surviellance missions, but othwrwise the Costagauna was to enter Bulgian territory alone. At least, until the Bulgians gave the Van Luxemburger’s permission to send their own ship in. As a further precaution, all personnel on deck were limited to carrying sidearms, again to seem less threatening. No pintle guns were mounted and manned either as would be normal procedure when entering an unknown port, though the Goalkeeper’s maintained their eternal watch.

Radar quickly detected the Sultenian corvettes, apparently possitioned so as to screen Tomigrad harbour and surrounding area. With no real intelligence on the Sultinate’s military procedures this act was not interpreted as threatening. After all, the corvettes were clearly outgunned by the number of surface and air assets Etoile Arcture and Van Luxemburg respectively had at their disposable. This odd behaviour was interpreted as merely the Sultenian’s way of seeing good their promise to defend Bulgian territory, there being clue whatsoever as to the real state of paranoia on the part of the Sultenians.

Therefore, purely as a courtesy a message was transmitted over open frequencies as the command ship slowly cruised to its destination... or fate. “This is the EAS Costagauna command center to commander of Sultenian corvette flotilla. Be advised we are conducting humantarian relief operations in and around Bulgia and have been granted permission to enter Bulgian territorial waters. Requesting safe passage to Tomigrad harbour. How copy?”

The Totalitarian State of Red Tide had watched the situation in Bulgia with some apprehension. While Red Tide did not import anywhere near a majority of their oil needs from Bulgia, it was still of some concern to Red Tide whenever any oil supplier began to undergo internal disorder of any sort.

Finally, Red Tide had been unnerved by the growing international tensions over the area. While they could not afford to send a large force, they could offer a token force to act as peacekeepers to Bulgia. And if a international conflict erupted... well, then it would give the State Guard an excuse to crack some heads.

Official Statement from TSRT Government
"The Red Tidean State has become unsettled by the continuing internal unrest in the nation of Bulgia and the potential disruption this would have on international trade. It is within Red Tidean interests that Bulgia remain a stable and sovereign nation.

It is thus that Red Tide will dispatch, with the Bulgian Governments permission, the 645th and 646th Motorized-Infantry Brigades, as well as a small naval detachment, to aid the Luxemburgian and Etoilen peacekeeping forces."
End Statement

O-64, near Tomigrad Harbor Approach

Captain Sergei Leshunkovich Gradenko stared lazily from his position as the oil tanker that had been shuttling the crude petroleum between Tomigrad harbor and the Red Tidean flagged Very Large Crude Carrier pulled up alongside his ship. The O-64 was one of the older supertankers in the Red Tidean oil carrier fleet, and thus was relegated to relatively unimportant oil carrying duties.

Gradenko did not fail to notice the escorting Bulgian corvette and gave a friendly, if kind of dull, wave of his hand towards the small warship. He hung around for a few more minutes as the crews of the two ships got to work and began the pumping procedure as the crude oil was fed into the VLCC's large tanks.

Gradenko turned and walked back into the helm of his bridge and was quite surprised to find Commissar-Lieutenant Pavlov there. Pavlov (Gradenko did not know the man's first name) was the head of the State Intelligence Commissariat team assigned to this particular Red Tidean vessel. All Red Tidean vessels of sufficient size contained a small team of Commissars whose official jobs were to fend off pirates, as well as keep the crew and, more importantly, the cargo, safe.

Their real purpose, however, was twofold: keep any of the crew from escaping and spy on other nations via electronic equipment that was hidden somewhere on the ship. It occured to Gradenko that he had not seen Pavlov for awhile, but he figured that must be because of all the foreign naval activity that was going on.

Indeed, Pavlov seemed to be standing near the window, glaring out towards the horizo, where one could see a Eoilen-flagged warship, probably a frigate or small destroyer, sailing as part of the Carrier Battlegroup in the area. Pavlov's team, some of whom were electronic intelligence specialists, had been quite busy listening in on the various military communications traffic. The vast majority of it came out as static, the channels were, encrypted after all, but on the very rare ocassion someone would let something slip over a open radio. And even the encrypted traffic could be useful, as the encryption code, once returned too the big-time experts back in the mainland, could be studied and, possibly, cracked.

Pavlov turned away from the window and walked straight past Gradenko, only acknowledging his presence by saying: "I suggest you hurry up, things are getting tense around here. And we are of more use to the State alive then dead."

Gradenko said nothing, it would be unwise to say anything or even show any emotion. He merely walked over to a printer that was printing a weather prediction for the trip home.

“This is the EAS Costagauna command center to commander of Sultenian corvette flotilla. Be advised we are conducting humantarian relief operations in and around Bulgia and have been granted permission to enter Bulgian territorial waters. Requesting safe passage to Tomigrad harbour. How copy?”

Flottila Admiral Reej clearly head the message through intercom and he could see the message the warships posed. Best to be on good behavior with them, his mission was to keep control, not hinder as the last thing they wanted was a diplomatic crisis on their hands.

Reej sent out a message on a coded frequency so the harbours radio relays could not pick them up.

"EAS Costagauna, this is Flottila Admiral Reej at NSS Jutenheim II, commander of this naval effort. You do not have clearance to enter as we can not grant you such clearance. The harbour does not respond to our attempts to contact them and reports from our nation indicates rather unfortunate incidents within the city, to protocol we must assume the port as non-secure, give us some time to find out about the situation at the port or advise us on anything you know about the situation. Over."

Reej also sent out a satellite report about the situation to Mission HQ in Sultenia, just in case.

OOC: Bump for Bulgia to tell me what my drone saw when it overflew Tomigrad.

