NES2 VI - Last Semblance of Order.

[Cuivienen]

To: The Republicans
From: The Hanhua Emperor

As the Japanese have suggested, if you acknowledge the Hanhua Emperor and force the abdication of your traitorous leader, we will agree to a ceasefire with you and the possibility of a peaceful reunification of China.

 

[das]

The Imperial Republic rejects this.

 

[Symphony D.]

The Empire of Japan would note it said no such things and, given the beating the Xin Han have suffered, advises it at least try not to be so dreadfully pretentious in peace negotiations if it wants them to have any hope of succeeding.

 

[Harleqin]

Michael sighed deeply. Being stationed at the French HQ outside of Stockholm he constantly recieved missives from Copenhagen and the Danish forces to the west. The situation was bleak. Things had been problematic from the very start. Someone had alerted the Swedes to the surprise attack on Stockholm and most of the attacking Danish forces had been taken prisoner. At least the city was still encircled despite a few Swedish attacks to break the siege and the Royal Danish Navy still had the city covered from sea. With the constant pummeling of cannonfire and shells a large part of Stockholm had been in flames before a heavy downpour of rain had quelled the fires.
Even so, he knew the situation in the besieged city must be grim. Fires, deaths, disease and, most likely, beginning hunger were as great an enemy as the Franco-Danish troops around it. It could only be a matter of time before the Swedes would either surrender their capital or make one last attempt at breaking out. Should that happen he had no doubts their positions would still hold. Not only had the French elite forces managed to beat back every attack, but tired and weakened from hunger the Swedes should have little chance.

In the East and the South things had gone better he knew. Danish troops had repulsed massive Swedish attacks, correctly anticipating them, and then pursued the routing enemy forcing them to pull back a long distance before regrouping. It would have been easy enough to finish them off if it hadn't been for the accursed Russians. Rather than letting the two nations duke it out they had decided to intervene despite not lifting a finger during the last war. With Russians in Holsten the Danish government had pulled a large number of troops back from Sweden to bolster the defenses back home and hold the Russians at bay. He didn't approve of this tactic. Had he been in charge he would have willingly sacrificed Jutland in order to knock out Sweden. Cowards in Copenhagen. They were no true soldiers.

Sighing deeply he resigned to do the best he could with what he had. Right now the top priority for him was keeping the Swedes at bay with what little remained. If only he could come up with something to truly surprise them. If only Luleaa could be captured, then the Swedes would lose an important economic centre which might just be enough. Perhaps it was time to talk with the admiral.

Sending a courier to request the admirals presence he left his tent and strode toward the quarters of the French general to outline his plan. He had a good feeling about this.

 

[andis-1]

Sorry, but I have to quit this. My nesing time will be limited to bare minimun in the summer.

 

[Azale]

If your that busy during summer I cannot imagine how busy you are during school...

Orders coming later today unless you could push the deadline back a day, oh benevolent das

 

[Icmancin]

Screw Kanem-Bornu, I'm taking SWEDEN!

 

[Kal'thzar]

No Icmancin, No your not.

 

[Icmancin]

My bad....

 

[Kal'thzar]

Its no problem

 

[andis-1]

If your that busy during summer I cannot imagine how busy you are during school...

Actually, it's just that I'm living at my aunt's place now and her husband does not look it well if I spend more than 10 minutes on the computer. Luckily, he is sleeping atm

 

[Lord_Iggy]

@andis-1 Did you send orders yet?

Crap, if you didn't... I don't have the time to send Sennarese orders, and I don't trust NPCs.

 

[Wubba360]

you can't control multiple nations

 

[Thlayli]

I would like to send orders, but a certain person has to PM me that he agrees with my plan, because I don't want to do this alone...

*watches for paranoia in various players*

 

[Insane_Panda]

Please, stop interfering in the prosperity of the French Empire.

Its just annoying, really.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

you can't control multiple nations

I know, but I have devloped a certain lack of trust for what heads of 'NPC' governments do in das' NESes.

"Staring across the river with odd fascination" was what NK used to describe it, or something of that sort.

Ah, heck. I'll trust in Sennar's abilities, and if not, well, it'll collapse and I might get destroyed by the Byzantines, Russians and Abyssinia as I fight war on three fronts.

Anyone for peace?

 

[Insane_Panda]

Sennar is of little importance. It can be reconquered or some such in a peace treaty.

 

[North King]

I know, but I have devloped a certain lack of trust for what heads of 'NPC' governments do in das' NESes.

"Staring across the river with odd fascination" was what NK used to describe it, or something of that sort.

