An Exercise in Annexation (MT, Open)

[Athanes]

The Federation of Athanes
The Office of the President

Official Statement: The Spurlock Islands

The situation in the Spurlock Islands is failing fast. Despite the arrival of SPURISTA, our peacekeeping forces for the Spurlocks, arriving, conflict between the nations of Tolvan and Kim Jong Ilia looks likely to start a major war in the Spurlocks. The SPURISTA safe zone of East York Island has been established, and while the current total of SPURISTA forces is satisfying, all our peacekeeping efforts may prove futile of Tolvan and Kim Jong Ilia start a war over these small, peaceful islands.

Athanes encourages all nations involved in the conflict not to let the situation in the Spurlocks develop into a major international war which the Spurlocks, and indeed several nations, may never recover from. Violence is not the answer to these disputes, diplomacy is. War does not decide who is right, only who is left.

While Athanes understands the anger of Kim Jong Ilia after their 'research teams' in the Spurlocks disappeared, but sending military forces and attacking Tolvan is most defiantly not the answer. We would encourage Kim Jong Ilia to end military operations in the Spurlocks which look certain to start a war, compromise, and possinly join the peacekeeping effort.

Athanes would encourage discussions between Tolvan, Kim Jong Ilia and other nations claiming territories in the disputed Spurlocks to decide which state controls which territory. Military action will achieve nothing but death in the Spurlocks, as it usually does.

If the situation in the Spurlocks explodes into a major war, the Athanic Armed Forces will be forced to send the ANS Sparta, an Invincible class aircraft carrier and a platoon of Marine Rangers, the special forces branch of the Marine Corps. If SPURISTA is attacked by the forces of any nation, this will be viewed as an act of war.

East York is a safe zone for all. It is a neutral territory, and we will accept and welcome all refugees from the islands of the Spurlocks. However, military forces are unwelcome unless they support the peacekeeping efforts of the SPURISTA.

Athanes hopes that peaceful diplomacy will prevail over the bloodshed of warfare.

[Noordeinde]

OOC: Noordeinde, I haven't launched the Hinds yet, they are still on my ships.

ooc: okay, but did I understand right that their now airborn? Because well Hinds aren't really stealthy so we still discovered them and intercepted them now on the moment

IC: Althoug the Hind helicopters were actually quite fast, they couldn't escape from the faster Harriers of the Noordeinde Naval Aviation Service.

The Harriers intercepted the Hinds, the Squadron leader of the Harriers ordered the Kim Jong-Ilia Helicopters to withdraw and alther course back to their vessels otherwise force would be used to get them back to where they came from.

Onboard of the Hr.Ms Scheveningen, Noordeinde Navy.

Captain Goldberg walked into the Air Control Tower, it seemed to be one of the Noordeinde Naval Aviation Service Grumman S-2 Trackers detected one of the Kim Jong-Ilia Sang-O Class subs, and the pilots waited for further orders. The Captain took the mic.

"Captain Goldberg here, keep following the sub, and if it's going to make any hostile move you take him out."

The pilots understood their orders and kept on following the Sang-O Class sub, if it would make one hostile move against Tolvan ships they would sink the sub by throwing of a depth charge right on it.

[Isapolis]

IC:

Isapolis sees no need to discuss its claims with anybody. They are valid, and have stood for many years. Just as we will not attempt to sieze islands which have been claimed by others, we shall not permit ours to be siezed by foreign interests. Isapolis will maintain military forces in the Spurlock chain for just as long as we believe it is necessary, be that a day, or a thousand years.

~ David Sörös, Foreign Minister, Fiefdom of Isapolis

[Athanes]

The ANS Sparta left Port Corinth just as dawn was beginning to break in on Athanes. It was sailing towards the Spurlock Islands, East York specifically, as conflict looked certain in the small little string of islands. It was a good distance from Corinth to East York, about a day or two.

Four F-16 fighters soon went up to patrol the skies as the ship started on its way to the South China Sea, where the Spurlocks were located. Four F-16s would always be up, patrolling the skies, just in case foreign forces would attack them. Of course, it would be different planes and pilots, but four F-16s would always be up until they reached East York.

The Marines were still unsure if they should send the Marine Rangers, which was why another vessel wasn't behind them. A few frigates would have to be spared to defend the vessel which would be transporting the marines to East York, defiantly.

[Noordeinde]

Near West York Island the Noordeinde Navy Submarine Hr.Ms Walrus, a Walrus Class Submarine, finnaly approached it's destination, West York Island and it's partnership Hr.Ms scheveningen

The Hr.Ms Walrus would be responable for coastal patrol around West York Island and to tail the Kim Jong-Ilia submarines and prevent them from attacking.

