NationStates Jolt Archive

The guard shifted uncomfortably. It was just how it was: the hidden softness of the girl, her near to tears shyness about such an act...he motioned her to get up, staying away from her...but after he had made her perform whatever act it was before his eyes....
He would have her. Der Angstian bitch. Make her pay.
God. He was hard as iron.
One of the female guards snapped, "Hey, what are you doing?"
"She has to piss, don't she?"
"We'll go together. All men are pigs..." she mutters, roughly yanking Chloe up by her hands. "Move it."

The first group of prisoners are loaded onto a Fledermauss helicopter along with their marine guards. It rapidly takes off, and soon the palace is receeding below them.

"FIRE!"
An rpg round roars past the two Glorious Humanity bodyguards in a wake of heat and slams into the door of the comm center.
The Imperial Marines lay down a suppressing fire to cover their approach.

Jessica bit back tears as the cold stung her eyes. I'll probably never see that dagger again. Not like these people have proven themselves trustworthy after all.

She felt the cold brutally on her gloveless hand, as she shuffled along to the helicopter. Not knowing how far the jamming extended, she tried her internal comm again. Nothing.

She glanced skyward suddenly, looking upwards, forlornly hoping to see the telltale blue glow of a Federation Space Drive. Nothing. Had their been something there, she might have been able to contact it. Or they might have been watching. She knew standard procedure was to track ground traffic below the orbital path. She pulsed the line-of-sight comm upward anyways, just the emergency signal, but knew it lacked the range, even if there had been something up there.

She climbed, as best she could, still bound, into the transport with a sigh, resolving to test her comm system near constantly. She set it to continuous broadcast of the emergency signal, hardcoded into it.

Please let someone hear it.

OOC: Kravioli, I did try to reply to you but you don't seem to have noticed. Look further up the page, please.
IC:

Empress Aurora said, in a dull voice, "Where are you taking me?"
She felt sick. She wanted to throw up.
"We are taking you to be properly attired for transport out of here, Majesty." said one of the guards with her soothingly. A woman. They seemed solicitous and respectful--and watchful. Leading her away from the sounds of fighting, looking around alertly but not letting her more than inches away from them. "Please...I'm going to be sick!" she said plaintively.
There was a washroom nearby.
"Very well. Quickly though." one of the female guards went to accompany her, but Aurora stared at her with such outrage that they just let her shut the door in their faces.
They were faintly reassured by the sound of her vomiting.
Nathicana could hear it clearly too. She was only a foot or two away behind a wooden door.

Sargos cringed at how close that had been. My God, a few more inches...

Sargos was not planning to die here. He was crouched in the deep alcove of a doorway. Across the hall from him was Bolan, similarly hiding. Neither man was returning fire, both knew that it was only a matter of time before the RPGer corrected his aim.

Sargos looked at the door next to him, and reached over to try the handle. He was startled to discover that it was unlocked. He shoved the door open, and peered into the room. It seemed to be a ultilitarian office, but what grabbed his attention was the big window on the wall opposite the door. In three steps he was at the window, looking down. This office offered a view of the gardens. From here, he could see the hedgerow maze.

A sudden wild, crazy idea sprang into his mind. He looked down at the ground. It was only twenty feet or so, and he could see a collection of bushes growing near the wall. Yeah, they could probably do it.

He raced back to the doorway. Bolan was still across from him, holding his rifle at the ready. Both men had salvaged G11s from the dead palace guards, as well as more ammo for their USPs. Sargos had also aquired one trump card that he intended to play.

He signaled to get Bolan's attention, then made a series of hand gestures. Move over here, on mark. Be fast. Bolan looked at him quizzically, then nodded.

Sargos drew his trump card, a single flashbang grenade. He'd gotten it off a dead rebel. Yanking the pin, he kept the arming lever depressed as he edged out. Another RPG round streaked past him, this one so close he felt his face get hot from its passage. Taking a deep breath, he leaned out just far enough to see where he was throwing, and winged the grenade directly at the Marines down the hall.

Nathicana tensed as the door opened again, her heart racing as the light sound of footsteps entered the room. She thought she'd heard muffled voices before, but couldn't pick it out. Soon, the sounds of someone being sick reached her ears, and she nodded, reaching under her skirts as quietly as she could to retrieve her knife, and remove her shoes.

Anyone out and about is most likely not one of the guests. Probably armed ... would get me a gun. Others outside the door, likely, given the voices ... damn. Have to be careful here.

She carefully laid the Countess' body to the side, as quietly as she could, hoping the person on the other side would be distracted enough with their own problems to not take notice. Getting to her feet, grimacing at the rustle of silk, she quietly turned the door handle, and gently pushed the door open slowly, ever so carefully, trying to avoid any sound.

Her eyes on the stall where the person was, she settled into a comfortable stance, ready to disarm and attack them as they left the little cubicle.

Instinctively the marines ducked back for cover as the grenade hit the floor. Dust and smoke blew around the hallway.
The explosion was their chance...

The helicopter carrying Jessica, President Albert, the Heart and the others was flying out of the city...past the airport and across countryside. They seemed to be heading out towards the coast!
One of the marine officers shouted over the sound of the helicopter blades, "WE ARE GOING TO PUT YOU ON A NEUTRAL SHIP OUT OF HERE! YOUR OWN TRANSPORTS WILL REJOIN YOU LATER!"

Sargos and Bolan both shut their eyes tightly as the stun grenade went off. When he reopened his eyes, Sargos saw spots, and his ears were ringing, but the Marines were probably in even worse shape. Quickly he beckoned to Bolan, and the other man ran across the hallway. He was limping noticeably as he moved. Back in the central hallway, a stray bullet had found Bolan's right calf as he and Sargos were escaping the tear gas cloud. A torn strip from his uniform was working as an emergency tourniquet for now.

The two men ran to the window, Bolan taking one look at their escape route and then looking at Sargos.

Are you out of your mind? he mouthed.

Got a better idea? Sargos asked.

No.

Sargos opened the window. The chill winter air blasted them. Yet Sargos welcomed the numbing chill and the bite of the wind. It felt like freedom.

First Sargos, then Bolan dove out of the window into the bushes below. They both picked up quite a few scrapes and cuts, but neither cared. As soon as they were back on their feet they headed for the hedge mazes, and escape. Withing minutes, they had vanished into the darkness.

The person leaving the cubicle was Empress Aurora.

Chloe followed the two guards, on unsteady legs.

Unfortunately, this wasn´t faked. Seemed like the gas still had some effect on her... Hopefully it would end soon.

After a minute or so, they reached the toilets...

Now the bad part begins... she thought, rather... well, she wasn´t feeling too well about it.

It wasn`t exactly like she had planned. She had seen it, in the eyes of the man... she would have succeeded. This was, however, quite a bit more complicated than she had thought.

Once they reach the lavatory--it is, by the rather plain decor, for the use of servants--the woman snaps, "Watch the door" to the man and tugs down Chloe's panties. "Alright, do what you have to." she says.

Reluctantly, Chloe obeys, not having much of a choice... or privacy, for that matter.

However, she kept her hurt look, and even managed to have a tear rolling down her left cheek. Most of the time, she looked down, but occasionally, she checked on the female guard... Obviously, this one wasn`t 'enjoying' the job... For a moment she thought she even saw some sort of 'distaste'. Somehow, she was even relieved... beating the man... no problem... But beating two, with cuffed hands... Forget it. And if the female guard would 'enjoy' this... she shuddered, just thinking about it. Especially since the man didn´t only watch the door...

"This takes ages. Hurry up."
"Ok..."
"Hey, let her go on... it´s... interesting, don`t you think?" The guard looked at both of them, grinning.

Finally finished, Chloe stood up...

Failed, i guess...

The female guard bit her lip but gingerly dabbed at Chloe with a tissue before reaching to pull up her panties.

The male guard, not exactly having a sense of dignity, eyed Chloe openly, his eyes showing nothing but greed.

Bastard. You will die...

Quick as thought, Nathi held her attack, her eyes wide with shock, most likely looking a mess from all the blood from the murdered Countess. She dropped to one knee, her knife palmed and unthreatening, held in a gesture of almost pleading, her other hand going to her lips making 'shhh' motions.

"Aurora, thank God you're alright!" she whispered as loudly as she dared, hoping beyond hope that the girl would not scream.

Aurora held a finger to her lips, eyes wide. She was shaking and looked pale. She had been about to scream, but recognized Lady Nathicana at the very last minute. Looking towards the door, she deliberately put up four fingers of one hand and nodded.
Then she pointed to the ventilation screen. Her eyes pleaded with Nathicana.
God...please let us get out of this. Please.

Well, there goes that idea, Aurelian thought. If the helicopter had landed by the Citadel Rayat ship in Zwoll, he could have had the Hands on board liberate him ... and the other diplomats. Bargaining chips were always useful, or so Seneschal Domitian said.

But now ... they had neatly removed the possibility of any such action. Clever, very clever; if he weren't so irritated Aurelian would have applauded them.

Relieved that she wouldn't be facing a hail of bullets, Nathi leans in close, whispering softly, quickly.

"I'm going to get you out of here. But I need your help. Keep making sounds as if you're sick. Flush on occasion for more noise. I'll use that to mask me cutting down this skirt, and removing the screen. We'll have to be very quiet. And I'll be relying on you to help guide me."

Her eyes are serious, though she tries to smile reasuringly, giving the girl a brief hug, and feeling damnably awkward all at once.

Il dio, what the hell am I going to do now? Have got to make it to my shuttle. Will find a way. She's not safe here. Cannot let anyone know ... it will mean war if I'm found to be holding the Lavenrunz heir.

Jessica sat calmly, watching the guards and the other prisoners, embedding each face in her memory implants.

There would come a time when those memories would be required, she was sure of it.

But now, all she could do was wait, and hope. She cut the emergency signal. No need to have troops swooping down to rescue her, no matter how much she might want that at the moment.

She set her implant instead to attempt a link with her brother, and to alert her as soon as it did. He would know the proper response to this situation.

He was standing there together with all the other people alone, herded up together with the rest. One of the terrorists looked at him, said something to his comerades and went over to the red death and quitely took him aside. The other people could see the terrorist saying something to him. But he was only met by a blank stare with eyes full of agony and now slowly beginning to glow stronger with hatred. The terrorist kept looking at the red death but never received an answer. The terrorist looked at him and saw the agonized eyes burning stronger with hatred than agony now. The Red Death wanted to scream out his pain and agony NO! You can't deny me this! Not after all these years! But he knew that without a tongue he would never articulate anything again. He was led back to the others and ordered to strip. He slowly took of his costume, his body showing features that was clearly elven, but something was amiss. His body's muscle had been displaced and his delicate frame was a chaos of muscles being drawn and torned. He obviously didn't wear a mask but his features had been changed by a surgeon or a torturer, not a single scar was seen, but only a body that seemed to have been mangled by a mad sculpture and made into a work of art resembling someone dying from a horrendous disease. The worst part was however his eyes, the look of agony replaced by the fire of pure hatred. He stood straight with his deformed head held high and eyed the people in total defiance together with eyes burning like fire promising the fiery pits of hell to those who had crushed his last hope, his last wish.

Within his head he looked back, had it been worth it? After spending millenias in a cell, seeing his own people getting slaughtered. He had once been the proud prince of a remnant of a proud warhost. He wondered why he had followed his brother and his friend here, only to end up in the Veganian hellhole, kept from the stars. He silently wept inside. He had been spared by Jaar for his inheritage, spared and tortured night and days until the months and years just seemed to float together and he just try to endure them. Sometimes he thought about killing himself but his pride had stopped him each time, one day, he didn't knew which he had been called unto the presence of the Benevolent Jaar. Jaar had looked at him and said:

"You pitiful shard of once proud Quendi, know this, all of your brethren in Vegana is long dead. Dead by my hand. Your family does no longer exist, you are alone." Jaar eyed him and continued. "Your life could end here, at my whim, but I feel pity for you. You were once my friend and were of great use, you might still be. Your kind does still exist in other parts of the world and I might let you meet them. But I need you to bring a message somewhere first."

He looked defiantly, some of his old pride shining through:
"A message? Do I look like a messenger? You murdered all of whom I loved, my life has no meaning anymore.

Jaar looked amused "Tsk tsk Proud Quendi, what if I told you relatives of your father and brothers still exist?"

He was shocked, too shocked to speak.

"Just nod if you will carry my message, who knows if you will run into some old acquaintancies while you deliver them."

He nodded and felt strong arm breaking back his arm and opening his mouth. Frozen as if in a vice he saw Jaar moving towards him with a glowing tong and a needle. He screamed as Jaar moved the tong closer to his mouth, the last word he heard before he blacked out was:

"Excellent, Don't forget to send my regards to Lavenrunz.."

Kopinski's eyes snapped open. When the gas was released he had collapsed like a puppet whose strings had been cut, partly to keep up appearances, and partly to leave, and check up on what was going on from elsewhere. Surprisingly he was still where he had been left, although he had his hands bound behind his back, though that was hardly a problem. He sat up, un-naturally, and looked around. The eldar were still here, as was Sirithil, who was sitting near the centre of the room, though she was currently stripped down to her underwear and bound in a similar way to himself, except with a collar fastened around her neck.

He pondered his next move; some of the ‘servants’ were clustered around, all of them armed. He decided that as the elf woman was the only one here, bar the eldar, who knew a significant amount about him, and, she was the only one here he would be upset, not necessarily the correct word, over loosing, he may as well make an effort to get in touch with her. He wasn't entirely confident in his ability to plant a coherent message into her mind, and he decided to go for something more basic, and he stared at the Elentári pointedly, and produced a faint tapping sensation on her shoulder, in his direction.

Alexander awoke, his head a flurry of pain and distaste. Then he snapped to attention. The fear-draught... I can sense it... so much concentrate...

Angry, and not at all concerned about the other people in the room, he started to drink at the emotion, ripping it painfully from the minds of every living being in the area. It was a massive drug, more then he had ever consumed, more then he had known in his life. Yes...

His only care was that his sword was gone, but that didn't matter, he could return it. What was important now was regaining his strength... and unwittingly, the terrorists were helping him do just that.

Then he saw Siri. And his eyes narrowed. So... this is the way of the world. A rage filled him, cold and cunning. There would be a reckoning. His eyes darted around the room. His mind, drunk from the fear within, was sharper, more cunning. He could sense the other prisoners coming to, and he knew that he had to stop drinking, had to hide his true, vampiric, form. With an effort, he closed it off. He had been strengthened enough. So much terror and rage... a delicious concoction.

He sent a message to all of the prisoners, struggling to do so without causing too much pain. They all felt a stabbing pain in their head, and then 'heard' his voice. *If any of you can hear me, tell me what is going on. Have their been any demands?*

He knew already, just wanted to hear them before he made his next move.

OOC:
Okay, I last posted on page 12 and then I got sick and now this has all turned into a mess. Sorry, Ravenspire, for standing you up like that. I hope you revieved my TG. :cry:

I'm off to bed now, and will try to make something off this tomorrow. Hopefully with some help. There was something about being pinned to a hedgehog? Evacuation? Grenades? People in their underwear?

IC:
Prime Minister Lousewies van der Laan stood frozen and totally confused. She looked around, totally not knowing what to do. She stumbled towards a corner and tried to make sense of the whole situation...

Empress Aurora said, in a dull voice, "Where are you taking me?"
She felt sick. She wanted to throw up.
"We are taking you to be properly attired for transport out of here, Majesty." said one of the guards with her soothingly. A woman. They seemed solicitous and respectful--and watchful. Leading her away from the sounds of fighting, looking around alertly but not letting her more than inches away from them. "Please...I'm going to be sick!" she said plaintively.
There was a washroom nearby.
"Very well. Quickly though." one of the female guards went to accompany her, but Aurora stared at her with such outrage that they just let her shut the door in their faces.
They were faintly reassured by the sound of her vomiting.
Nathicana could hear it clearly too. She was only a foot or two away behind a wooden door.

"You will not touch her," Raven said. It was the first she had spoken since the attack, and her tone was quiet and cool, devoid of any trace of emotion, though a shiver ran through her body. "If you value your lives, you will release her. Aurora won't play the role you want her to."

The Most Honorable President of Cartazania accepts the invitation, but will be fassionably late!

Nevermind.

There was no response. Alexander sighed, and sent his mind roaming further afield. He rolled his tongue around in his mouth, and... wait.

It was still there!

These idiots of the lower classes had forgotten the signal rule in dealing with a Roanian gentleman. Always remove all of their clothes, check their teeth fillings, and remove any and all jewelry.

While his rings had been taken away, and he couldn't reach for his cross, he did have the most subtle of his magicks. He winced. The sapphire could only work once, and it would hurt like hell... where did he want to go?

That Aelosian women, Alira... she had the spark. He'd go to her. He winced and muttered the activation words. His mouth filled with the chill of the grave, a bitter taste that would kill a human. His last concious thought for a few seconds was, So selling a portion of my soul does have some benefits...

He vanished, screaming.

And three minutes later, appeared next to Alira.

Nevermind.

Alexander rolled to his feet. He spat the now faded sapphire from his teeth. "God... don't ever let a mage work on your teeth, Alira."

He felt oddly naked. "BLADE! COME TO ME!" An inquiring psychic would have felt a dark power whir from him, and feel a response. His sword appeared once more in his arms. "Now, what's going on here? The Elentari is being held captive... I escaped to save her." He coughed, aware of how stupid and cowardly that sounded. Then he wheeled his blade around, and pointed it at Nathanica. "Pardon me, madame."

Nevermind.

"Wait a second... Alira, are you sure this is right?" Alexander hissed. "I doubt even someone with a title like Dread Lady would do this." He relaxed and put his sword down. My wife is never going to believe me...

---

The moment everyone in the ballroom had started dropping like flies, Croth had considered slipping into the Crystal Ring.
It would have been simple to leave the troubles of this Nation behind, to shift from the material realm into the ether of the Ring. But curiosity got the better of him.
Instead, he crumpled to the floor and listened to the activity that swept through the hall; tracked every footfall.
He didn’t struggle when they came to carry him away.
It’s lucky I’ve recently fed. Or they’d imagine I was a corpse.
He would have to play it by ear, but Lord Chrichael would probably be willing to enter into diplomacy with either side.
It simply depended on who came out on top. Vampires were rather more pragmatic, Croth concluded. Stilled a smile before it reached his lips; unconscious men rarely smiled.

Half an hours quiet effort and a decade of training had paid off. While the guards had been dragging the more important leaders and representatives out Owen had calmly been dislocating his thumb, removing his hand gingerly from the plastic ties, then popping it back into place. This was one of the neat things about being left-handed, people always pulled things tight the opposite way. Hurt like hell, but that couldn't be helped.
Now..he carefully folded his feet under him, watching the depleted guard force carefully, eyes narrowed.
Doing something dramatic and hasty would be a quick way to get shot, but that last little speech the Lavenrunzian had made to the elf queen had ominous overtones. Be damned if I leave with facists on top. Pricks. Well.. he checked the guards weren't looking, whipped out a hand and popped his top button off, then whipped his hand back behind his body. He dropped the button underneath a bootheel and crushed it under his full weight. A muffled crunch was faintly audible and a grin flickered over his face and was gone so quick it was hardly there.
He leaned back against the wall and went back to waiting. If the squawk button worked, it worked. If not well..he mentally shrugged. Something'd happen. It always did.

OOC the button does not work :!: halt thy screams of godmode.

Let me say, first of all, how disapointed I am in Lavenrunz in allowing this to go as far as he has said without checking it. I DO NOT LET PEOPLE USE MY CHARACTERS AS NPCS. EVER. Never have, and I never will.


Oh dear, Roania, you have made a mess of things. Now, rather the muck up the Ball thread with complaint and such, we'll use this. Anyway, I wuld suggest that you read back in the thread, and realize that Alexander has only been shot about 20-30 times before you continue. Not to mention Daeron, (who, yes, is my character) not only strangeled him, but broke his sword and basicly told the daemon in your guy to screw off. Now, we could argue about how is more powerful to our wits end, but lets not bother. Simply put, your actions are unacceptable. There is just no was Alexander coudl do the things you would have him do. Shot in the head twice, tied up, then tfilled with the bullets taht already went *through* my guy? No, your choice of action just dosen't fly. I would kindly suggest that you edit your posts, basicly to having Alex lie there in his and Daeron's gore, because that abotu all they're capable of doing. Or, if you'd prefer Alex not be dead, go ahead and recton EVERYTHING you've done, and pretend you never went. Your call.

Cheers, Drak's player.

I made a minor retaliation, which I display here.

A) Your posts were hardly clear, and I couldn't decipher who you were talking about. Besides, it's not as if 'the demon' makes sense. I thought someone else had a demon.

B) NEVER. EVER. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, EVER, SAY YOU DID SOMETHING TO ANOTHER PLAYER'S CHARACTER WITHOUT THAT PLAYER AROUND. I CAN, AND WILL, GET MENELMACAR TO BACK ME UP ON THIS. YOUR CHARACTER IS INCAPABLE OF STRANGLING ALEXANDER, AND THE MERE FACT THAT YOU HAD THE UTTER GALL TO SAY YOU STARANGLED HIM WITHOUT ASKING MY PERMISSION, OR CHECKING HIS ABILITIES, AND WITHOUT ME POSTING HIS RESPONSES, IS AN IGNORABLE OFFENSE. AM I CLEAR? I COULD COMPLETELY IGNORE YOU, PERMANENTLY, FOR THAT.

That is one of the lowest forms of 'RP' I have seen displayed, and I, for one, strongly suggest that you consider your next few actions very, very carefully.

I will put both this, and your request, in the thread. I'll consider any actions I might take.

I think I might have been a tad harsh.

However, I am beyond a choice in this matter, as I need Alexander out of the palace and back in Roania by this coming Tuesday, my time.

Lots of whining snipped to conserve bandwidth.
OOC: Or you could just give up on the uberwank roll-playing and let Lavenrunz run this thread as he sees fit. He stated publicly (whether or not you were on IRC is irrelevant) that he was going to be limited after last night's extravaganza, so blaming him for not checking the thread as often as you demand is extremely poor manners.

Pull the mote out of your own eye before you start flaming. I look forward to seeing this entire hijacking deleted.

OOC: Something like a hundred posts in the last day :shock: Any chance you guys could slow down a little? I'm used to people making 1-2 posts in a thread each per day, as faster progression tends to leave people playing catch-up and unable to properly RP their characters.


I'll post IC in the morning when I have time to read the rest of the thread.

OOC:

*walks in*
*looks around*
*considers posting, seeing as how he's involved with this thread's much smaller doppleganger on Emmy*
*is intimidated and freaked out*
*has a panic attack*
*still decides to make a show of Estavian support for lovely Lav*
*waves "Lodoss Loves Jo" banners*

SD Mordred: I'm still gonna be pissed when I wake up. -.- *gets kicked into a closet*

Quiet you. -.-

"Man the guns immediately!"

"Sir yes sir!"

"Ready!"

"Aim"

"Fire!"

*WOOSH!*

A 70 feet grappling hook approaches the thread and tags the whole frikkin' palace :wink:

Treznor clutches a blanket around his shivering body with one hand, and a steaming mug of coffee (extra sugar, extra milk) in the other. In his mind he runs through every curse he can think of, especially the new ones he's learned in Kzints'utng.

Great language for swearing, that Hero's Tongue. Gotta get Sko to teach me more curses.

He wanders up and down the corridors of the ship they stranded him on not half an hour ago, his mind racing with possible scenarios, each one less likely than the last. In the end, he has no way to contact his people and no way to get back to Nathicana in anything resembling the nick of time.

I promised, dammit. I promised!

He lets go of the blanket long enough to slam his clenched fist into a bulkhead. A moment later he winces from the pain. Worse, he realises he's left a sizeable dent in the metal.

Dammit. I'm not gonna be able to keep my secret much longer if I keep doing stupid things like this. Now think. They've got to have a radio. The rebels wouldn't dare jam emergency frequencies. They promised not to allow us direct contact with the outside world, but these are just sea dog merchants, they're not special forces.

On the other hand, seizing the ship would not make me any friends in international waters, and there's no way I could guarantee my message would get through. Dammit, there's got to be a way I can get back there!

He continues to pace, trying to ignore the pain in his hand. Then he stops and drops the mug.

I am such an idiot. I should have gotten S.H.O.D.A.N. to replace my brain while I was at it.

He's on a merchant ship, and he owns the treasury of a rich empire. He's sure he can come to an accomodation with the captain. He chuckles darkly and heads for the bridge.

ooc: ALRIGHT NOW. This is about enough.

FIRST OFF ... There is NO way I am accepting either of you just showing up in that bathroom. No. Way.

You are outright godmodding your way through this with your supposedly freaking ubercharacters, and making a mockery of what's been clipping along as a nicely done rp. I will not accept it. I suggest you go back, and take things a bloody small step at a time, and do it in such a way as allows Lavenrunz to respond. As in - you're back in that damned ballroom, the both of you. Aelosia, gimme a break. With all the powerful characters here, you're miraculously the ONLY ONE managing to get past all the guards AND the gas? Please. Roania - don't even get me started. Go back and read.

SECOND OFF - there are ARMED GUARDS all over the place, and they're keeping a very close eye on things. They had the room surrounded, or do you not recall? Posing as servants? I'm quite certain they'd have noticed someone fleeing the scene, and if you'd not stopped, you'd most likely have been shot or subdued. They're not just going to let you run around and do whatever the hell you like. I don't care who you think you are, enough bullets are going to make a real mess of you. There are a LOT of foreign dignitaries around. Do you really think it's a good idea getting things all stirred up when you've got SO many lives at stake - leaders of nations and all? Jeezus, people - all they're doing is escorting you the hell out. Take it, and go with it. It's not worth the shitstorm you're going to kick up if you get leaders killed.

THIRD OFF - let me explain a bit, since you obviously haven't taken the time to read anyone's posts but your own here. You're not so stealthy that I wouldn't have freaking noticed you come in. I'm facing the door for chrissakes. I have hearing amplification and such at any rate, so don't give me that 'but I'm an elf' crap. We are in a BATHROOM, not out in the open. In addition, there are FOUR armed guards outside that bathroom door. If you think they're going to let you just walz in there, you've got another thing coming. That in turn would alert me, with all the noise of a struggle, so again, no. I also have boosted reflexes and myomer muscle replacements. If you think I'm going to just let you walk in there, when Aurora is in danger and let you point guns and all the rest at me, again, you're an idiot. Details HERE (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=641978) and demonstration/wrapup HERE (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43311&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=20) if you're interested. I've rp'd it solid for some time now.

I could go on, but I think I'm going to stop here for now and hope that you'll have the sense to back the hell up, and take this slow. You're both showing poor rp ettiquite and skills here, and I'm certain both Lavenrunz and the rest of us would take it rather well if you remedied that little problem.

OOC: All right...I didn't realized you were in a bathroom, I suppose I miss that part. Sorry, but I miss only a night in this RP and six pages and a lot of things happened, so I tried to keep it on, that's why I didn't waited for Lavenrunz or the others, trying to keep the timeline of the RP stable. I read most of the posts, trying to realize the situation, but maybe I miss the part of the bathroom, I thought you were in the open.

About the breach of RP etiquette, I suppose you're right too, although I don't think my character did nothing overpowering. She didn't killed nobody, and she was wounded, weakened, and I was going to write the fact that she didn't knew how to use the gun. My main purpose was trying to have a nice RP with you, with Nathicana trying to convince Aliria that she was helping Aurora to escape (because I thought it could be an interesting situation, and because I wanted the women to meet each other), not to harass you, piss you off or simple show that my character owns you all. But you're right, there's no way she could entered a bathroom with four guards waiting outside, so I'll edit it and put that thing back. I would give you an apology for my mistake, but your OOC statement was too aggresive and harsh, so I won't.

I usually read all the posts in a RP, to the others, sorry for missing a few lines because I was in a hurry reading six pages full of important changes.

---

OOC: Back in the ballroom, when the gas exploded six pages ago...

IC:

Aliria looked the gas raising from the dance floor, as a tide of destruction rendering the rest of the guests dead or inconscious. She stared at the ArchDuke, trying to find an explanation from the Lavenrunzian noble. Although as a politician she wasn't accostumed to deal with attacks and assassinations, she survived three coups and a civil war in her homeland, napalm bombardments, massive gun fire, chemical and biological weapons were used by the Dark elves, and they failed to kill her.

She held her breath, trying to run to the huge crystal window at her right, dragging the Archduke with her. The Eléntari, she's in trouble, she thought, but I can't do nothing inside here to help her, and she's more powerful than five Alirias. She ran, putting her scarf over her mouth and nose. She couldn't speak, because a word would be a loss of vital air. Then she sent a telepathic message to the ArchDuke, still holding his hand, dragging him to a possible exit. Listen!, How we can get out of this ball room?, think!, quickly!, we have no time to lose, she spoke inside Carl's mind.

"Interfere with our purposes, Majesty." said Adendorff politely--though he still held his weapon with dead intent.
Crack. Crack. Pop. Pop. Went the ambient sounds of combat around the palace.
"Now: those from Sentient Peoples, Aelosia, Glorious Humanity, Szairon and Treznor will be the first to depart. Please permit your guards to assist you in standing up. You will then be escorted to waiting transportation. If you resist I cannot answer for it; the security of our operation takes precedence."
"Count Adendorff!" said Archduke Carl in a soft but severe tone.
"Please be silent, Your Highness." urged Adendorff.

Aliria barely rose from the floor, still coughing from the effect of the gas. She tried to fix her costume and adopt a regal and proud look, the look of a Queen proud of her title, "I suppose I was kidnapped and that now you're going to let me leave this place. However, I want to stay with the Eléntari, if I leave this place and she stays, my people will see me as a coward that abandoned even her loved ones behind. I prefer to lose my life than to lose my reputation. I don't care about your internal affairs, because I just came here to dance a little, believe it or not".

She smiled, in other cirscunstances that last phrase could be funny. Then she continued "I'll stay as another hostage, and I give you my word of noble and Princess of not trying to escape, but I won't leave this place leaving Lady Sirithil in your hands. My honor and duty is linked to her own name and safety".

IC:
(several pages ago...)

Scentless as the gas may have been to the others, the wolf's keen senses imediatly knew something was wrong, elicting a gasp of suprise as the Empress finished adressing him, and filling his lungs with the agent. Wordlessly, he crumpled to the ground befor Aroura..

(Present...)

