[SEMI-PUBLIC] Office of the Vice President and MDIS- Term X

[unmerged(27050)]

"Hmmm..."

It was apparent that Austri was making a rather large decision, but what it was was not clear.

"Well, Captain. you've certainly risen through the ranks very fast. I am sure that you have to be one of the most capable officers in the Navy to have become the youngest Captain."

Austri then changed the subject.

"Captain, as I'm sure you're aware, the navy doesn't have a service chief. I consider this a grave weakness in our command system.. I am probably breaking more that one custom or regulation here, but between you and me, I would rather upset half the country by appointing a young, capable Captain over a 60 year old admiral who doesn't know the back end of a boat from the front end, instead of appeasing everyone and letting an idiot run the navy. So, I want to make you Chief of the Navy. But first, let me ask you a question. If we were at war with Spain, what would be our best strategy?"

 

[HJ Tulp]

Captain Tulp's mouth was suddenly very dry and he had to swallow before he could say something.

"CoS of the N-navy sir? I-I-I....uhm. You see sir only Admirals may become CoS and I'm just a Captain. Now you could give me the brevet rank of Admiral or something similair but I'm not sure if that would be enough. Furthermore sir with all due respect Admirals wouldn't be Admirals if they didn't have sufficient nautical and naval knowledge. About Spain?" Captain Tulp now sounded more confident "If we are at war with Spain we have to strike the first and the most decesive. Though I doubt we will ever be in war with only Spain and not Tilapia as well I would strike at the Spanish bases. That is if that wouldn't bring NATO into play, something I should look into.
The most important would be to destroy the Spanish Amphibious and naval-air vessels. With those destroyed they can't harm us. It should be possible with subs but we would have to improve our submarine fleet. On the other hand our surface fleet would have to be strong enough to be able to defeat or atleast seriously damage the Spanish fleet in order to make a invasion of the Canary islands possible. If we have a couple of those in our hands the Spanish will probably try to get peace with us. Offcourse this strategy isn't possible with our current assets."

 

[Voshkod]

A letter arrives for the President:

SECRET//NOFORN,ORCON//X1​

Mr. President, Minister Austri:

I have a final report on Eutopian military readiness. The Army and Navy are in relatively good repair. The impact of the embargo has been minimal, and the equipment in question is not overly complex, and therefore responds well to jury-rigging.

The situation in the Air Force is disgusting. All aircraft are currently grounded. Absent direct orders, I will not request pilots fly them for safety reasons. Of 120 fighter aircraft, 30 can be made operational by cannabilizing the other 90. Of 36 attack aircraft, four can be made operation by cannabilizing the other 34. The rest of the fleet - recon, transport, and helicopters can be brought up to better numbers, again with some permanent losses due to cannibalization.

Gentlemen, the Eutopian armed forces cannot guarantee any aircraft during combat. Air superiority or air supremacy are completely out of the question. All of our aircraft are American in origin, and the continuation of the embargo will only make matters worse.

Recent Newslink articles indicated that the Americans are expecting "upcoming war games." If that is the requirement for lifting the embargo, then I strongly recommend we do it, and do it now. Give me the order, and I will prepare and execute the wargames.

The soldiers, sailors and airmen of Eutopia will fight and die for their country if the order is given. They will fight with the equipment they have and, if necessary, with sticks. I will place flightcrews in the trenches with rifles if I must. But we can do better, and I believe we owe our servicemembers the best we can give them. And if that means sucking up to the Americans by putting on a circus for them, then we must.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

/s/Levarge, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs

 

[unmerged(27050)]

"Well, Captain, I knew that your rank was-"

An aide suddenly enters the office, gives Austri a letter, and leaves. Austri's color changes to a reddish hue.

In a barely audible voice, he says "Well, that explains the shouting from the Chief of Staff's office."

"Captain, someone is needed in the Navy Chief's office. Someone who doesn't have to put 'Acting' in their title whenever they sign something. You're best qualified for that. If I have to promote you to admiral, then I will do just that. Interesting plan on a war with Spain.. as for NATO, as I understand it, if Tilapia is not a member of NATO and Spain intervenes in a conflict, the NATO countries will not be bound to aid the Spanish, as Spain would be the agressor. Of course, they might anyways, but then they would not be acting as a member of NATO.

