Hornet's Nest

[Thaumantica]

East Central Butuan - District November
12th July at 0800

As the political undercurrent of resistance reverberated against the Expeditionary Forces of Cantigny, conflict with local nationals arose with every village visited, and every ceremony of National Pride inferred upon a public which seemed disinterested or even annoyed, from the perspective of Cantigians on parade. Six days after the Grand Exposition, it seemed unclear whether hearts and souls were being won, or whether they were simply being passed over like kilometer after kilometer of overgrown countryside. In the cockpits of fighter jets the scenario struck dismal and boorish as it did on the ground, military flyovers drew crowds as quickly as they quietly dissipated thereafter. The combined soldiers and airmen felt not like conquering heroes, with no mission or objective to conquer, but the spectacle of a traveling parade.

"For Queen?" Lieutenant Rodgers asked of Sergeant Malkin, who whispered a drawn out "Noooo . . " between ceremonies. "For God?" Lieutenant then asked, to which Malkin again whispered "Noooo . . " after the next formation. "For Country?" Rodgers asked, diluted by the repetition of marching and saluting the symbols of Butuan & Oceanic Power, "Forward . ." Sergeant Malkin replied with a subtle nod, recognizing that their ideals had centralized somewhere new, even foreign to the typical Cannie mindset.

 

[Butuan]

Gen. Makai Damru, Chief of Staff of the Royal Butuanese Defence Forces could only smile as the Chief of the three branches of the military pleaded to be allowed to engage the Cantignians as 'their continued existance on Butuanese soil is an insult to the honor of Butuan'.

"Gentlemen, it is His Royal Highness himself that has said it is not the right time to engage them. Oh, he knows as well as I do that we can easily overwelm them and wipe them out if we choose to, and I suspect they know that as well, but what the rank and file think they are here on some sort of holy crusade, that they would be honored as heroes and liberators. They will soon discover as they march from village to village that the Butuanese, especially those in the country side, are not impressed by parades and flashy uniforms, for if they wanted to see that, they would wait till the Liberty Day celebrations and not when there is work to do."

"Gentlemen, the Cantignians are trying to impress our people with guns, pressed uniforms and precission drill when what our people remember what they are truely impressed with are Butuanese soldiers covered in mud, filling sandbags and digging ditches, working around the clock to save their homes and fields during the typhoon season. What they are impressed with is when one of their children is in need of a hospital and it is an army helicopter that arrives to take that child to that hospital. No, the Cantigians will be considered a distraction, maybe even an annoyance, but something that would really impress them, highly doubtful."

"The Cantignians will soon realize that and do one of two things, give up and leave or change tactic and be more forceful in their attempts to impress. If it is the former, you will have the privilege to escort back to the coast, if it is the latter, you have my promise as you do of the Rajah, if the Cantignian make the mistake of spilling one drop of Butuanese blood, you will have free to rue the day they ever heard of Butuan."

 

[Anglyn]

Headquarters
Southern Implarian Fleet
Subric Bay, Butuan

Rear Admiral Macolm Haynsworth finishes reading the latest communque from Winchester then slams his fist down on his desk causing the seaman that delivered the message the jump. Looking at the young man he just says, "Dismissed."

With communique, the Admiral steps around his desk and it to his chief of staff, Capt. Jacob Rawlings who was witness to the Admiral's loosing his temper.

"What does the Admiralty expect me to do out here, sit an twiddle my thumbs? Well they may not want to do anything as long as the Butuanese are sitting on their own hands, I am not going to sit here like a lump on a log waiting for the Cannies knock at our front gate. We might not have been given permission to do anything in Butuan, but there is a big ocean out there, and I am determined to let the Cannies know we are still here, and watching them."

Going back around his desk, Haynsworth sits down and begins writing orders.

"I have alot of discretion on the deployment of our ship here, and though we are at this time prohibited to do anything within Butuanese territorial waters, we can make a bit of a nuisance outside those waters. Jake, I am issuing orders to deploy vessels along the western coast of Butuan. They are not to engage Cannie vessels, unless fired upon, but they are to make themselve very obvious and to observe any and all activity and report it in."

"We may not be allowed to much, but it is damn sure I am going keep tabs on what they are up to."