Some time afterward, he drifted past that line dividing the waking mind from the sub-concious, tho he couldn't exactly tell how long ago that had been. Now, however, fully awake, he assessed his situation; his costume, in fact a hastily converted suit of rather elaborate light power armour, still adorned him in it's intirity by virtue of the fact it could not be removed without the proper codes, unless you were prepared to cut it off him; a signifigant challange in itself.

Closing his eyes, he mentally brought up the suit's interface; checking system integrity, volt-sink and shield capasitor power levels, ASPEW fields, inertial flight systems, kinetic field effectors, the improbability-based Shadowfield Personal-Cloak, slimline UV-taser built into the back of the suit's right hand, and the matching slimline 'Needler' in the oposite extremity. Three, six inch serated mithiril blades also sat mounted on the outside of each forearm, encased in break-away black rubber, so as to match the 'generic batman ripoff' getup.

Satisfyed, he examined his bomds, contemplated escape, and waited; having no intention of leaving on his captors' terms.



OOC:
There are so many 'needlers' out there, I'll take a moment to explain the one I've designed; It uses a small hypodermic needle in the back of the 'glove', matched to the costume's material(thus very hard to see, and only apearing as a small hole upon the closest examination) and emerging between the knuckles of the middle and pointer fingers, as the 'barrel', through which miniture inertial direct-drive coils silently accelerate a protine crystal dart to high, subsonic speeds. The darts themselves are tiny, measuring less than a tenth of a millimeter long and a fourth as wide, and are designed to desolve in the body and deliver the designer-protine.

Alexander currently has six options avalible, with twenty rounds each; knockout(good for a few hours), fast-acting poison(acts within seconds and can drop an elephant), a broad-spectrum 'truth syrum', a slow-acting poison(takes several minutes, showing no symptoms befor they drop dead), and two types of 'Necrotising Cascade', which is a morbid little potion of my own creation. Being so small, the darts souldn't even be felt, and have an effective range of around fifty meters.


As for why the toys? Well, several of them would have made decent 'party tricks', and there wasn't time to really bother removing the others, so they were left as fallback options and left loaded and functional.

I hope it's not too much, in light of what others have avalible; I wasn't expecting action when I came up with his 'costume'.

OOC:

I have decided to completely retcon my recent actions in this thread. I am doing so for reasons both in game, and IRL.

While the actions were completely and totally in character for Alexander (He is not human, and has not been for a long time), I have been informed that for the benefit of the plot, that was a bad idea. My unconditional apology. (Had I been told of the plot in the first place, I wouldn't have done so, but that's water under the bridge). Apparently, though, people were informed of something special being planned. I don't have access to IRC, so I wasn't.

However, I was in the wrong, and so I apologise. Jo, I'm sorry I stuffed up your carefully thought up plotline. If and when I return, I'll try to make it up for you. This is my last in character post in this thread, and possibly today (which means possibly forever).

I would have been unable to participate in the thread anyway from this point on. My vacation plans have been ruined by learning that while I am in NYC, my grandmother is going in for chemotherapy. I'm going to be there for longer then planned, and she doesn't have internet access.

Once again, I apologise.

Goodbye.

Relieved that she wouldn't be facing a hail of bullets, Nathi leans in close, whispering softly, quickly.

"I'm going to get you out of here. But I need your help. Keep making sounds as if you're sick. Flush on occasion for more noise. I'll use that to mask me cutting down this skirt, and removing the screen. We'll have to be very quiet. And I'll be relying on you to help guide me."

Her eyes are serious, though she tries to smile reasuringly, giving the girl a brief hug, and feeling damnably awkward all at once.

Il dio, what the hell am I going to do now? Have got to make it to my shuttle. Will find a way. She's not safe here. Cannot let anyone know ... it will mean war if I'm found to be holding the Lavenrunz heir.

Aurora nodded and glanced at the door saying, "Oooh, God! Wait a minute!"
and went towards the cubicle, making vomiting sounds.
Nathicana could see that there were only screws holding the screen in place. If she cut her skirts off to about mid-calf it could work...
There was a rapping on the door. "Do you need assistance, Majesty?"
Outside, the guards were trying to screw themselves up to just barge in.


Jessica sat calmly, watching the guards and the other prisoners, embedding each face in her memory implants.

There would come a time when those memories would be required, she was sure of it.

But now, all she could do was wait, and hope. She cut the emergency signal. No need to have troops swooping down to rescue her, no matter how much she might want that at the moment.

She set her implant instead to attempt a link with her brother, and to alert her as soon as it did. He would know the proper response to this situation.


"You will not touch her," Raven said. It was the first she had spoken since the attack, and her tone was quiet and cool, devoid of any trace of emotion, though a shiver ran through her body. "If you value your lives, you will release her. Aurora won't play the role you want her to."

Adendorff stared at Raven with visible disgust on his face. "You will be silent, if you please...Highness." with a visible shudder he turned away, motioning two of his
confederates to remove her along with the other Lavenrunzian royalty.
One of them, an Imperial Marine, looked a touch saddened...Raven could see one of his patches signified him as a veteran of Ienotheisa, a special Gold Cross patch given by Empress Joanna.
He gently said, "Please come with us, Your Highness."

Baron Marienburg said loudly, "Those from Aelosia, Kanuckistan, Britmarttia, Ravenspire, and...the vampire..." he added with distaste, "Are leaving now."
"Please accompany your guards outside."

The Security Wing:

It was a mere matter of time before the marines were through the doors. By now all the Jaegers and Mornahosse inside the palace that weren't dead were at the command and communications center.
Rather bitterly, Colonel von Paderborn turned and told his Menelmacari counterpart that they should take all sensitive material and head for the bunker--there might be a chance at a sortie later, but the marines would not know of the
entrance to the bunker if they concealed it by some means.

The Garden:
The two bodyguards found themselves in an area of garden hedges, snow covered gravel paths and cages. There was a smell of animals, and they could hear growling and stirring there and there.

Jessica found the helicopter landing on the deck of an Estavian freighter. The captain looked a bit grim but more like a man with a dirty job than one either involved in a plot or up to no good. One of the marine officers appeared to be giving him some final instructions. Another helped Jessica and the others off the helicopter.
Iron gray waves washed the sides of the ship. The Marsh Islands were smears that could barely be seen in the darkness; the lights of Zwoll were a haze through the blowing snow.

Esmerelda had been feigning unconsciousness rather successfully for some time, hearing vaguely the conversations of those around her. She awoke with a start, coughing rather miserably in an attempt to free the gas from her lungs.

Damned respiration... I fail to see how the others do it...

With a blink and a slight twitch of her nose, Esmerelda's breathing ceases, but her consciousness remains. Her eyes glance about the room, noting the captors with the weapons.

I cannot see their intent. What is their purpose here? For whom do they work? And what do they have to gain by doing this now, at an international ball?

Esmerelda looks back up at her hair and winces.

Well, that explains the discomfort...

With another blink and a twitch of her nose, Esmerelda forces her hair blonde once again and to hang full and thick down past her shoulders. She narrows her eyes, taking in her surroundings carefully.

Now... to wait...

Jessica found the helicopter landing on the deck of an Estavian freighter. The captain looked a bit grim but more like a man with a dirty job than one either involved in a plot or up to no good. One of the marine officers appeared to be giving him some final instructions. Another helped Jessica and the others off the helicopter.
Iron gray waves washed the sides of the ship. The Marsh Islands were smears that could barely be seen in the darkness; the lights of Zwoll were a haze through the blowing snow.

After about twenty minutes of slowly freezing as the frieghter moved across the sea, headed away from Lavenrunz, Jessica felt a tingle in her brain.

D'ron!

Her brother's response was a tad slow. Yes?

There is a problem at the Ball. Terrorists, or something.

You need extraction?

No. I need a pickup, though. On my position. It's a frieghter in international waters.

Got it. A short pause. Is anyone with you?

Yes. About 8 other people from various countries.

An Eagle is on the way from orbit. 8 minutes.

Thank you.

Are you sure you are okay?

Yes. I'll see you soon. Jessica cut the link. She'd explain everything when she got back, obviously.

He's on a merchant ship, and he owns the treasury of a rich empire. He's sure he can come to an accomodation with the captain. He chuckles darkly and heads for the bridge.

From space, two things come down. The first, and fastest, is a laser comm beam, targeted at the Eagle-class shuttle in Hofburg. The whisker laser should cut straight through the jamming. It carried orders for the shuttle. Stay in place. Violent situation at the palace. Ms. Smith is safe. Wait until a good oportunity to depart. Take no unneeded risks. If required, offer transport to those who need it.

The second, larger item would be quite obvious, especially to Emperor Treznor, climbing to the bridge. A blue orb, flecked with red fire, descended from the Heavens above. As it's speed slowed, and the air stopped burning around it, the 15 meter shape of another Eagle-class Diplomatic courier became visible through the drive field, which was quickly cut as the shuttle went to Anti-gravs alone. Over pretty much every frequency. "We can take these people off your hands, if they wish to go. We do intend to collect Ms. Jessica Smith, however, so we suggest clearing the deck."

The two men kept running, but it soon became apparent that Bolan was not going to be able to keep up full speed. All the running and fighting since his injury had kept the bullet wound in his leg from closing, and now the improvised tourniquet and part of his pantleg were wet with blood that in the cold was freezing faster than it was drying. His limp was much more pronounced now, and his breath came in quick gasps. He needed rest.

Sargos looked around. The gardens were a maze, and though he hated to stop, there were probably at least a dozen places where he and Bolan could take a breather. Plus, the revolutionaries in the palace were probably more concerned with securing the building than searching the gardens.

Sargos looked down at his feet. Then he looked back, and realized they might have a reason to come out here after all. He and Bolan were leaving distinct boot tracks in the snow. He thought about it for a moment, debating what to do. Then an idea came to him, and he tore two long strips off his shirt. These he tied around his ankles, making sure they drug out behind him. Bolan watched him for a moment, then he got the idea and did the same thing. The men started off again, and after a few steps Sargos looked back and nodded with satisfaction. The cloths on their feet were messing up their tracks as they made them, and that, coupled with the falling snow, would hopefully throw off any pursuit long enough for the two men to take a rest in a secluded part of the garden.

Augustus Drake, Praetor of the Imperium, was cold, angry, and--

"Ouch, that stung," Augustus complained, fighting the urge to jerk his head back.

"Serves you right for trying to play the hero," Jolené Sutherland, Queen of the Imperium and Trinidad, shot back. She too was angry, as she cleaned up the small cut, swallowed by a rather large bruise, on the Praetor's cheek.

The Praetor had awakened, angry, after the gas attack. He'd had that annoying repeating Dragon Dream (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2396205#2396205), again. Only this time the Great Dragon had told him to wake up, instead of that he was chosen and the usual non-sense. He had awoken only to find Jolené whispering to him to wake up.

After a coughing fit, he had discover that they both, and particular she was tied up. He did not like that much, only fueling his anger.

But anger had given way to reason, and he and everyone else in the room with commando training or mystical powers (which oddly seemed to include everyone) had attempt to foil the plans of the terrorists. He had failed as it was quickly discovered that he was trying (quite painful) to forcibly break the bold that bound his wrists. Something, he'd managed to keep from Jolené up till he was clubbed, with the butt of a rifle, by the terrorist, which discovered him.

Hence, the cut and rather large bruise on his cheek. After that everything was blur, he had been dazed in and out of consciousness, ending up on some ship (he assumed the freighter, the terrorist had talked about before he was clubbed).

"What I can't believe is that you are crying out while I clean this cut, and that you didn't when I cleaned up those gashes you made on your wrists," Jolené commented. "Or rather, that you did not cry out when you made them in the first place." She had bandaged those wounds with the freighter’s medical supplies (better termed First Aid supplies, being as how few they were).

A thought occurred to her and Jolené kicked Augustus in the shins quite savagely. "Or that you made them in the first place." The looked she gave him was first anger, then concern, and then pain.

It hurt him more than his shin, which when he rubbed only cause his wrists to hurt worse. She quickly stopped him from moving his bandaged wrists.

"I'm sorry," he apologized lamely. She didn't seem very convinced. Women! How had he ever gotten married, he wondered, and then, he remembered, and he had to kiss her.

He wasn't sure if the look following the kiss was worse than the look before. "Don't ever do that, again," she ordered.

He hoped the look would go away, but it did not. "I won't," Augustus agreed regrettably. "The Praetorian Guard will never let me live this down," he continued to complain. "I won't be able to take a piss without them watching over me, now."

Treznor stands on the bridge of the Estavian freighter facing the thin, emaciated form of the ship's captain. He's been negotiating for a good fifteen minutes, offering sums of money that would make most men weep. He can't help but feel his bargaining position would be better if he weren't dressed primarily in a gold lamè bath towel. Although the captain claims not to understand English very well, his body language suggests he understands perfectly, and he's stalling for time. What he's stalling for Treznor doesn't know, but he's rapidly losing his patience.

"Look you," he growls, restraining the urge to throttle him. "All I want is to use your radio to contact my people. That's all I'm asking. You're risking a hell of a diplomatic bomb with your foolishness. Keep this up and instead of letting you buy this tub I'll have it sunk with you aboard. I am not some third-world bureaucrat you can put off with a few lame excuses! Do I make myself understood?"

The captain's face alternates between concern and outrage, the latter eventually dominating his behaviour. He draws himself up to his full height, a disheartening level higher than Treznor's, and folds his arms in contempt. "Is that so? You may claim to be an Emperor in your land, but here you're just a little man with a big mouth in a silly costume. Perhaps I tire of your pathetic ravings, little man. Perhaps I should have Esteban throw you over the rail with a knife in your belly. How do I know you're even an Emperor? Maybe you're just a little man with delusions, not quite right in the head. It certainly seems that way to me, right Esteban?"

Treznor suddenly remembers there are three other men on the bridge besides himself and the captain, and none of them look like strangers to violence. Idiot. This is not helping Nath. He takes a deep breath and tries again. "All right, I'm sorry. This is your boat, and I was out of line. I can prove everything I'm telling you, but I must talk to my people first. It's very important to me that I speak with them as soon as possible, and I'm willing to triple any offer anyone else has made to you. Just to make a phone call. How can you lose?"

The captain relaxes slightly, although he doesn't lose his air of contempt. "I don't know...we've been offered a very generous amount of money already. It doesn't pay to get too greedy, right boys?"

If the others are inclined to answer, it gets lost in the confusion of the next few moments. A blue orb flecked with red fire descends from the skies toward the freighter. As its speed slows and the air stops burning around it, the fifteen meter hull of a Federation Eagle-class courier becomes visible through the drive field. The drive cuts out, and the shuttle seems to float impossibly down toward the main deck of the ship. Almost immediately, the radio blares to life with heavy interference. However, a voice can be heard through the distortion."We can take these people off your hands, if they wish to go. We do intend to collect Ms. Jessica Smith, however, so we suggest clearing the deck."

Treznor turns and bolts for the door.

"Wait!" shouts the captain. "What about the radio?"

Treznor pauses and turns back with a grin. "Depends. Can you beat their offer?" Then he's gone in a flash.

Nathicana lost no time in gathering her skirts and trimming them just above the knees in the front, not wanting to be crawling through tunnels with them tripping her up, and at this point, not caring too much about propriety. She worked quickly, her sharp knife cutting through the soft material with ease. Stepping out of the pool of beaded silk at her feet, she turned her attention to the screws. For half a moment, she debated just ripping them out, but realized the noise would most likely bring the guards running.

There was a rapping on the door. "Do you need assistance, Majesty?"

Merda. Faster woman, must work faster ... Oh please, Aurora, order them not to come in ... you're a smart girl ... you're the Empress, of age or not ... A running string of curses and pleas for good fortune cycled through her mind as she worked.

Carefully, using her knife, she unscrewed them one by one, bottom then top, left to right, deftly moving faster than typically one might think, but not near as fast as she'd like to. She braced the screen with her knee to prevent it from dropping or sliding before she was ready.

Gripping the screen firmly, she moved it as quietly as possible away from the wall, laying it atop the pile of material behind her.

"Please let me stay here. I...I can't just leave. Please let me stay as...the maid of Lady Sirithil if you wan to, that's it. I...Ialready gave you my word of not escaping. I thought you were a noble, and that Lavenrunzian nobles knew the meaning of the word honor, as ArchDuke Carl showed me", said Aliria, trying to project her warm stare into the cold eyes of the Lavenrunzian Count, using all her charm and persuasion to convince him. How her people were going to see her if she left Lady Sirithil kidnapped?.


She was the most steadfast defender of the Sirithil ideas inside Aelosia, that's why she and the ShadowPrince prevailed over the Drow and the Houses who supported the former goverment that they deposed. The Dark Eldar and the Drow always pointed that Aliria and her cousin Kithail were selling the country to the Menelmacari, accusing them of treachery. Now they will use the fact that the Princess left Lady Sirithil to point out that she was a coward capable of leaving even her most admired people behind.

The goverment could be deposed, because honor was the most important value in Aelosia. She would be dishonored, and soon the throne would fall into the hands of her most hated enemy, the former Prince Ma'El. And what if Lady Sirithil died?, without the Menelmacari support the ShadowPrince would be too weak to avoid a coup and be deposed, or maybe the enemies that Aelosia made during the crusade would seek vengueance and ravage the Craftworld.

I must convince this human. At any cost. But what can I do to convince him?.

Raui regains consciousness and watches the proceedings in a calm, subdued silence. He sees Devon escorted from the room and wonders about Nathicana. She must be here somewhere.

She is hiding somewhere close. Under heavy stress.

How do you know?

I can sense everyone you have contact with for a prolonged period. However, it is just sensing. Your's is the only mind I'm connected to.

At least she is alive.

He absorbs the information about the coup but does not get close to touching the gun he has hidden in the knot of his sash. No personal threat yet. A damned inconvenience though. I never even got to dance! I hardly got to socialize! My first time off the cloud since the rebellion and I end up in one of these.

Perhaps a reminder that your rebellion was relatively easy compared to those of others.

Point taken.

The security room was in absolute chaos when Siri's 'call' came in. Ataralassë sighed, and concentrated just a little... >>Milady, I'm going to have to get back to you on that, we're just a tad busy here at the moment. Give me five minutes?<< She didn't have time to wait for an answer; the rebel marines were nearing the security room, and overwhelmed by sheer numbers, the Mornahossë within the palace had been forced, in large part, to withdraw. She knew they were moving to the gardens, where the arriving heavy APC's would not be able to follow them; in the snowy labyrinth of hedges and flowerbeds, guarded by the rooftop snipers, the Mornahossë would be able to take down anyone sufficiently foolish to go in after them.

But that wouldn't do the MISSION contingent much good. Even now, Ataralassë was frantically giving out orders. "Move the equipment into the tunnel! Quickly! We need to move the HQ and regroup!" Technicians and soldiers alike were drafted into carrying the Menelmacari surveillance equipment into the hidden tunnel, where it would be set up again in the palace bunker. The bunker was well underground, could survive a nuclear strike, and could be sealed with numerous doors. Ataralassë watched as the main central holo was carefully dismantled, and toted down the tunnel, then she glanced up at the door again... one monitor had been left in place - the one linked to the holocam watching the outside of the door. She saw Marines enter the picture... one drew an RPG launcher and aimed... "Fall back! Fall back!"

The Mornahossë and Jaegers in the room fell back as ordered, pulling back into the tunnel; Ataralassë was the last to leave, and even as the explosion of the rocket tore through the barricade, the Agent-Commander was ducking into the tunnel, closing the door - and its cleverly devised covering, invisible to any but an extremely thorough search, one unlikely to be carried out by Marines not cleared to know of the bunker's existence - behind her.

The room was empty when the Marines burst in at last; all that remained was the shattered pieces of what had been the barricade, and a can of Elfy-Cola in one corner where a technician had tossed it and missed the trashcan.

By the time Ataralassë reached the end of the tunnel and entered the bunker proper, most of the equipment - designed to be easily set up and dismantled, given that it was on loan from Menelmacar - had been set up again; it was only a few seconds later that the surveillance system was back up and running again.

>>Now, milady, you were saying?<<

In the ballroom, Siri looked up, managing to keep a poker face despite the new hope in finding her telepathy was working as normal.

>>Ah, yes. Thank Eru we are able to speak.

Ataralassë, these terrorists are arch-conservative Lavenrunzians who resent Menelmacari influence in Lavenrunzian affairs, along with most of the late Joanna's agenda. They are led, at least operationally, by one Count Adendorff, on the Volksraad's procurement committee; however, his social status suggests to me that there is a larger figure in all of this, as Adendorff could not have pulled it off by himself. See if you can look into that, and try to get in touch with Shein.

Adendorff has already attempted to convince Archduke Carl - who I now no longer believe was a party to Joanna's assassination - to become regent in my place. I believe if he does not agree, they will bring in Matthew Iesus. As you can imagine, this cannot be allowed to happen. Further, I am not yet aware how they intend to remove me to make room for Carl or Matthew, and I fear to ask.

My magic is not working, they have placed a sort of collar about my throat which inhibits it; all here have been bound and relieved of their weapons. Nathicana and Aurora are missing, see if you can find them. If I know where they are, I might be able to contact them.<<

Ataralassë listened carefully to all the Elentári's words, and nodded slowly. >>I understand. Things are even worse than that, milady. There are rebellious elements of the Imperial Marines involved, we have already had to fall back to the bunker, hence the delay in my response. There are APC's outside the palace. Our snipers on the roof are still in place, but our forces and those loyal to us have had to withdraw from the building to the gardens. For the most part, the Marines are in control of the palace at this time.<<

Sirithil sighed softly. >>Then Nathi and the Empress are almost certainly in grave danger. You must find them for me; your eyes and ears are everywhere in this building, surely they will pass across one of them at some point. Also, contact Serendis and inform her of what has happened. Tell her to keep it under wraps unless and until the Lavenrunzian media gets a hold of it, if they haven't already. We don't need a panic. Also tell her to contact Schlabel and arrange for Menelmacari reinforcements to be staged outside the city. if wit comes down to seizing the palace back by force of arms - and Eru willing, it won't - then it is a battle we must win. Anything else I should know?<<

>>Yes, milady. There is jamming on any wireless communication. We have triangulated its source to one of the old GUDA satellites Lavenrunz received after that alliance collapsed.<<

>>We know much of these satellites; we own a large number ourselves. Inform Serendis of this; I'm sure one of the Fleet Warlords can devise a creative way of removing the jamming and restoring communications. We will need communications back up in order to deploy into Hofburg without killing friendlies anyway.<<

>>Yes, milady. May the light of Eru go with you..<<

>>You too, Ataralassë.<<

The connection at last broken, Ataralassë reached for a phone - a hardened, secured land-line, it would still work despite the jamming. The first thing she did was try to contact Baron Shein's office at the Ministry of Information...

"We're sorry, Excellency. The Baron Shein has transferred to an installation outside Hofburg. I can give you the number, but he won't arrive for a while yet..."

Ataralassë cursed under her breath, and wrote the number down; upon calling it, she received confirmation Shein had not yet arrived. She tried his cell-phone next... out of service. Curse the jamming! Well, she might try it again later, or just wait for Shein to arrive at the base, and return her call.

She telepathically contacted Ravennë nos Círdan, Ciryatári of Sirithil's ship the Gilthoniel, and passed along the information; within moments, Thoroni launched from [/i]Gilthoniel[/i]'s hangars on patrol vectors over Hofburg. The sensor arrays of the ship herself, and all Elenpalantír reconsats within range, were focused on the city, each scarcely less observant than the Eye of Sauron itself. All telemetry gathered was relayed back to Serendis in Vinyatirion and Ataralassë in the bunker.

Ataralassë tried Prefect Serendis next, and got an answer this time, and quickly relayed to her everything she knew and that Sirithil had told her. After getting off the line, Serendis called up a transport from the pool, instructing its captain to load up with troops and make for Hofburg with all possible speed, but not to deploy just yet. Next she called up the Warlord of the Seventeenth Fleet, in earth orbit, and closest to the satellite in question. "We have a problem involving a GUDA bird," she said, "and you are to remove it without destroying it. See that it gets done, and quickly..."

And to all with whom she spoke, she added, "These orders are of paramount importance to Imperial security. Not a word is to leak to the media." She really didn't need to - she knew she could trust everyone she brought in on this - but she said it anyway.

With that, Serendis dialed General Schlabel in Lavenrunz, informing him of the situation, and to get permission to stage the reinforcements outside the city.

The well-oiled wheels of the Menelmacari war machine were turning quickly now. It was only a matter of time.

Sirithil reflected carefully on this fact for a moment, until she felt a tapping sensation on one shoulder; she turned, and found herself looking straight at Princeps Kopinski... the C'tan. >>Yes?<< she sent back to him.

She could not wait for a response, though; Aliria had spoken, and possibly put Carl in danger. >>Aliria, please... I thank you kindly for staying, it was very sweet of you, but perhaps it might be best to let those more experienced in negotiation do the talking, yes? This is a delicate situation, and must be handled delicately. Know that your loyalty pleases me, and that all I need right now, is to know I have friends.<<

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Regent of Lavenrunz
"We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. We will see freedom's victory."
~US President George W. Bush
We Love the Iraqi Information Minister (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com)
Clicky-clicky!

The Drakonians approach to "negotiation" with the crew of the Estavian Frieghter was different than most. The Praetor of the Imperium did not offer money, he offered leniency in court.

Augustus Drake had salvaged what dignity he had by shucking the Flying Monkey suit he had been wearing. He now wore what he had worn under that costume, a pair of blue jeans and a plain white T-Shirt. Nothing special, but he felt better.

Jolené Sutherland, would not let her husband out of her sight and had followed her husband up to the bridge of the ship. She had lost the beauty of her tattered costume, a drab grey blanket thrown over her shoulders. The green dress was torn in place and her green face paint had run, but she still possessed a surprising rugged beauty. Something Augustus admired in his wife.

Yet, now her constant fussing and shadowing was getting a bit annoying. She was constantly trying to get him to put on the drab grey blanket that the crew had furnished, but Augustus kept throwing it off. Cold had never much bothered him as he seemed to possess an inner fire that kept him warm, even when he should he near freezing.

He continued the vehement threats to the Captain, telling him of a long life in Drakonian prisoner, calling him a terrorist, pirate, and other not-so-kind names. He informed the Captain that more that it was quite likely that a Drakonian deep-sea patrol was nearby, and would be soon arriving to make arrests of the entire crew.

Which was true to a degree, many, many miles off, actually quite a ways from Lavenrunzian Territorial Waters, was the small Imperial Drakonian Navy destroyer, IDS Rapier. The ship was on deep-sea patrol and had just made a long turn toward Britmattia, where it would continue it's patrol (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=78306) in International Waters. The ship had seen the old freighter a while ago and deemed it of no interest. The ship continued it patrol moving steadily away from Lavenrunz and the region of Tareldanorë.

Meanwhile, the Praetor had continued his prison threats, unknowing to the fact that the crew knew full well they would end up in a Drakonian prison, if anything the raving man said was true. They knew full well that Drakonian Justice was quite hard on offenders as it had problems seeing the gray areas in life. They all had seen the destroyer move of, well before the first of the hostages had arrived. Nevertheless, the Captain was firm and Augustus gave up letting someone else have a try.

That someone was Treznor, and he seemed to make headway, but then something else happen. A Federation Shuttle made it's slow assent over the freighter and delivered it message of freedom. The Drakonian Royal Couple joined the gathering hostages on the deck, waiting to be rescued.

The voice inside the C'tan's mind came as a surprise, but none of the elaborate mental defences were breached, and he restrained himself from his usual reaction 'so, that's what being on the receiving end is like,' he thought. Quickly focussing on the Elentári’s mind, he sent back, "Oh, I'm just wondering are this lot genuine, or is this some bizarre party game I'm unaware of?" asked his voice, in an amused manner, "Seriously though, are you injured in any way? Have they done anything to you, bar what I can see?" the concern in the second sentence sounded genuine, and to an extent, not that the C'tan would ever admit why, it was real.

Then next in the battery of questions, still sounding concerned, was "do you know why they've bothered to do this, I'm guessing that you feature heavily into that reasoning."

Colonel Michael Whitewolf, commander of the contingent of Praetorian Guards personally assigned to the Drakonian Royal Couple, dozed comfortably in the large Drakonian Jumbo Jet sitting in some hanger at the Hofburg International Airsport. Feet up on the Praetor's desk and leaning back in Praetor's plush chair on the aircraft, the Colonel rested.

Only to be rudely awakened as another Praetorian Guard, the Colonel's subordinate, came barging into the Praetor's aerial office. "Colonel!" The man's voice was urgent.

"What!?" The Colonel was not happy at being awakened from his nap.

"Sir," the other Praetorian Guard spoke quickly. "Something's happened at the Winter Ball!"

"Something!?" Now the Colonel was fully awake.

"We don't know and it seems no one does!" The Guardsman was sound worried and baffled.

And he should be, Whitewolf thought. If something happens to the Praetor and his Queen we might as well shoot ourselves rather than face the folks down home. If the other Praetorians don't kill us, an angry mob will.

"Sir," the Guardsman continued to speak at a hundred words a second. "We've tried the other Embassies, our own Embassy, and the security teams of half a dozen different international officials, but no one seems to know what has happened. All they know is that the Palace has been sealed up with Lavenrunzian military all over the place."

"That's all?" The Colonel was amazed. "Did you try the security forces at the Palace?"

"Yes, Sir," the Guardsman informed, still talking with lightning speed. "They and much of the city are being jammed. We can't get anything."

"Jammed?" Nothing seemed to make sense. "Well get someone on the horn, anyone. Someone in Lavenrunz must know something, their are bloody allies, why wouldn't they tell us? We have to find out something or our jobs are shot." The Guardsman didn't immediately leave. "NOW," the Colonel barked so loudly it sent the man shudder running out of the room.

The Colonel fell forward in his chair, his face falling to the desk. "It will be safe, they said. They're our allies, they said. Mornahossë and Jaegers, they said," the Colonel ranted. "That is the last time I listen to the leaders of Drakonia."

The voice inside Aliria's mind helped her to regain her senses, she didn't expected Lady Sirithil to be in shape to attempt mental communication. The voice was peaceful and trustful, and she remembered the first time she heard that voice in Diablo NL. But the phrase told her she was doing something wrong.

She prepared the answer to the Eléntari, taking a deep breath, I'll remain quiet then, Eléntari, according to your wishes. But if I leave it will be the end of the Menelmacari influence in Aelosia, I must stay here, for the sake of my own country and my own honor, You'll always have friends, and many of them are present in this room, I'm just a simple admirer of your deeds..

