Republic of Jouran

[Republic of Jouran]

Novgorod:
'' To say that Kylvania is responsible for some sort of sabotage of the JSS Hurram is completely wild and speculative conjecture at this point that I will not bother to comment further on! '' Secretary of the Navy Henrick Van Der Poel said with a shake of his meaty finger at the press of reporters gathered around him like so many vultures surrounding a dying animal. '' Needless to say a full investigation is being conducted on the wreck to determine how and why the ship went down so suddenly with all hands. But the people of Jouran can rest assured that the government is putting its best men on the case to discover the cause. Whether it be a natural.. '' a dramatic pause for effect, the press corp hung on his every word. '' or unnatural sinking. ''

'' Thank you, thank you. That will be all from the Secretary! '' Said one of De Henrick's aides stepping in with a wave of his arms to shoo the reporters away. Van Der Poel paused for a few snapshots before retreating behind the massive oak doors of his office. It would be over two hours later before the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense Lars Van Tonder was sitting in front of him.

'' I heard what you told the press. Very theatrical. '' Lars said leaning forward, striking a match to light his cigar as he stared at his old friend. '' But what do you really know? '' Van Der Poel arched an eyebrow, the old bulldog didn't let any emotion creep onto those wrinkled features as he mulled his answer. '' We have yet to discover whether or not explosives were involved. Our divers are still trying to determine the cause, we're still trying to access the bridge and the damned hold. ''

'' We've got to keep a lid on this Henrick, God forbid this was sabotage... '' Van Tonder said pausing to inhale toxic fumes into his lungs with a puff of that cigar.. '' then the Republican's will be screaming for war and half the population will be storming the border before we can so much as shout parley. All reports of the accident will be funneled directly to the Ministry of Defense where it will be kept under lock and key. Only the Prime Minister needs to know for now. This situation needs to be handled delicately. '' Van Der Poel allowed a crook of a smile to slide over those features as he tapped the tip of his cigar into his ash tray.

'' I agree. We'll make sure that this mess is cleaned up, but mark my words Lars, if this wasn't an accident there will be hell to pay. God forbid we have to put the Kylvanian's in there place a third time. Though they do seem to need a good beating every century or so.'' Van Der Poel said with a grim chuckle.

'' I'm sure that if the Kylvanian's are involved, they're scratching their damned heads as much as we are. We both have nationalists within our governments that would like nothing more than to see one more final showdown. '' Lars replied, turning to stare hard into the crackling fireplace that sat adjacent to the pair.

'' Fanatics all of them...''

'' Fanatics. '' Henrick agreed.

[Republic of Jouran]

Novgorod; Emergency Cabinet Meeting:
The stench of anxiety, fear, and cigarettes filled the cabinet room as Prime Minister De Witt stared at his fellow Ministers. The emergency cabinet meeting had been convened to deal with the growing crisis of the Kylvanian invasion of the Republic of Ostereich. A territory that had existed since the second Kyro-Jou war and had been formally recognized as a nation by Jouran.

'' We cannot allow this to stand. '' Foreign Minister Navis was the first to speak, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room. '' Ostereich is a sovereign nation that has been recognized by the international community. Kylvania must be kept in check. We should declare war. '' That provoked a cacophony of raised voices from both sides of the table.

'' Nobody wants a war Navis. The Kylvanian army outnumbers us more than two to one. We don't have the power to invade Kylvania. At best, it would be a bloody stalemate. The JNA is not what it was thirty years ago. '' Prime Minister De Witt shot back at the old War Hawk.

'' But it could be. '' A third voice interjected, all eyes flickering towards the one man whom was standing rather than sitting. Field Marshal Theodore Von Bach, Commander of the JNA First Army. On the news of the Kylvanian invasion, he had been hastily summoned back for the meeting to give his input.

'' We have thousands of reservists that could be called up. I would recommend a phased build up and modernization campaign. Call up a quarter of the Frontier Reserve Corp and begin moving the rest of the army to the border. It will show the Kylvanian's that we are prepared to fight if needed and allow us to negotiate from a position of strength. '' Von Bach stated in a calm, efficient manner. '' In the meantime, sponsor a bill in Parliament to double the strength of the JNA from 58,000 to more than a 100,000. Put out a call for volunteers and you will have young men flooding the ranks. '' Nationalism was particularly high when it came to fighting between Jouran and Kylvania, an unprovoked invasion on a democracy was sure to stir feelings of patriotism.