Also, I don't think submarines will be very high on the list of rearmament right now. I just recieved a... disturbing report about the air force."

 

[HJ Tulp]

"Well sir the problem is that I don't know exactly if you can promote me to a admiral rank. I'm quite sure that you can brevet-rank me to that rank but I'm not sure if Brevet-Admirals can become CoS. If I recall correctly General Levarge was made Brevet-Lt. General. I'm not sure if he has become a full Lt. General in the meen time sir. I do know of the state of the Airforce sir, I think our only shot now we probably won't get the Americans is either lift the European embargo, very unlikely because of Spain, or Russia sir. I know that you will probably do anything to get a good airforce but I must stress the fact that a adequate navy is vital to Eutopian defense and power projection. I would like to make a suggestion sir, would it be possible for us to discuss that in the SCIF?"

 

[Josephus I]

Josephus drops by to visit Per Austri

Per Vice president, how you doing?

Listen, I'm gonna be meeting the ambassador of St. Esprit. Or at least, I hope to be meeting him. Among the items I wish to discuss is our agreement to participate in a joint military exercise. Have you spoken with the Chief of the armed forces at all and if so, anything you can tell me?


Josephus

 

[Voshkod]

Letter from the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs:

SECRET//NOFORN,ORCON//X2​

Minister: The resignation of the Acting Air Force Chief is a final nail in the coffin of that service. They have a meager handful of operational aircraft and their leadership has resigned or will refuse to accept leadership positions.

I am left with one inescapable conclusion.

As there is no longer an effective Eutopian Air Force, there is no longer a need for an independent command structure for the Air Force. I request and recommend that the Air Force command structure be integrated into the Army command structure. No positions below the rank of General will be lost during such a reorganization; ordinary attrition will allow us to achieve reasonable officer numbers within two years. Certain general officers will be asked to resign.

Obviously, should the time ever come when the Air Force has been reconstituted to sufficient numbers, and has regained sufficient morale, then this action can be reversed, and an independent Air Force can be restored.

As a second matter, pending appointment of an Air Force Chief, it is my intention to act in that role.

I await your response.

/s/Levarge

 

[Voshkod]

Another letter from Levarge:

Minister: In addition to my duties as Chairman, Chief of Staff of the Army and the Airforce, I request appointment as Acting ENDTech Chief until such time as a permanent ENDTech Chief can be found.

/s/Levarge

 

[unmerged(27050)]

Austri storms into his office, obviously angry. Clenched in his hand is a video tape, and the tape his held so tightly by Austri that it is suprising it does not simply break. The doors to his office slam shut as soon as he enters. Austri shoves the tape into a VCR and plays it.

On the television screen, the latest episode of Eutopia Tonight plays again and again.

"No more. NO MORE!" Austri shouts, and pounds his fist on the table. "I am tired of this!"

About five minutes later, the doors swing open and Austri walks out towards the Chief of Staff's office. He is holding various papers. But his staff notice something different about him. He appears to have found something. Purpose.

 

[HJ Tulp]

*In the meanwhile captain Tulp still waits for the MDIS to come with him to the safe-room*

 

[Voshkod]

The Minister's pager buzzes.

FLASH FLASH FLASH

Then the number of the secure line is displayed.

Then:

EXERCISE

 

[unmerged(33865)]

A message arrives from MIDA

Per Minister Austri,

Someone, who turned out to have been a foreign mercenary, attempted to steal an ambulance near Uxbridge in New Lancaster province, and when foiled and facing arrest, shot himself. We found his apartment with more gear than one person needed, including sophisticated communications equipment, so he was probably a part of something larger. Various scenarios suggest themselves, including an attempted abduction or assassination by New Bengali separatists of the Tilapian Pro Consul who was due to visit New Lancaster City in two weeks in a non-governmental capacity. On the other hand, as it was an ambulance, they could have been seeking to steal more radioactive isotopes from a hospital to build a dirty bomb or continue those cockamamie experiments to create mutant creatures that I read about late last term.

Please have your intelligence and counter-terrorism people liase with FLEA directly on this matter. General Levarge was already informed, as it happened in the middle of his exercise.