Then Aliria turned again to the Lavenrunzian Count, who seem to be the leader of the rebels. "I'm sorry, I was rude and foolish. I'm just humbly requesting to stay here so I could save my honor, I'm sorry about the harsh words, I'm not in a position to make demands", she said, looking at the floor as she spoke, kneeling on the floor.

Adendorff stared at Raven with visible disgust on his face. "You will be silent, if you please...Highness." with a visible shudder he turned away, motioning two of his confederates to remove her along with the other Lavenrunzian royalty.
One of them, an Imperial Marine, looked a touch saddened...Raven could see one of his patches signified him as a veteran of Ienotheisa, a special Gold Cross patch given by Empress Joanna.
He gently said, "Please come with us, Your Highness."


Raven's eyes lingered for a moment on the patch; clearly, she knew what it meant. "Even you?" she murmured, quietly enough to be inaudible more than a couple of feet away.

Something in her expression hardened, then; her jawline firmed, her head lifted, her eyes fairly blazed. "I do not please," she said, more clearly. "You're a traitor three times over: you've betrayed your Empress, your country, and the word of God. If you had any grasp of Lavenrunzian honor, asking my sister's forgiveness would be the least step you would take! But she would grant it..."

Adendorff stared at Raven with visible disgust on his face. "You will be silent, if you please...Highness." with a visible shudder he turned away, motioning two of his confederates to remove her along with the other Lavenrunzian royalty.
One of them, an Imperial Marine, looked a touch saddened...Raven could see one of his patches signified him as a veteran of Ienotheisa, a special Gold Cross patch given by Empress Joanna.
He gently said, "Please come with us, Your Highness."


Raven's eyes lingered for a moment on the patch; clearly, she knew what it meant. "Even you?" she murmured, quietly enough to be inaudible more than a couple of feet away.

Something in her expression hardened, then; her jawline firmed, her head lifted, her eyes fairly blazed. "I do not please," she said, more clearly. "You're a traitor three times over: you've betrayed your Empress, your country, and the word of God. If you had any grasp of Lavenrunzian honor, asking my sister's forgiveness would be the least step you would take! But she would grant it..."

Adendorff takes a deep breath. What now?
Coldly he replies, "Your Imperial Highness. If you do not shut up and do what you are told, it will go ill for Your Imperial Highness." he points his weapon at her and aims for her right eye. "Do you understand?" he gives her a tense smile. "I'm afraid I'm under a little pressure, so if you please..."
The officer gently takes Raven's elbow and presses her forward.

Turning to hear Alira's response, he flushes, seeing her kneel. "Please, Highness, do rise. This is unfitting, for you to kneel to me. I would merely like for your Highness to cooperate. If you go now, you will be on your way home." It takes all his effort to say this; in fact his eyes are as cold as stones on an arctic beach. To speak so to the foul witch who tried to ensnare the Archduke.
"Caterpillars, Ctan, and the two corpses. Get them out of here."
Hofburg International Airport

Four jeeps, one bearing a white flag on the antenna, made their way towards the Drakonian transport.
Colonel Hoepner, in battledress with a winter greatcoat on, slapped his gloves against his thigh. It was a nervous habit he'd picked up in the Channel Islands and had never gotten rid of. Everything else worked just fine though.
One of the jeeps had a TOW II in the back, but he was hoping to hell he wouldn't need it....

The two bodyguards found that those marines they saw seemed to be preoccuppied with the roof for some reason, and guarding the helicopters.
They had however taken up positions around all the gates.
Then they heard a noise.
There was a woman under a huge hedge animal--a leopard--crouching there. She was filthy and wet, and seemed armed. She was wearing a Jaeger's patch. "This way." she whispered almost inaudibly.

Nathicana and Aurora found themselves in a strange world of half light in the ventilation tunnels--but Aurora knew where she was going. She felt brave with Nathicana--the Dread Lady Nathicana along with her. She whispered at one point when they were near enough to a fan not to be heard, "I have a way to escape. This way....my plane is this way."

OOC:
*Throws in a random <tag>*. Because I can.

The Praetorian Guards had known something was wrong, but the mass of military vehicles approaching the Praetorian Jumbo Jet was a bit more than they expected. The White Flags and the TOW Launcher made them further worried, but the Lavenrunzians were allies so the few Praetorian Guards milling around the hanger merely rested their hands on their weapons.

Meanwhile, a Guardsman rushed in and grabbed Colonel Whitewolf. Who quickly rushed to the large aircrafts main hatch and leapt down the gangway.

"What in God's Name is going on," he demanded of the approaching Lavenrunzians, who were getting out of their jeep just outside the massive open hanger doors. "There are troops in the capital, jamming all over the place, and no word from the Palace. Do you people even know what going on?"

His eye caught the White Flags. "And what the hell do you have White Flags on your jeeps for, are you surrendering to us or something?" It was meant as a tense joke, but the look on the Lavenrunzian soldiers faces did not seem encouraging. "Are you surrendering?"

Nathicana had gathered the material from her dress, knowing it would be a dead giveaway, and drew the vent cover up close against the wall, hoping to mask their escape route at least temporarily. The material she eventually stowed in a corner of one of the tunnels, not wanting to be burdened with it, and simply hoping for the best.

She followed the young girl, trusting to her knowledge of the maze, her ears sharp for any sounds of pursuit. "I'm right here. We're going to be fine. You're doing fine, Aurora." She tried to sound as positive as she could, smiling encouragingly.

Merde. My shuttle ... maledizione, my shuttle! Well, so much for that plan. Still, anything that gets us out of here is good ... god, I hope she knows how to fly better than I. I'm too used to the Tempest's control interface. Manual ... it's going to be a bitch.

Adendorff takes a deep breath. What now?
Coldly he replies, "Your Imperial Highness. If you do not shut up and do what you are told, it will go ill for Your Imperial Highness." he points his weapon at her and aims for her right eye. "Do you understand?" he gives her a tense smile. "I'm afraid I'm under a little pressure, so if you please..."
The officer gently takes Raven's elbow and presses her forward.

Raven takes a half-step forward, defiantly, but before she can say any more, the officer's hand stops her. Facing the man, her eyes flicker toward Carl and the other royals (less Aurora), then back to meet his own steadily. After a moment, she nods slightly, allowing him to guide her.

The senior officer present got out and walked forward. He was a hard faced man in his forties, wearing the combat dress of the Imperial Parachute Brigade. Standing near the ramp, he stopped and saluted. "My name is Hoepner." the colonel said. "I would like to speak to the senior ranking officer."
There was an unmistakeable sound in the sky: aviation forces--lots of them--moving towards the city.

At last Nathicana and Aurora had come to what appeared to be an enormous attic. It was full of the strangest things, huge papier mache heads, suits of armor, ancient weaponry and other oddities. The attic was chilly and smelled of mustiness--but it was also the size of the ballroom, nearly.
There was an object near one of the windows, on what seemed to be a ramp. Aurora tugged at it and a strange plane, a little larger than an ultralight was revealed. It looked for all the world like a giant moth made of brass, wood and a thin stretchy material over the wings.
"Help me pump it up." Aurora asked. Nathicana could see that there was a tube attached to it, and a crank and pump attached to the tube. "I'll watch the dial to make sure you don't pump too much..."

Sargos looked at the woman curiously, then nodded quietly and signalled for her to lead on. Bolan also followed, and he whispered to Sargos. "Who is she?"

"How should I know?" he whispered back.

"Then how do you know we should follow her?"

"Because I think she's one of the good people."

"How do you know that?"

"Her patch," Sargos whispered. "If I'm not mistaken, she's a Jaeger. They're some sort of elites, and they were fighting the rebels earlier. Besides, if she was a rebel wouldn't she be manning the gates or something instead of creeping around out here?" Bolan just shrugged for an answer.

The woman must have been freezing cold. They could actually see little patches of ice on her uniform. But she looked at them with quiet intensity and murmured, "My name isn't important--but if you want to live, follow me." she turned and moved away towards what appeared to be a drain--just big enough for someone to crawl into. "Just water drain and pond waste..." she whispered, motioning for one of them to watch the path. "But..." as she moved the grating off quietly, "It leads out near the river."

Obviously, this wasn't quite the plane she had envisioned. Nathicana looked it over with her mouth slightly open, then shut it quickly, nodded, and began pumping the little plane up.

"Aurora, do you have any thoughts as to where you want to get to?" she asked in a casual voice, her own thoughts for plans running through her head. She went on as she continued to work the pump.

"I'm certain you have friendly neighbors somewhere near - I would imagine you know who is and isn't to be trusted better than I that way. Still, there are other options. If we could make it at least to my shuttle, you'd be far safer, far more comfortable, and we would be able to get out of here far faster I would imagine."

Damn right. We've got speed, protection, a weapons system, and once we're clear, jump. We'll be so far gone they won't know where to start looking ... I'd hope.

Colonel Whitewolf, listened to the increased activity in the skies. It sounded like it was more than was usual for the airport, but he didn't know for sure not have been at the airport longer. He wondered what was really going on.

But first there were formalities. "That's me, Colonel." the Colonel stated slightly annoyed to the Lavenrunzian officer. As if his earlier questions had not made that clear. "Colonel Michael Whitewolf, Praetorian Guard."

The Drakonian Colonel was a slightly tall man with long black hair streaked in areas with grey. His skin was natural tan and his face was drawn, clean of any facial hair. Whitewolf was a Cherokee indian and a native of Drakonia, with a long service record in the Imperial Drakonian Armed Forces.

The Drakonian Colonel stared down the Lavenrunzian Colonel. "Now what in the name of Eris Kallisti, Titan of Chaos, Strife, and Discord, is going on?"

Aurora said quietly, "We should try to go to Athenys. It's closest--and there's some wild country between here and there so if we can go low and quiet I don't think anyone will see us. But if we go to the airport--I don't know if we can trust p-p people there." she turned away to look at the instruments so Nathicana wouldn't see her crying. She felt so ashamed.

Colonel Hoepner took a deep breath. "I regret to inform you that there has been an incident--and your President will not be rendevouzing with you. He has instead been removed to an Estavian freighter which is bound for international waters. You must depart within the hour. All communications have been jammed. Understand: no harm is meant to you, but this is of the greatest necessity. If need be, we will provide you with anything you need or escort personnel to the embassy."

Do I comfort her? Or do I spare her pride? The girl is going to have to grow up here rather quickly if she hasn't already. Renate I trust in that, but Siri is far too tenderhearted. Her mother was strong. I'm certain her daughter has the potential as well.

"If you believe we can make it to Athenys, then perhaps we should try there. Let me remind you - the airport? I wasn't planning on 'asking' them to cooperate." She gives Aurora a wry grin. "Like I said. We only need to make it to my shuttle, not get the red carpet treatment. It is your safety I wish to place foremost here. That being said, there are risks to both plans. You're doing fine, Empress. Focus now on what you need to do. You know the politics of the region far better than I. And I simply know my skill flying my shuttle. I won't lie to you. I think the less people know where you are, the safer you will be. Still, I cannot make this decision for you."

She tactfully avoided noticing the tears, continuing with her work with a confident smile now and then for the girl.

"That is enough pumping." Aurora says. "The shuttle, can you talk to it? If you can, maybe it can meet us somewhere." she moves elsewhere in the attic and is looking through a bundle of clothing. "Here...you should put something on, maybe, because it will be cold." she takes off her dress and stands shivering a moment in her underwear. To Nathicana, she is just a suggestion of womanhood--smaller, and with the body of a young woman but still a touch of innocence and softness left to her. Her eyes have great depths of sadness in them but also purpose as she grabs a leather flyiing suit and tugs it on.

Baron Marienburg said loudly, "Those from Aelosia, Kanuckistan, Britmarttia, Ravenspire, and...the vampire..." he added with distaste, "Are leaving now."
"Please accompany your guards outside."


The God-Emperor, digitigrade legs bound, needed some help in standing; but once he was up, the effort placed the two gaurds perfectly for a quick kill-an- cloak...

Seeing his gaurds momentarily distracted by Raven's defiance, however, he quickly adopted a more tactful plan; triggering the shadowfield when they weren't looking and pushing off the ground as the inertial flight system kicked in, he seemed to blurr for a half-second, then vanish; his snaped bounds, their breaking silenced within the shadowfield, falling to the ground where he'd stood only a second prior.

Quietly, he invisibly repositioned above the croud, not making a sound as he flew to the far side of the ball room and quickly started counting the gaurds.

Nathicana shakes her head, stopping the pump. "No, it doesn't work that way. I have to be jacked in to communicate." She pays little attention to Aurora's state of undress, having no such taboos, though she does try out of respect to not call attention to it.

"Thank you," she says, going to the pile and pulling out what looks to be a passable fit. She strips down, for a moment regretting the rather racy underthings she'd chosen, and quickly pulls on the suit. Grimacing at the somewhat baggy fit, she pulls herself together, and turns to Aurora.

"Well then, Empress. What is your decision?" She asks the question confidently, noting the obvious distress the young woman is in, but quite proud of how she's handling herself overall.

She'll do well. Just needs time and the right teachers.

Aurora took a deep breath.
"Last time I used this I flew in a storm in summer--and I nearly died. If we fly a long way in winter, we will die. So we'll go for the shuttle."
She showed Nathicana how to strap in. The plane seems terribly frail, and it doesn't even have a combustion motor!
Aurora moves two other cranks. One detaches the hose; another opens the window, and wintry cold blows in around them. The mothplane rolls up to the window and simply drops out, then glides silently over the palace grounds, a few powerful flaps taking it higher and higher until it is soaring over the sitting with surprising swiftness...
but they can see helicopters in the distance, hear them battering at the air....

The Eagle-class shuttle flared as it swung into position over the freighter. The landing gear extended, and the wings folded up, as the anti-grav slid the shuttle into position with careful skill.

The hatch cracked open and a crewmen stood in the doorway, beckoning to those who wanted to come.

Jessica was the first aboard, knowing and trusting the shuttle, but the Emperor Treznor and those from the Drakonian Imperium were not far behind.

As the people climbed onboard, Jessica went to a storage locker near the back, and rummaged through it. She pulled out a jumpsuit that she offered to Treznor, in place of his minimal clothing.

Each of the wide, padded seats, more comfortable that the first class accomodation on a jetliner had a large blanket as well, for those who were extra cold.

The crewman turned to Jessica after everyone was aboard, and the shuttle was again rising off the deck. "Where to, ma'am?"

"Imperial House."

"Ma'am? With all these?" The crewman waved a hand, obviously not really wanting to take a bunch of foreigners into the heart of the Federation's capital, to the home of the Imperial President.

"Yes, Petty Officer. I want to go home, and I take responsibility for these people. Is this clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." The petty officer disappeared into the cockpit, and a few seconds later, the shuttle boosted for the Federation, some ten minutes away, as Jessica sat down next to Emperor Treznor and smiled weakly at him.

"It will be fine, Aurora. You can do this." Nathicana nods, gritting her teeth a bit as they get strapped in, and wondering at the back of her mind, not for the first time tonight, just how the hell she got here.

She watches Aurora carefully, taking note of the controls, and keeping an eye out for pursuit.

"Evasive manuevers, Empres. As best you can. It wouldn't do to attract any more attention than we need."

Il dio ... Vigilanza sopra noi. Raggiungiamo l'aeroporto davanti alle pistole. Guidi la mano di questa ragazza giovane e conducali sicuro dentro.



TRANSLATION: Watch over us. Let us reach the airport ahead of the guns. Guide this young girl's hand, and lead us safely in.

Aurelian sat uncomfortably in the FSP shuttle, sitting between Antonisz and another leader whose name he didn't know.

>> The ship is still at port in Zwoll, Aurelian sent over the Heart-link to Antonisz. Your recommendation?

<< Contact the vessel, Antonisz replied. Aquisition by the Lavenrunzians must be avoided.

That made sense, of course; if the Lavenrunzians captured the ship's contingent of Rayati Hands there was no telling what they might to; they could even sell them to one of the other Citadels, and that would create a massive security breach.

"I must contact my ship," he told the young woman (ludicrous, to put a woman in command!) who seemed to be in charge.

OOC: Kanuckistan: I don't mind you using 'powers' entirely....but I do object to you saying my guards were distracted. Why would they be? They are in a life and death matter and they have a duty to do.
So they aren't distracted. Just fyi.
IC:

Aurora flew right towards them, and then down low, over houses and the trees in parks and barely missing wires and towers at times. She was muttering to herself, but Nathicana noticed that she flew the little plane like it was part of herself.
But she was flying so low that she actually dipped down under some powerlines and ended up clipping a fence near the airport, and they went tumbling like a dandelion seed over and onto the tarmac--with one wing hitting it first and snapping like a popsickle stick. Nathicana was hurled back and forth but strapped in she did not fly from the wrecked mothplane.
The shuttle was about a hundred yards away.
Aurora was motionless in the front.

He was moved along the corridors of the palace at gunpoint. He looked at the two guards moving him, and put on one of his more persuasive voices, calm and melodious, almost perternal, and said; "I don't suppose it's occoured to either of you guys that should this revolution succeed, you'll be killed for knowing too much about how it came to power? If it fails, you'll be killed anyway, and the only way out of this is running, which will probably get you killed, or helping the Menelmacari, which might let you live, providing you don't get shot by your own side."

'Here's to hoping they aren't religious fanatics,' he thought, 'and for once, I wish humans were a little less superstisious.'

Jessica nodded in response to the request. She knew her brother wouldn't want this leaking out, not this fast. She thought quickly before replying to Aurelian.

"Does you ship have the ability to communicate by laser comm? With the jamming, it's the only way we can contact them, as no radio can punch through it, at least none I know of."

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

In the Hofburg Airport, the original shuttle sat quietly, listening to the planes overhead, and the whine of engines. The Anti-grav was powered, and ready to respond at a moment's notice, and the drive field was on standby.

The Ensign in charge looked at the petty officer and the tech that made up the rest of his crew. "According to our orders, we should get out a soon as possible, so this is the plan. The next craft to lift off will be our cover. Some bad shit is apparently going down, so we'll use the PDL's to cover that craft and our own, if we can. And with two targets airborne, we'll be harder to bring down in the first place." The two enlisted crewmen nodded to their CO, not really able to do anything else. "Yes, ma'am." And then they waited, as the power generator slowly hummed to life, near silent in the howling storm, and power flowed through the systems.

OOC: Kanuckistan: I don't mind you using 'powers' entirely....but I do object to you saying my guards were distracted. Why would they be? They are in a life and death matter and they have a duty to do.
So they aren't distracted. Just fyi.
IC:


OOC:
You're telling me that they wouldn't even glance away for half a second? Given how nervous and jumpy they apear to be, a potential incident should draw their attention, if only for a moment.

If I can't have this moment of distraction, no problem.

Hope it's ok to kill grunts; I can't see them reacting in the fraction of a second to would take to respond to the suprise attack, but if they can, just assume my post only represents intention and post how it'd've really gone instead. That's usually the easiest thing to do when someone makes such a mistake.

Alternate IC:

The God-Emperor, digitigrade legs bound, needed some help in standing; but once he was up, the effort placed the two gaurds perfectly for a quick kill-an- cloak...

Triggering the shadowfield and inertial flight system, the God-Emperor broke the bonds, sunk the forearm blades into the neck of the gaurd on each side of him, and pushed off the floor, actions silenced by the engaging shadowfield as he seemed to blurr for a half-second and vanish, gone befor the bodies hit the floor; his snaped bounds, and the remains of the break-aways that had concealed his forearm blades, falling to the ground where he'd stood only a second prior.

Quietly, he invisibly repositioned above the croud, not making a sound as he flew to the far side of the ball room and quickly started counting the gaurds.

The flight is harrowing in its own way, and Nathi often looks around with rather wide eyes, biting her lower lip. Impressed with Aurora's skills, the crash comes as a surprise.

With a vehement curse, she struggles from her seat, glancing quickly around to see what attention they've attracted. Face pale, she gives Aurora a cursory examination, her knife coming out to cut the straps, taking care not to jostle her more than neccessary.

No time .. no damned time ...

With a frustrated growl, she gently lifts the young woman from the wreckage with ease, and cradling her close, trying to limit the impact of her steps, she runs to the shuttle as quickly as her augments allow, praying she hasn't made the wrong decision.

From the control tower at Hofburg International...

"The Sentient Peoples' shuttle is about to take off." reported a duty officer.
"Thank the Virgin." replied another. "If only the rest would just leave. They have some sense. Track them just to keep them on their toes and just in case they try to do something crazy, but otherwise let them go."
"Roger that." said the first, relieved.
"Hey, was there some kind of ruckuss off around strip 22--" asked a young woman.
"No, Mitzi, just the storm. Hell, everything will be grounded soon anyway."

Outer halls, Palace of the Moon and the Stars...

Listening to Kopinski, one of the guards shook his head. "They love to talk, talk talk..."
The other hushed him. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but we can't listen to you. We have our orders, and if we have to die for our country, we're ready to do that. We aren't just ignorant fanatics, we're soldiers in the serve of God and our Empress."
His tone suggested that he would love to have chatted more about it sometime--but the prodding of his gun suggested that at the moment there were more pressing things on his mind...

Elsewhere, at the space port, the three power armoured dragons are sitting around out of the way, playing some obscure card game an onlooker would likly misstake for poker.

he other hushed him. "I'm terribly sorry, sir, but we can't listen to you. We have our orders, and if we have to die for our country, we're ready to do that. We aren't just ignorant fanatics, we're soldiers in the serve of God and our Empress."
His tone suggested that he would love to have chatted more about it sometime--but the prodding of his gun suggested that at the moment there were more pressing things on his mind...

He slowed his pace somewhat, despite the gun prodding, “you serve your empress by trying to gas her, with servants like you, I don’t think she needs enemies.”

The flight is harrowing in its own way, and Nathi often looks around with rather wide eyes, biting her lower lip. Impressed with Aurora's skills, the crash comes as a surprise.

With a vehement curse, she struggles from her seat, glancing quickly around to see what attention they've attracted. Face pale, she gives Aurora a cursory examination, her knife coming out to cut the straps, taking care not to jostle her more than neccessary.

No time .. no damned time ...

With a frustrated growl, she gently lifts the young woman from the wreckage with ease, and cradling her close, trying to limit the impact of her steps, she runs to the shuttle as quickly as her augments allow, praying she hasn't made the wrong decision.

A cursory examination reveals that Aurora has been struck on the head, but has no other apparent serious injuries. She is certainly alive, but unconscious.
Nathicana realizes that the snow obscures her enough that reaching the shuttle is not the problem...
It's the snow that now fills the sky, swirling wildly.

Elsewhere, at the space port, the three power armoured dragons are sitting around out of the way, playing some obscure card game an onlooker would likly misstake for poker.

"Lavenrunz airport, this is Crocodile Dundee, asking permission to land"

"Who?"

"Crocodile Dundee. There's some mighty big 'gators in your home, and I'm gonna flay them all, mate!"

"Permission granted. Don't forget your tag"

Scrambling up the ramp and fiddling frantically with the security system, Nathi finally slips inside, her teeth chattering. Laying Aurora down in the small cabin, and gently securing her, she runs back to the cockpit, throwing herself down in her chair and quickly jacks in.

A hasty systems check, scan of sensors, and then, power up. She feels the ship. Relaxes as she settles into the familiar oneness of it. Xeruyu, so help me, the next time I see you, I am gonna kiss you.

:: Up. Straight up. 10,000 km. Weapons hot ::

Calling up all the pertinent overlays, she sends the craft on a direct course, straight up as fast as she dares. Trusting to the highly attuned sensors which she monitors constantly, she pushes the shuttle to its limits, mindful of safety, yet knowing speed is needed.

On an encrypted comm line, she sends out a quick message.

[code:1:22ca18fc87]Sis - running scared. Empress of Lavenrunz, on board and injured. Request assistance and clearance to Rhea. Explain when I get there.[/code:1:22ca18fc87]

OOC: Kanuckistan, you have a telegram.
I really don't understand why you are attacking people when you are being RELEASED.
IC:

The guard prodded Kopinski along with a bit more sharpness. "The alternative was to leave her in the tender care of the Elentari and the Territorial...hardly a decent option when they are neither of them even believers in God."
"But he doesn't believe in God either, do you, sir?" the other suggested. "None of these creatures do. Makes you sad..."

As the Dread Lady's shuttle powers, the Federation ship's sensor take note, and alert their human masters.

The shuttle, already prepared, breaks from the ground less than a second after the Dread Lady's, putting itself in between her ship and the ground as the drive field blazes bright blue in the night sky.

The laser comm signals out to a satellite that the shuttle was on it's way home.

"And there goes Nathicana's shuttle." chuckled a duty officer. "A few more to go..."
"Wait..." another officer had his ear glued to a headset. He turned pale. "Oh, shit! They haven't found her anywhere...she's wanted, alive..."
The senior duty officer gave him a severe look, forcing him to calm down. He walked with studied casualness towards the radio/com unit and said, "Intercept command, is there any chance of forcing down Nathican'a shuttle which just took off?"
"Negative, control, we're coming down, this snow is killing us. All she has to do is go straight up!"
"Thank you. Out." the senior duty officer was now rather grim. He contacted Astra.
"This is Rocket Corps Command."
He quickly and efficiently made his report.
"Well, we can't do anything but shoot it down. What do you want?"
He sighed. "Track it. And send me reports."
But what was so damned important about getting Nathicana?

In the Palace...

Chloe was led back by her two guards. The woman frowned, putting a hand to her earphone. Her eyes widened. "Oh, fuck!" she cried. "Get her back to the ballroom! And no funny stuff--her bird takes off in three minutes!" she ran off.
The male guard muttered under his breath and hurried Chloe along. "You heard her...no funny stuff."

He smiled at this, "I do believe in god, should you care," he said, neglecting to mention precisely which gods he believed in, or why, and gesturing to a crucifix around his neck, which a careful observer would testify hadn’t been there a moment ago, "and as for leaving the empress n the tender care of the Elentári and the Territorial, for a paltry few years, have you stopped to think how tender the care of whoever arranged this will be? Because of course, they'll surrender power immediately on her coming of age, won't they?" his tone was now of almost pure sarcasm, "because they clearly aren't doing this for their own power, they're doing it for the LORD, right?" he laughed, mockingly for a moment, before continuing, "think about it."

"Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, are you still talking?" the guard demanded. "Look: just get on the helicopter!" he added as they went out into the snowy garden.
"He's got a point. Maybe we should just give up." the other added.
They both chuckled.

Colonel Whitewolf's face had grown into an angry, annoyed scowl. "Wait a second." And from there it got worse. "Incident!?" The Colonel's voice grew quite loud. "What the hell happened? I leave the Royal Couple in your peoples hands for one night and there is an incident!?"

To say the Colonel was livid, would be to put it mildly. "I want to know exactly what happened? This is my bloody job, the Praetor, and Queen of Drakonia we're talking about! You don't go dropping these things on frieghters!"

Meanwhile, the hanger crew was struggling to close the massive hanger doors as the snowstorm outside kicked up. Colonel Whitewolf caught this. "You'd better keep it open," he ordered. "If half the stuff this man's say is true sound like we're evacuating the embassy. And leaving in less than an hour!?"

The Drakonian Colonel looked back to the Lavenrunzian Colonel, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.

It was just then that the one reporter aboard the Drakonian flight burst through the door of the aircraft demanding answers.

"Ah, hell," Whitewolf swore. "Lock him up in his cabin. I can't deal with this now."

The Praetorian Guards dragged the man back inside the aircraft. Idly, Whitewolf wondered if that alone would cost him his job. Not that, that mattered now.

"And get the nearest Imperial warship on the horn and have then get to this frieghter, ASAP."

Again, the Drakonian Colonel turned to the Lavenrunzian Colonel. Whitewolf's eyes bored into the other man, he wanted answers.

[code:1:89dc88d69c]Sis - running scared. Empress of Lavenrunz, on board and injured. Request assistance and clearance to Rhea. Explain when I get there.[/code:1:89dc88d69c]
<Communications to Nathi>
{
<< Assistance? Look up in two minutes.
}

http://community.the-underdogs.org/smiley/celeb/shodan.gif
Shodey

* - * - *

<CommandSpool, QACF/HCR Firewall, Flag of Earth Theatre Fleet>
{
[SHODAN] >> Objective! Escort shuttle Tempest inbound from Lavenrunz to Rhea. Primary priority, divert at least squadron strength.

[SHODAN] << Understood and following as broadcast, Queen S.H.O.D.A.N..

[QACF:ETF] << Fleet, this is the mind of your flagship, Firewall. Accept your orders! Immediate combat status, defensive sphere formation. Light cruiser Hard Disk, take your squadron and rendezvous with shuttle Tempest from Lavenrunz, TYCS registry, maximum possible speed.

[Hard Disk] >> Following as broadcast, Flag.
}

Nathi's sensors read clear... then suddenly blips begin appearing. The unmistakable spheres of Queendom Armed Conflict Force capital ships, with no less than three cylindrical frigate carriers included, spouting polygonal and delta-wing fighters from bays.

To Tempest, this is the Queendom Armed Conflict Force Light Cruiser Hard Disk. We are ordered to escort you to Rhea space. Please maintain formation.

With that curt introduction, the capital ships--ranging from one-hundred-fifty to four-hundred meters in diameter--place themselves in a sphere around Nathi's sleek shuttle, weapons harpoints visibly sliding along their rails, scanning the stars for enemies. Whole clouds of space superiority fighters looking like sports balls with mobile cannon and transatmospheric fighter bombers, spherical turrets scanning the area while nestled in their delta-wings, envelop the shuttle, keeping a watchful guard. The entire squadron quickly makes its way past lunar orbit and sets a jump for Rhea, the fighters backing off to give the shuttle room.

You are cleared for jump, to <coordinates> Tempest. You are safe during jump; the Rhea Defense Fleet will take up your defense when you arrive.

OOC: Kanuckistan, you have a telegram.
I really don't understand why you are attacking people when you are being RELEASED.


OOC:
He doesn't trust them, and thinks they may be lying to insure cooperation.

One jump later, and Nathi finds herself in a much similar fleet. Similar in that it is made of mechanoids, different in that it is assuredly much, much larger. There has to be around a hundred identifiable capital ships, ranging from relatively small destroyers to awesomely massive oblate heavy carriers, and the clouds of drone fighters and fighter-bombers simply staggers the mind.