 

[Thaumantica]

Operation Strawberry
No Egg, Cantigny

"Such a time has not come to press the issue in Butuan" Patton Aylesford reminded the Joint Chiefs, loosening the cuffs of his standard issue fatigues. The Lord Admiral Aylesford, of the Oceanic Fleet, did not believe in oaken tables, idle cigarette smoking, or drinking choice liquors while in uniform; he detested it more so out of uniform, as a devout Mormon.

"Ferrying Five-Thousand more of my men, Lord Admiral, is not pressing the issue?" Mitchell Waldgrave spat, tightening his own cuffs as he became increasingly flustered, "Nearly Eight-Thousand in total now, mind you; the Expeditionary Army is brushing up against the local nationals daily, while you float out there sluggishly . . And Peter's sorties spend mere minutes in danger, implying there is any danger in the skies of Butuan".

Peter Delval shook his head and frowned, "I will not take the bait". The Aerial Commandant left his uniform alone, instead he folded his hands in to his lap passively. He knew just as well as the others that Butuan possessed the ability to punch sorties from the sky, presenting a clear yet thusfar absent danger to the Aerial Assault Force.

The men had expected a telephone call from the Lord Chancellor himself, but alas, Ilchester had chosen to dispatch a telegram void of apology and filled with instruction. He would have their Command retreat to 'June Bug' on the Cantigian Mainland, where an outdated coastal defense scheme had been devised some decades ago for the Great War that never came.

"Through text, their newspapers of course," Patton began "the Navy of Anglyn has announced its intent to impose a naval presence between us and Butuan" he finished with a dry sniffle. Before him on paper the Chancellor's telegram instructed each Chief to reach out to elements of the 'free press'.

The Aerial Assault Force would be accompanied by journalists of the 'Freedom Review' from Touzen, and Cantigny's own 'Evening Regards'. The Freedom Foundation was to be contacted, inquiring as to the best leaflets and pamphlets to drop upon a 'population eager for democracy'.

The Navy would invite journalists and reporters from the Associated Press to observe and report from civilian vessels, between the small stretch of Ocean separating East Cantigny and West Butuan. Alongside the press' ships, merchant marines were to begin delivering food and clothing to Butuanese communities effected by the price gouging that had been incurred in Oceania by the recent strife.

The Army was to escort 'The Press', Cantigny's largest news agency in both television and print to explain the situation on the ground. While cameras had already been permitted to film the National Parades and Expositions in Honor of Butuanese Autonomy, the Chancellor now ordered that the Army permit 'The Press' to report and film every aspect of the venture.

 

[Butuan]

Gen. Makai Damru, Chief of Staff of the Royal Butuanese Defence Forces has just received his orders from the Defence Minister, Datu Rama Ramardala, the Cannie have 12 hrs to surrender or he is to slip the dogs of war, sooner if the Cannie are stupid enough to want to put up a fight. Gen. Damru has been holding back his forces all this time, but now he may just give the branch chiefs, as well as the Butuanese population in general, what they want, Butaunese soild soaked in Cantigni blood. Well, they were given every chance to leave peacefully and they didn't do it.

Though the orders he has been given was to only engage those forces inside Butuanese territory, it is likely there will be targets for all as nearly 20,000 army troops have been ordered to the area where the Cantigny are with full air, armour and artillery support, to begin and encirclement operation. Already civilian in the area have been ordered to evacuate the area to relocation camps in safe zones. It is hoped that the Cannies will give up without a fight so the civilians can go home, but that might just be an forlorn hope.

The Air Force has been ordered into the air with the instructions to warn the Cantigni out of Butaunese airspace and only fire if they refuse or attempt to target Butuanese aircraft. Damru expects that if fighting does break out, it will be in the skies over Butuan. It is the fighter jocks, though well trained and motivate, they are also the ones that will push things to the limit at mach speeds and just one mistake will take it over the line before anyone knows it has happened.

The Navy has been patrolling the water with vigor, but as they have been forbidden to fire they have just beem watching. Now, they will have their weapons are hot, and like the Air Force, here too thing can get out of control quickly, but if it happens in Butaunese waters, the Cannies will not look good in the press.

