The Jaris War: Rise of the Natopian Kingdom

[Nathan]

King Nathan was again sitting in his desk, looking out the window over the Natopian capitol of Lindstrom City. Amazing how much had changed since the last time he gazed out at the city on the eve of war. Last time he was grand chancellor of a nation that hated him, a nation he barely spent time in.
But then things changed, he returned home from the Veliken War, not necessarily triumphant, but proof... proof that Natopia had a desire to take part in this world... even if it meant loss of life and ships. Since the end of that war he had watched Natopia become a central power of a small empire, the Venerable Union of Aligned States and then, watched it crash around him... crippling Natopia in its downfall. Natopia got out lucky, Faronia and New Germany are all but ghost towns now and Lavalon is recovering as well as Natopia is, one could guess.

But, it all worked out allright didn't it? The chaos and confusion that surrounded the collapse of VUAS prompted the change in government, the change that got him crowned king of Natopia, a secret desire of his. And now he looked out his window... this time not looking down at fellow citizens, no, this time he was looking down at his subjects. The same subjects that cheered wildly when he coronated himseld to prove Natopia's independence and total sovereignty.

Nathan stood up and began to pace in front of his desk. This new war was troubling. He had a very bad feeling about it. The Grand Commonwealth attempting to destabilize Shireroth’s system of colonies around the world… starting with the island of Jaris. Now, this alone would be troubling, two of the largest powers in the world were going to be embroiled in a war to determine who was the most powerful empire. The battle itself was far away from Natopia, and Natopia most likely would not be involved, aside from offering any support to its treaty partner, Shireroth. Natopia’s military was very small, with only one major battle in the Veliken War under their belt. But Jaris is off the coast of Antica, and Natopia and Antica are very close allies, and when the Commonwealth included Antica in their declaration of war against Shireroth, Natopia was bound by SPEAR to come to Antica’s aid, just as if the Commonwealth had declared war on Natopia itself.

But what good could it possibly do?! Firstly, Antica was having some domestic problems and had barely mobilized its military in response to the GC declaration. Secondly, Natopia was never a major player in world politics and generally kept to itself or its continental neighbors. Nathan collapsed onto the couch in front of his desk. Natopia was a fly, a nuisance to the larger army of the Commonwealth, devoted to invasion. It had been a long day, preparing the fleet and making sure the new fleet roster was acceptable to his military advisors. They’d be setting off soon, only a matter of….

…Hours later Nathan awoke with a start as a young lieutenant stood over him, gently prodding him with the clipboard he carried. “Your Majesty,” he said with a slight bow of the head as Nathan winced at his new title, it would take a while to adjust he thought. The lieutenant continued, “Alpha Fleet is assembled in Lindstrom Harbor. Your flagship, the Gustav Lindstrom, is waiting for you to board. After you are in command of the carrier, the Fleet will set off for the theater of battle.” Nathan was straightening his uniform that had been rumbled while he slept and washed up in the adjacent restroom as the lieutenant gave a full report on the fleet’s readiness. “Very good lieutenant,” Nathan said as he came out of the restroom, looking as refreshed as one could be after sleeping fully clothed on a couch, “Let’s go then, shall we?” He left the office without another look and made his way out to the courtyard of his palace, Vista de Nada, where he boarded a helicopter that took him to the deck of the pride of Natopia’s fleet, the HSMS Gustav Lindstrom. As he took his seat in the admiral’s chair, he gave the order for the communications ensign to ring up the other ships in the Fleet, the destroyers Ill de France II and Saint Louis, and the frigate Vista de Nada. “Lt. Murphy,” Nathan said as he turned to the navigations officer, “what is our ETA to our destination, the island of Jaris?” “Your Majesty, we will arrive at Jaris in approximately 52 hours and 48 minutes.” “Very well, we have two days at sea so I want drills at least once every hour, we will be ready.”

Once more the entire Natopian Navy, no the entire Defense Force, set off from Natopian waters to fight someone else’s war.

Summary:
Natopian Alpha Fleet sets off from Lindstrom City to Jaris to provide support for Antican defense. Will arrive at Jaris in two days.

[Nathan]

Mutiny on The Massive

Captain McMaky was enjoying a nice plate of broiled eucalyptus, which was preceded by a steaming hot bowl of spiced eucalyptus soup. He was eating in the modestly decorated Officers’ Mess, along with his other officers, his Lavalonian officers. The Natopian-born officers had long ago been either asked, discretely or openly, by the Lavalonian officers to kindly eat with their countrymen, in the regular, crowded Mess. Such a notion was absurd by Natopian naval tradition, as officers of the fleet had earned their way through the ranks, and expected a slight bit of privacy when they ate. Under these particular circumstances, the officers took more pride at eating with their countrymen than with the Lavalonian officers. The enlisted crew, all Natopian, made special arrangements to set aside a small corner of the large Mess for the officers.