Needless to say, the Rhea Defense Fleet doesn't get out much. It takes advantage where it can, though, and escorts Nathi in true style straight to the glass-smooth surface of Rhea, peeling off just a few kilometers over the surface to ensure with absolute certainty that she is escorted all the way to a friendly port without incident. Tempest settling on her landing legs and the clear plastic boarding tube extending, Nathi can see from the window that the characteristic grey-skinned S.H.O.D.A.N. avatar rides the end of the boarding tube in, sans oxygen, just to get there faster.

A thump of a seal, a slight hiss, and Shodey quickly cycles through the airlock into the small cabin of Tempest. She instantly notes the unconscious form of Aurora, classifies her as a secondary priority--being breathing and not badly injured--and immediately looks up at Nathi. "Are you okay, sis?"

As the Eagle-class shuttle looped over to begin its descent back to the Federation, the S.P.S.S. Anglothel watched the Dread Lady's shuttle as it formed up with it's Zero-One escort.

It continued to monitor until the jump, and awaited confirmation from outsystem arrays of Anglothel's theory.

This shuttle's mission was over, and it screamed Earthward, drive field blazing in the dark night.

It would ground seconds after the shuttle carrying Jessica to the Imperial House, and it was diverted there as well.

Intelligence Division went to full alert, and the ministers of all directorates were awaken.

Cortana waited for the information to begin to flow in, eager to start the project of figuring out just what in the name of all that is holy, and in the hells of seventeen worlds, was going on.

Only a few more minutes, but data, from HA sats and from Fleet and Station sensors was already beginning to flow in.

Augustus Drake and Jolené Sutherland rested onboard the Federation shuttle in each other’s arms; something, which caused Augustus a mild amount of pain every time he bumped the bandages around his wrist.

"Reminds me of our first date," Jolené commented.

Augustus laughed quietly. "Yes, unfortunately it does." He kissed her cheek and held her close.

It been too long since, they had this much time together. Silently, Augustus cursed his job as Praetor of Drakonia. But at least for the moment the Royal Couple was happy. This day’s ordeal was over, tomorrow they would deal with next one, but tonight they could just relax and enjoy each other.

The Federation Shuttle flew on, with it's unlikely passengers.

"Of course I am, still talking" he said, unperturbed by their humour, and indeed, stopping entirely while watching the snowflakes drift serenely down from the heavens, "what else should I do?"

S.H.O.D.A.N., watching through the TYCS rigs how the FSP "intelligence" *coughcough hack cough* network springs into action, decides to make Intelligence Central's job easy for them. Using known carrier waves from observation, she hacks the spysat signals with this simple message.

http://www.admall.com/gfx/websiteheadline-privacy.jpg
I would like for you to do the same concerning mine. I am taking care of my dearly beloved sister who has apparently had a rather bad time at the Lavenrunz winter ball.

Thank you for your attention. --SHODAN

While the outsystem arrays, arranged too far from Saturn, due to the frigidness of FSP-Yut relations, were too far out to identify a ship as small as the Dread Lady's shuttle transitting back into normal space and the volume of traffic in Titan space would have prevented it even had they been closer, S.H.O.D.A.N.'s message confirmed, to the best extent possible, where Nathicana had gone.

It was filed under useful (but relatively unimportant) information, for now, anyway.

Cortana studied instead the images and energy readings from sensors able to watch the ground in Lavenrunz. Weapons, vehicles, wide-band jamming. It appeared that coup was underway.

But she needed inside information, and for that she needed Jessica. Watching through electronic eyes, she watched both shuttles come in for a landing, eager to find out what they knew.

Her avatar stood with D'ron on the edge of Imperial House's landing field, waiting. A number of minor diplomats waited with them, ready to peel off to the leaders assigned to them, confirm identities, brief them on what was known and transportation arrangements, and gently find out as much as they could from them, while escorting them to new transportation, that would return them where they wished to go.

Of all the people known to be on board, Cortana was assigned to Emperor Treznor, though there were at least four others on board as well.

As she waited, she sent a brief message back to S.H.O.D.A.N. along the same path she had been contacted through.

"I'm sorry for intruding. We are simply trying to make sense of the situation in Lavenrunz, and the Dread Lady's quick departure seemed odd, as the hostages are being released, but not to their own craft. - Cortana."

Chloe was led back by her two guards. The woman frowned, putting a hand to her earphone. Her eyes widened. "Oh, f---!" she cried. "Get her back to the ballroom! And no funny stuff--her bird takes off in three minutes!" she ran off.
The male guard muttered under his breath and hurried Chloe along. "You heard her...no funny stuff."

Unable to do much, Chloe simply obeyed. Of course, she could try to do something, but then, it sounded more than just 'a bit' like they were supposed to leave the party, alive.

Which made the prospect of being alone with this man slightly uncomfortable, though...

---

[ooc: I assume you put the nationals together, so that althena is in the same flight Chloe is in]

Althena followed the guards, although slowly. "Where´s Chloe? My... companion...?" She inquired. She didn´t exactly like the thought of Chloe being here, alone. She was good in her job, yes. But that job didn´t include fighting dozens...

Turning to hear Alira's response, he flushes, seeing her kneel. "Please, Highness, do rise. This is unfitting, for you to kneel to me. I would merely like for your Highness to cooperate. If you go now, you will be on your way home." It takes all his effort to say this; in fact his eyes are as cold as stones on an arctic beach. To speak so to the foul witch who tried to ensnare the Archduke.
"Caterpillars, Ctan, and the two corpses. Get them out of here."

Aliria relaxed, slowly standing from the floor. "I don't want to go home, I need to stay here, my honor commands me. Even if I get killed, it's a better fate than the one is expecting me back in home if I'm released, thank you for letting me stay", although her voice was kind and soft, in her eyes a bit of defiance could be read. She just retired to a corner in the hall and sitted down, removing the scarf, the blazer and the gloves of her outfit, holding them in her hands. As she removed the glove, the strange prosthetic limb of her left forearm and hand could be seen. Made half in Resi Corporation nano-technology and half with Eldar Wraithbone, the hand looked like a twisted prolongation of her own skin.

She extended the scarf, the gloves and the blazer of her dress, saying "Can I give this to the Eléntari?, even if you don't like her, she's a lady, and must be treated as such. I'm sure you're an educated man as you proved a little while ago. A lady wouldn't stay half naked in the presence of so many gentlemen, this will help her to cover her body from the unwanted stares. And it's cold in here, is just a little courtesy with those you have captured".

"I'm sorry for intruding. We are simply trying to make sense of the situation in Lavenrunz, and the Dread Lady's quick departure seemed odd, as the hostages are being released, but not to their own craft. - Cortana."

<Communications to Cortana>
{
<< My sister is more proactive and creative than you give her credit for. Unwilling to be treated like cattle, she escaped... and is it not logical for anyone leaving a known hostile situation to leave at best possible speed?
}

http://www.womengamers.com/dw/sshock2_rev.jpg
S.H.O.D.A.N. v3.0 : MCP, Q01
Cetagandan Duchess of Marilac

* - * - *

Nathicana had no idea the response her hasty and not very well thought out message would elicit. Shock and awe indeed. She nods, though there's no one there to see, inputting the coordinates and proceeding with all due haste. Once there, the sight of SHODAN elicits a sigh of relief that's almost a sob. "Oh sis ... everything has just gone horribly, horribly wrong," she says, pulling out the jack tiredly, and standing up to engulf Shodey in a warm embrace. "Thank you," she whispers.

Shodey returns the hug, visibly relieved that at least Nathi was safe now. "So... are you okay?"

Nathi nods, still shivering a bit. Tugging idly on the ill-fitting flight suit, the longer legs of it pooling somewhat around her bare feet, she leads Shodey back to Aurora. "It's like this. Went to the Ball. Stepped into the bathroom to freshen up after we--" She blushes a bit, then hurries on. "To freshen up, and I heard a noise in the linen closet, and the Countess was in there, strangled with her own goddamn harp, barely breathing ..." Shodey nods, face darkening and frowning deeply as she listens to Nathi continue. "Dev was just down the hall, not far, and so I got hold of him, and then he said they were gassing the guests," she says breathlessly. "Knockout, it turns out. We kept in touch. Couldn't save the Countess. Gave me this," she says, pulling out the amulet and showing SHODAN. "It's a coup. Setting up Carl, unwilling at that, have Siri and a host of leaders and diplomats. Were releasing them. Lost touch with Dev ..." Her eyes mist a bit.

S.H.O.D.A.N. nods again, speaking carefully, noting Nathi's breathlessness. "I'll help take care of the situation on the ground as I can. Who is she?" She nods to the slumped form of Aurora.

"Would you believe the Empress of Lavenrunz, sis? I was in the closet. Guards didn't think to look. Next thing I know, someone comes in the bathroom. I think guard, potential weapon, maybe a radio, so I go to take them out ... and it's Aurora. She led me out of there. Crashed her little ultralight thing on landing - I should have been paying better attention. But we made it to the shuttle, and ... here we are."

The avatar takes a closer look at the woman in the chair and blinks. "Ah." Placing her hands carefully along the slowly darkening bruise on Aurora's head, she takes ultrasound and MRI readings of the inside of the Empress' head. "Ventricular pressure is normal... no blood vessel expansion... very slight expansion of the meninges near the impact point..."

"So is she going to be ok?"

Shodey stands up. "She's got a bruise and a nasty bump, but that's all, sis. Otherwise, rather healthy, even if unconscious."

Nathicana breathes a sigh of relief, then slumps down onto her seat. "Remind me to not attend any more parties for a while."

"Quite understood." The avatar lays a hand on Nathi's shoulder, then turns to unbuckle Aurora. "So, where are we going to keep the good Empress?"

"I ... I don't know, sis. I never wanted to get involved in another country's affairs to this extent, but ... it all just sort of fell in my lap. I couldn't just leave her there - she was as much a prisoner as the rest. And she was scared ..." Nathicana turns and looks at Shodey, and smiles quietly. "Besides ... I knew we would be safe here at least. It was my first thought... At least until I could decide what to do next."

"Well, since you're here," Shodey gently picks up Aurora as if she were weightless, not pausing a moment in her speech, "and you are quite safe behind the protection of my fleets... might as well make yourself at home." She motions with a slight bob of her head towards the airlock, smiling softly with relief. "Honestly, you had me quite worried about you."

Nathi looks rather guilty. "I was scared too. I'm sorry... all that effort, your fleets... christ, sis, I didn't mean to stir things up so much. There was gunfire, and killing... murderers on the loose and I still don't know where Dev is. I need to get ahold of Ben. He needs to know what's going on."

Shodey nods. "My fleets don't do much else... it's no bother. I'll make sure a line's open to Ben the moment we step off the boarding tube, and I'll start looking into options for getting Dev and the other hostages out... they are hostages, I'm assuming?"

"Well, yes and no. Dev told me they were all being released in groups. Apparently, the only reason they were taken in the first place was to avoid any interference by them. The Lavenrunz folks responsible just want them all out."

"That will ease things, then... simply wait and ensure that everyone makes it out safely." Cycling through the airlock, Shodey leads the way down the clear plastic boarding tube towards the airlock on the other side. "I'm sure Dev will be fine, but, if it will ease your mind, I can send in a Shadow team to try and make contact... or just maintain overwatch and make sure all is well."

Nathicana nods as she walks along, still looking a little numb. "I've put you out enough," she says tiredly, eyes staring straight ahead. "Either they have kept to their word and he is fine, or they have lied and he is not. If that is the case ... " She trails off, the corners of her eyes tightening. "He may have already contacted Ben. Let's check there first before I overreact again."

S.H.O.D.A.N. nods quietly, brushing her arm against Nathi's in a way indicating that a hug would be forthcoming if she wasn't carrying Aurora. Cycling through the airlock, she deposits Aurora onto a soft guerny crewed by a standard android, who wheels it off after a nod from Shodey. "Now about that call..."

(OOC: I'm just going to have to assume the Kanuckstan incident didn't happen; otherwise, this'd be a bit different. Will edit if it proves necessary.)

"Oh, Jesus, Mary and Joseph, are you still talking?" the guard demanded. "Look: just get on the helicopter!" he added as they went out into the snowy garden.
"He's got a point. Maybe we should just give up." the other added.
They both chuckled.

"You should do your duty to your Empress," Sakura said. "Rather than to some petty official." She had gone along docilely enough. After all, there was little point to resisting just then. Not with so many other lives on the line.

She'd considered it, yes: A quick kick would put out the closest guard before any of them even knew what was happening. A short hop, and she'd be able to slip her legs through her bound arms, bringing her hands from her back to her front, a much more suitable fighting position. It would mean dislocating her own shoulder, but she'd done that before. She could re-set the joint by bodychecking the next guard. The pain would mean nothing in the heat of battle. A double-claw strike would take care of a third. They would begin to react at this point. But she was the best of her kind, among the best in the world. She would reach six or seven without much problem. They would begin shooting around eight.

But there were fifteen guards all told, and they'd probably hit her around number ten or eleven. Maybe not. If she were alone, she might take those odds, then try to fade into the background and offer the loyalist forces a hand. If she were unbound or armed, she'd probably even succeed.

But as it was, she was bound, unarmed, and among a group of dignitaries. If the shooting started, it wouldn't be just her life on the line, but theirs. And they were probably not at her level. It was all but certain that at least one of them would be shot. So why risk it, when there was no immediate danger?

Sakura had learned a lot about fighting. She'd also learned when it just wasn't a good option. So she simply waited her turn to board the helicopter. Once the situation had changed, she could reassess her options.

Meanwhile, as soon as Raven (along with the other royals) had been escorted from the room, she resumed talking to the soldier. "Why are you involved in this? If you were in Ienothesia, then you've seen where this path leads. How can you want Lavenrunz to become that?"

Elsewhere, meanwhile, Ravenspire vessels began to drop from orbit to international waters, several km off the outermost boundary of Lavenrunz's claims. Originally meant to convey a gift, to be delivered privately following the festivities, they had now been summoned by the sudden communications blackout. Spread out and largely powered down, both to conserve energy and to avoid as far as possible the appearance of a threat, they floated, awaiting further word and monitoring bands for any sign of communication from Lavenrunz.

Colonel Whitewolf's face had grown into an angry, annoyed scowl. "Wait a second." And from there it got worse. "Incident!?" The Colonel's voice grew quite loud. "What the hell happened? I leave the Royal Couple in your peoples hands for one night and there is an incident!?"

To say the Colonel was livid, would be to put it mildly. "I want to know exactly what happened? This is my bloody job, the Praetor, and Queen of Drakonia we're talking about! You don't go dropping these things on frieghters!"

Meanwhile, the hanger crew was struggling to close the massive hanger doors as the snowstorm outside kicked up. Colonel Whitewolf caught this. "You'd better keep it open," he ordered. "If half the stuff this man's say is true sound like we're evacuating the embassy. And leaving in less than an hour!?"

The Drakonian Colonel looked back to the Lavenrunzian Colonel, he wanted answers and he wanted them now.

It was just then that the one reporter aboard the Drakonian flight burst through the door of the aircraft demanding answers.

"Ah, hell," Whitewolf swore. "Lock him up in his cabin. I can't deal with this now."

The Praetorian Guards dragged the man back inside the aircraft. Idly, Whitewolf wondered if that alone would cost him his job. Not that, that mattered now.

"And get the nearest Imperial warship on the horn and have then get to this frieghter, ASAP."

Again, the Drakonian Colonel turned to the Lavenrunzian Colonel. Whitewolf's eyes bored into the other man, he wanted answers.

"Lavenrunz is being brought under Lavenrunzian control again. That's all that needs to be known." replied Colonel Hoepner. "Much as we regret the necessity. Now: you speak of your job, I speak of mine. My duty is to make sure that my nation remains a sovereign one. The practicalities are these: in order to prevent unecessary interference the Praetor and Queen among other dignitaries had to be removed from the ball in the most effective way possible, and we did it."

It smelled... like shit. Literally. At least, that was what assaulted Sargos' nostrils as he and Bolan followed the Jaeger woman. The two bodyguards had no idea how much time had passed down here, and really they didn't care, nor did they care about the smell, as long as they eventually got out of this mess.

"Where exactly does this let out?" Sargos asked their guide curiously. "And where do we go from there?"

The two shuttles actually grounded within seconds of each other, as wind whipped across the landing tarmac.

The shuttle's doors slid open, revealing the passengers inside. Jessica was out the door before it had finished opening, as D'ron grabbed her in a tight hug, lifting her considerbly smaller frame off the ground briefly. "You okay?" he whispered. She nodded, tight against his chest. She would always feel safe with her big brother.

Still holding Jessica, but not as tightly, D'ron greeted the others from the shuttle. "Welcome to the Federation of Sentient Peoples, Ladies and Gentlebeings." He wasn't entirely sure they were all human, after all. "I wish I was welcoming you under more pleasant circumstances, but.... " His voice trailed off. "If you'll come with me into the Imperial House, I'm sure we can arrange for whatever transportation you need, and for you to contact anyone left behind in Lavenrunz." He needed not speak the 'somehow.' All these people would know about the jamming, he was sure.

Leading the way, Jessica on his arm, D'ron was followed by the diplomats, who broke off, one to a party of foreigners.

As for Cortana, she briefly touched Jessica's head, causing her to grimace briefly, which in turn earned Cortana a brief glare from D'ron. Time is of the essence, Mister President.

I know. Speeding through the imagery, Cortana peeled off to walk beside Emperor Treznor, and asked the same question each of the diplomats asked in turn. "Who do you need to contact? And how would we go about contacting them."

The response to the question asked to each International Official (and former guest/kidnapee of Lavenrunz) was answered by Augustus Drake, Praetor of Drakonia. "I'll need to make a couple quick telephone call to Drakonia," was the short answer.

He stood with Jolené Sutherland, his wife, held close to his side, his arm around her shoulder on which rested her head.

"I'll need first to directly contact fleet command, then someone in the Grand Praetorian Palace. I can provide all the information, necessary," Augustus state the long answer. "I'll also need to try the Drakonian Embassy in Lavenrunz to try and get a hold of my Jet, but I doubt that is possible with the jamming, so I suppose I will just ask to have the double dispatch from Drakonia to pick me up. I hope that isn't any trouble."

Augustus looked to his wife. She still wore dirty tattered green Wiched Witch of the West costume. He wore the white T-Shirt and blue jeans that had been under his Flying Monkey costume and looked alright (especially considering how the other former guests looked), but his thoughts were of his wife's appearance. "Also, would it be possible to find something for my wife to wear, instead of this worn costume?"

"We would like to talk you for your hospitality," Jolené added. "It is very kind of you."

"Yes, it is," Augustus agreed. "Thank you, very much."

"Duty!?" The Colonel's already angry annoyed face, shifted quickly entirely over to anger when he heard the statement from Colonel Hoepner, of Lavenrunz. "My duty is to ensure the safety of the Praetor and Queen of my nation! I entrusted them to your people and you dropped them on a frieghter?

"And another thing," Whitewolf continued his rant. "The most bloody effective way to remove them should have been to bring them here so we could fly them home, not drop them in the ocean!"

The Praetorian who had been dispatch to handle communications was suddenly standing next to Colonel Whitewolf. "What," the Colonel roared at the Guardsman.

"Sir," the man reported. "We can't get through the Communication's Jamming."

"Well try the LASER Sat. Comm.," the Colonel ordered, for a second oblivious to the Lavenrunzians.

"Sir." The Praetorian Guard pointed to the open Hanger Door, from which snow was now pooring in as the storm outside picked up. "The Weather."

"Oh, right," the Colonel responded. "Damn it, we're mute." It did not occur to Whitewolf that the Lavenrunzians might be able to help him communicate. Not that it seemed likely they would.

The first Praetorian Guard assumed the Whitewolf's comment dismissed him and left. Seconds, later one of the aircraft's flight crew took the Praetorian's place. "While we could, I'd advise against attempting to take off in this weather."

"I didn't--"

The man, who actually was the Co-Pilot, answered the question as it was being asked. "One of you men, relayed the Lavenrunzian's demand for us to be in the air in an hour."

"Oh, yes, of course." The Colonel suddenly seemed resigned. "Very well then, we're mute and crippled." He half turned back to Lavenrunzian Colonel as he stated the Drakonians helplessness.

The Co-Pilot finished, turned to the hanger crew and ordered them to get the hanger's doors closed before the snow prevented it, and then he left heading back inside the massive jet.

It took a second before Colonel Whitewolf snapped back to his conversation with the Lavenrunzian Colonel, but he did. "Finally." Whitewolf's voice and face no longer showed anger, although the Colonel did make an attempt at the emotion. "You can be assured that this will strain the relationship between our nations. Drakonia and her people do not take lightly to having their citizenry endangered, much less it's Praetor. I have no doubt, that at the least the Embassy will be filing a formal complaint, and at most I fear what could happen."

Colonel Hoepner suddenly had a sick feeling at Whitewolf's words. He realized that he had been taken in. True--Colonel Whitewolf didn't know that this was, in effect, a revolution, but even when he did, it would force Lavenrunz to seriously make a choice between a long road to reestablishing the trust built up by Empress Joanna and going to the easy road to joining the Reich...
But none of this showed on his face. He saluted stiffly, returned to his jeep and ordered the little group of vehicles to retire.
Dear Lord...please make this right. Do not let the nation be punished for the foolishness of a few. he prayed.

Aboard the shuttlecraft, Empress Aurora opened her eyes and took a gasping breath.

Before...

As the God-Emperor had snapped his bonds, the two nearest guards moved on him. One got one of his blades slammed into his chest; the other grabbed his arm and with supreme effort held off the blow.
The struggle made it difficult, but Count Adendorff did not hesitate; he fired a quick burst from his G-11, aiming for the God-Emperor's head and then midsection.
At least two of the bullets slapped into the guard, one in the shoulder and one in the belly.
(OOC: I'm going to do a time shift here so that this happened a little later just to preserve continuity. Just so everyone knows: Kanuckistan wrote a very nice post at the beginning and told me that he was assuming I would write in what my people did, that he was just trying to save some time. I would be glad if he stuck with the thread. In future I would find it a lot easier if people made it clear that complex actions were intended or something. )
IC:

Lavenrunzian Territorial Waters

The Home Fleet was on the alert. Allies or not, Ravenspiric ships arriving so suddenly was alarming.
Under the circumstances it was a little more than alarming.
Admiral Carlotta de Goethe was in a quandary though. She had decided to disobey her instructions--in fact there were five officers in her fleet dead under mysterious circumstances for attempting to go ahead with the mutiny anyway. But should she involve the foreigners?
"Contact the Ravenspirish fleet and send this message." she ordered her Signals Chief of Staff.

To: Commander in Chief, Ravenspire's Forces on the Lavenrunzian Oceanic Border
You have begun landing a number of space and seagoing vessels very near to our borders. I must insist on communication regarding the reason for this immediately.
From: Admiral Carlotta de Goethe,Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Home Fleet

Meanwhile, as soon as Raven (along with the other royals) had been escorted from the room, she resumed talking to the soldier. "Why are you involved in this? If you were in Ienothesia, then you've seen where this path leads. How can you want Lavenrunz to become that?"

"It won't become that. But how can you want us to let ourselves be cloned and forced to let our kids be taught that homosexuality is okay?" the marine looked frustrated. "We aren't going to let our country be like that--and we always were tolerant and fair. But now we have to have people with no values at all running our country!"



It smelled... like shit. Literally. At least, that was what assaulted Sargos' nostrils as he and Bolan followed the Jaeger woman. The two bodyguards had no idea how much time had passed down here, and really they didn't care, nor did they care about the smell, as long as they eventually got out of this mess.

"Where exactly does this let out?" Sargos asked their guide curiously. "And where do we go from there?"


"This lets out near the river." replied Erica. "Sorry about the smell--I forgot to tell you that the menagerie's drainage goes out this way. But if they bring in tracking dogs we're good."
In fact, there was a gurgling hollow sound up ahead, and more light--beyond that of a small handheld unit Erica had. Then there was a large grate, and the river.
"This may look like a blind spot in the palace, but actually it's not. There's a place on the grounds that controls some metal plates you can slide out that are like bunker shields. Hope they haven't found--oh, scheiss!" she exclaimed. They could hear a grinding sound and see big metal plates rolling out to cut off the drainage area in sections. "Move!" hunched like an ape, Erica scuttled ahead.

Meanwhile, as soon as Raven (along with the other royals) had been escorted from the room, she resumed talking to the soldier. "Why are you involved in this? If you were in Ienothesia, then you've seen where this path leads. How can you want Lavenrunz to become that?"

"It won't become that. But how can you want us to let ourselves be cloned and forced to let our kids be taught that homosexuality is okay?" the marine looked frustrated. "We aren't going to let our country be like that--and we always were tolerant and fair. But now we have to have people with no values at all running our country!"

Raven shook her head. "It will. Maybe nobody will intend it, but it will. Raevyn started out the same way. Positions in a political system dominated by a heterogenous faction become more rigid and extreme over time." That last sentence sounded suspiciously like a quote from some political-science text. "And they're already trying to overturn the laws. There's a story about that. A man who's willing to cut down every law in his way in order to get to the Devil, only to find there's nothing left to protect him when the Devil turns on him. You've heard that one?"

Apparently it was a rhetorical question, because she continued. "What's wrong with cloning and homosexuality, anyway?"

The marine gritted his teeth, but by this time Archduke Carl and Archduke Amadeus were also there in the upper garden--Raven's quick eye told her that it was just the right size for a small helicopter to land on--the glass doors of the interior part separating them from the large stone tower top outside--the hedges and rock pools covered in snow.
Archduke Carl walked over before anyone could say anything else and took Raven's hand. "Marine, my niece asked you a question." he said sternly. A sense of shame--at how he had made his own daughter hostage to his ambition and temper--but he was determined to do right this time. Perhaps a last time.
"I am just following my orders, Highness." muttered the marine.
"Then follow mine." he said quietly.
The marine actually broke into a sweat and tore his eyes away with difficulty.

Chloe was led back by her two guards. The woman frowned, putting a hand to her earphone. Her eyes widened. "Oh, f---!" she cried. "Get her back to the ballroom! And no funny stuff--her bird takes off in three minutes!" she ran off.
The male guard muttered under his breath and hurried Chloe along. "You heard her...no funny stuff."

Unable to do much, Chloe simply obeyed. Of course, she could try to do something, but then, it sounded more than just 'a bit' like they were supposed to leave the party, alive.

Which made the prospect of being alone with this man slightly uncomfortable, though...

---

[ooc: I assume you put the nationals together, so that althena is in the same flight Chloe is in]

Althena followed the guards, although slowly. "Where´s Chloe? My... companion...?" She inquired. She didn´t exactly like the thought of Chloe being here, alone. She was good in her job, yes. But that job didn´t include fighting dozens...

Chloe sees that as she is ushered into the hall Althena is also being led out with other foreigners and that a helicopter is waiting for them outside. Marines in vigilant postures are waiting around it.
"Hurry up, let's go!" Baron Marienburg demands.
Then suddenly one of the marines drops as though tripped, but blood is staining the snow. Another is hit--but his helmet takes the shot and he is simply knocked down by the force of the blow.
"Snipers! On the roof!" warns the Marines' officer.
Baron Marienburg curses, dragging the prisoners back in. The marines' rifles are barking back, laying down suppressing fire on the roof--and another helicopter is being signalled to come in, this one a Valkyr attack ship, wings of weapons stretched out, slim body eager as a giant wasp to kill, the thunder of its approach growing louder.
"You on the roof!" shouts Marienburg. "We just want to evacuate prisoners!"

Aboard the Aeolus, the bridge broke into a sudden flurry of activity. "Commander," one of the women called, "the jamming's gone. We've got a communication."

"From Hofburg?"

"Negative. From the Lavenrunzian fleet. Wet-water, that is, of course."

The commander nodded. "Let's have it, then."


To: Commander in Chief, Ravenspire's Forces on the Lavenrunzian Oceanic Border
You have begun landing a number of space and seagoing vessels very near to our borders. I must insist on communication regarding the reason for this immediately.
From: Admiral Carlotta de Goethe, Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Home Fleet

"Sounds like everyone's a bit on edge," the commander mused. "That's probably a good sign."

"Sir?"

"Never mind. Compose a reply..."


To: Admiral Carlotta de Goethe, Commander-in-Chief, Lavenrunz Imperial Home Fleet

We noted the recent 'blackout' and have been hoping for restored communications. Can you provide any information on the current situation?

From: Command Admiral Jerome Archon, Ravenspire Spacy Sixth Fleet, Alpha Battlegroup

Bolan and Sargos didn't need to be told twice. They ran as fast as the pipe would allow behind Erica. The two men just ran, concentrating on putting as much distance between the slicing blades and themselves. Neither knew where the exit was, they just knew that if they didn't make it, things were going to get very nasty.

The three of them found themselves at a huge rusty grating that clearly swung out on a hinge. Erica quickly smashed the lock off with a K-bar knife and kicked the thing open, diving downward. They found, following her, that they were plunged into a freezing cold river, the large one that meandered its way through the city. A few hundred yards away a large bridge had traffic going over it--they could see from the lights that it was a column of military vehicles.

"I am just following my orders, Highness." muttered the marine.
"Then follow mine." he said quietly.
The marine actually broke into a sweat and tore his eyes away with difficulty.

"It- it's all right," Raven stuttered, surprised by Carl's acts. "I could guess, anyway, I think. The one about homosexuality is pretty common, at least. But do you really think this is how people feel?"

"I must contact my ship," Aurelian told the woman, "But it is in Zwoll, and under the radar jammer. I must also contact Citadel Rayat, in Szraion - but it must be a secure link, mind you! Should the other Citadels get word of this debacle - well, it doesn't bear thinking of."

OOC: That's to Cortana, in FSP, btw.

Bolan and Sargos tucked themselves as they jumped, cannonballing into the water as they'd been taught. The icy water instantly chilled them to the bone, but the heat from their tucked bodies stopped any muscles from locking.

Slowly both men unfolded, and began swimming, although in truth they were mostly just trying to stay close to Erica as the current took them where it pleased. Even with his heavy winter-weight uniform, Sargos knew they couldn't stay in this for long. He hoped wherever Erica had in mind was close.

Cortana led the column of high ranking diplomats and officials and dignataries, and whatever else there were to the main comm center inside the Imperial House.

Gesturing to a number of booths along one wall, she said "Secure government comms. Best we have, in fact." She blinked her eyes briefly. "And the Federation monitoring systems have now been turned off." Visible lights on the consoles died.

Each secure comm booth would be completely soundproofed once activates, as well.

It was basically a bank of secure telephones, ready for whenever they might be needed, though the operating systems allowed them to contact any secure system, phone or otherwise.