[Othere]

Should the conflict spread south, the Technocratic Union of the Republic of Othere will treat any invasion of the national waters of its colony of L'Alatere as an act of agression.
The TU wishes for no war but must treat its position near the Spurlock Islands with a degree of Weltpolitik in order to protect its interests in the region.

[Aglorea]

Gold Island
Admiral Matlock stepped out of the helicopter and onto the sand for the first time. His black shoes were polished, but the shine seemed to disappear within a few step as the sand was tossed with each step. He wore the standard white uniform of an Aglorean Navy admiral, with polished gold buttons. He walked briskly to Major Rogers' tent. He entered and nodded, "Major Rogers."

The Major turned to him and saluted. "Admiral Matlock. What can I do for you?"

"Have all of the defenses been set up on Knights Island?"

"Yes sir. If any hostile ships move near the island they'll get hit. Our air defense grid is being set up now, too. I just sent another two hundred marines to secure Saint's Island, Humble Island, and Fox Isle. Seventy-five soldiers on each. More anti-air launchers will be set up on each."

"Good. Things seem to be going rough on Gryphon Island. War is likely to break out there soon. Once it clears up, that will be our best chance to swoop in and take over. I'll be back here in a day or two. Until then, carry on, Major." The Admiral saluted before turning and leaving Gold Island. Now all that remained to be seen was how things unfolded on Gryphon Island.

[Noordeinde]

The Grumman S-2 Tracker of the Noordeinde Naval Aviation Service was still in the air, following the Kim Jong Ilian submarine, but their was one problem, the plane was running out of fuell and had to return to the Hr.Ms Scheveningen, this caused another problem, if the Grumman S-2 Tracker would return back to the carrier they would lose track of the Kim Jong Ilian submarine.

Both pilots decided to ask for back-up which could take-over the surveillance. Captain Rutherford of the Noordeinde Navy submarine Hr.Ms Walrus decided to take over the surveillance of the Grumman S-2 Tracker. So from now on they would tail the Kim Jong Ilian submarine from safe distance and intervene if it was nessecary.

[Kim Jong-Ilia]

KJS Woozee
"It seems as though the Tolvans aren't going to reply to our message Comrade Admiral"
"Hmm, well, so be it"
"To all personnel we are about to go to war with the Tolvans, you have all been trained for a time like this, so whatever happens in the next few minutes, I know that every one of you will perform your duty with honour and will be honoured after all this is over"
"Tell the colonel that when my ships open fire on the Tolvan ships he is to make his way to Gryphon Island, it is on"
The Hind helicopters were now patrolling the perimetre around the Kim Jong-Ilia vessels, waiting for the order to attack
"Yes Comrade Admiral"
"All ships OPEN F..."
"Comrade Admiral do not open fire!"
"What!"
"I just got this message, it is straight from the Dear Leader himself!"
"Hand it here!"
Message to Occupation Task Force 1,

To: Admiral OhGum Jansen
From: The Dear Leader

After hearing of the stand-off at Gryphon Island between your forces and ours, I decided to withdraw your forces and put them in for defence of the islands we have already secured. A war with the Tolvans is, not in our best interests.

~ The Dear Leader

"It's genuine Comrade Admiral"
"Yes it is, OK, all Hind helicopters fall back to the ships, all amphibious tanks, fall back to the troop transports, all submarines, fall back to the main fleet, we are retreating to the islands we already claim"
"Give me the long range radio"
The comm. officer hands the admiral the long range radio
"To Tolvan ships, we will not start a war with you but take this as a warning, consider yourselves lucky, as next time, you may not be so lucky"
Hands long range radio back
"It will be 25 minutes before we are ready to fall back Comrade Admiral"
"Fair enough then"

[Kim Jong-Ilia]

KJS Woozee
"Admiral, all of my forces are back on the transports, why have we fallen back?"
"Colonel, the Dear Leader told us to stand down and retreat to our already secured islands"
"May I have a look at the orders?"
"Yes you may"
After reading the message
"Well then, if this is from the Dear Leader himself, then I understand then"
"Okay, I am going back to the bridge, prepare your forces for fortification and island defence"
After arriving on the bridge
"Comrade Admiral, it appears as though one of our submarines isn't returning to the fleet!"
"Do you know why?"
"No"
"Has it been sunk?"
"No, it is still on our sonar but it is moving away from us and the Tolvans entirely and we haven't been able to contact them"
"hmm, then it is a rogue then"
"Do you want to inform the other forces?"
"Yes, to avoid a mistake and a conflict"
"Here is the radio sir"
Hands the admiral the radio

To all forces in the Spurlocks, one of our submarines have gone rogue and you have permission to sink the sub, but do not retrieve any wreckage from it after it is sunk, wait for one of our vessels to retrieve the wreckage, as you may understand, we do not want our technology going to anyone elses hands, friend, foe or neutral.