“That captain of ours, what a pole!” Lieutenant Commander Ian Dewaer, the ship’s first mate, said, rather loudly, “eating his fancy koala food with his no-fun Nancy officers. And another thing…” A young seaman was sitting rather close-by, and began to agree with all of the things Dewaer said, albeit the officer being under the influence of some contraband Alexandrian Wine he had “guarded” on the night of King Nathan’s coronation. The young seaman, Seaman First Class Frederick Nacho, had always distrusted the Lavalonians after their government destroyed the one chance at an empire Natopia will have. Why, now, were they in command of a Natopian warship? Thoughts of hatred swarmed in Frederick Nacho’s mind…

Later that night, while Nacho was lying awake in his bunk, too busy thinking of how much he hated the Lavalonians to sleep, his bunkmate, Huston LaRue awoke to Nacho’s mutterings, “Hey Nach, whacho goin’ on abou’ those damn Lavos?” “Oh, Husty, sorry I woke you… it was something Dewaer said at dinner, he doesn’t like those Lavs in command of this ship anymore than we do! And I was thinking, if a upstanding, loyal, honorable, trained, Anschluss Academy grad thinks them Lavs ain’t no good for us, then dammit, why are they still here?” whispered Nacho up to his bunkmate. “I reckon the goats at Lindstrom have a good reason for keepin’ ‘em here… We don’ even ‘sider they’s a real country, do we? No, then why they’s runnin’ OUR damn ship? I tell’s ya why, I TELL’S ya why, damn Lavos is stealing from us, from our King! Gonna build themselves a purdy ship, bolt for bolt like ours, a Lavalonian The Massive, the disgrace! Builds ‘em up a fleet o’ ‘Massives, and BAM they’s burning down ‘de Nada. Tain’t ‘nough to crush our empire, now they’s gotta copy-cat our boats and rape our wonderful city…” LaRue was almost yelling now, “And when they get in our city… they’s gonna paint is GREEN I tell ya…. a sickly euca-green!” LaRue pantomimed vomiting on a conveniently placed Lavalonian flag to much delight of the awoken crewmen. Many joined in, regaling the others of stories and rumors of evil Lavalonians kicking puppies, kicking their dear old aunties, and kicking small, good, wholesome Natopian girls who where just jumping rope. The noise was so loud, the crewmen of the adjoining compartment woke up, and slowly filed in to find out what the ruckus was. Many, staying because they supported the spontaneous anti-Lavalonian movement, others just because they knew they wouldn’t get to sleep again. When the noise reached a peak, and several crewmen resorted to fisticuffs in order to gain the “soapbox.” The night Duty Watch Officer, a Lavalonian, burst into the compartment to demand what was going on. The room went dead silent, all eyes were on the Lavalonian, who, immediately fearing for his life, slowly walked out of the room. But a crewman slammed it shut. Another held him down, while others tied him up. Mutiny. They couldn’t stop know, aldrenaline had taken the first step for them, but wouldn’t take them back again. They were committed, whether they wanted to be or not.

LaRue, not the most eloquent of speakers, had been, by mob-mentality, selected as the leader of the mutineers. He lead them to the upper decks, tearing down the posters of the Lavalonian President as he went. Captain McMaky was standing behind his door, pistol drawn. The door crashed open, downward onto McMaky, but he lost no time and fired through the door. LaRue was dead and the mutineers reminded McMaky of this, though indirectly. As the throng kept pushing from behind, those in front who had seen this event were forced onto the door, crushing McMaky to death. Some of the mutineers split off, and while most Lavalonians were found cowering in the corner of their quarters, a handful were waiting for them, pistols drawn. Four Natopians, including LaRue, died as a result. One other Lavalonian was beaten to death for killing a crewman.

The Lavalonians were lead to the deck, forced on a life raft, and left adrift, hopefully to drift onto the shores of Palastina and be given a warm welcome, as they were still wearing their Natopian Navy uniforms.

Now, as the ship’s first mate, this left Lt. Cmd. Dewaer in an awkward position. Already he was on the bridge, wondering how this had all happened. Had he participated? He was still drunk on that Alexandrian Wine yesterday. Could he? No… he was asleep in his quarters. Right? No time to second guess yourself now, he chastised himself, take a hold of the situation. The radio officer informed him of an incoming message from the Mehlville, the other ship blockading Miska. Mehlville’s captain was requesting to speak with McMaky. Shit. What now? Improvise? ‘Oh sorry, he’s… uh… sick, bye!’ No, this is the Navy, we can make better excuses than that. “Captain Dewaer, the Mehlville’s captain sends his congratulations to you,” the radio officer finally said after, it seemed to Dewaer, ages. “For what? And… what? Captain? Are you OK?” Dewaer flustered. “Yes sir, it took you so long to respond I told the Mehlville everything that happened,” the radio officer said. “And… their captain is OK with this… questions?” “No sir.” “Damn… what kind of navy IS this?”

Summary: Pure backstory, Natopians mutiny on The Massive against Lavalonian officers, leave them to drift onto Palastina shores. No units have been affected by this, except morale may be boosted a bit from rumors spreading throughout the fleet.