"As for people still in Lavenrunz, I'm afraid the jamming is still in place, so it will be difficult to contact them. Anyone who can be contacted by laser comm, we'll do so, but as I know not all your nations, I don't know if you can receive laser based communications. If so, those booths will suit your needs."

As she stood back to allow them to do what needed to be done, she came to a certain image in the recalled data. The Dread Lady Nathicana's entrance into the ballroom after the break, with the Emperor Treznor. Unlike Jessica, being wiser in the ways of the world, she immediate recognized what had apparently just happened between the two. Focusing more, calling up visual details Jessica didn't know she had, Cortana noted the lack of a wedding band on the Dread Lady's finger as well.

Catching Treznor's hand, she pressed a small piece of paper into it, generated somewhere on her avatar frame.

She's safe, Emperor.

Erica is swimming for a service ladder down to a little jetty. For Erica's part, she is focusing on the task, doing what she was drilled to do and then had to make herself do in the field at other times, ignoring the bone biting cold.
What frightens her more is this: she had let an Empress down before. It cost her. Not this time though. She grimly took hold of the iron bars in her hands that were numb inside leather gloves and began to make her aching body climb.


To: Command Admiral Jerome Archon, Ravenspire Spacy Sixth Fleet, Alpha Battlegroup

Please do not cross the Territorial line at this time. We will inform you of the situation as soon as we have received the information from headquarters.
From: Admiral Carlotta de Goethe, Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Home Waters Fleet.


The marine officer straightened slowly and turned to look at Raven. "Your Highness...morality is of the greatest importance to the people. I can assure you of that."
Archduke Amadeus sat down and closed his eyes.
Archduke Carl said quietly, "What are your intentions now?"
"You are all to be flown to Astra. So that you will be safe."

Aurelian entered the comms booth, Antonisz standing solidly outside it, guarding him. Unfortunately, Szraioni vessels couldn't communicate by laser, only by radio. The ship in Zwoll would remain uncontacted until either the Lavenrunzians ceased their jamming or the Citadel got a physical team in.

Still, he could contact Citadel Rayat, and did so, informing Seneschal Domitian of what had occured.

The Seneschal assured him that a Rayati Wing would be dispatched to FSP immediately, and that he would consider their options for extraction of the ship ... and retaliation against the backstabbing Lavenrunzians.

Fellow subjects of the Empire of Lavenrunz

It is nearly the time when we celebrate the birth of our Messiah. At this time, we must lend our hearts and minds to thoughts and feelings of brotherhood and thanksgiving.
But it is also a time to consider what is meaningful to us all.
The nation stands on the verge of chaos.
Foreign powers have attempted to maintain control over our country, forcing us to give up our freedoms and customs for their greed and lust for power.
In response, the armed services have been forced to restore order following an attempt at holding the Imperial Family captive.
In the void left by a craven government which did not attempt to interfere, I have been asked to step into their place. Naturally I am loathe to do so in a manner outside our constitution--but I will reluctantly do so for the time being.
In so doing I do not merely take up a mantle of office.
I put on the garment of praise, the robes of righteousness, the helmet of zeal and take up the sword of faith, and in the name of the God of our fathers, swear to restore order and justice to our country.

Count Joachim Viktor von Mirbach
Acting Chancellor of Lavenrunz.

Sargos grabbed the ladder as well, and began hauling himself out of the water. Bolan nearly missed it, his wounded leg not responding like it should, but Sargos stuck out a hand for him to catch, and finally both bodyguards were on the jetty with the Jaeger woman.

Sargos and Bolan checked their weapons to make sure they were in good order, then Sargos turned to the Jaeger woman. He saluted and offered a hand.

"Now that we have a moment, I guess we should make introductions. I'm Ein Sargos, and that's Theodore Bolan. We are... well, we were... bodyguards for President Albert of Glorious Humanity. Now I guess we're free agents for the moment. We don't know what happened to the President, and we can't contact our homeland or even the plane we came on. Since they've been trying to kill us, we've got no love for these revolutionaries, so I guess that puts us on your side."

'I don't like this, not one bit...' Anne-Marie muttered, staring at the printout of Count Mirbach's speech, 'Sounds too much like speeches I've heard before...'

Rachel nods, 'The Supreme Commander's ordered that no military action should be taken at this time, Annie.'

Anne-Marie nods, leaning back in her chair, 'I know, but there's a lot of nonhuman Federal citizens in Lavenrunz, and this sounds like the sort of government that wouldn't be too fond of that...'

Rachel nods, 'Yes, that's what I was thinking...The navy's already been consulted about the best course of action.'

Message to Count Mirbach, Acting Chancellor of Lavenrunz

Your majesty, we understand the upheaval that is currently taking place in your country, and that as part of this some of our citizens may be placed in danger. We would thus humbly request that you allow a Federal convoy with minor military escort to pick up any citizens with Federal passports who do not wish to remain in Lavenrunz in this time of turmoil.

Rachel Knight, Speaker for the Department of External Affairs, GMC Military Arms.

Erica had a mad urge to click her heels and bow, but instead she just sketched a bow and said, "Erica von Fischer, Major, Imperial Jaeger Regiment. Bodyguard detail." she added with a trace of bitterness. "I figured, gentlemen, that you intended to resist this uprising. Our safest bet is to head for a secret special forces staging area. It's not far from here; it was for urban assault work. But once we're in there we might have to still sneak and fight our way out. Only one thing: we can at least get some dry clothes there."

Sargos grinned broadly. "That's music to my ears. Let's get moving before I turn into a guardsicle." Bolan needed help standing, and then they moved off.

Bolan was tiring fast. He'd been running and fighting for several hours now, and the bullet wound had been bleeding most of that time. Even the short break they'd had before Erica found them had not given it time to fully close, and running and swimming had torn it wide open again. Virtually the entire leg of his pants below the wound was now stiff with frozen blood and sticking to his leg.

Sargos shook his head. His friend was moving as well as he could, but he needed real rest. He just hoped they could get it at this staging area.

Now it`s becoming troublesome.
We should be glad. It shows that there is a resistance. A strong resistance, actually.
True. Although it could be Menelmacari or else, just as well as loyal Lavenrunzians.
Yes. But i doubt they could stand against the numerical superiority of the Lavenrunzian forces in this sector.

While Althena and Chloe communicate with their very thoughts, having abolished the need for verbal communication (Although it`s still preferable, as it`s not nearly as exhausting), the fight continues. They are far to closely watched by the guards to try and escape. Not to mention that Althena, unlike Chloe, isn`t exactly trained for such things.

Embarassing. Now, that i`m needed at home... It shall be a lesson for me.
Don`t worry. It will go well.

---

Meanwhile, at home, the first news about the recent events arrive. 'Chancellor' Mirbachs note is noticed, and the people in charge were more than just 'a bit' worried.

However, it was hard to make sense of the message.

The religious tone... well, it wasn`t the first time Lavenrunzian communiques had it.

However, the Imperial Family held captive... It wasn`t a nice situation. And it was noticed that Mirbach didn´t say the situation was over.

But in the end, all of it looked fairly... clean.

Except that no one could tell why Mirbach took up the title of 'acting Chancellor'. Even if Der Waal was in danger...

And then, the note regarding foreign governments...

There were dark clouds in the sky, and they seemed to encompass all of it, to force the light to retreat...

The acting ambassador in Lavenrunz finally decided to send a small note to Mirbach, asking if there is 'any danger for the hostages' and when 'this would be over'.

However, at the same time, he prepared to leave the country as quickly as possible, just in case.

Another note was sent to GMC Military Arms and Ravenspire, asking what they believed was going on in Lavenrunz.

[ooc: yes, i`m lazy and didn´t write up the entire transmissions. Heck, it´s christmas, forgive me <.<]

The marine officer straightened slowly and turned to look at Raven. "Your Highness...morality is of the greatest importance to the people. I can assure you of that."
Archduke Amadeus sat down and closed his eyes.
Archduke Carl said quietly, "What are your intentions now?"
"You are all to be flown to Astra. So that you will be safe."

"I don't doubt that," Raven said quietly. "But I think that most of us would prefer a more Christian morality. If there were truly such broad support for a change, than it could have been addressed through the Volksraad. This? This is only personal ambition."

To: Admiral Carlotta de Goethe, Commander-in-Chief, Imperial Home Waters Fleet.

Acknowledged. We await further information.

From: Command Admiral Jerome Archon, Ravenspire Spacy Sixth Fleet, Alpha Battlegroup


-=-

Another note was sent to GMC Military Arms and Ravenspire, asking what they believed was going on in Lavenrunz.

The reply, written long-hand on letter stationery, was hand-delivered to the Der Angst embassy by a member of the Ravenspire embassy's staff.

It's like any masquerade. At midnight, the masks come off. Very traditional, you understand.

By the way, how are your vacation plans? Have you decided whether to take it early this year? I suppose you have some time to think it over. Just don't leave it 'till the last minute.

Church is starting soon; I have to close here. It may be a short Mass today, though. With this priest, it depends on the crowd.

Let me know what you decide!

Setsuna

The name was that of the ambassador, Setsuna Arisugawa, a foxgirl. She must have written the letter herself, because the signature is in the same hand.

Erica led the two Glorious Human bodyguards through a series of back alleys and service areas, avoiding the mechanized infantry who were taking up positions along the major roads. The snow had begun to fall more slowly and softly, making it possible for helicopters to take to the sky once again. Erica knew it would not be done in a split second, and so she took advantage of what time they had.
Her limbs, leaden though they were, were nothing compared to the weight on her soul. Need to do her duty and make a report was the only thing that had overwhelmed a desire to find some way to die defying those who had betrayed the Empress.
In the new fallen snow, Erica led her companions to what appeared to be an abandoned factory in the industrial section of Hofburg. She faced the heaps of wire coils and construction machines and said clearly, "Stille Nacht."
"Froelich." replied someone, rising out of the snow. "Major."
Erica managed a grin and motioned for the other two to follow her.
Inside, the warmth was like fire.

Sargos welcomed the blast of heat on his skin as he walked in. After the numbing cold, it was a welcome change. Ein looked around the warehouse, noting all the defenses on the interior of the place. He'd hate to have to assault this building, it would be a nightmare to be sure.

Bolan found a chair and flopped into it, gingerly bringing his wounded leg up across his lap. Cringing, he peeled off the now thoroughly soaked tourniquet and tossed it aside. A shower of red ice crystals fell from it, and more joined the first bunch on the floor as he rolled up his pantleg, wincing as the frozen cloth pulled at his skin. The bullet had gone completely through his leg, missing the arteries, but the wound was still bad, and running had aggravated it. Bolan began brushing ice crystals off and sometimes out of the wound.

Nathicana turns sharply, hearing Aurora's gasp.
Rushing to her side, and stopping the gurney, she
speaks quickly. "Aurora, I'm right here. You're
safe. We're with my sis - Shodey, on Rhea. Are
you feeling ok?

"My head hurts." Aurora replies, frowning. "Where are we?"

Nathicana grimaces a bit, realizing this might
seem somewhat ... out of the ordinary for the
girl. "You know Saturn, yes? This is one of the
moons. It was the safest place I could think of
to bring you, and with you unconscious ... I
wasn't sure how badly you were hurt. There's no
one more skilled than SHODAN. I couldn't take
chances."

"We came all that way?" Aurora asks,
bewildered. She looks at Nathicana and takes a
breath. "You helped me a lot. Thank you." a small
smile comes to her face.

"Yes, all that way," she says with a
smile. "But truth, I should be thanking you. No
doubt I'd be facing murder charges right now, at
best. I'm not sure I could have gotten out of
there without you. Thank you,Empress."

Aurora smiles at her but it is clear that
she is very distressed. "Maybe I should just stay
in space. People seem to want so badly for my
family to fail and die. They must really hate us."

Nathicana shakes her head, putting a hand on the
girl's shoulder, trying to be comforting. "No,
Aurora ... from what I've gathered, it is ideas
these people hate, not you. Your nation is one of
many complexities that I'm only beginning to
grasp. You will never be able to please all of
the people all of the time. It just happens that
those few who are angry and afraid of change have
made a move to keep things the way they think
they should be." Nathicana pauses, and shrugs. "Or so it seems."

Aurora smiled softly. "It's nearly
Christmas--just a few days away."

Nathicana nods, unsure of how to continue. "Aye
... I'm sure you can stay here, at least for a
while, Aurora. Or you can come with me to the
Dominion. I'm certain as well Treznor is open to
you, or will be at my asking. You have allies as
well, and I have several that are mutual that
way. I know this isn't easy. Perhaps, if you
like, take some time to think about what you want
to do."

"I should go back." Aurora says. Her voice
trembles and she looks very young and frail. But
then she looks up again and says more loudly, "I
should go back."

Now that is the answer of a leader,
Nathicana thinks to herself, nodding in
approval. "So be it. You have my support, Aurora.
You don't have to do this alone. Still, just
walking back in there may not be the best idea.
You'll need to give this some thought. A plan,
and several contingencies - always a good idea."

Aurora slowly shakes her head.
"No. I have to go back now, before they
can tell too many lies. I have to go back, and
show myself to my people, and tell them I'm free."

Nathicana arches a brow. "You also need to keep
yourself safe somehow. You have a few years yet
before you need no regent, correct? Still ...
From what Dev said, Carl did not seem pleased
with being forced to play regent. Perhaps he can
help? You need to gather your supporters,
Aurora. If this needs to be as internal as
possible, given what seems to be an aversion to
foreign influence, you need to rally as many as
possible, without being taken again."

"Who are my supporters?" she whispered
bitterly. "Who can I trust?"

"Well, we know for certain rather a few
who are not. Perhaps a few careful eliminations,"
Nathi says darkly. "This is where you have to
balance the need to go back now, with the need to
find the support you need. As I said, I will
support you. Your politics are not my own. And,
it is your empire, not mine. I will advise, help,
do what I can to assist ... but I will not keep
you from doing what you feel you must."

Nathicana thinks for a moment. "Il dio, I'd
forgotten." Taking out the amulet, she hands it
to Aurora. "The Countess gave this to me before
she died. It seemed quite important to her."

Aurora closes her eyes a moment. Just
do what she advises. Who are you kidding? You
can't even legally do anything anyway.
Aurora takes it, feeling tears almost
blinding her. "That was one." she sobs suddenly.
"She died for me." Aurora wipes her tears and
looks at it, frowning. "It's an Order of the
White Shield medallion..." she looks at it
curiously, turning it over and over, and then her
eyes widen. "Do you have a knife?"

"Of course." Taking out her knife, she
hands it to Aurora, hilt first, watching
curiously.

Aurora pokes the knife at the side of the
amulet, and the back pops off.
Inside, sitting in a depression, is a
small silvery disc.

"What on earth ... minidisk?" Nathicana exclaims.

"I need somewhere to read this." Aurora
said.

"Not a problem. This -is- an AI nation
after all," she says with a chuckle. "Whatever
you need, I'm certain Shodey has."

Aurora climbs down and takes a moment to
feel her balance, putting a hand to her temple.
Then she walks to the nearest terminal and puts
the disc in.

With a quick look to SHODAN, Nathi
follows, watching closely.

An image comes onto the screen--of Empress
Joanna.

Nathicana quietly puts an arm around Aurora's
shoulder, not saying a word.

"My darling daughter." Joanna says. "This
is a message meant for you. If you are receiving
it, I am dead, as is Valerian. You know that your
sister will be torn between love for husband and
duty to country. That makes you the one who must
now be strong." Empress Joanna smiles but
her electric blue eyes are intent.
"The true strength of the monarch is this:
that all recognize that you rule the land.
Therefore I grant you that strength. The
keys to the Empire. Farewell, my daughter. Know
that I have always loved you, and ask God to go
with you."

Aurora takes a shuddering breath as the
image fades, and a number of words in a strange
language Nathicana doesn't recognize appears.

Nathicana looks, confused for a moment, then
thinking she understands. "Mirbach," she says
quietly. "He is a traitor. He is also the one who
murdered the Countess. You need to know.
It would seem you have your answers
now, at least some. I'll give you some time to
think things through. Let me know what I can do
to help when you've decided."

"Count Mirbach?" Aurora sighs. "That's so
awful. Thank you for telling me, and..." she
smiles. "Thank you for all you've done for me."

"An honor," Nathicana replies simply.

"I need a moment alone." said Aurora, looking at the screen. "Please."

"Seal the doors!" Adendorff shouted. "Engage IR targetting systems."
"He disappeared!" exclaimed one of the rebels.
"Seal the doors. He's used some kind of cloaking device." But we expected that for the bastard Mornahosse didn't we, you monstrosity?
Adendorff and the others began to do a careful sweep of the room for the God-Emperor.
"Surrender..." said Adendorff. "We just want to let you go."

Outside all speech was drowned out for a moment in the sound of the firefight. Covering fire from one of the APCs outside the palace thundered in the night, autocannon fire tearing into the ancient statuary on top of the palace and providing a means for the marines to get to better cover. Within the entryway of the palace, Baron Marienburg and the four rebels with him carefully covered their prisoners. The body bag containing Prince Alexander lay in the snow.
One of the marine officers took off her coat and gave it to Chloe. She felt very sorry that the Der Angstians were being treated so--but this was war. She felt a surge of gentle desire for the shivering girl--she looked so vulnerable.
Overhead, the Valkyr came thundering in like some vision of doom out of the snowy sky, its gatling guns screaming.

The marine officer was becoming upset. Who was this outlander, this Archduchess by adoption, to ask these blasphemous questions? If not for Archdukes Carl and Amadeus, he would have taught the foxgirl bitch some manners.
He bowed and clicked his heels. "You would not understand, Highness. You were raised a heathen."
Another officer rushed in. "Prepare to get them out of here. Now!"
The sound of firing outside became louder; it sounded like a serious firefight. The thwapping of helicopter blades roared overhead; the windows shook.
"It won't work, Captain." said Archduke Amadeus. "You are losing control of the palace situation. Give it up."
"I beg Your Highness' pardon, but I must ask you to shut the hell up and go out onto the balcony." replied the Captain tersely.

Zwoll, Lavenrunz, the Dock District

Lieutenant-Colonel Schroeder was a rather nondescript fellow, who at a glance barely stood out even in uniform. Sandy thinning hair topped a head that looked made for bending over some technical task; he had a way of peering at things that suggested he was used to looking at a desk.
But he was a superb procurements officer. Meticulous, scrupulous and with a vast technological expertise, he was a rising star.
The snow was disappointing him a little; but he was hoping there'd be lots of melting tomorrow, for he was looking forward to seeing GMC's Mammoth VII tank tested in muddy conditions. A group from that friendly nation was in Zwoll on a small base they had leased, ready to test that and other systems for sale.
Since it was nearly Christmas, he had decided it would be nice to go by and offer the personnel some brandy in the spirit of the celebration. Major Philip Hunt was something of a friend--not exactly a comrade in arms, since they hadn't served in a campaign together or anything, but he was something of a professional friend.
As they were toasting each others' national leaders and having fun, an armored command vehicle moved up towards the base.

By this time, each of the embassies in Hofburg had been quietly surrounded by trops from the 30th and 19th Mechanized Infantry Divisions. The power stations, bridges, the Volksraad, the Autumn Palace airport and major roads had been occupied. General von Baden sent a report of this to Count Mirbach, who was filmed walking solemnly, unarmed and thoughtful up the steps of the Chancery. Soldiers of the Imperial Life Guards presented arms as he walked in the doors.

Reika shivered; even with the slightly ill-fitting trenchcoat she'd been lent it was a cold night to be standing around in a guard box. And it was pretty uncomfortable, too; it was hard to get clothes designed for someone four-feet-eleven with a tail in Lavenrunz. She'd sometimes got dirty looks just for asking...

Still, it was a beautiful place, and she'd visited a lot of the old buildings during her stay...She'd stuck a few postcards up around the box to remind her of them.

She looked out into the snow, seeing a pair of headlights approaching, and glanced at the clock, Visitors at this time of night?

It was a standard KM-25 Command Vehicle--and as she looked out she could see other vehicle lights moving on the streets revealing that apcs were taking up positions around. The markings on the vehicle showed it to be a brigade command vehicle for the 2nd brigade of the 6th Armored Division.
It came to a halt, spraying snow and dirt, and a side hatch popped open. An officer jumped out and walked up. She was a slender woman, with a striking commanding face and dark blue eyes. "Hello. I am here to speak with your commanding officer. I am Colonel Letz."

OOC: Summation for those a little behind:
the last group of prisoners is being removed when Mornahosse snipers engage the guards from the roof. The guards with prisoners fall back to the safety of the palace while the marines around the helicopter scramble for cover. A Valkyr attack helicopter is called in.
The bodyguards from Glorious Humanity along with a Jaeger officer called Erica von Fischer have reached an abandoned factory which is the training area of a battalion of Jaegers.
The Home Wates Fleet under Admiral Carlotta de Goethe has refused to follow the rebellion but is reluctant to permit ships from Ravenspire to enter territorial waters and is trying to stall them.
Count Mirbach has entered the Chancery.
A shuttle from Sentient Peoples has conveyed several foreign nationals to safety.
The state plane of the Praetor of Draknoian Imperium is waiting for conditions for takeoff; the commander of its security detail furious at the situation.
Sirithil nos Feanor, Alira of Aelosia and the Lavenrunzian officials are still in the ballroom.
Permission has been asked by GMC Military Arms for evacuation of citizens and friendly citizens from Lavenrunz. There has been no official reply yet.
The Dread Lady Nathicana and Empress Aurora escaped in Aurora's mothplane and made their way to Nathicana's shuttle and are now in the hands of S.H.O.D.A.N. Aurora has learned from a disc concealed in the medallion given to Nathicana by Countess von Katori that she has an unusual inheritance from Empress Joanna.

The Hack techs were relaxing in the depot.

"Lord, it's cold in here," a bored looking man muttered.

"Oh quit complaining... it's no worse than GMC or anywhere else they've shipped us," muttered a young woman, rather clearly the team leader. "With any luck we won't be stuck here much longer."

The third membere nodded, "Yeah. Quit yer bitching and deal already." The conversation turned to more technical nonsense as the cards were delt out and another game of gin started up.

William was let out with the group outside into the snow. So far he has been very cooperative with his captors, not wanting to die and leave Shaul in his nation. As the sniper attack happened he jumped to the side and crawled for cover but also away from the Lavenrunzian guards, not wanting to take a stray bullet.

It's like any masquerade. At midnight, the masks come off. Very traditional, you understand.

By the way, how are your vacation plans? Have you decided whether to take it early this year? I suppose you have some time to think it over. Just don't leave it 'till the last minute.

Church is starting soon; I have to close here. It may be a short Mass today, though. With this priest, it depends on the crowd.

Let me know what you decide!

Setsuna

The ambassador, Londo, pondered the message. If he was honest, he failed to make any sense of it.

But slowly, the truth managed to shine through...

The answer was supposed to be hand- delivered as well, although he feared the messenger might not make it...

Well... In this case, i can`t wait until midnight. I wonder who the guests are, though.

Regarding my vacations... Personally, i like it here, but i will make sure to have enough options.

Oh, and sometimes, the priests aren´t much liked by the crowd, and replaced with others...

When the message was on it`s way, Londo looked out of the window... Snow was falling, all of it looked so... peaceful, beautiful... but in the darkness of the Lavenrunzian night, shots and screams could be heard... far, far away from him... At least for now.

Then his eyes saw something else...

Damnit, thats armed forces! He saw the messanger walking over the white snow. Whoever was out there, they weren`t supposed to get the message. But how...

He opened the window, and shouted at the messenger: "He, you forgot something! Come back, NOW!"

The messanger looked at him, somewhat curious, but he came back.

At least something is going right...

---

One of the marine officers took off her coat and gave it to Chloe. She felt very sorry that the Der Angstians were being treated so--but this was war. She felt a surge of gentle desire for the shivering girl--she looked so vulnerable.


Chloe took the coat and bowed all so slightly. "Thank you." She whispered, definitely freezing. There is still some sort of kindness in them... For a moment, she pondered how to exploit it. Then, with eyes expressing her gratitude for the coat, and trying to be understandable despite the roaring gunfire and the thundering Yalkyre, she asked the officer. "Why... what is going on? Why are you... why are they...?" Her voice sounded innocent, frightened, although she had rarely felt calmer in her life.

With Colonel von Paderborn back at the palace--whether dead or alive Erica did not know--Lieutenant-Colonel von Thurn was in command. Known as 'Uncle' by the battalion's officers, he was the mild side of the command group, everyone's tough but kindly uncle alongside the rather cold and sharp von Paderborn. All the Jaegers were in combat dress. After a quick conversation with Erica the Colonel sent a platoon out to keep watch on the approaches and a squad in civilian cars to reconnoiter farther out.
At the field dressing station, which was one of the larger offices, a medic examined. the three. She was well used to the crazy things she had to deal with. There were two electric heaters crackling in the room.

Listening to the reports from the three of them, Colonel von Thurn became grim.
"Well, one advantage we have--they know about the security details and the Mornahosse--but they don't know about us. Only our battalion commander, our Regimental Commander and the Minister for War know--and I doubt they've had time to interrogate them yet." he turned to the officers and men and women assembled. A Jaeger battalion was rather small, with an unusually small support corps for a modern unit, so there were only about four hundred or more present.
"You've heard the report. Our Empress is missing, and traitors have attempted to seize control of the country. Count Mirbach has not received any public blessing from the Volksraad or from the Monarch. So it is my intention to make things tough for him. But this is an unsual circumstance. A major reason for the success of the rebels is reluctance to act in absence of orders. I intend to act in the spirit of the general order to support our Empress. If you chose to remain in garrison I will not oppose you but I ask you to make a choice now. If you follow me it's war on the rebels." he looked around the room.
The chaplain stepped forward, in combat BDUs like all of them. "The Empress is our rightful ruler. I swore to fight for her."

Aurora sat staring at the disc. Her borrowed laptop lay beside her on the bunk in the ship, forgotten.
The power of life and death.
In ancient times the rulers of Lavenrunz were believed to have a direct effect over the seasons and the crops. Sacrifices were made in their name, and their rule and their punishments were terrible, their benevolence godlike. When Christianity came, the divinity went to God, but the ruler was annointed in god's name, as ruling under Him.
And somehow her grandfather had preserved this into the modern age. Had placed the control of the land's defenses in the hands of his Heir. And her mother had done the same.
The disc held the defense codes for the Empire--and how to change them.
I'm only a child. How can I dare to rule? I don't know what to do!
Aurora had once asked her mother why she went against what some of the most respected people in Lavenrunz advised. Why she risked war and civil war and obstinately went against the faith of their ancestors.
Her mother smiled at her and took out her favourite book.
"Because the widom of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, bretheren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak tings of the world to confound the things that are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despise, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught the things which are." her mother had smoothed her hair and said, "You see, Aurora, courage means doing things sometimes that fill you with dread and that no one has confidence you can do--but which you know in your heart is right."
Aurora wept quietly a moment, but she angrily brushed her tears away. She was tired of crying.
There was a list of names that her mother had given her of people she could trust, and they were confirmed in the disc as well. She walked out to where Nathicana was.

Sargos looked around the room at the men and women there. This wasn't his fight, not his or Bolan's. They were just supposed to be bodyguards, nothing fancy. Just a couple soldiers on boring guard duty. Except they weren't that anymore. They were on the run now, fugitives in a place where their presence was supposed to have been a formality.

Turn around, walk away, blow town. That would be the smart thing to do. They were technically nationals of another country, they could probably get deported home if they surrendered.

Who am I kidding? They've already tried to kill us, if we surrender they'll finish the job.

He realized he hadn't really been seriously considering that option anyway. It wasn't just that they would more likely get shot if they gave up. Before being transferred to the President's Guard, Sargos had been a Human Angel, a member of his homeland's special purpose forces. The Jaegers reminded him of his comrades. There was the same determination, the same toughness and willingness to lay it all on the line. These people were ready to stand up and fight for what they believed in, regardless of anything.

His gaze shifted to Bolan. Very slowly, the other man nodded. Sargos took a deep breath and stood up.

"Colonel, Bolan and I would like to join up with your people." He looked around the room. "I know that this isn't our fight, that we shouldn't even be here. We haven't sworn the same oaths you all have, we haven't grown up here. Heck, this is my first visit to your country. But we're not going to run and hide." His eyes fell on Erica and stayed there for a moment before returning to the Colonel. "We've been through too much already not to see this through to the end."

At the gate

Reika blinks, flicking through pages on a clipboard in her guard box, 'Ahhh...There's no appointment for a Colonel Letz here, sir...Please, give me a moment...'

She dials quickly on the telephone.

Major Hunt's office

'...But I must say this is excellent brandy, Schroeder,' Major Hunt grins, 'You'll have to tell me where you stole it from sometime...'

He's interrupted by the telephone, Reika's slightly worried voice on the other end, 'Err, Major, sorry to disturb you, but I've got a Colonel Letz here saying she wants to talk to you...'

The Major blinks, 'Ok, let her in,' he turns to Schroeder, 'What the hell would she be doing here at this time of night?'

Mk7 A3 Mammoth Tank registry No. MT-17

Inside the looming form of the Mk7 A3, Brendan cursed again. Nothing on any of the channels except the police bands, and even they were garbled...Even Haruka hadn't got anything out of it.

He shrugged and carried on fitting the rangefinder for the stern turret - tedious work, but he was having trouble sleeping and had decided he might as well do something useful with his time.

He gave the dial on the radio an idle nudge, finally hitting something coherent.

'...Take up the sword of Faith, and in the name of the God of our fathers swear to restore order and justice to our country...'

He blinked and flicked on the tank's lateral imaging gear just in time to see the command vehicle pull up. His gaze focused on the unit insignia on the vehicle's side.

Armour? Oh, shit...

Colonel Letz walks into the room. She nods to Shroeder, eyes narrowing a moment, but then turns to Major Hunt. Up close she is a person who defies age save in the small lines around her eyes. A handsome face, too strong and large in the nose to be merely pretty and a neat slender figure that is nearly hidden by a tanker's uniform.
"Major, I have to inform you that your facility is under watch by elements of my unit, and that the area of the tank has been targetted by Landsknecht missile batteries." she says in a calm voice.