Er... I think I just said "Never trust an NPC in a das NES, or something like that.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Er... I think I just said "Never trust an NPC in a das NES, or something like that.

It was early in ITNES. I was reading through it a few weeks ago. It was after you'd been NPCed for the first time, you complained about missing an opportunity to conquer a rival state or something like that.

 

[North King]

Right. You mean

Spoiler this story. :

“You mean to say you sat in exactly the same positions for twenty years?”

“Well, my king... Not exactly the same positions, mind. We moved camp a few times, and we foraged and drank water, and...”

“You stayed...” Mehul’s faced twisted in fury.

“Well, sir, your father didn’t send any orders–”

“YOU WERE WITHIN SIGHT OF PATALIPUTRA! IT WAS RIGHT ACROSS THE RIVER! YOU ONLY HAD TO CROSS IT AND SURROUND IT! AND YOU COULDN’T EVEN MOVE YOUR LAZY ARSES THAT FAR! YOU JUST WATCHED THE CITY, YOU COULDN’T EVEN BE BOTHERED TO GET UP!”

“Well, sire,” the messenger looked desperate. “We didn’t know what to do...”

“YOU MEAN OUR GENERALS CAN’T FIGURE OUT WHAT TO DO WHEN THEY REACH A CITY? THEY DON’T KNOW HOW OR WHY TO BESIEGE? WHAT DO WE PAY THOSE PEOPLE FOR?”

“Well, he did do some excellent logistical work.”

“THAT’S OBVIOUS! YOU CAN’T VERY WELL STAY ON THE EXACT SAME SPOT FOR TWENTY YEARS WITHOUT SOME KIND OF LOGISTICAL ABILITY!”

“Sire, sire, we... We considered moving, but the king hadn’t sent any orders–”

“LACK OF ORDERS DOESN’T MEAN AN ORDER TO SIT STILL! HOW HARD CAN IT BE? YOU’RE IN SIGHT OF THEIR GODS ACCURSED CAPITAL, AND YOU CAN’T WORK OUT THAT YOUR SUPPOSED TO REDUCE IT?!?!?!”

“Well...”

“OBVIOUSLY NOT!!”

“Yes, yes, sire, I’m sorry, but the time is lost–”

“YOU’RE DAMN WELL RIGHT THAT IT’S LOST. TWENTY YEARS. TWENTY!”

“Yes, sir, and there’s no point in agonizing over it. We have to make do with what we have.”

“That we do... But you can bet that you won’t be seeing many more of those incompetent generals anymore,” Mehul said, breathing deeply and impatiently through his nose.

The poor messenger inclined his head; what else could he do?

Mehul dismissed him and stormed up the stairs of the tall tower of Sampa. Indeed, he was in such a flurry from the damned state of Kalinga after twenty years inaction that he nearly crashed into the Queen in the midst of one of the halls. Nearly, luckily.

“I’m–I’m sorry, I didn’t see you,” he said automatically.

His sister smiled slightly and pulled him into a hug, which he returned.

“I’ve... I’ve been inquiring into the affairs of the military.”

“Yes?” she asked.

“It would seem that our Father’s illness has left things rather... disorganized. Our northern army has not moved at all for twenty years... I’m told their camp is quite large by now, a veritable city.”

He eyebrows raised. “They didn’t move in twenty years?”

His mouth twitched angrily. “Yes.”

“So that’s what you were shouting about,” she said, another slight smile playing across her face.

He flushed.

“Don’t worry, it didn’t wake anyone up. So you say the military forces have stagnated?”

“That’s only the half of it. No economic growth, no educational growth, nothing, it all just stayed the exact same. Ever since our uncle died and our father...” He could not continue. His throat tightened painfully. The memory of their father’s illness was all too fresh in his mind.

He had been stricken by an odd sort of plague, babbling incoherently at first, and then raving with no real point. One could talk to him, and he might even reply, but there was no sense to his answer. He had slipped into insanity... It had been a painful thing to watch, to see the strong, brave king, defender of the nation, sink to such depths.

He sighed heavily, and she put a hand lightly on his shoulder. “It was a terrible thing, but the gods act not of kindness. They act of fairness. Remember that.

“And whatever our fates may be, I intend to spend my life helping Kalinga.”

He nodded. “As will I.”

She gave another half smile. “Well then, we must be off to our duties...” She paused. “I sometimes think you have it easier, brother,” she added suddenly.

He looked up, startled. “How?”

She smiled. “You deal with war. I deal with politics.”

He smiled back. “Point taken,” he said, and they parted ways... Yet both ways were for the good of Kalinga.

******************

On topic: I hope for update. Though I'm too busy working on my own to really notice, of course.