 

[unmerged(33865)]

Identical messages arrive:

To: MDIS
cc: Intelligence section
From: MIDA

Re: Report of ships landing north of Uxbridge

MIDA has received information that would be more plausible if it were marked as related to the HIDDEN HAROLD EXERCISE, but it was not. I have contacted the exercise seeking confirmation that is was exercise related, but thought I should advise you in case it was in fact real.

 

[unmerged(33865)]

A follow-up message from MIDA

MIDA has received confirmation that the prior message was indeed exercise related, please disregard item with subject line "Re: Report of ships landing north of Uxbridge"

 

[unmerged(33865)]

A message arrives from Crusading Advocates LLC

Per President and MDIS,

I am writing as a partner of Crusading Advocates LLC, and not in my ministerial capacity.

As you may be aware, the outgoing Commissioner of Justice has declared a mistrial in the case of Oakleaf et al v. ENDTech et al, the case about the wrongful dismissal and breach of contract (less severance was paid than was due) brought by the former workers of ENDZone and various departments of ENDTech. The plaintiffs are prepared to bring this before the Federal Tribunal when a new Commissioner of Justice is named, but considering the unpredictability of the legal system and the costs that will be borne by a government corporation in defending the matter again, as the plaintiffs attorney, I wondered if we all wouldn't be better off by negotiating a settlement. The plaintiffs are prepared to settle for two weeks additional severance each and legal costs. With the dismissed employees having, on average, 4 years service, they felt they were owed 18 weeks additional severance, so you can see this is a very generous offer, and that doesn't factor in the other claims being dropped.

Previously this was a matter for the CEO of ENDTech, but as that position is vacant, until you appoint a new one, it would appear to be your decision to make. I had hoped this would be settled by the courts, so I wouldn't have to bring this matter up, but events have changed that. I would appreciate learning your thoughts on this matter.

Regards,

 

[unmerged(4271)]

TOP SECRET//HUMINT/SIGINT/IMINT//ORCON,NOFORN//X1

Intelligence Targetting Request​

The Joint Staff requests immediate assignment of human, signals and image intelligence assets to the follow targets:

1) Current operational status of the Tilipian military airfield on New Bengal, to include information on aircraft and garrison;

2) Current operational status of the Tilipian carrier group and its attached air wing; and

3) Current military and easily-convertable civilian transport available to Tilipia to support or reinforce operations in New Bengal.

I further recommend the Minister assign a diesel submarine to patrol in international waters off the port at Buen Puerto.

/s/Lt. Gen. Levarge, Army Chief of Staff

TOP SECRET//HUMINT/SIGINT/IMINT//ORCON,NOFORN//X1​

INTEL REPORT 0600 09/02/05

WITHOUT RELIABLE AIR RECON, OBJECTIVES HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT TO MEET BY CONVENTIONAL MEANS.

SUBMARINE OPERATIONS SUGGEST STANDARD CIVILIAN SEA TRAFFIC IN AND OUT OF NEW BENGAL WATERS. MINIMAL TILAPIAN FLEET ACTIVITY DETECTED, INCLUDING BASIC TRAINING MISSIONS OF NAVAL AIRCRAFT. AIR INTEL OBSERVERS RATE DISPLAYED TILAPIAN PILOT SKILL AS "UNIMPRESSIVE BUT IMPROVING".

INTEL ASSETS REPORT REDUCED FREQUENCY AND ARMAMENT OF TILAPIAN BORDER PATROLS IN MOUNTAINS BETWEEN W.E.T. AND TILAPIA. SITUATION PRODUCES THE INCREASED POTENTIAL FOR LAND BASED INFILTRATION OF TILAPIA FOR COVERT INTEL AGENTS.

PLEASE ADVISE REGARDING FUTURE ACTIVITIES.


- heagarty as GM Events

 

[Josephus I]

A message arrives from Crusading Advocates LLC

Thank you. I'll make a decision shortly.

Josephus

 

[Josephus I]

Loic. If the plaintiffs are prepared to settle, and are happy with the deal, we should give it to them.


Josephus

 

[Josephus I]

Application for Chief of EndTech ​

The MDIS is currently seeking applicants for the position of Chief of EndTech, Eutopia's state-owned military and weapons manufacturing and design services. Please apply in person here.


Josephus

 

[Josephus I]

Top Secret. Message from MDIS President JLS. X105-67
To: INTEL

Request information/briefing on any Intel picked up re: Moroccan mercenary and any update on investigation.

ASAP

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