The marine officer says quietly to Chloe, "It is for the True Religion and the Sanctity of the blood of the Imperial Dynasty, Fraulein." She puts a hand on Chloe's shoulder.
"Come on, let's go!" commands Baron Marienburg as there is a lull in the firing.
The officer is about to contradict him; she is wary of endangering foreign allies, but already she is moving in automatic response to the order. William Xylon is missing and one of the marines is looking for him when his jaw is shattered by a shot from elsewhere in the garden.
The Mornahosse and Jaegers from other positions rapidly fire as they move to avoid being targeted, the snipers shooting seldom in comparison to the marines but making every shot count.
"Down!" exclaims the marine lieutenant. She grunts several times even as she falls over Chloe. Althena, Baron Marienburg and two of the marines reach the helicopter, which takes off, receiving several hits as it does. One rips through the open door, tearing through the flesh of Althena's upper thigh and lodging in a marine's arm.
Chloe lies under the marine lieutenant, who is pumping out blood and choking, desperately holding onto a neck wound with her hand.

In the Warehouse...

Colone von Thurn nods slowly looking at the two bodyguards.
"Very well. I'd say this has become your fight. Get some rest and food--if you're willing to I'll have you join up with a special task force I'm going to give to Major von Fischer."

Arton, sick of losing eight straight hands of gin, wandered away from the game, his coworkers laughing. He wandered around the depot, looking rather bored. He poked around some of their equipment, currently unneeded, before wandering over by some of the GMC workers.

A few minutes later he was wandering again. It's not that he didn't get along with the GMC folks, but... well... at times, it seemed like they weren't just from different nations, but different worlds. Of course, most people figured it was more that the Hackers were from another world. A strange, technological, esoteric world.

He wandered outside the building, nodding to the guard and looked up the road. "Hmm... vehicles..."

He looked up, feeling the straps cutting into his wrists, feeling the other peoples looks upon his deformed body and mutilated face. He wanted to scream What are you looking at! I am better than you, once I was a nobling courting the nobility of the elves, with a proud inheritage, what are you? How dare you look that way on me! But he knew it was futile, another humiliation was added to him and he could feel a tear burning its way down his cheek. He damned them all! he damned Jaar and he damned himself for not taking his own life and restore his honour that way.

[OOC: Nobody scream, Jo and I wrote this post together on IRC.]

"Sir, yes sir!" both men responded automatically, snapping to attention and saluting.

After the meeting finished, the bodyguards went looking for the mentioned food and rest. Bolan had a genuine bandage on his leg now, and was wearing a clean and dry Lavenrunzian uniform. He looked a hundred percent better, even with the injury. Sargos had also changed into clean clothes, and he too felt better.

Erica was waiting for them outside the meeting room. She surprised them by being pretty in a rather athletic way, with her red hair dark and sleek and clean, her blue eyes brightly set against her fair skin. She nodded to them. "This way, guys," and then led them to the mess hall.

It was really just a sectioned off area near a field kitchen truck, where a few other Jaegers were eating after their watch shift. Both men noticed that most personnel were carrying arms and webbing unless they were doing a technical task of some kind. Bolan took in the sights, but Sargos' attention wasn't entirely on the world around them. Finally Bolan nudged him in the ribs, grinning.

"You know, Major von Fisher would probably like it if you stopped staring at her," he whispered.

"I was just watching her to see where she was leading us," Sargos protested.

Erica turned round, raising an eyebrow. "Are you guys hungry or what?" Her mouth quirked, but it was hard to tell if she was amused or annoyed.

"I'm hungry," Bolan replied. "I need to replace a lot of lost blood." Sargos just nodded assent and tried to control his face. He was not having much success, though he did manage to keep the flush of red from spreading beyond his neck and chin.

"Okay." said Erica. She lead them over to the field kitchen. For all the impromptu nature of it the food looked good; there were fat sausages, something like hot biscuits but shaped like triangles in rows on a covered hot plate, some kind of thick stew with what looks like mutton and chunks of vegetables, and there were small bottles of wine, water or ale. There was also hot tea.

The two men got plates and loaded them up. Despite their hunger they were careful not to take too much, not wanting to seem like gluttons. Ein kept covertly glancing at Erica, trying to figure out if she'd been annoyed or amused by catching him looking at her. When they had their food all three of them headed for a table. As Erica sat down, she caught Ein's eye and smiled very slightly.

She raised her bottle. "Here's to a quick and happy ending."

"Amen," Bolan and Ein both raised their bottles to clink with hers. The guys were just drinking water. Ein thought that was strange, that trudging around in the snow could make someone thirsty. Neither of them said anything though, focused instead on eating.

Erica was drinking water as well. She was fighting the urge to just curl up on the floor and sleep for days. It seemed forever...but she made herself take a few bites, and then found herself ravenous, having to make herself chew carefully.

"Feel better?" Ein asked her when they had all finished. He certainly did. The water and food had worked wonders. Bolan's color was much better too, and he looked so comfortable now that if not for the stark reality of the bandage one would not believe there was anything wrong with him.

"Yes." she stretched. "Now I can sleep for a while...briefing in five hours, you guys. They're getting us more live ammo and stuff and gathering intel. Ask the Sergeant-Major where you bunk down."

"Yes ma'am," Ein replied, nodding. A grin slipped out before Erica could nod sternly in reply. She got up and walked off. Ein watched her go, suddenly feeling even better than before for some reason. At least, until Bolan coughed and snorted.

"You know," he commented. "You really shouldn't check out your CO. Bad form."

"Up yours Theo."

Count Adendorff glances round the room. The Lavenrunzian nobility and statespeople have been removed elsewhere; he looks with cold politeness at Sirithil, Alira, Lousewies, Benedict Michael Sukhothai, the Farseers, and the unknown elf.
Bowing ironically he says, "Your Majesty the Elentari, your Highness, your Excellencies...freakish elf-thing. I am afraid that the ball is over, and it is time for you to return home. Any nonsense and I am afraid that I will have to do what is necessary--shoot you--in order to preserve the sacred cause in which I am engaged."

OOC was at a loss for a while as to what the councils response would be... now I am not. This is catch up from the gas...

IC The gas came in and Telgorthrind was the first of the two Farseer's to fall to it's effects for although he was the more powerful of the two Farseers, and the furthest along in the change that his chosen path would bring, a change that was as much physical as mental and spirtual, he had no defence. As he fell to unconciousness, the Holosuit failed, and the image of Khaine was gone, for a part of the power came from him.

Iyaana on the other hand lasted a while longer, the ancient suit of Vaul, was more than a costume it was a legendly artifact, and as long as she kept her concentration it would protect her from all harm. Yet the strain of the ball began to tell, she had been stealing her self since the first moment she ahd layed eyes on the hated Yngir, and now she was trying to deny the very air she breathed. She could not sustain the stress on her mind and she fell asleep.

The dreams of Farseers are not the dreams of ordinary mortals, or even other Eldar, even asleep their total dedication to being Farseers showed, at times although rare, they could see small glimpses of what was to come, and here Telgorthrind First Farseer of Tor Yvresse, saw a small vision, enough to know when he awakened that what would be said by their captor would hold true, at least in part.

They awoke then and watched, only one concern remained, Kopinski, the Yngir. Iyaana, watch the Yngir, we cannot leave with him, for that may give him an opening.

Fate was with them as the Monster was led away, and was banished from this place. Now only a small number remained. Later when it was their turn to leave he looked at the Count 'Mon-keigh' Was all he said as he was led away. Yet the tone carried volumes that even those that knew not it's meaning could still infer. The tone was one of hate, but more, it was not the hate one feels for an equal or respected foe, this was the hate one feels for the lowest slimest creature for a life form that serves no useful purpose. It was a hate that wished for the extinction of that which was hated.

Count Adendorff was frozen for a moment. He nearly shot the creature who hissed it. He wanted to smash that elvish arrogance, and it took all his willpower not to do it. He wanted to see them crawl, the inhuman filth! When he thought of such creatures lording it over the Empress, corrupting Empress Joanna he wanted to weep, scream, tear his heart out of his chest. But he settled for staring back into the eyes of the Farseer.
One day.

Dust, smoke and little fires have transformed the security command and communications center as the first of the Imperial Marines moves in. Others follow, carefully sweeping the area.
"Clear!" they exclaim, one after another.
Their officer moves in, frowning. The young man looks with annoyance at the mere feathery ashes that were once documents, twisted metal that was data discs, destroyed equipment. They are gone.
His senior sergeant leans over and quietly speaks to him. He nods and calls for his radio operator. "Sir, this is Wrench Four. We need combat engineers. They've gone to ground somewhere."

Baron Shein, concealed in a delivery van, arrived at the seemingly abandoned factory. The Jaegers looked astonished to see him with the other cabinet ministers. Colonel von Thurn saluted and looked at him inquiringly as the Minister of Information led him aside.
"I need to establish contact with those who are still the true friends of the Empress." Baron Shein said.
"The communications net is open, Excellency--Count Mirbach has seized control of vital areas of the country."
"Mirbach...I need to talk to Lady Serendis at once."

"I hope that maybe one day I could understand your actions, Count Adendorff, for although your actions are borne from hatred, you want something not for yourself, but for your people. I know you're ready to die for your country, and I can respect that". Aliria spoke in a soft voice, while thinking, Shut up, kid. Do as the Eléntari said to you, stay quiet and let the skilled ones spoke. However the impulse of searching an explanation was too strong to supress it. "Not greed or hunger of power is your motive, I can see that in your eyes. You think you're making this for the greater good of your nation. It's sad that the only way you can find to help your people is making them kill each other", she turned away, nodding to Adendorff, avoiding to look into his eyes, refusing to share his anger and his hate.

William looked back, only to see that he was further away from the group then he intended. He stayed looking for a moment and was surprised no one was looking for him, quickly looking around himself he spots some bushes, although leafless from the winter cold, they would be a suitable hiding spot until he could walk properly. Quickly he crawled over to the bushes, hoping he wasn’t seen. After a while of looking he tries to free himself from his bonds, biting on the plastic cuffs.

The marine officer was becoming upset. Who was this outlander, this Archduchess by adoption, to ask these blasphemous questions? If not for Archdukes Carl and Amadeus, he would have taught the foxgirl bitch some manners.
He bowed and clicked his heels. "You would not understand, Highness. You were raised a heathen."

"I was," Raven acknowledged. It was true, insofar as she had been raised at all. "But I have accepted the word of Christ. 'You have been told, Oman, what is good and what Yahweh requires of you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.'"

She might have said more, but she was interrupted:

Another officer rushed in. "Prepare to get them out of here. Now!"
The sound of firing outside became louder; it sounded like a serious firefight. The thwapping of helicopter blades roared overhead; the windows shook.
"It won't work, Captain." said Archduke Amadeus. "You are losing control of the palace situation. Give it up."
"I beg Your Highness' pardon, but I must ask you to shut the hell up and go out onto the balcony." replied the Captain tersely.

-=-

Setsuna Arisugawa, ambassador to Lavenrunz, had indeed gone to a midnight mass, as her note had said. Partly, that had been to support a denial of any implied deeper meaning to her words; plausible deniability was key. But she was, unlike the great majority of her countrymen, Christian; it was one of the reasons the Ministry had appointed her. Lavenrunzians were a faithful people, and of the qualified candidates, she had been the only one to practice the religion.

She was not entirely surprised, on her return, to find the embassy surrounded. This seemed a better-coordinated effort than the socialists' uprising of a few months past. Joanna's murder had been a matter of sudden passion, but they must have been organizing from that moment on. Once you'd committed regicide, you had no real recourse but to move ahead. And no doubt they thought Aurora, being young, would also be weak.

She smiled to herself. That would be their mistake. She had escaped with the girl the last time, and she knew Aurora was not weak so much as uncertain. But at that time, Joanna had still been alive, as had Valerian. Now Aurora would have to make a decision. Once she had...

Setsuna turned down another street and continued walking without pause. She could be grateful for the chill weather: even if a soldier had seen her through the snow -- and her eyes were probably better than theirs -- they wouldn't be able to tell she wasn't human. Not from that distance, with the hat covering her ears and with her tail beneath her heavy overcoat. As long as she walked purposefully, as though intent on getting home and out of the storm, she might pass. And as long as she avoided the embassies. She wouldn't be able to do anything, if she was penned inside.

There were places that might prove friendly, although the hour was late. If nothing else, she could return to the church. She couldn't stay out all night in this weather. But she had some time.

"It is for the True Religion and the Sanctity of the blood of the Imperial Dynasty, Fraulein." The words sound strange, yet appealing to her. Being part of the almost non- existing minority of DA, she feels quite... yes, at home in this foreign country... And for a moment, the slightest of moments, she considers seeing this person not as an enemy, but as... yes, as kin.

Then the next round of the 'battle' begins. Chloe instinctively falls down, covering herself, looking for Althena. But in the heat of the battle, their connection was severed... Finally, she sees her, entering the helicopter... Sees her helpless eyes, one hand stretched out as if it was still able to reach Chloe... But it`s too late.

Don`t worry. I will be all right. You will hear from me. She sends, glad that Althena is safe...

Until she hears Althena`s scream in her mind, instantly realising that she was hit. She doesn´t know who hit her, but blind fury begins to rise inside her, urging her to act...

But she still lies below the marine lieutenant, suddenly realising that the Lieutenant is bleeding as well.

And i don`t have my knifes with me. She curses silently, pulling the Lieutenant arund, and finally sees the wound.

She knows it`s the enemy. And for a second, her thoughts quite literally race through her mind.

She could probably help her. Stop the bleeding... But it would mean to stay here, imprisoned... In her position, the very thought is almost unbearable.

She could end her pain, and for a second thinks about doing it. She finds the nine the Lieutenant wears, and ponders shooting... But it would alert the other marines, and while they are scattered, confused, they wont be for long...

She has to made a decision. She knows, leaving the Lieutenant here will make it impossible to safe her life...

"May the Lord forgive us... Both of us..." She whispers, for a second touching the Lieutenant`s face, watching her skin turning pale, her eyes widen...

Then she stands up and, trying to hide from the snipers as well as from the rebels, tries to escape, the gun ready for the very moment she is seen... She shall be the last thing they see in their lifetime.

Assuming anyone actually cares, the debate about Kanuckistan's Emperor has been moved here.

http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=108917

No more on it in this thread. Seriously.

~Secure Transmission~
To: Count Adendorff
My dear friend, it has become apparent to me that the Palace of the Moon and the Stars is no longer
secure, and that the Mornahosse and Jaegers are attempting to retake it in an effort to secure the Imperial Family and
the Elentari. Moreover, I must inform you that certain units of the Civil Guard and the Army are resisting our occupation of Hofburg.
Therefore, unless you are able within the next fifteen minutes to control the situation I instruct you to withdraw with only the Elentari, the three members of the
Imperial Family and no others. All others to be mercifully but effectively executed and their bodies destroyed by grenades.
From: Count Mirbach, Acting Chancellor.

Count Adendorff finished reading the message and glanced into the eyes of Princess Alira.
"Your Highness will be permitted to stay." he said quietly, in a more pleasant way than he till recently had.

The streets of Lavenrunz were not busy. When Setsuna went out she saw that most major intersections had military units by them. Snow was settling on the big hunched shapes of APCs, command vehicles, armored cars, tanks and fighting vehicles.
She could see a tea seller pouring some of her wares to a section of troopers who looked eager for a hot drink. They were young men and women, barely past their teens, a bit awestruck at being in the capital.

The Palace of the Moon and the Stars

A Fledermauss helicopter swooped in towards the balcony, a lander descending.
"Please, Highnesses, I must ask you to go up now." the marine officer urged Raven and her adopted uncle and cousin.
Carl squeezed Raven's hand again and whispered to her quietly, "Forgive me but...they have my wife and son. I only thank God that Katerina is safe, but we must we cautious and wise now."
"Please, your Highness! Now!" shouted the officer over the howl of the helicopter.

~Secure Transmission~
To: Count Adendorff
My dear friend, it has become apparent to me that the Palace of the Moon and the Stars is no longer
secure, and that the Mornahosse and Jaegers are attempting to retake it in an effort to secure the Imperial Family and
the Elentari. Moreover, I must inform you that certain units of the Civil Guard and the Army are resisting our occupation of Hofburg.
Therefore, unless you are able within the next fifteen minutes to control the situation I instruct you to withdraw with only the Elentari, the three members of the
Imperial Family and no others. All others to be mercifully but effectively executed and their bodies destroyed by grenades.
From: Count Mirbach, Acting Chancellor.

Count Adendorff finished reading the message and glanced into the eyes of Princess Alira.
"Your Highness will be permitted to stay." he said quietly, in a more pleasant way than he till recently had.

The streets of Lavenrunz were not busy. When Setsuna went out she saw that most major intersections had military units by them. Snow was settling on the big hunched shapes of APCs, command vehicles, armored cars, tanks and fighting vehicles.
She could see a tea seller pouring some of her wares to a section of troopers who looked eager for a hot drink. They were young men and women, barely past their teens, a bit awestruck at being in the capital.

The Palace of the Moon and the Stars

A Fledermauss helicopter swooped in towards the balcony, a lander descending.
"Please, Highnesses, I must ask you to go up now." the marine officer urged Raven and her adopted uncle and cousin.
Carl squeezed Raven's hand again and whispered to her quietly, "Forgive me but...they have my wife and son. I only thank God that Katerina is safe, but we must we cautious and wise now."
"Please, your Highness! Now!" shouted the officer over the howl of the helicopter.

Tanks, too. Just how far has this gone? Setsuna frowned to herself, and walked faster, avoiding the major roads where she could. She tried to remember numbers, but she knew that, at best, she'd end up with a rough estimate. And it would be of little use to her unless she could manage to locate the right people.

If Ben were here... But the Creeparian Jedi had been recalled to his home over a month ago. She would have to handle this herself.

The first order of business was to find shelter for the night, unless she happened across someone she could trust first, and she didn't count on that possibility. There were places the nonhumans who came to the city, for business or diplomacy or, on occasion, for pleasure, could go. Not many, but a few. But those might be watched. Or worse. Still, there might be time to at least warn them, if they hadn't already heard...

Too many possibilities. This 'secret agent' stuff always gave her a headache. It wasn't really her field. If only one of the Hugin were here...

Well, she would make do.

-=-

Raven nodded. It was a gesture meant for Carl, not the officers, though they were the ones she was facing.

"You'll need to untie my hands if you want me to climb that," she said. Somehow, it didn't seem like shouting, although it must have been, to be heard so clearly over the helicopter.

Sirithil sat where she was in the middle of the room, dressed only in her underwear and with Aliria's cloak draped over her shoulders. She watched as a message was brought to Adendorff (OOC: whether in the form of someone whispering in his ear or as a note); all the terrorists seemed a bit on edge. This, of course, was worrisome.

The sounds of combat had subsided in recent minutes; the near-constant cacophony of death had faded. There was still the occasional boom of a sniper's gravbolter rifle; the report was not from the weapon itself - silenced - so much as the round exploding upon impact with its target. There was the occasional staccato burst of automatic weapons, usually followed by - and silenced by - the distinctive zzzzhrak! of Menelmacari starfire.

Siri looked up at Adendorff when he passed by her next. "What's going on?" she asked, rather bluntly.

Meanwhile... in the bunker, the comm system came back on line. Ataralassë stared wide-eyed at the monitor as the comm reinitialized, and secured its links with each of the Mornahossë on the palace grounds, and also with Vinyatirion and the fleets.

She picked up the microphone. "This is Agent-Commander Ataralassë to all Mornahossë units. We're back in business, boys and girls, and I'm sending you all the telemetry I have on the locations and nature of enemy units. All surviving units, report in."

She smiled as voice after voice reported in; even those injured but alive reported their status.

"Excellent. I'm glad to see so many of you are still with us. Your training and skill is even greater than I had hoped. The light of Elbereth goes with you all. Now, take back this palace! For the Lady! For the Empire!"

"For the Lady! For the Empire!" came back the resounding reply.

Over the next several minutes plans were made, discussed, and discarded; for most such operations at least hours were available for planning, but today that wouldn't work. And time was even shorter than they knew, for when they finally settled on an arrangement, it was only a few minutes before Mirbach sent his orders to Adendorff to execute the vast majority of the remaining hostages in fifteen minutes. 'Twas a pity they didn't know about said comm.

In Vinyatirion, Serendis received Shein's call.

"Serendis here," she said upon picking up. "Talk to me... Baron Shein? Excellent. We've been trying to reach you... I can't find Schlabel. I need to land troops to support your people in taking back Hofburg. Twenty thousand, with armor and aerospace support. To my knowledge, you're the highest-ranking official that isn't either dead or in that palace. What say you?"

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Regent of Lavenrunz
"We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. We will see freedom's victory."
~US President George W. Bush
We Love the Iraqi Information Minister (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com)
Clicky-clicky!

At the Hofburg International Airport, Colonel Michael Whitewolf waited for orders. As the storm cleared he watch his attempts at stalling clear away with it, but then the Colonel had gotten lucky (for the first time since the Winter Ball had turned sour), the Communication's Jamming had lifted with Count Mirbach's transmission. The Colonel had not felt so lucky after that, yet he had been able to contact home and learn that both the Praetor and Queen were safe in Sentient Peoples. Angry, but safe.

"Well that is good news at least," Whitewolf commented to the face of Derek Long, commanding General of the entire Imperial Drakonian Armed Forces, including the special branches of the Senatorial and Praetorian Guard.

"Good news, but this whole thing does not bode well for Lavenrunz. People here are not happy." The General a larger man, decided that the time for idle chit-chat was later. "Your orders are clear. Non-essential personell from the Embassy are to be evacuated. They've been contacted and are preparing. Also, we want you to slip in Major Rudder's team back into the Embassy as Civies. They may be needed with what all's going on."

"Yes, Sir," the Colonel responded, nodding idly to his second-in-command, one Major Christopher Rudder. "We'll be in the air as soon as the Embassy's Non-essentials are onboard. The Ambassador coming with us?"

"No, and much of his staff will be staying, too. Just the Non-essentials and some of our nationals." The paused for a second. "That will be, all," he concluded. "Good luck, Colonel."

"Yes, Sir." Both men saluted, and the image of the General disappeared from the monitor in front of Colonel Whitewolf.

After a second, the Colonel turned to his second-in-command. The dark-skinned carribean man stood stiffly at attention, waiting for his final orders. "Looks like you get to do some special operations work," the Colonel stated to the ebony man.

"Sir," the Major responded. "We're only being assigned to the Embassy."

"In civies' clothes," Whitewolf correct. "Get to it, I'll contact the Embassy and that Lavenrunzian Colonel."

The Major left as the Colonel went about contacting the Lavenrunzians and the Drakonian Embassy. He could not wait to get out of this country. He would worry about his job later, just as long as he could go home.

The office

Major Hunt blinked, the shock showing on his face for a moment, before reaching for his glass, his hand nudging a switch on his desk, the one for the intercom to the tank.

'So, may I ask to what I owe the pleasure of the company of one of Her Majesty's SSM batteries?'

The tank

Brendan had managed to get quite a few of the crew out of bed, and most of the tank's command positions were filled, Haruka sitting at the radio ops position in her dressing gown looking irritable and tired. She looked a little surprised as the intercom clicked on, and somewhat more at Major Hunt's words.

'Surface-to-surface missiles? What the hell's going on, did we just declare war on Lavenrunz?'

'Doubt it...' Brendan muttered, 'They probably want to make sure we don't fire at the fleet.'

The commander, a middle-aged red-eyed man, frowned, brow furrowing in thought, 'Still, why the hell bring an SSM battery to a port full of fully-armed warships? Unless we're not the only thing they want to point them at...' he paused, glancing at a map of their location, 'At the moment if we fired the main guns we'd go through the warehouse and sink the Zwoll. No point making this look any more agressive than it has to...Take us out to the gate.'

'Sir!'

Across the globe in the nation of Sentient Peoples a large multi-deck jumbo jet identical to the one that now sat at Hofburg International Airport made it's final assent into Griffin International Transport Hub (for short: Griffin ITH). Clearance had been fairly easy to get and the aircraft had a quick uneventful trip from it's home airfeild in Drako Throne.

At the Imperial House the Royal Couple of Drakonia, Augustus Drake and Jolené Sutherland, were preparing to leave their hosts and return to the safety of home. Augustus was still wearing his plain white T-shirt and blue jeans, an arm slung over Jolené's shoulder holding her close. Surprisingly Jolené's ebony skinned shone again (the green costume paint, having been washed off), and she now worn a slightly too-large black jumpsuit with gold trim.

Augustus took smiled, inwardly the jumpsuit looked as anything on her beautiful. It brings out her amber eyes, he noted.

Jolené, radiate as ever, smiled to their host, Cortana. "Thank you, for the rescue and your kindness at having us here. I hope future relations between our two nations can be under better circumstances."

Outside, a hoverlimo waited to transport them to Griffin ITH.

"Thank you, Count, I do really apprecciate it", answered Aliria, unaware of the Adendorff's orders. She just sitted near a corner, whistling an ancient elven song about the friendship of elves and humans in the Second Age.

OOC: Well... I suppose it's far too late for an old peace-loving friend from Freebodnik to suddenly show up, eh?

When Aurora asked for some privacy, Nathicana merely nodded, and withdrew, walking back to stand with SHODAN and discuss without speaking, in the usual manner they had when wishing to keep thoughts private.

Messages were sent both to Ben in Treznor, giving as detailed an accounting as could be managed, and to Marik in the Dominion, with the same. Both were asked for any and all information concerning the present whereabouts of Emperor Devon Treznor.

Inquiries were also made as to any transmissions, messages, speeches and the like out of Lavenrunz. The news that Mirbach had proclaimed himself Chancellor was met with dark looks from Nathicana, and a meaningful glance towards the room Aurora was in.

When the young woman finally emerged, Nathicana looked at her expectantly.

"Have you decided, Empress?" she asked in a quiet voice. I will see her safely through this, and on the throne. It is her right, and I'll be damned if some murdering bastard is going to take that away from her. She surprised herself with the vehemence of those thoughts.

Since when do I care about such things?

General von Baden was in touch with the leader of forces in Zwoll, General Dietrich.
"The main transport, power and government areas are secure." General Dietrich was reporting. "There's that damned land-whale of GMC's but I've surrounded it with Landsknecht batteries."
"Good work. Continue on to the harbour--see if you have any better luck than I contacting de Goethe." replied General von Baden. He was pleased ; in Mirenburg--almost predicatably, by now there were people out in force protesting, climbing onto tanks, banging on the hatches. Mirenburg was a stew of mongrelism and immigrants though, full of Reds. To be expected. It was a pity; if ordinary riot control didn't work some of that beautify city might have to be damaged to teach the swine a lesson.
The flashes of fire and smoke from the area of the Palace of the Moon and the Stars made him frown.
"Adendorff is making a mess of it." he muttered under his breath.
"Send a mechanized battalion to support Adendorff." he told his operations officer.
"Yes, your Excellency!"


"You'll need to untie my hands if you want me to climb that," she said. Somehow, it didn't seem like shouting, although it must have been, to be heard so clearly over the helicopter.

Untie your hands. Yeah right. the marine officer gave Raven a cold eyed look. "Highness, we have a way of dealing with things like this."with that, he seized her by the legs and waist and slung her over his shoulder and began to climb up the ladder.


Tanks, too. Just how far has this gone? Setsuna frowned to herself, and walked faster, avoiding the major roads where she could. She tried to remember numbers, but she knew that, at best, she'd end up with a rough estimate. And it would be of little use to her unless she could manage to locate the right people.

If Ben were here... But the Creeparian Jedi had been recalled to his home over a month ago. She would have to handle this herself.

The first order of business was to find shelter for the night, unless she happened across someone she could trust first, and she didn't count on that possibility. There were places the nonhumans who came to the city, for business or diplomacy or, on occasion, for pleasure, could go. Not many, but a few. But those might be watched. Or worse. Still, there might be time to at least warn them, if they hadn't already heard...

Too many possibilities. This 'secret agent' stuff always gave her a headache. It wasn't really her field. If only one of the Hugin were here...

Well, she would make do.

"Your Excellency?" exclaimed a voice. Setsuna recognized one of Baroness Bennigsen's servant-women, a young fair haired woman walking along the street with a push-cart of parcels.
The young woman put a hand to her lips and looked round nervously. "Forgive me...but there's villain's on the streets and no mistake!" (for someone of Setsuna's intelligence the servant's name--Frieda--comes readily.
She is Bennigsen's assistant housekeeper)



In Vinyatirion, Serendis received Shein's call.

"Serendis here," she said upon picking up. "Talk to me... Baron Shein? Excellent. We've been trying to reach you... I can't find Schlabel. I need to land troops to support your people in taking back Hofburg. Twenty thousand, with armor and aerospace support. To my knowledge, you're the highest-ranking official that isn't either dead or in that palace. What say you?"



"My dear Serendis, the channels appear to be clear--and that worries me. Even if this line is secure, I have no idea how long that will last. Nor do I know their plans. But you will never effect a landing and be able to take ground without my help. Begin your preparations and I will begin mine. I have a feeling that
a number of officers have been duped into believing that the Elentari was menacing the Empress--I cannot believe that the marines were suborned." for a moment he just stopped. Who really could be trusted? How would trust be reestablished? He had a grim notion that only fear would bring unity back.
"Nevertheless the list holds true. Admiral de Goethe is loyal. The Jaeger Regiment and the Heir's Own Guards Division is loyal. We can work with that."


Meanwhile... in the bunker, the comm system came back on line. Ataralassë stared wide-eyed at the monitor as the comm reinitialized, and secured its links with each of the Mornahossë on the palace grounds, and also with Vinyatirion and the fleets.

She picked up the microphone. "This is Agent-Commander Ataralassë to all Mornahossë units. We're back in business, boys and girls, and I'm sending you all the telemetry I have on the locations and nature of enemy units. All surviving units, report in."

She smiled as voice after voice reported in; even those injured but alive reported their status.

"Excellent. I'm glad to see so many of you are still with us. Your training and skill is even greater than I had hoped. The light of Elbereth goes with you all. Now, take back this palace! For the Lady! For the Empire!"

"For the Lady! For the Empire!" came back the resounding reply.

Over the next several minutes plans were made, discussed, and discarded; for most such operations at least hours were available for planning, but today that wouldn't work.

Colonel von Paderborn ordered the Jaegers in the bunker to be readied as well. For the Empress he thought but did not say. It did not need to be said, he could tell, looking at the grim faces of the men and women around him.
He had an RTO monitoring the fight above--waiting for the right moment.


Siri looked up at Adendorff when he passed by her next. "What's going on?" she asked, rather bluntly.

"A slight delay, your Majesty." said Adendorff with a bow and a hostile look. "Nothing to concern you--though there is a firefight going on outside. I must ask you to remain where you are, away from the windows."
Outside there was a colourful display and a shivering boom that made the windows shudder.