Hands radio back

"Okay, we can move back to the North-Eastern Chain, rendezvous with our other forces in the region at Joh Island"
"Yes Comrade Admiral"

[Tolvan]

OOC: I apologize for not posting, my home Internet has been down, hopefully I'll have it back it up within the week. I'll try to post some more IC stuff later on today.

[Noordeinde]

To all forces in the Spurlocks, one of our submarines have gone rogue and you have permission to sink the sub, but do not retrieve any wreckage from it after it is sunk, wait for one of our vessels to retrieve the wreckage, as you may understand, we do not want our technology going to anyone elses hands, friend, foe or neutral.

Onboard of the Hr.Ms Walrus, Noordeinde Navy,

Captain Rutherford received the last transmission of the Kim Jong Ilian Navy vessel KJS Woozee.

It seemed to be one of their submarines had been gone rogue, and the submarine the Hr.Ms Walrus tailed was the rogue Kim Jong Ilian sub.

Their was a dillema for Captain Rutherford, the Noordeinde Navy served here as peacekeeper with the Athanes forces, this meant that he couldn't open fire as long as the Kim Jong Ilian submarine wouldn't make any hostile moves toward others.

Captain Rutherford decided to keep on tailing the rogue Kim Jong Ilian submarine until they had the right to sink the rogue submarine if it would try to harm anyone.

[Aglorea]

The AIS Nest
Admiral Matlock stepped back onto the bridge of the Nest. He had polished his black shoes on the way back from Gold Island. Immediately as he walked in, his XO moved towards him and saluted. "What is it?"

"Admiral," the XO began. "We got a message from Kim-Jong-Illia regarding a submarine of theirs. It appears it has gone rogue and they want our help to take it out. Oh, and they don't want us to search the wreckage."

Matlock thought for a moment. They could do a couple of things. They could do nothing, which would have no benifit to them at all. They could sink it, but then they'd have to investigate the wreckage, otherwise it would be a waste of resources. That left one option. "Find a way to bring it to the surfce," he said decisively. "Then capture the crew and check the sub. Sink it later."

"Yes sir," the XO responded. Now he had to find a way to make it happen.

[Kim Jong-Ilia]

OOC: Noordeinde, you had the right to sink it from the moment I said 'permission'.

IC:
On the submarine, KJS Durga
"Comrade Captain, why are we not following the order from the Dear Leader?"
"I do not believe the order came from the Dear Leader, I believe the Admiral chickened out and made the orders up himself!"
"But"
"But nothing Comrade Lieutenant, just do as I order and all will be well"
"Comrade Captain! Where are we going exactly?! Are we not following the fleet!"
"No Comrade, we're not following the fleet, we are going to attack one of the opposing fleets, maybe the Athanean Fleet"
"Comrade Captain, I will not let you do that!"
"And what Comrade Lieutenant, are you going to do about it?"
"I will think of something"
"I'm sure you will"
The captain pulls out his Fort 14 sidearm and shoots the lieutenant
"That is what happens when you go against my authority! You two, take his body away! Comrade, set a course for the Athanean peacekeeping forces!"
"For the Dear Leader and for Kim Jong-Ilia!"

[Tolvan]

OOC: Sorry for the crappy post, but it's just o keep things going till my internet is back up.

HMS Minotaur
20 nautical miles northeast of Gryphon Island

Commodore Hathway watched as Kim Jong-Ilian force moved away from Gryphon Island steadily. He wondered if the crews of the vessles knew just how close to death they'd come as they had faced almost insurmountable odds.

However, Task Force Gryphon now had things in the area mostly under control. The Minotaur and her escorts had linked up with the Harper and her own escorts earlier in the morning. The Diligent still lurked to the south shadowing the Kim Jong-Ilians. The carrier's CAP now covered Gryphon Island entirely, as well as the rest of the Northern Spurlock Islands. Colonel Mitchell's Royal Marines had continued to dig in and now had an operating airstrip on the island that was being used to bring in another Royal Marine rifle company, giving Mitchell a full battalion, as well as additional SAM launchers, two batteries of 105mm howitzers, and a platoon of tanks.

Freshly reinforced, the Marines were moving out to land troops on the Commonweath's other claims in the Spurlocks. Already six other islands housed garrisons and more would come when the follow-on battalion of airmobile troops arrived in the that night.

The Commonwealth's grasp of the Northern Spurlocks was getting stronger and it woul take quite an effort to pry it loose.