Gen. Damru has also been given a bit of a present also. If the Cannie put up a fight, the Butuanese government will be sending communiques to Anglyn, Barbossa, Khalistan and last but not least Touzen, as they have shown the greatest support for Butuanese autonomy. Damru might from the outset get Anglysh naval and air support Subric Bay, if it is needed.

12 hrs. Gen. Damru will be counting the miniutes.

 

[Thaumantica]

Operation Strawberry
Central Butuan - District November

In pairs they dispersed at first, then in larger clusters, Butuanese civilians quite awkwardly leaving the intended celebration of their National Pride. It appeared to the Cannie Commanders that the Police, the men, the local leaders were leaving the National Celebrations. 'The Press' had been circulating stories and connecting viewers to live feeds of the Central Butuan region, called District November by the Expeditionary Force.

"The Patriotic People's of Butuan are finally mobilizing for the Post-Delegationist Revolution" Colonel Brunell told a mix of 'Associated Press', 'Evening Regards', and 'Freedom Review', "It is thus our natural duty to follow them, the People, to relocation camps and safe zones where this grand humanitarian effort can be delivered."

"This was never apart of your plan, Colonel, why was the Press never briefed or informed of these Camps and Safe Zones?" an embedded journalist from Evening Regards asked angrily.

Colonel Brunell nodded solemnly and fidgeted with his holstered weapon, "It is our mission to provide an ongoing humanitarian operation; this means adapting, improvising, and overcoming the limitations set by the militarization of this Nation by those loyal to the Empire of Anglyn . . Those loyal to the Emperor have given us only twelve short hours to evacuate civilians to neutral and agreed upon safe-zones before the Civil War erupts." The Colonel then pointed to an anxious Touzener from the 'Freedom Review', who first rattled off his question in an unrecognizable Eastern language, followed by a forced English vocalisation: "What measures are being taken to ensure Democratic standards are upheld in Butuan?" he asked.

"The Defence Force will provide an internationally accountable network of polling stations, as defined by the parameters of the Freedom Foundation. It is the view of this humanitarian entity that creating an economic and democratic environment, befitting of a Cannie, Engellexic, Touzen, Anglysh, or even Franconian civilian is the bare minimum that the Peoples & Patriots of Butuan deserve".

 

[Butuan]

The Town of Bitan-agan

The word is spreading though the barangays of Central and Western Butuan by local government officials and police to evacuate of all towns and towns that the Cantigni have occupied, for their own safety and for the duration of the Cantigny Occupation of the region, the government in Butuan City has worked to get as many civilians as possible out of the area just in case it became a military matter. Datu Tito Morodai, the Punong Barangay (village or town council chairman/captain) of Bitan-agan, has made sure that all his fellow towns people are informed of the directive from Butuan City, to get out and, in this case, head east to where the army has establish a line. From there they would be taken to Safe Zones. Datu Morodai knew it might be dangerous for the whole town to just get up and leave, so had the towns people start in small groups, but that soon became a flood as larger and larger groups began to leave making it very obvious to the Cantigni, who seemed to do nothing about it of what was happening and when the barangay kagawads (counselors) also left it was Datu Morodai that in the end, would stand alone.

Though Datu Morodai could have left with the rest of the town, he knew he would just slow the rest down, as time and a MRA hand grenade has made travel by foot not really an option, he would instead confront the Cantigni and if he is lucky, live to tell about it. Besides, he didn't loose his leg fighting the commies on Malabang just so the Cannies could take over. Walking as boldly and as straight as his artificial leg would allow, the sixty year old Punong Barangay and former army captain approached a gaggle of reporters.

"I am Datu Tito Morodai, Punong Barangay of Bitan-agan, and as the highest elected official of this town, it falls to me to tell Colonel Brunell, take your soldiers and leave Butuan. As my fellow towns people have left for the safety provided for by our own country's soldiers, I am able to tell you this without fear of you exacting retribution on the men, women and children of Bitan-agan, so I say again, in front of these reporters, we do not want you here, and the longer stay here, the worse it will be for you."

Morodai waits for the Cantigni reaction.

 

[Butuan]

The Skies Above Bitan-agan

As Datu Morodai waits for what he believes will be a bullet between his eyes, the sound of a lone helicopter approaching is heard. As is happening over other villages occupied by the Cantigni, a Hawker UH-500D helicopter armed with nothing but a PA speaker begins broadcasting a message before even coming into sight of the town. The message is simple and in a language the Cantigni on the ground could easily understand....their own.