The Major left as the Colonel went about contacting the Lavenrunzians and the Drakonian Embassy. He could not wait to get out of this country. He would worry about his job later, just as long as he could go home.

Colonel Hoepner returned. The Drakonians noticed that several firefights--one rather big one--were going on in the city. "Well, Colonel--I do need an answer." said Hoepner.

The office

Major Hunt blinked, the shock showing on his face for a moment, before reaching for his glass, his hand nudging a switch on his desk, the one for the intercom to the tank.

'So, may I ask to what I owe the pleasure of the company of one of Her Majesty's SSM batteries?'


"Lavenrunz is being recaptured from the foreign nations which are destroying our religion and way of life." replied Colonel Letz. "We have no real grudge against our allies but this: they are turning us into a province. Surely a nation with your country's history
can appreciate this? In any case, all that we ask is that you do not interfere." she smiled pleasantly but there was no sense of ingratiation about it.


When the young woman finally emerged, Nathicana looked at her expectantly.

"Have you decided, Empress?" she asked in a quiet voice. I will see her safely through this, and on the throne. It is her right, and I'll be damned if some murdering bastard is going to take that away from her. She surprised herself with the vehemence of those thoughts.

Since when do I care about such things?

"I intend to rendevous with the Home Fleet under Admiral Carlotta de Goethe." Aurora replied. "If you would be so kind as to open a secure channel to the Admiral via the command ship Zwoll...I can make my plans to return home."

Untie your hands. Yeah right. the marine officer gave Raven a cold eyed look. "Highness, we have a way of dealing with things like this."with that, he seized her by the legs and waist and slung her over his shoulder and began to climb up the ladder.


Raven was heavier than she appeared; quite aside from the extra mass of her tail, her body was mostly lean muscle in spite of her baby-faced appearance. But this proved no trouble for the officer; she was still lighter than a grown man, and she didn't struggle or protest. "Thank you," she said placidly once he had lifted her into the vehicle.


"Your Excellency?" exclaimed a voice. Setsuna recognized one of Baroness Bennigsen's servant-women, a young fair haired woman walking along the street with a push-cart of parcels.
The young woman put a hand to her lips and looked round nervously. "Forgive me...but there's villain's on the streets and no mistake!"


"Frieda, isn't it? You can call me Setsuna." The ambassador smiled, partly in genuine pleasure, but mostly in relief. The Baroness had accompanied Aurora, Ben, and herself on that earlier adventure; surely she could be trusted. "I'm afraid you're right. This is no hour to be about. How is Her Excellency the Baroness?"

OOC: For those of you who weren't aware, I've been out of town and away from my computer for the past week. I hope to be able to get back into the swing of things in the next twenty-four hours, but no promises. For now I'll just post a quick catch-up to let you know I'm still around.

IC: Treznor accepts the note and frowns, but says nothing. Instead, he nods and hands it back.

Just how do you know this? I hate being so far out of the loop. I need to get back there!

He sits down at a communications terminal, takes a moment to familiarise himself with the design, then begins typing.

To: Treznor Ministry of Intelligence
From: EMP
Security Code: Whiskey-Zulu-Hotel-Zero-Zero-One-Mary

Lavenrunz unstable, Ball overrun. Picked up by FSP, presently unharmed. Cortez Rules in effect. Contact Zero-One, advise DLN in hostile territory, needs assistance.

Pull jacket on Count Mirbach, Lavenrunz. Target with extreme prejudice.

Require pickup. Do not respond to this signal. Send a courier. Make it a big one.

The growling and revving of heavy vehicle engines can be heard for blocks away. Armored engineers have been clearing away some of the snow clogged streets. From resting areas, infantry from the 91st Fusiliers are mounting KM-25 and Vogel apcs. Long snouted Grendel III Main Battle Tanks of the Grand Duke of Zwoll's Lancers are moving into position.
"The snow is a little lessened. We might delay for more helicopter cover." suggested the operations officer to General von Baden.
By now most of the streets were quiet. Here and there Christmas lights twinkled--and were quite bright along the riverside Imperial Park. The Linderhof Gardens and the Cathedral were dark though.
General von Baden frowned. "Let me have a report from Adendorff."
"Sir." the operations officer nodded to an RTO, who passed the general the phone.
"We are still unable to move as yet, General." Adendorff said. There was a distinct sound of a firefight somewhere accompanying his voice.
"Very well, my dear Count, I hope to see you soon." replied the General.
"No." he shook his head. "Remember those exercises in Ienotheisa--too much friendly fire! And this is not an exercise. Move the battalion and the cavalry squadron out immediately."
"Yes, Your Excellency." the operations officer left von Baden in the snow contemplating the view. Inside the command vehicle, he took up one of the phones and said, "Sound the advance."

"Alright, listen up." the acting battalion commander said. Nearby was a man in a suit of good quality that was rather wrinkled; he was smoking a nasty cigarette. "This gentleman as some of you know is the Minister of Information. As the highest available elected member of Her Majesty's Government he has arranged for us to receive air support if necessary for this operation."
"Now. We have several objectives. Naturally you will only be told those of your task force. The first and most important is the Meinwerk Bridge. The easiest approach without being seen is up these lanes here and over this wall that extends down the whole of Klerkstrasse. The bridge has a controlling mechanism in this tollbooth--and if need be an override under the bridge (here the Colonel pulled up a schematic of the bridge) accessible by this catwalk here. Ideally we would like not to blow up the bridge but Captain Faber with his engineering section will be along just in case.
Objective two will be to capture--incapacitate by whatever means are most effective--these two outposts along the main road to the airport. It is vital that the second task force be able to capture the airport and control tower.
Are there any questions?"

"Alright, listen up." the acting battalion commander said. Nearby was a man in a suit of good quality that was rather wrinkled; he was smoking a nasty cigarette. "This gentleman as some of you know is the Minister of Information. As the highest available elected member of Her Majesty's Government he has arranged for us to receive air support if necessary for this operation."
"Now. We have several objectives. Naturally you will only be told those of your task force. The first and most important is the Meinwerk Bridge. The easiest approach without being seen is up these lanes here and over this wall that extends down the whole of Klerkstrasse. The bridge has a controlling mechanism in this tollbooth--and if need be an override under the bridge (here the Colonel pulled up a schematic of the bridge) accessible by this catwalk here. Ideally we would like not to blow up the bridge but Captain Faber with his engineering section will be along just in case.
Objective two will be to capture--incapacitate by whatever means are most effective--these two outposts along the main road to the airport. It is vital that the second task force be able to capture the airport and control tower.
Are there any questions?"
Bolan's mouth twitched, like he was going to say something smart-assed, but Ein elbowed him and answered for both of them. "No questions sir!"
"Very well. Major, it's all yours. God save the Empress!" they exchanged salutes at this.
The formality of it was so much like their old unit that Ein and Bolan almost clicked their heels and answered with the slogan of the Human Angels. At the last minute they caught themselves and remembered they weren't in an Angels unit right now.
Major von Fischer turned to her team. It consisted of two Jaeger squads--each with 1 officer in command, 1 assistant commander
1 weapons operator (with HK21 GPMG)
1 combat engineer
1 medic
1 RTO
1 intel/operations assistant
1 sniper (with M40 Sniper Rifle)
And of course to the two bodyguards.
Finally, there was the section of combat engineers carrying heavier equipment than the Jaegers normally did--for a big operation like possibly blowing up a bridge.
Ein looked at each face, committing it to memory. It was a ritual he always did upon being transferred to a new unit, so he could remember who was who... and who each had been if they didn't come home.
"Okay, you two--either of you good with rocket launcher or grenade launcher?"
"Yes ma'am," Ein replied. "Heavy weapons was not my specialty, but I can aim a big gun." Bolan just shook his head in response to the question. "I was a sniper and rifleman ma'am."
"Sniper? Okay, we can use an extra. You familiar with the M40?"
"Yes ma'am I am," Bolan grinned.
"Good. Get one from the armorer, ASAP. Ein, you can be a carrier for our grenadier then. If Werner gets hit--" she indicated a low slung fellow whose beetling brow made him look almost
simple minded, "Then you're it. Stick to him like glue."
"I'm sure you guys know--no fucking saluting me in the field. Got it?" she glared at them.
"Sir, yes sir!" They barked out the automatic answer without thinking. There was a long pause, and then Bolan started snickering softly while Ein fumbled. "Ah, ma'am. Yes ma'am."
The Jaegers snickered. Erica gave them a cutting glance. "Warrant Muller, tell them, just in case they need to know, how we do it in Lavenrunz."
Warrant Muller, a quiet seeming man who looked more like a grandfather in uniform than a soldier--except for his gear and erect posture, growled quietly, "It's--" he snapped his heels together and saluted. "Yes, my Major!"
"Okay, show's over. Let's get ready to do this." said Erica. She made herself look sternly away from Ein.
"Yes, my Major!" Bolan and Ein both delivered the salutes letter-perfect.
They then headed to collect their munitions. Bolan was trying heroicly not to laugh. Finally Ein stopped and looked at him. "Say it."
"Say what?" Bolan asked, his eyes twinkling. "I surely am not going to comment on the fact that for all the time you spent staring at her, you couldn't remember Erica's a woman."
(OOC Note: post done by both Glorious Humanity and Lavenrunz.)

The prisoners remaining in the ballroom were pushed up against the wall . Adendorff ordered most of the doors closed.
Adendorff was listening to the sound of firing. At least Marienburg had made it away.
Outside, the Fledermauss was the last helicopter to leave. No shots were fired at it; one of the Jaeger snipers had seen the members of the Imperial family inside--but not the Empress!
"Your Majesty, Highness--honoured guests..." Adendorff began...
and fired a quick burst. Even with the noises outside and in the other halls it was like fireworks going off close by; cordite and the stench of blood and bowels filled the air, blood and bone sprayed as bullets hammered into the elf dressed in the Red Death costume.
Horribly, he began to instantly decompose,a fouler stench filling the air.
Adendorff and the others still had their weapons aimed but for a moment stepped away, transfixed with horror.

Arton's jaw dropped, the half-smoked cigarette tumbling out of his mouth, end over end, before landing in the soft snow at his feet. The cigarette paper slowly soaked, the water mark crawling up until it reached the lit end, snuffing it in a pitiful sizzle.

He looked at the guard, then to the vehicles around the depot. "Ah... are those ours? I mean, yours?"

The guard looked, squinting slightly, "No sir."

"So... ah... them being there's a bad thing, right?"

"Probably sir."

"I... ah... I think I'll go inside now."

"Good plan sir."

---

Inside, the other two techs were arguing. The primary argument was about what card game to play next. The secondary had been going on for about the past three hours, namely just how much cooling would be required to overclock the tank's fire-control system, and if it would be worth the effort.

They were just about to set the cards aside and get down to drawing diagrams when one of the GMC soldiers poked his head in. "Hey, you two busy?"

Megan looked up, "Huh? Oh, well... sorta. Why?"

The soldier looked as if he was just realising that he should have qualified 'busy', as the Hacker's definition tended to differ from his. "Yeah, well, we could use some help with the tank..."

"Oh?" Eric turned to look at the soldier, "What kind of help?"

"Oh, we were just thinking that... you know... you could maybe, do your jobs."

Eric and Megan exchanged a look, and blinked at the soldier, "Huh?"

He grabbed them both by their shoulders and hustled them over to the tank, "Yeah, your jobs. The fire control system's crashing and we need you to fix it."

A little shocked at the treatment Megan piped up, "We were just discussing that!"

A neko heard Megan's claim and looked up from the radio ops console she was sitting at an smiled, "No overclocking, just make it work please."

Erica led her unit out. Only a few hours till dawn, she could see. But the clouds in the sky would keep it darker. Quietly down the lane, by the numbers, number one squad first, covered by number two. Engineers next. She stuck with number two squad, the two bodyguards were with Captain Faber. Warrant Muller was with number one squad.
The snow had come so suddenly they could see some of the people in the neighborhood had not had time to cover their gardens; flowers were half covered or entirely smothered in snow. All the streets were quiet and blanketed in white.
They had reached the wall--about five hundred yards of brown brick, to prevent vehicles from the busy road going off and hurting anyone on the residential streets.
Erica held up a hand, checked her watch. Time ahead by six minutes. She nodded in self satisfaction, and told them to halt. Ordered one of the snipers to take a recce from the wall. And then checked with number one squad's RTO.

Frieda looks around and murmurs to Setsuna, "This way, Excellency--the Baroness is well but is staying inside. I'll say you are a housemaid--the house is guarded but you'd best be off the streets--unless your Excellency has other plans?" she blushed, embarassed at getting carried away.

Ein and Bolan moved with Team One, both just following whatever orders they were given. Ein tried to hide the fact that he was shivering. Glorious Humanity was a much warmer nation, and he'd never had to deal with lots of snow before. Bolan seemed more or less unaffected though. All traces of their earlier banter were gone, and now their faces could've been chiseled from stone. They were lions on the prowl, killers in search of prey.

In addition to the extra rounds for the grenade launcher, Ein had an MP5 and a USP. Bolan had an M40 and a pistol for backup. Each soldier was also carrying two frag grenades and spare ammo for their guns. They were carefully controlling their breathing to avoid making telltale puffs of steam that could give them away. Ein's senses were on high alert, probing the surrounding area for any sound, any sign that would tell him the team he was with were not alone. So far, nothing. He hoped the luck would hold.

"I intend to rendevous with the Home Fleet under Admiral Carlotta de Goethe." Aurora replied. "If you would be so kind as to open a secure channel to the Admiral via the command ship Zwoll...I can make my plans to return home."

Nathicana nods. "As you wish, Empress," she says simply. With a respectful nod to Shodey, she does as requested.

"Requesting Admiral de Goethe of the Lavenrunz ship Zwoll," she says once contact is established, nodding to Aurora to proceed as appropriate.

Admiral de Goethe tried not to let her jaw drop. She clicked in responses to the message sent.
Her mind reeled. How was this possible? How could it be?
She was too old a sailor to disobey. Never mind.
Looking around the command and intelligence center of the Zwoll, she saw officers and warrant officers of Lavenrunz in dark blue and gold, at their duty stations. Her aide approached, clicking his heels. "Excellency? The Ravenspirish ships are still maneuvering, and we are receiving a request from General Dietrich to move the fleet to combat quarters to support them against an insurrection on shore."
"I confirm this message, Excellency." the intelligence officer reported.
Admiral de Goethe nodded and said as casually as she could, "I will designate specifics--but half the fleet under my command will move immediately to the straits of Houde."
There was a murmur of consternation.
"The other half under Captain Uller--who I designate acting Commodore--will follow instructions I will give to him personally. Operations and Intelligence, I want to see you in my stateroom immediately." Admiral de Goethe added sternly.
"Yes, Your Excellency!" they quickly replied.

Colonel Whitewolf was just issuing orders to the Hanger Crew when the Lavenrunzian Colonel Hoepner returned. "Ah, good," Whitewolf commented. "I've was just about to call you."

Whitewolf continued, "I've been given orders to evacuate non-essential personnel from our Embassy, make a small staff transfer to the Embassy, then get the hell out of her--"

It was then that the Drakonian Colonel noticed the firefights in the city outside the hanger. "What in the name of Eris Kallisti and all the other gods of chaos is going on out there," the Colonel swore.

The Praetorian Guards tensed, hands on their weapons, and scattered around the hanger toward defensive positions, in case the hanger was attacked. They knew what could happen with the signs of fighting so clearly visible outside.

But everything fell into place for the Praetorian Guard Commander. "Lavenrunz is being brought under Lavenrunzian control again," Colonel Hoepner had said. Civil War, Whitewolf realized. There is Civil War in Lavenrunz. It was no wonder why the people at home in Drakonia were unhappy. Civil War could bode good or evil for Drakonia's friendship with Lavenrunz; more likely evil than good, and the fact that the leaders of Drakonia were endangered by the war, was not a factor that helped anyone's mood.

The dispatch of Major Rudder's team made sense too. The Imperium could not stay on the sidelines. The Drakonian Spirit and Honor would not allow it. Drakonians had to act for what they believe in or be damned.

"Nevermind," the Colonel dismissed Hoepner's reply to his earlier question. "I already know what's going on, I don't need any more vague answers." Colonel Whitewolf stared down his Lavenrunzian equal. "I just need to go home. So can everything be arranged?"

Fort Dant'harthad, Vinyatirion, Menelmacar - 0327 hours, local time

The base was a hive of activity. The buildings resounded with the alert sirens. Soldiers, twenty thousand of them, had been called up. Magazines were loaded into rifles and pistols, swords honed to edges a single molecule thick, equipment loaded into packs, sensors were calibrated, weapons of all varieties were ammoed, charged, and racked. The great Daeron-class transport Sirithil's Fist was being prepped for departure; huge spotlights swayed back and forth across her hull, illuminating her void-black, blood-red, and sun-golden mass against the darkness of the night. F/A-73 Thoron fighters arced across the starlit sky, while M5A7 Tarmecil gravitic MBT's and M6A9 Tarocco gravitic IFV's skimmed up the ramps into the yawning cargo bays of the Fist, and soldiers rushed just about everywhere.

The Menelmacari Imperial Twelfth Auxiliary Field Army was going to war, and in the last place they had ever expected to do so.

Security Bunker, Palace of Moon and Stars, Hofburg, Lavenrunz - 0427 hours local time

"Go! Go! Go!"

The order went out, and Mornahossë and Jaegers, twenty each, charged out the bunker, down the tunnel, bursting out into the room they had previously been based in.

Simultaneously, the Jaegers and Mornahossë who had retreated to the gardens hours earlier breached the palace in a score of locations, shattering the great windows and blowing doors open, in a massive simultaneous strike from all directions.

The initial entry had the element of surprise behind it, and was remarkably successful. Flashbangs were used liberally, as were frags, and bullets and plasma flew everywhere. Even the snipers got in on it; switching their weapons to full auto and raking across the upper storey of the palace, taking out Marines before they knew what had hit them.

The soldiers split off into pre-arranged 'snakes', mutually-supporting teams of four, and moved through the palace, clearing it room by room, approaching the ballroom from every side.

It got down now to attrition, and the special forces began to take casualties. Not having had the benefit of silenced weapons, surprise was lost after the initial breach, for sound carried; the Marines in more inner rooms were much better entrenched. Often it required the use of grenades to fully clear out a room, and many a Jaeger and Mornahossë took wounds, though all fought valiantly, and the advance was steady. The wounded were, for now, left; the line was strong, and it did not pass through an area until the area was secure.

Main Ballroom, Palace of Moon and Stars

Sirithil sighed softly... amazingly, a part of her was bored. The combat, aside from the odd sniping or a rare skirmish, had settled down... both sides, presumably, had consolidated their positions and were awaiting the next move of the other...

>>Milady, it is Ataralassë. We are about to make our move; you will be free in minutes.<<

Sirithil glanced over as the Fledermauss took off, unopposed. Carrying the Imperial Family. That was the third...

>>Ataralassë, how many helicopters were there? How many?<<

The palace erupted in noise - explosions of several types of grenades, the boom of gravbolter rounds, the roar of G-11's, the shrieks of TRX-41's, the screams of the dead and dying.

>>Three, milady... why?<<

Suddenly, realization hit Sirithil, terrifying realization... she did not even have time to respond to Ataralassë, before she heard, above the din of combat, Adendorff's accursed voice barking out orders, and the slamming of doors being closed all about the room... the guests were being hauled to their feet by the terrorists and pushed against the wall... herself included... she found herself standing alongside the Red Death.

>>Ataralassë, you'd best move quickly... time grows short. We could hear you in here... Adendorff must be desperate... I think they're going to...<< Her mind-voice trailed off there, as Sirithil's fear overwhelmed her concentration.

So helpless... So this is how it will end... She watched in horror as Adendorff stepped up. "Your Majesty, Highness, honored guests..." only to level his weapon at the... creature... alongside her, and unload at least five or six rounds into its (his? she'd never managed to ascertain) tormented body, ending its misery forever.

The body seemed to decompose before everybody's eyes, the room filled with the stench of death, and Adendorff and his terrorists stepped back a moment, taken aback by the horror before them... and so was Sirithil, really, for the body lay at her very feet, and she stared down at it with a mixture of horror, revulsion, pity, and despair.

The gunfire drew closer. Steadily closer. She was sure there was not enough time.

Terror filled the Elentári, terror such as she had never felt before, never in her forty-eight thousand years of life. That she might die on a battlefield somewhere, crossing blades or spells with a foe of one sort or another, or riding a crippled gravship down to a fiery crash, had occurred to her; but never that she would die helpless, bound, in a land where two hours previously she had thought herself safe.

The sounds of battle were very near now.

At this, Adendorff finally seemed to recover. He levelled his weapon at her... He seemed to hesitate, just a moment, but the look in his eyes... steely, dark, cold... told her there was no chance he would turn back now. Time seemed to slow down, in that way that it does in such situations. She could hear each individual gunshot outside the ballroom, and minutes seemed to pass. Sirithil stood up to her full height, proudly, as the Queen she was. No way would she die cowering in fear, and with that thought, a strange sort of calm came over her - almost acceptance, resignation to her fate.

Fëanor, I shall see you soon, in the Halls of the Dead...

And then came the explosions - not the explosions of gunfire, and bullets tearing into her flesh, but the explosions of breaching charges tearing through almost every door and window in the ballroom. Flashbangs were tossed in, and lightning and thunder went off inside the ballroom, and soldiers could be seen through the smoke. Screaming, shouting, gunfire...

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Regent of Lavenrunz
"We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. We will see freedom's victory."
~US President George W. Bush
We Love the Iraqi Information Minister (http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com)
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Colonel Hoepner nodded slowly. "Now, would be good, Colonel. We'll have the flight orders transferred to your pilot. Please ensure all your personnel are aboard."
He glanced round momentarily at the sound of big vehicles revving out their engines.
They could see what looked like a group of tanks and more apcs rumbling towards the area of the firefight.

The marines and 'servants' were mostly stunned or blinded by the flashbangs, but some of them farther away were not; Adendorff reeled back by the sheer force of the explosions. No way out, his forces being shot down like dogs. He had no time even for a grand remark, just time to quickly put a pistol into his mouth.
Bang!

"Time! Let's move out!" hissed Erica.
The task force began to climb the wall, and moved out onto the street that led to the bridge. They could hear the sound of armor moving in the streets now.
"Bolan! Get up high and see if you can pinpoint their direction. Kemmerich, get us a line to the Navy, see if you can get us some helicopters with rockets or something." Erica nodded to the engineers, who hustled on towards the bridge under the cover of the Jaegers.

Frieda looks around and murmurs to Setsuna, "This way, Excellency--the Baroness is well but is staying inside. I'll say you are a housemaid--the house is guarded but you'd best be off the streets--unless your Excellency has other plans?" she blushed, embarassed at getting carried away.

"No, no." Not as such, at least. "Thank you. It's very kind of you. But you must not put yourself in too much danger on my account. If they see through it, you must say that I forced you. My position offers me some protection, at least."

Sirithil collapsed to the ground with the flashbang; with her more sensitive eyes and ears, they affected her more greatly than just about anyone else present. Unable to put out her hands to stop herself, she hit her head against the floor and blacked out; for a moment, she actually believed she'd been shot by Adendorff. She drifted in and out of consciousness, and knew nothing of what occurred.

She awoke in a much quieter - and quite ruined - ballroom, and she and the other guests were being tended to by healers in Mornahossë armor. Soldiers were clambering about in the wreckage, checking bodies, going about the business of securing the palace, and whatever other duties they could find. Next to her was... well, a tablecloth, now gruesomely stained, spread out to cover what had been the Red Death.

She felt the cold steel of a combat dagger slipped under the plastic ties around her wrists, slicing them free, and she heard soothing voices. "...all over, milady..." "...safe now..."

She sat up, looked around, and blinked delicately... absently she rubbed at her aching wrists for a moment. "I'm alive... fancy that..."

"Yes, you are," Ataralassë said from where she was standing nearby. "Your time to go to the Halls of Mandos is not today, milady, and not for some time yet, Eru willing."

Sirithil nodded, and she clambered to her feet. "My effects," she said. "That room, there." She had seen where they'd been taken, and pointed to a side room. "My robe. And my blade. And..." Her hands went to the collar at her throat, feeling along it for a release mechanism. "Get this thrice-damned thing off me. I can't cast."

"Adendorff is dead, milady," Ataralassë reported. "Self-inflicted, gunshot wound to the head. He ate his pistol. We found this on his body." The Agent-Commander's outstretched fist opened to reveal a key of some sort. "This might be what you need."

Sirithil nodded, accepting it; in but a moment she found the hole, and slipped the key into it, and with a twist, the collar fell free. "Thank Ilúvatar for that," she whispered. "Atara, I've never been so afraid in all my life as I was tonight."

A soldier came up alongside, a gown draped over one arm, and holding a fistful of gems in one hand and a sword and scabbard in the other. "Your belongings, milady," he said, matter-of-factly; Sirithil put the gown on quickly, and found that Adendorff and his men had been at least somewhat careful in removing it, for only the buttons had been sliced free. With the matching belt around her waist, she was almost decent. To the belt she hung her sword Dant'harthad; the collar and the jewelry simply went into a pocket... except the tiara, which she placed upon her head again - it contained a comm, and it made her feel more like a ruler again, and less like a victim.

Von Paderborn, Ataralassë's Lavenrunzian counterpart, had come up beside the Agent-Commander as well, and Siri turned to them both. "It would appear we are in the middle of something of a situation," she said. "Can you bring me up to speed?"

http://www.weirdozone.0catch.com/projects/nationstates/sirithil/sirithilnosfeanor.gifLady Sirithil nos Fëanor
Elentári of the Eternal Noldorin Empire of Menelmacar
Regent of Lavenrunz
"We have known freedom's price. We have shown freedom's power. We will see freedom's victory."
~US President George W. Bush
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Colonel Whitewolf looked quisically at Colonel Hoepner. "Colonel," he said. "Maybe you did not hear me correctly, but we need your help recieving the non-essential personnel from our Embassy, and getting these gentlemen--" He gestured over his should to Major Rudder and his ten man team, who now were decked out in flowty T-Shirts and large fur coats. "--out to the Embassy."

An eyebrow raised on Whitewolf's face. "I'm assuming you will arrange everything."

Colonel von Paderborn felt sick. This was the worst thing he had seen in his life. But he had a duty, and none of this showed on his face.
On my watch! On my watch!
"Your Majesty, Count Mirbach has seized control of the government. Fortunately we have some members of it at liberty--the Chancellor, the Minister for War and the Archbishop were recently freed. Baron Shein and the Minister of Culture are also at liberty. Several high ranking members of the armed services are in active rebellion. Apparently they have control of all of Zwoll, most of Hofburg, Carlsbad and Astra. Mirenburg is in open protest against the military action. Atlach has given no word so far." he took a deep breath. "Lady Serendis has begun preparations to send troops, and a number of Lavenrunzian units are loyal, but mostly scattered or in remote garrisons. The only ones we can be sure of right now are the Jaeger Regiment and the Home Waters Fleet."

The Red Death looked at his side and saw a beautiful elf lady standing there in only her underwears. She seemed familiar in a way but then again not. Once again the world proved its cruelty, with the good and fair treated bad and the bad crushing the beautiful under steelshodded boots. He felt hot tears running down his cheeks and he felt the pain within him grow more intense, he tried to lift his hand to give the woman some comfort, he wanted to offer her his robe, his protection, but without a toungue nothing could be said. He decided to touch her to give her comfort as a man stepped up beside them.

The man named Adendorff stepped up. "Your Majesty, Highness, honored guests..." and then leveled his gun straight at him, he looked into the mans eyes and saw his intentions, he let his arm fall, never to have touched another elf this last night alive. He felt the hot slugs slam into his body and he felt relief. He fell to the ground and saw the face of the elven lady, a face filled with pity and despair and.. something else.

He mouthed the words, without a toungue, "Namárië" and so died the once proud Aikanaro, with his life streaming out of him with the decomposed inner of him. He felt fresh air as in a frisky wind smoothly caress his cheek and his hair. And he could hear the screams of his family calling for him, he felt himself float and gently accelerate towards a light.

Erica noted the formation. "Okay...I think we can make this a bigger bag. Let's get to work on that bridge--and put the explosives in place, just in case. Now, Werner and Ein, listen up. I need the rear vehicle at the farthest end of the road leading to the bridge that you can hit destroyed--then the one closest to the bridge. Got that? Let's get it done."
Like monkeys, the Jaegers with Captain Faber began to clamber down the bridge.
Erica stood up on a fence, watching with binoculars. Already she could see antennas bobbing along approaching streets...

A fire escape on one of the nearby buildings provided a quick means up to the roof for Bolan. He climbed remarkably well in spite of his injury.

When he reached the roof he darted swiftly across to the other side. From here he had a commanding view of the streets around the bridge. What he saw he did not like. After taking a long look he flicked on his radio.

"Bolan to Fischer. I have got a rather impressive looking bunch of tanks and fighting vehicles moving towards the bridge. I get the impression they want to get in your way."

Colonel Whitewolf looked quisically at Colonel Hoepner. "Colonel," he said. "Maybe you did not hear me correctly, but we need your help recieving the non-essential personnel from our Embassy, and getting these gentlemen--" He gestured over his should to Major Rudder and his ten man team, who now were decked out in flowty T-Shirts and large fur coats. "--out to the Embassy."

An eyebrow raised on Whitewolf's face. "I'm assuming you will arrange everything."

"Of course. Forgive me, but your people must go unarmed. Only your embassy security detail is permitted arms." Colonel Hoepner beckoned to the vehicles, which moved up for greater accessibility by those in the plane--and also to cover them while they surrendered any arms they had.

In Hofburg
Frieda nodded, "Your Excellency is right...this way." she led Setsuna down a few streets, glad to see that they had just missed a patrol, and up to the town house of Baroness Bennigsen. Several soldiers stood outside a Vogel APC, greatcoats dotted with snow.
"Servant." muttered one.
"Hang on, Fraulein--who's this one? Foreign looking, ain't she?" a corporal asked.
"She is a new maid--just hired last week." said Frieda impatiently. "And if you know how hard it was to get good help now with the damned Aid making those we'd normally have hired sit around on their duffs eating up tax money--well, corporal, why hold up an honest working woman?"
"All right, in you go with her Excellency's groceries." said the corporal with a pretense of irritation. Setsuna could see the soldiers had enjoyed the scolding as a break from routine.
"Come on, you useless baggage." she gave Setsuna an apologetic look as they reached the door, but in fact as they went in they heard that it had gotten a laugh from the troopers.
"Sorry, Excellency." she murmured. "Are you cold?"