Tomigrad Port

Tomigrad, by far Bulgia's largest port and one of the better deep-water facilities on the Black Sea, was home to a little over six hundred thousand people, with the greater metropolitan area housing a good 1.1 million. Bulgians, Vlachs of various sorts, to whom the Bulgians were partly related, Turks, Tartars, Greeks, and a few other lesser minorities shared the port and usually managed to live in peace with one another.

Just a few miles north of the port was a long beach popular with tourists, mostly Bulgian but also other Europeans. Reconnaissance missions would easily -as would looking at up to date maps of the area- reveal a major train station connected to Besk and a highway leading to the city, the local branch of which was only newly opened. Gheorghe Kronyatensko International airport was to be found a couple of miles inland, servicing the city, and attached to it was a military facility used by the airforce. The Bulgian-modified MiG-27BUGs were flying from there.

It is at the port that Bulgia's major canal joins the Black Sea, connecting ultimately with the mighty Danube. There is a major mosque, an Orthodox cathederal, as well as two lighthouses.

Tomigrad voted strongly in support of the BCP at the last -controversial- election, having been narrowly in their favour at the prior election in which the reformist Bulgian Socialist Workers' Party won for the last time. Perhaps accordingly, there is little sign of serious trouble beyond a few crowds gathered to -so far peacefully- protest the presence of so many foreign forces, which they have been quietly encouraged to see as a threat and evidence of foreign meddling necessitating a strong hand from the Bulgian Communist Party.

Military forces are present, but most are reservists or airforce infantry protecting the airport.

More significantly, the port was home to Bulgia's fleet. Fairly modest, it did at least contain a small number of frigates and destroyers, numerous FACs, a few D/E submarines, and numerous coastal and support vessels. Most were derived from Soviet designs, directly or indirectly, and clearly not meant to operate beyond the confines of the Black Sea, and probably not out of range of shore-based air support, but they had their share of missiles, guns, and torpedoes.

Besk

In the capital, the BCP was having trouble responding to a backlog of foreign communiqués. A new government learning the ropes after years in the cold, the Communists were more concerned with civil unrest and the spread of popular dissent. Comrade Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers Lubmila Kronyatensko equated the disturbances with a more violent equivalent to the upheaval in Thailand, saying that a selfish middle and upper class, their special-interest candidate having lost a democratic election, had turned to blackmail and violence in order to protect their privileges and dared to call themselves democrats. She expressed personal disgust and clearly wanted the masses to feel much the same. How dare they?

At the prison, things were coming to a head. This old facility was almost a fortress, built of stone and modified over the years with reinforced concrete annexes. Its interior was a maze born of improvisation, its walls high and thick, and its occupants seemingly resolute in their defiance. The transmitter was down, but several rioting inmates, joined by friends from the outside who'd stormed the facility, and even some guards and other staff, were using mobile phones to call friends and family in Bulgia and abroad, trying to get word to media organisations and foreign governments. The military was moving in jamming equipment and telecom companies were facing threats of nationalisation if they didn't quickly move to end the calls, but it was a clumsy process not yet complete.

But the storming of the prison was another matter. Hundreds of troops, some army, some armed police, some prison services, some Securitat, were fighting their way in, and they weren't sparing with their ammunition. Hungarian-made AMD-65 AK-derived carbines were the weapon of choice, and scores were being shot down as the operation progressed. Besk had promised to end the uprising in a prompt and decisive manner.

NSS Jutenheim II, command bridge

Message to Tomigrad harbour control:
What is you current situation we have disturbing information about your current state of governance. Please respond!

The situation was growing tense around the small control contigent, they had three unkown possible threats around them, message had been sent to Sultenias operational HQ but for now it was up to them to play this right.

EAS Costagauna, on Tomigrad Harbor Approach

Undetered by the last communication recieved from the NSS Jutenheim II, the command ship was continuing towards the Bulgian port. The radar and video imagery from the AQ-39s overflight of Tomigrad had at ths point been disseminated to all Etoilian and Van Van Luxemburger task force vessels, but of course not to the Sultenians who had not formally joined the relief operation. The only connection between the two sides was presently the fragile VHF radio link.

Broadcasting again in the open for all to hear (and not misunderstand), the executive officer of the Costaguana explained, "EAS Costagauna command center to Flottila Admiral Reej, NSS Jutenheim II. The Bulgian government has granted Etoile Arcture permission to allow the EAS Costaguana to enter their waters and dock in Tomigrad to offload humanitarian supplies. Our intelligence indicates that the port is secure and under full Bulgian government control. Interrogative, are you in receipt of information to the contrary?"

Because the Harriers could not get any reaction from the Bulgian officials in Tomigrad, the flyers decided to go for it. Banking hard, they broke into Bulgian airspace and started with their approach to Tomigrad, before sending another message, this time on all channels the GR.9’s radio could reach.

‘Attention, this is Van Luxemburger Combat Air Patrol, contact VL9711. We will be flying over Tomigrad shortly to do reconnaissance for the Van Luxemburger Mission in Bulgia. We are on a peaceful mission. Repeat, we are on a peaceful mission.’

Shortly behind the two aircraft, the small fleet also started their turbines. Even though the Arvaglio was the first to get up to speed, it was quickly overtaken by the other ships, who chose positions in front of the Arvaglio. Meanwhile, the two transports came alongside the large amphibious assault ship, holding their positions and speed to keep up with the large multifunctional flagship. It took only minutes to cross into Bulgian territory, and the ships surely had no problems with it. Steaming ahead at a modest 20 knots, it wouldn’t be long before the ships would be in sight of Tomigrad’s port.

Bump. Let's not let a great thread die.

(OOC: FYI im still in, :wink:)