To the Cantigny military personnel presently on Butuanese soil, you are in violation of the sovereignty of Butuan and therefore illegally occupying Butuanese territory. You are hereby ordered to immediately lay down your arms and surrender peacably to the nearest Butuanese civilian or military authorities, you will then, once processed, be repatriated to your home country at the eariest possible time. If there is any attempt to resist this order, it will be considered an act of aggression against the people and nation of Butuan and will leave the Rajahnate government no option but to be meet such aggression with a military response.

The meassge then repeats itself.

 

[Butuan]

Bitan-agan

A smile comes to the face of Datu Morodai as he hears the announcement for the PA on the helicopter and that smile gets even wider when he hears the same announcement coming from what sounds like loudspeakers from the east.

"What's your answer," Morodai calls out, "will you surrender or do you attend to fight? Mind you, we still find the remains of Coronadans that never did see their homeland again."

 

[Thaumantica]

The Town of Bitan-agan

Colonel Brunell quickly brandished his personal firearm, a standard issue .45 ACP handgun, and squeezed a whirring screaming slug out towards who he understood to be Datu Morodai . . . Aiming for the non-functioning leg.

"Democracy will bare this Town a new leader, one I pray who has less the fetish for human remains." The Colonel told his Lieutenant, who was then ordered to pass the line to a googly eyed press. Brunell then asked for a civilian truck to transport Datu Morodai to wherever he wanted to go, for despite their racial and ideological disagreement, Colonel Brunell felt compelled to reward the retired Captain turned local leader for his bravery in the face of an overwhelming foreign presence.

"We have received orders to return . . This Expeditionary Force, intimately engaged in humanitarian operations, will retreat East to avoid the unnecessary shed of blood between our Force for the Nation of Butuan, and the Forces opposing us from Butuan City" his Lieutenant handling the press called out before turning heel and marching west with the Expeditionary Force.

His own honor guard and chauvinist detachment began forcing what civilians they could manage in to buildings around the village that could support large Cannie flags. Though their "humanitarian supplies" were soon to dwindle, Colonel Brunell's men distributed everything they possessed for the Butuanese before ordering a retreat of any elements of the press who could not sustain wartime coverage.

Operation Strawberry
Central Butuan - District November

Lieutenant Rodgers received his orders to retreat with Sergeant Malkinand his Platoon to District October, the Coastal region of the West. Between October was District November, where they stood now, and District December: the Eastern region and Coast of Butuan.

"Why . . Why are we turning back, Sir?" a greenback Private asked Rodgers with a shriek. The Lieutenant let his weapon fall to his waist by way of sling, only to begin whirring his index finger in quick rising circles - mockingly making a "Chuck-uh Chuck-uh Chuck-uh" noise for the entire Platoon to hear.

Operation Strawberry
Western Butuan - District October

The First Aerial Operations Group had secured and relayed the withdrawal transmission to ground forces quite exclusively; the Navy and Aerial Operators were within reason expected to receive and evacuate the ground forces retreating West. It was the duty of the Aerial Operation Group's reconnaissance element to review routs of friendly withdrawal, the location of so-called safe zones and civilian checkpoints, the aerial OpFor, and landborne OpFor covering the Army's retreat.

 

[Khalistan]

Bay of Pundrah

The aircraft carrier RKS Vikrant, six surface combat ships two submarines and two support vessels had slipped out of naval base at Kolkata during the night and now are heading at best speed south towards Butuan. Though the latest intel has indicated that the Cannie were retreating from superior Butuanese forces, naval command has not resended to order to the task force to return nor change the orders for when the force arrived in Butuanese waters, 'support the Butuanese armed forces in whatever capacity the force commander deems necessary". Though the order does given Rear Admiral Chempil Arayan plenty of discretion, Arayan has been around long enough to know that what it really means is if things go badly, the Admiralty will have a convenient scapegoat for the press. It is to prevent worst outcome is why he makes sure the force will be ready for any contingent upon arrival by running drills as they make their way south, but considering the fact that the Cannies dogs are leaving with their tails between their legs, it is more likely that crews of the Task Force will get to enjoy shore leave in Maynilad before returning to Kolkata.