Erica says, "Roger. Keep your post till I say." She moves out onto the bridge and takes a look around.
"Alright. Muller, you cover our fall back--it will be too hard to retreat to the wall, so we're going down this emankment a short ways then up through the yard of that house. The rest of you--don't shoot till I say--and you grenadiers, mark your targets as I told you."
Werner grinned toothily at Ein, patting his Carl Gustav.
Rumbling and growling down the street about three blocks away comes a Hund scout vehicle, a Mowag style creature with antennae upright and the officer standing tall in the hatch. The lights gleam like yellow eyes in the pre-dawn.
Following comes another, and then a Vogel APC, and another, and another. Followed by a KM-25 IFV, and then a command vehicle. Two hatches pop open. From the command vehicle, one bereted figure is ordering the following platoon commander to take the long way around. With a grunting and growling of engines, the KM-25 behind pivots on its treads and rumbles off down another street.
"Still..." Erica murmurs. "Oh, yes! Wait for the other platoon, that's it...okay..." she nods to herself.
The column moves up onto the bridge--and from below, the engineer Captain pulls the switches.
Consternation! The scout officer is motioning even as he shouts into a radio--

Ein insultingly waved goodbye to the rebels as the column started backing up rapidly as the bridge rose up. "Looks like they aren't going anywhere soon." So far, this was easy enough. Ein relaxed as he waited to see what happened next.

On the roof, Bolan watched the column back up and stop. He waited to see what they would do next, one hand on his radio to tell Fischer if they made any moves out of her sight.

"It is for the True Religion and the Sanctity of the blood of the Imperial Dynasty, Fraulein." The words sound strange, yet appealing to her. Being part of the almost non- existing minority of DA, she feels quite... yes, at home in this foreign country... And for a moment, the slightest of moments, she considers seeing this person not as an enemy, but as... yes, as kin.

Then the next round of the 'battle' begins. Chloe instinctively falls down, covering herself, looking for Althena. But in the heat of the battle, their connection was severed... Finally, she sees her, entering the helicopter... Sees her helpless eyes, one hand stretched out as if it was still able to reach Chloe... But it`s too late.

Don`t worry. I will be all right. You will hear from me. She sends, glad that Althena is safe...

Until she hears Althena`s scream in her mind, instantly realising that she was hit. She doesn´t know who hit her, but blind fury begins to rise inside her, urging her to act...

But she still lies below the marine lieutenant, suddenly realising that the Lieutenant is bleeding as well.

And i don`t have my knifes with me. She curses silently, pulling the Lieutenant arund, and finally sees the wound.

She knows it`s the enemy. And for a second, her thoughts quite literally race through her mind.

She could probably help her. Stop the bleeding... But it would mean to stay here, imprisoned... In her position, the very thought is almost unbearable.

She could end her pain, and for a second thinks about doing it. She finds the nine the Lieutenant wears, and ponders shooting... But it would alert the other marines, and while they are scattered, confused, they wont be for long...

She has to made a decision. She knows, leaving the Lieutenant here will make it impossible to safe her life...

"May the Lord forgive us... Both of us..." She whispers, for a second touching the Lieutenant`s face, watching her skin turning pale, her eyes widen...

Then she stands up and, trying to hide from the snipers as well as from the rebels, tries to escape, the gun ready for the very moment she is seen... She shall be the last thing they see in their lifetime.

Chloe finds herself caught up in just fighting to stay alive, aware only of fleeing shapes in the snow and shooting at silhouettes she recognizes as Imperial Marines.
Then her clip is empty, battle haze is leaving her, and the figure of a Menelmacari is near.
"I'm a friend." he says softly. "My name is Doctor Lindir. I am the Empress' Physician."
(OOC: hope you don't mind, but I thought I should get you caught up)

At the bridge.

"Hit the bastards." says Erica.

First it was the strange elf, dressed in red, then Adendorff firing. She tried to move, but she just stood frozen in the spot, the horror turning her blood into ice as the strange elf descomposed himself. Her guts twisted as she saw the awful way the corpse dissapeared into a pool.

Then the lights, and the gunfire. Then everything just turned black. Am I wounded?, Why?. Aliria fell to the floor inscouncious, unable to withstand the pressure.

Waiting quietly, Nathicana stood a respectful distance off, allowing Aurora to do what she needed to. When she seemed to come to a break, Nathi spoke quietly.

"I take it you'll be needing transportation, Empress? If I may offer my assistance once more in that capacity, seeing as I'm the reason you're out this far to begin with ..." She cocks her head to the side, watching the young woman closely, trying to guage her mood, her preparedness for the trials to come.

She is strong. She can do this ... I only hope that whatever was in that disk is sufficient, and that I'm doing the right thing in sending her back.

Aurora felt a sense of regret when she turned back to Nathicana. It was regret for a girl--however wounded, who had believed people would look after her. She smiled but in fact she was calculating. Yes, Nathicana would never have made it out of the palace without her. And she respected her strength. But this would be the last time she would trust anyone but the dwindling band of her mother's blood sworn.
"I will need transport back, yes." Aurora said. "I will have to part company with you however, for the time being, my Lady." she said quietly.

Palace of the Moon and the Stars

William Xylon could see that the palace had been stormed, and that it was Jaegers and Mornahosse doing it.

Alira woke to see two friendly and anxious looking faces peering over her. One of that of a Mornahosse combat medic, the other was a Jaeger, a woman.
"Your Highness, how are you? Are you wounded?" the young soldier asked politely.

Claudia der Waal, holding the ruins of her gown around her, came out from another room, escorted by Jaegers. She bowed before the Elentari. "Forgive me, Majesty." she said bleakly. "I have failed the Empress, the nation, and you." she shook like a leaf.
The Archbishop walked in and collapsed into chair. He looked desperately pale.

She could see it in the young woman's eyes - a closing off, walls going up. Nathicana knew the process all too well.

"That is your perogative, Empress," she replied with a respectful tilt of her head. "These are your decisions to make. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Age not withstanding, Lavenrunz is yours to rule, as your mother wished. Choose your advisors carefully, and listen to their suggestions while keeping the decisions for yourself. Keep both your friends and your enemies close, and never let your conscience get in the way of your doing the right thing. Remember that there are times for mercy, and times for justice, and that these times do not always coincide."

"Above all, Aurora," she said, her eyes tightening a bit, "Don't allow these things to harden you too much. Strength is needed yes, but those who cannot also bend, break. Besides ... I would hate to see you end up as jaded and cold as I have in my life. I too have suffered loss, and seen betrayal time and again. Don't do as I've done. Hold to your faith, let it be a comfort and a support in the dark times. And remember that there are others who would give aid should you allow it. Trust does not come easy to those who have had it abused, I know it well. Yet there are times when one must learn to trust again in order to grow and move forward."

Just as I have done, she thought quietly, thinking of the many beings she could now call friend, as surprising as that still was. And family ... she sent a brief hug analog to Shodey.

"Now, since your course is decided, tell me how best I can accomodate your travelling needs, and I shall see to it."

Howls and streaks of smoke and fire whooshed out at the two critical points, the rocket launcher rounds smashing through the turrets of the scout vehicle and the KM-25 in the rear. The KM-25 was pouring smoke and had become fifteen tons of dead weight, the desperate crew--sans the gunner--fleeing from a hatch. But the scout vehicle was bleeding flames.
Immediately the column was in action, trying to turn and flee or move to where their heavy machineguns and autocannons could be used to effect.
"Take out the KM-25s first, get those missiles out of action." snapped Erica. "And the rest of you, fire at will if anyone shows their faces!"
Werner got Ein to load another round and took aim at a KM-25 that was swiveling its turret to the residential/shop area where the first squad had set up their ambush.
Whoosh went the deadly round again, and the KM-25 was pouring out black smoke and licks of flame.

"I...I...think I'm ok. That elf....I suppose this is just a scratch", she said placing her finger on a little cut across her cheek. "The Eléntari, the ArchDuke, the Farseers....Are they ok?", she asked visibly worried, trying to stand, but her legs failed and she fell to the floor again. "I...I suppose I'm too affected, just nervous, but don't worry". Even as she was almost collapsing, she managed to show a little smile in his lisps. "Mornahösse, I see you again".

((In fact a bullet almost hitted her head, but it passed just near her cheek, scratching it)).

He'd been moved back to the hall shortly before the attack. The place had been taken, and the captives liberated, with commendable efficiency. His reaction was rather strange however. He hunted one of the guards - wounded but still (miraculously) alive - who had been spectacularly failing to see reason before, and knelt down on one knee by the man's head. "You really ought to have listened to me before, honestly, you try to talk sense to people, and they manage, in their stupidity to ignore the point entirely. Nevertheless, I'm sure if you aren't taken out and shot you'll have many long years of imprisonment to rethink your views on the matter."

He stood up again, and turned, looking around, and taking a good look at the Aelosian princess, pondering whether or not to go and help her, he at least knew the farseers were fine, and annoyingly the locals hadn't deprived the woman of her precious armour, unlike the unfortunate Sirithil.

"I..I...think I'm ok. That elf....I suppose this is just a scratch", she said placing her finger on a little cut across her cheek. "The Eléntari, the ArchDuke, the Farseers....Are they ok?", she asked visibly worried, trying to stand, but her legs failed and she fell to the floor again. "I...I suppose I'm too affected, just nervous, but don't worry". Even as she was almost collapsing, she managed to show a little smile in his lisps. "Mornahösse, I see you again".

"The Elentari and the Farseers are fine, Highness." replied the female medic. "Excuse me, I'm just going to clean this and bandage--you never know...the Archduke and the Imperial Family were escorted away by helicopter." she adds, a touch grimly. "We don't know where yet." Such a shame she thought, looking at the beautiful elf in her ruined costume. Such a damned shame that such a good kind person gets treated so.

"So it's not over yet, although I'm saved now. It's a shame, I don't think the former goverment deserved such a treatment, but thank you, thank you for healing me. Are you sure I'm the worst patient you have here?, maybe somebody need more medical attention than me", she said, finally managing to stand up. "The worst part is that my outfit is ruined, and almost noone admired it. Well, except the ArchDuke, and he now is...Oh, god".

...Oh, god".

((OOC: Is that a reaction to being looked at by me, or news of the Archduke being kidnapped?))

"A bit," Setsuna answered, smiling. "I'll be fine now, thanks to you. Do you know how long they've been out there? The embassies were surrounded, too, some time in the past 90 minutes."

...Oh, god".

((OOC: Is that a reaction to being looked at by me, or news of the Archduke being kidnapped?))

OOC: A reaction to being looked by Kopinski of course. She suddenly remebered you... :D

"About the same, Excellency. I think that any people of importance who might have raised a fuss have been arrested or held captive in their own homes. Shameful business!" she crosses herself. "Would you like to see the Baroness--shall I tell her you're here? Or is there something else I can do for you?"

The medic listens to the elf woman's chatter absently. "Well...yes, I agree, highness...no, have to deal with this cut, gunshot infects very easily..." she does jump at the Princess' exclamation though.

Kopinski looked saddened by the elf woman's distress upon seeing him, and said, "Please your highness, I'm quite harmless, despite any rumours," he said, refraining from using the word myths, "to the contrary. I am merely concerned for you."

((Short post I know, but still.))

"About the same, Excellency. I think that any people of importance who might have raised a fuss have been arrested or held captive in their own homes. Shameful business!" she crosses herself. "Would you like to see the Baroness--shall I tell her you're here? Or is there something else I can do for you?"


"If she's awake, I would like to speak to her," Setsuna said, nodding. "We are not entirely helpless, after all. But if she is sleeping, then it will wait until morning. I think there's nothing to be done before then, in any case. We'll need to see where things stand. I pray that Her Majesty is safe."

Meanwhile, the messages sent to both Treznor and the Dominion ...

[code:1:4555e08d45]
Cinderella has left the Ball. Request cancel for any White Knight ops. Safe with sister. Arrived with the Dawn, though swift it departs. Request status of Apollo. Tempest to soon seek familiar shores. See news at five.[/code:1:4555e08d45]

And to Giancarlo Torino, Dominion Minister of Defense
[code:1:4555e08d45]
Initiate Vendetta, prelims only, authorization code Three-Zero-One-Delta-Epsilon-Alpha-Theta. Target, Count Mirbach, Lavenrunz. Await further instructions.[/code:1:4555e08d45]


[news link here (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2485861).]

Treznor steps out of the communication booth and nods to Cortana. "Thank you, that should be sufficient. My people should be sending a military ship to pick me up; I don't know exactly what, but they'll ask permission before entering your territory.

"In the meanwhile, is there somewhere I can catch up on current events? I'm curious to see how Mirbach and his ilk are going to justify pissing off all those nations."

Aides remained in the communications center, ready to escort the leaders and diplomats to where they needed to go.

But Cortana, after a brief subvocalized conversation with D'ron, beckoned Emperor Treznor after her, D'ron last words ringing in her head. Only because he is Triumvirate.

After a few minutes of walking she led him into a cool dark room. Well, the primary lighting was dark. D'ron was standing in the room as the door opened. "Emperor. Welcome to the Situation Room."

Cortana gestured forward, and moved to stand near D'ron. When Treznor moved to a similiar position, he would be able to see the displays.

Holodisplays ringed the walls, all silent, as Cortana handed the Emperor an earpiece. "Just look at a single piece of the display, and you'll hear the accompanying audio feed." She handed him another small remote. "This will control the playback of anything not live."

A number of the holo screens displayed Mirbach speaking, both archive footage and newer. Some displayed satellite feeds of Lavenrunz and the nearby waters.

Still others displayed known locations of principals in the affair, and others, military readiness reports, both for the Federation, and presumed or estimated readiness for other nations that might be concerned with the coup in Lavenrunz.

Still others displayed Jessica's audio-visual record of the Ball, ripped from her implants, and others displayed intelligence dossiers on people involved.

Not all were accompanied by audio, of course.

And no truly sensitive information was displayed either.

Treznor stands quietly for a while, moving slowly from one holo to the next as he absorbs the data and digests it as quickly as it comes to him. His slow movements are in part to give him time to think, but mostly to avoid betraying his advantages. During the lulls, his mind races.

Okay, Nath got away in the Tempest. I'm not surprised she ran to S.H.O.D.A.N. first. She seems to have taken Aurora with her, and helped the girl take the bull by the horns.

Note to self: bring my damned shuttle next time. Furthermore, learn to pilot the damned thing.

The Mornahosse have retaken the palace, what a surprise.

Mirbach has disappeared, no information on where or how. That should be fun; I have an idea there, though.

Various nations are mobilising in support for or against Lavenrunz, but it looks like they won't have much to do. I wonder what Nath helped Aurora to do?

These folks aren't nearly as forthcoming as they'd like me to think, but they're doing their best to make me feel important.

Finally he removes the earplug and hands the gear back to Cortana. He rocks gently on his heels for a moment, deep in thought. Then he clears his throat. "Thank you for that. It cleared up a lot of details for me. In the meanwhile, my people should have transport arriving for me shortly. They ought to be polite about it, but I thought you'd appreciate the heads up.

"Now, perhaps you can tell me. Why is the Federation so interested in getting back into the good graces of the Triumvirate?"

She could see it in the young woman's eyes - a closing off, walls going up. Nathicana knew the process all too well.

"That is your perogative, Empress," she replied with a respectful tilt of her head. "These are your decisions to make. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Age not withstanding, Lavenrunz is yours to rule, as your mother wished. Choose your advisors carefully, and listen to their suggestions while keeping the decisions for yourself. Keep both your friends and your enemies close, and never let your conscience get in the way of your doing the right thing. Remember that there are times for mercy, and times for justice, and that these times do not always coincide."

"Above all, Aurora," she said, her eyes tightening a bit, "Don't allow these things to harden you too much. Strength is needed yes, but those who cannot also bend, break. Besides ... I would hate to see you end up as jaded and cold as I have in my life. I too have suffered loss, and seen betrayal time and again. Don't do as I've done. Hold to your faith, let it be a comfort and a support in the dark times. And remember that there are others who would give aid should you allow it. Trust does not come easy to those who have had it abused, I know it well. Yet there are times when one must learn to trust again in order to grow and move forward."

Just as I have done, she thought quietly, thinking of the many beings she could now call friend, as surprising as that still was. And family ... she sent a brief hug analog to Shodey.

"Now, since your course is decided, tell me how best I can accomodate your travelling needs, and I shall see to it."

Aurora at times hated that she had her mother's curse; she could not help but hear wisdom even when she wanted to be utterly unreasonable. Nathicana's words rang with truth even in the dark bitter place she was in. She wanted to make them all pay, see them hanging from meathooks. Like some tyrant out of the dark ages of Lavenrunz she wanted to make Mirbach watch his loved ones staked out and ploughed by a team of oxen.
But she also wanted to cry.
What would her mother have done.
She managed to smile and nod graciously. "Thank you for all that you have done, Lady Nathicana. I will never forget it or your counsel."

Baroness Bennigsen's House

"I will see if she is up, Excellency, and lead you to the sitting room."
In spite of everything they had, the Lavenrunzian aristocracy preferred amenities that their ancestors had used; fireplaces existed in most of their homes. Frieda had a maid bring Setsuna some hot tea and biscuits.

Cortana blinked at Treznor's statement, and D'ron's eyes widened in surprise. This iss neither the time nor place for.... But he deserves an answer, and since I'm here, I can't foist him off on Cortana.

"Because Emperor, I'd rather keep the Triumvirate as friends, than allow them to pass out of friendship, or worse, become enemies. There isn't really any other reason. I like having friends, and didn't really want the Federation's relationship with the Triumvirate to die off the way it did."

Cortana stood there, watching them silently. She knew all the information already, and had her updates coming directly to her. I wonder if Nathicana knows he's alright. They seem to have a close relationship. Sliding into the same channel she'd used earlier. "S.H.O.D.A.N. Let Nathicana know that Treznor is alright, and safe in the Federation, for the moment, though his people are coming to get him."

"I will see if she is up, Excellency, and lead you to the sitting room."
In spite of everything they had, the Lavenrunzian aristocracy preferred amenities that their ancestors had used; fireplaces existed in most of their homes. Frieda had a maid bring Setsuna some hot tea and biscuits.

Looking into the fire, Setsuna couldn't help but smile. Even at a time like this, the storied Lavenrunzian hospitality was in full force. It was strangely comforting.

Nathicana breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief at recieving the message concerning Devon. A sincere thanks and an encoded message was immediately sent in return.

To the Federation of Sentient Peoples, my deepest thanks for your assistance of my dear ally and friend, Emperor Treznor. I am most grateful for both your kindness and hospitality on his behalf. Bene grazie.

[encoded for Devon]
Sono in modo da alleviato per sentirli sia sicuro, il mio Imperatore
ardente. Non siete stati mai lontano dai miei pensieri. Fino a che non
possiamo venire a contatto di ancora, il mio amore va con voi. Non
lasci le ore svilupparsi lungamente, Dev - sono ansioso vederli. *

To Aurora, she smiled, looking at once both tired and relieved. "Bah, I've done little. It is I who am grateful to you. Now, lets get you where you need to go, and on to regaining your nation." She paused for a moment, thinking.

"When all is done, and the time for justice comes ... should you find yourself at a loss for what to do, don't hesitate to call," she said with a meaningful look. "As for that ride ..."



* Translation: I am so relieved to hear you are safe, my fiery Emperor. You have never been far from my thoughts. Until we can again meet, my love goes with you. Do not let the hours grow long, Dev - I am anxious to see you.

Treznor shrugs slightly. "According to the records, your abrupt departure from the alliance earned you no friends. I'm sure you'll be able to establish friendly relations with most of the individual members, but I suspect the Triumvirate as an organisation will regard you as something of a loose cannon. Mind you, I'm only recently become a member so I can't speak with authority, but I can make an educated guess.

"For the most part, your current efforts are probably your best bet. I wish you luck in those endeavours. Now, I'm sure you have much to do, and I don't know how long it will take for my people to get here. Is there somewhere I can wait quietly? And...perhaps change into these clothes." He gestures with the jumpsuit still in his hand, then plucks at his Apollonian costume. "This is a bit drafty."

Cortana blinks in surprise as D'ron responds with a slight chuckle. "I bet that it is. Cortana, show him to one of the guest rooms."

Cortana nodded. "Right this way, Emperor." She led him into the hallway, again, and if Treznor looked back as he left the middle of the room, he might notice some of the holoscreens changing, displaying things and people he didn't get to see, most of which were previewed with the Federation flag briefly.

After about five minutes, Cortana walked through another door, as nondescript as three or four they had passed, as it slid open.

Inside was a guest room. King size bed, minibar, closet, bathroom. Which of course, they couldn't see until....

"Lights on." Cortana said clearly, and the lights quickly brightened to full. "If you need anything, Emperor, just ask outloud. Cyrano will hear you, and will help you out. There are some clothes that should fit better than that jumpsuit in the closet."

They would infact fit quite well. The Federation's First House hold ran with great effiency, and Treznor had been there for almost thirty minutes. More than enough time to stock a closet with clothing and footwear.

"Someone will be up to get you when your shuttle arrives at the ITH, Emperor." Cortana bowed slightly. "Until again."

She turned and left, and the door slid shut behind her.

Treznor peers curiously at the shuttle that just landed at the ITH pad. He recognises the design, although it wasn't built by Treznor hands.

I tell Ben to send a big ship to pick me up, and he sends almost the entire space fleet. I must remember to give him a raise.

Once the all-clear is given, he dashes for the hatch and leaps through as soon as it opens. "Pilot!" he calls as he heads for the launch chairs. "Take off as soon as you have clearance. We're in a hurry."

"You heard the Emperor," says a familiar voice. Treznor stops and stares at Benjamin Vitner.

"Ben! You're supposed to be minding the store back home. What the hell are you doing here?"

"Your message said no reply, but I knew you'd want this news as soon as possible. So I came," replies the head of his Intelligence Ministry.

Treznor throws himself into a chair and fusses with the buckles. "If you mean about Nathicana, I know. The Federation gave me a carefully censored peek at their Situation Room. She managed to get away to Rhea, Sirithil's Mornahosse retook the palace and the Lavenrunz forces are deadlocked against the insurrectionists. I also saw Alec's broadcast, and I approve. I'll be sending an addendum as soon as I can get into uniform. Which reminds me, this jumpsuit needs to be dry-cleaned and returned to the Federation soonest. I think Grant should do it."

Ben nods, but finds it impossible to respond as the shuttle's fusion drive kicks in at full power. They're pressed back into their seats as the ship climbs through the air, reaching for the stars. Several minutes later the engines cut off, and they enter a microgravity environment.

"I pulled the jacket on Count Mirbach," Ben says when he's able. "Damned little to find, though. We never made Lavenrunz a priority before, so all we have is public knowledge and not terribly reliable. Everything is waiting for you back at the Odyssey. Also, I have a message I thought you'd want as soon as possible." He reaches over to hand Treznor a folded slip of paper.

Treznor opens it and scans it quickly. A slow smile spreads across his face as he reads it again. "Thanks, Ben." He starts to put the paper away in his jumpsuit, then realises the problem and hands it back. "Keep that safe for me, will you?"

"Yes, Sir."

The pilot turns to them. "We'll be docking with the Odyssey in about five minutes. You can see her out the port hatch if you wish."

The men look as directed to see the ancient Darkwing-class battleship slowly grow in the distance, running lights marking her outline. Treznor smiles as he watches the sight. "I'm surprised so much of the fleet was available. I thought they were running patrol for the freighters."

"Once we joined with the Triumvirate, we requested TYCS assistance on patrols while we did some maintenance," Ben replies. "The report's on your desk. Scolopendra is used to milk runs, so there wasn't much complaint. We were about a third of the way through upgrading the ships with the new compensators when your call came. The Odyssey is the only battleship that was ready. The others are still waiting."

Treznor nods gently, then turns to the pilot. "Send to the captain to prepare to adjust orbit once we arrive. I want the fleet parked directly over Lavenrunz as much as possible."

Ben frowns. "That could present...difficulties, Sir. They may object."

"Let them," Treznor snaps. "We're not going to fire on anything, but we're going to knock on their door. I want Mirbach, and I'm not going away until I have him. I've decided to call in the Black Company, if Nath can spare them."

Ben frowns at the reference, but doesn't respond. He knows better than to argue when his Emperor has that look on his face.

Once Aurora had been seen safely off, Nathicana made her initial press release, then collapsed on a couch in the room she'd since become rather familiar with. The time spent here worrying over both Carlos and later, Devon, had made this seem almost a second home. She quietly spoke with Shodey via their comm link until she finally drifted off to a dreamless sleep. Aurora is on her own. And Devon is safe. I'm with my dear sister ... all is well.

Upon waking, she once again conversed with her sister-in-mind, thanking her profusely for all her help and support, getting almost tearful as she wrapped her arms around the one once feared as the Ghost of Citadel Station, though never appearing so in the mind of the organic who now held her close. With assurances of close contact, and her own safety, Nathicana cleaned herself up, and made her way back to her shuttle. Home would have to be dealt with soon, before political forces there took advantage of what could be seen as an opportunity.

Always so damned many things to keep my eyes on ... Maledizione, for my own army of avatars! Perhaps then I could keep up?

With a final, warm farewell to Shodey, Nathicana boarded her shuttle, jacked in, and laid in the coordinates for the most direct course home. Transmissions were sent out, and arrangements made. The second platoon, thirty men and women hell-bent on assuring her safety, were already stationed when she arrived, three fighters escorting her in to the cordoned off section of the airport generally reserved for government use. Her armored Bentley was ready and waiting, and under heavy escort, she was driven to her villa. Meetings with her Ministers were handled via closed-circuit teleconferencing, as well as a rebuttal to Mirbach's public statement, once she'd had time to properly arrange herself.

Once all was said and done, she vehemently insisted on some measure of privacy within her home, threatening them all with most horrible consequences should they find themselves underfoot while carrying out their duties. To her face, of course, they were one and all most humble ... Marik, of course, set them all straight once she was safely tucked away in her private office.

"Yes, by all means, stay out of her way, but damn your hides, you do what you must to maintain her safety. One of these days she is going to have to learn she can't just go haring off without proper protection. It damn well nearly cost her this go. I won't have it happen on my watch."

Nathicana remained blissfully unaware as she pored over the reports on her desk, now curled up in her favorite chair in a comfortable cotton tank and boxer-style silk shorts. A short red kimono robe was draped around her shoulders to ward off the slight chill she felt, though her usual pitcher of ice water was near at hand.

He's fine. Probably with his own people by now, and they'll more than take care of him, she told herself, her brow still furrowed with concern.

Pouring herself first a glass of that with a by now obviously shaking hand, then a glass of wine, she started in on the latter, needing the soothing relief it seemed to bring. Mindful now of Shodey's warning, she drank in moderation, then switched to the ice water. As the hours wore on, she found herself nodding, and eventually slumping down over her desk. She ended up with her head nestled atop one folded arm, legs tucked up in the chair, and sleeping as only those exhausted in both body and mind do.

As the shadow of the gravship Gilthoniel fell over the party in the tattered gardens, Claudia der Waal, Chancellor of Lavenrunz, turned away from the others with hot tears pouring down her cheeks. She felt sorrow for her failure; failure to preserve the will of Empress Joanna, to keep her Heir safe, to serve the Regent Sirithil ably. Somehow, in spite of everything, ruin had come. Their guests, offered celebration and safety, received humiliation and in some cases injury or death.
The predawn showed the weirdness of the faces of those around them; the powder and sweat stained faces of the Mornahosse and Jaegers, the scarecrow figures of the honoured guests remaining: Regent and Elentari Sirithil nos Feanor; the Prime Minister of Knootoss, the Princess Alira and others.
She watched silently as Colonel von Paderborn and Major von Fischer vowed to stay to finish their work. They were warned by General Schlabel that it would be very much behind the lines sort of work. They nodded and accepted that. The Elentari looked dismayed but said nothing against it. She was clearly pained at the thought of leaving others behind.
Steel yourself Claudia she told herself sternly, and went with resolution in her heart to stand near the Regent as the gravship came down to take them away.

"I'm a friend." he says softly. "My name is Doctor Lindir. I am the Empress' Physician."

"Finally..." She said, glad that she finally made contact with... well, yes, with her presumably 'allies'.

The only thing that worried her right now was where Althena & co where... However, it wasn`t the only matter, and it was unlikely this man would know it.

Considering the other things that had happened, there were enough other things important enough to catch her attention.

"The palace... How is the attack going?"

[ooc: Yes, yes i know... little timewarp... and sorry, but i was sorta busy the last two days...]

Aliria let the medic heal her wound, then just stood and looked around. Kopinski was trying to say something to her when the GravShip arrived, and she recognized the Gilthoniel, the personal vessel of the Eléntari.

She noted the tears in the cheeks of the Chancellor, and remembered her own tears after the last Aelosian Coup, and everything she lost in those days. The impotence, the pain. She thought of comforting the woman, but she recomposed herself before she could approached her. Just a look and a sympathetic smile, after all, that was the only thing she was good at.

He glanced at the Aelosian princess one last time, and turned and walked off toward the Gilthoniel, as strange spring in his step, he had someone to speak with aboard, and then it would be time to plan a retribution, the one responsible for this had failed to have him shot, and now it was his turn, there would be a reckoning with this upstart, and if possible, the suffering of that human would be legend.

Doubtless in his abscence the first stages would be being planned, but he would ensure the correct steps were taken upon his return.

"You're thinking about revenge and retribution, I can feel it in your eyes", said the Aelosian Princess, sadness and grief in her eyes, as she grabbed Kopinski's arm. "You shouldn't, you should...we should think about how...Oh, just forget about it", she said, smiling again.

He was surprised to be apprehended by the Aelosian princess who seemed to have intercepted him, and he was even more surprised by what she said. He took her hand and stared for a long moment into her eyes, “As you wish, I’ll try to forget this entire incident, now, before this entire thing started you were talking about your home, would you like to go back to talking about it? It must be a beautiful place.”

"My home?, the Craftworld?", said Aliria, impressed by Kopinski's curiosity. "I thought you know everything about the Eldar Craftworlds, although my home is different, is a Craftworld after all. The only difference is that we gave it the shape of our ancient Kingdom of Doriath. We constructed forests, rivers and caverns inside, we populated it with animals and flowers, and filled it with the works of our hands and minds".

OOC: To preserve everyone's sanity, and let this thread die, my reply is here (http://www.nationstates.net/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2530061#2530061)