'' Prime Minister we need an answer. '' Navis pushed.

'' Do it. '' Adrian De Witt said after a long moments of contemplation. '' Minister Navis, you will head to Kylvania in order to try and defuse this crisis and enter negotiations. '' Slowly Adrian came to his feet and with left the room. It had been decades since the two powers had fought, De Witt hardly wanted to see more young men slaughtered like at Calvio..but it seemed the Kylvanian's were intent on giving him no choice.

[Republic of Jouran]

Courland:
The sounds of music flooded the streets as bands competed to outperform one another, somewhere off in the distance a bell was tolling, and a low roar was slowly building from the throngs of people lining the streets. All of them eager to get a peek at the road which was choked with soldiers as they marched towards the frontier. The streets were lined with red and gold Jouranan flags, girls scrambled close to soldiers to try and pin a flower on their lapels. The more daring troops on the march would even try to steal a kiss. Ever since the Prime Minister had announced that he was deploying thousands of reinforcements to the Kylvanian border, the country had erupted into an almost carnival like atmosphere.

The call for volunteers had brought about thousands of patriotic young men from University, from the cities, and from the rural farmlands charging towards Army recruiting stations. Each eager to do their duty and get their share of the glory that was to be had. For everyone assumed that this war would be over as quickly as it had began. The Kylvanian's would be beaten as they had in the past two wars and Jouran would retain her supremacy for another century.

Guy De Chaliac wasn't so sure. All he saw out there in the wave of gold, green, and thousands of neat and tidy uniforms were young men slaughtered by machine gun fire, torn apart by artillery shells, and locked in the bitter fighting of hand to hand. Blood, guts, and eyeballs. De Chaliac should have known after all. He'd be in this exact same position thirty years ago. The Kylvanian's had invaded Karelia and he had answered the call. It was strange how so often history repeated itself.

'' Father, it's time. '' The voice he had been dreading said. Slowly De Chaliac turned, his wheelchair squeaking in protest at the sudden 180 as he came away from the window. When he saw his son, standing so proud and tall in his uniform pain shot into him. It was a deeper kind of pain, greater than the leg he had lost at Calvio. It was like looking into a mirror, he saw himself decades ago.

'' Don't do this, I'm begging you. We have money, I could send you to Fortis for awhile until this is all over. You'd be safe. '' De Chaliac pleaded, but he already knew that the words would fall on deaf ears.

'' And abandon my duty? Abandon my friends? '' Hugh De Chaliac retorted. '' Father, we've had this argument again and again. I'm going, my reserve unit has been called up and I'll be damned if I'm going to desert them when they need me most. This war, if it comes will be over soon enough. The Kylvanian's are a stubborn lot. They just need a repeat of Calvio to drive the lesson home that Karelia belongs to us. ''

'' Do not repeat the garbage that those so called newspapers put in their headlines! '' Guy snarled, trying in vain to rise from his chair to slap some sense into the boy. In his moment of rage, he had forgotten that he quite literally didn't have a leg to stand on. '' You don't know what war is like. Your only a boy. I let you join the Reserves because you wanted to play soldier, not because I thought the Kylvanian's would try to start another war. '' Guy said, collapsing back into the wheelchair.

'' Father, I'm done talking. I've arranged for Han's to help you around the house in my absence and aid in any chores. I need to go. '' Hugh said, attempting to push past his father and head for the door only to have a restraining hand placed on his wrist. '' Wait. '' Guy murmured in a defeated whisper as he eased the medallion of St. James from around his neck. '' Your Great Great Grandfather carried this with him during the first war, I carried it with me at Calvio in the second. I may not have come home in one piece but I came home. Carry it with you, make an old man feel better. ''

'' I will. '' His son responded and gave the glowering old man one last hug before he headed to the door. '' Goodbye father. '' With that he was descending the steps and disappearing out into the festival outside.

Guy had never told his son about the war. It had been too painful to re-open old wounds, to tell of the friends he'd lost, to tell of the men he'd had to kill. Now he wished that he had.