 

[Anglyn]

Headquarters
Southern Implarian Fleet
Subric Bay, Butuan

When Rear Admiral Haynsworth reads that report that the Cannie seem to be retreating before the Butuanese, he gave himself a little treat, a short sigh of relief, but he knew that until the last Cannie soldier and last Cannies ship was far away, Butuan and his base was far from safe. Though he had his two surface and one sub squadron deployed in the western waters, he has ordered Commodore Ravenwood aboard the Argus to keep his battle group in Tangaloan waters until further notice.

Haynsworth knew there needed to be something than him just waiting for something to happen, so he picked up the phone and told his yeoman.

"Give me the Butuanese Chief of Staff."

 

[Butuan]

Somewhere in the Mountains of Malabang

In a small build deep in the mountain jungles of the island, Colonel Qudarat sit and contemplates what is happening big island of Tagalog and the Cannie invasion. You would think upon hearing of the invasion, the leader of the Malabang Revolutionary Army would be doing cartwheels, but because of the papers taken off the Cantigni agent, he knows they are no better, and maybe even worse, than the Rajahnate and even the Anglysh. The papers proved that the Cantigni were attempting to buy their way into Butuan, looking to reward handsomely any who threw in with them. The result of not doing as they said, invasion.

It almost worked too, well almost is maybe overstating it. The Cannie walked in, thinking they could win through propaganda and the manipulation of the gullible world press, but failed because the Butuanese of Tagalog didn't do what the Cannie thought they would do; welcome them with open arms. Even the Rajah didn't play the game the Cannie thought he would, something Qudarat grudgingly must give him credit for, forcing the Cannie off the island without a shot being fired.

Well, not completely off, not yet. But with the Engels at war with the EDF, may they will change theirs, but the Socialist Coalition are on the EDF side in that, or are they, and Cantigny and its Engellex masters would be no better than what is now in Butuan, and for sure there is too much he does not know about them, unlike his Rajanate counterparts.

Well, copies of the papers have been sent to Kilkila, Rejika and even Toledo, may they will be able to figure out a plan. Right now he has some business to do.

Standing up, Qudarat crosses the room, opens an door enters another room. In the room there are three men, one of those men is tied to a chair in the middle of it. Qudarat walks up and stands in front of the man in the chair. One of the other men grabs the sitting man's hairs and force him to look up at the Colonel. Looking down at the bruised face of the man, Qudarat asks him a question.

"Well Mister James, what shall we talk about today?"

 

[Butuan]

On a Hill Overlooking a Beach in Western Butuan

Maj. Gen. Jorge Siagu watches from hill as the last Cannie ship heads west out of Butuanese waters. Siagu had been commander of the ground forces facing the Cannie and, lets out a silent sigh of relief as he watches the ship head away carrying the last of the Cannie's Expeditionary Force. Now if he hears a jet or sees a ship at sea, at least for the time being, they will be friendly. Though Siagu knows that the Cannie have left, it does not mean they won't be back, and next time they will not be so easily persuaded to leave. Siagu knows, as they do back in Butuan City, that the work now begins to get ready for that return. At least the thre is one thing they can thank the Cannie for, their invasion has made the public more acceptive of the needed security and defence measures that are already being discussed.

The sound of a jeep pulling up turns the General's attention away from the sea and toward the man getting out, a one legged man on crutches, who struggles a bit to get to a spot where he too can watch the scene. Seeing the man on crutch brings back memories, memories of when both of them were young men, for the General has known Tito Morodai since Siagu was a lieutenant assigned to then Captain Morodai's company back in '81, when, during a heavy firefight, the Captain was badly wounded by a grenade but refused evacuation until reinforcements arrived. Doctors said they could have saved the leg had he gotten proper medical treatment earlier.

"You almost missed it, Captain," says the General as his comes and stands beside his old commanding officer,"a few more minutes they would have been out of sight."

"Jeorge, I can't believe they just left without a fight. I'm sure that Colonel Brunell would have rather fought the whole Butuanese army by himself than even contemplate retreating no matter what his superiors said, but I guess I was wrong. I just know one thing, he owes me a new leg."

Both Siagu and Morodai turn their attention back to sea as the last Cannie ship slipped over the horizon.