Stellaris-Problems of State

[Stellaris]

The natives knew the terrain well. Every dip in the land, every piece of foliage cover on the bleak landscape. They had a plan calculated. They knew exactly how long it would take them to get themselves from one position to the next. And each time, it was long enough to evade the searchlights. There were three groups of five. Arranged in a pincer movement on the isolated Stellarisien outpost. Inside there were but four young, inexperienced conscripts. There were no cities for hundreds of miles, the road leading to the outpost was less well marked than a dirt track. The Stellarisiens had no particular need to defend the position, simply a need to mark the border, have some semblance of a military presence in the area and provide somewhere for the four young conscripts to serve their exercise in boredom. Inside, no doubt, the substandard soldiers would be smoking and gambling. While one of them operated a searchlight half heartedly from the roof. This erratic searching was the only worry the natives had, a steady, constant sweep would have been easier to calculate. But that was hardly a worry. They were equipped with Ak-47’s and ancient RPG’s, bought from a black market salesman who passed through their village every so often to let them taste the benefits of the civilised world. They moved into position. Hand signals were given, and they were off. Soon they had covered the ground well and were within striking distance. An RPG on the right side was loaded and fired at the jeep parked outside the base. A fireball erupted as the explosive hit the petrol tank. The conscripts rushed outside, another RPG was fired. This one struck the roof of the outpost. Engulfing the searchlight operator in vicious flame. He screamed as the roof collapsed and he was burnt to death inside the raging inferno. The other three conscripts had their rifles raised. The fifteen natives now started calling out war cries and firing their rifles into the air. The conscripts were easily intimidated. The natives performed a bayonet charge. The conscripts lifted their hands in surrender and were taken prisoner. Meanwhile some of the natives hurriedly searched the arms store, which was adjacent to the burning outpost. Magazines of ammunition and a variety of guns were removed. The raid wasn’t a great success, they had been seeking money or precious objects. Still, prisoners could be held hostage and the ammunition could be used to attack further outposts. A Message was left behind at the outpost. Scrawled by natives unused to the written word or to the Stellarisien language.

To: Stellaris
From: The tribe

We have three conscripts. Leave money here for return. 50,000 Lunaric Liras. If no then we kill.

[Stellaris]

Stellaris had had no choice but to leave the money. It was a relatively small amount and if they tried to capture the man who went to pick it up the conscripts would simply not turn somewhere along the border like hostages normally did. attacks like this had happened before, they enraged Stellaris but she was unwilling to actually do anything about it. The outpost could be re built and re manned, the relatively small cost was easier to control than the spiralling costs of a military assault. Stories of kidnappings never made it to the State controlled media after all.
Leo stood atop the dome of St. Peters alone. The sun was fast setting and the vivid sky brought relief to him. High above him on the great hill he could see the Kremlinic palace, a vast maze of buildings constructed for Stellarises old, non-religious rulers. Previous popes had opted to live there but he found it too chokingly secular. The apostolic apartments were quite grand enough for him. Their sense of history, of piety, made him much prefer them. A breeze came in from lake Gichi, a vast lake to the west of Liang. He placed a hand on the balustrade to steady himself slightly and suddenly became aware of his wrinkled skin. He was getting old. Soon his body would be interned in the crypt and all his chance to change things be gone. He needed to act now. He looked around at the whole city of Liang. Immediately near him was the ancient centre, of imperial buildings from a long gone era of glory. Then, in the distance he could just make out the mediaeval and Baroque quarters. After that skyscrapers surged heavenward everywhere. In the new business districts they were often beautiful and striking, but in the areas from fifty years or so ago vulgar concrete met his eyes. Liang was beautiful and brash, cultured yet edgy. He thought of its 60 million inhabitants in the city proper alone. The metropolitan area was approaching 120 million in population. And in the South, Fratsia was a similar story. He thought of the demographics which predicted that in five years rationing of food might have to be introduced. He couldn’t have that legacy. The pope who did nothing. He had to act.

[Stellaris]

"And so my brothers. My plan is three fold. Aiming to increase productivity in all three economic areas. In agriculture farmers shall be taught more efficient techniques to farm. Fertiliser shall become more widely available and Hydroponics will be introduced as a means of production in upland areas where soil is poor. This shall guarantee more food available for the nation, cutting the risk of rationing coming round anytime soon. In another area of primary industry, iron ore mining, we shall also look to increase productivity."
The pope's advisers nodded sagely. Leo continued.
"In secondary economic activities, like manufacturing, more incentives will be made available for companies to set up shop here in Stellaris. Encouragement will also be given to Stellarisien entrepreneurs to start up manufacturing businesses. This move will cut unemployment and provide more taxable income. And in tertiary economic activities a low corporate tax rate will be introduced to encourage more banks to set up here in Stellaris. Communication networks will also be improved. With these measures we will cut unemployment, increase food yield and create more money to spend on vital imports and the military."
"Holy Father, how can we increase communication networks in such a closed state as our own? Why would businesses want to come here when our measures for allowing foreign businesses in are so stringent? Why would people want to work in such a state as our own with so few civil liberties?" A hail of criticism of Leo’s master plan came flooding in.
“We must stick to our principals!” Leo roared. But it could be seen in his face that the elderly pontiff was shattered.
"To be fair." Another adviser interjected. "The farming idea was a good one." The advisers nodded in agreement. "We could definitely increase output through better measures as these. The secondary economic activity aim is also achievable, and we could probably get some income...."
"I disagree." A friar cut in. "The amount we would have to subsidise the workforce to encourage foreign manufacturers to move in would be barely smaller than taxes we could get out of them."
"That's only if we focus on cheap goods production." The adviser responded. ."If we manufacture and design quality products we can get at a market we're perfectly capable of making money from."
"But it's a small market. And our economy is so protectionist most people will know that they can get their quality products cheaper from elsewhere." The discussions continued however the whole council was in agreement on one thing. The tertiary economic aims were unachievable with such strict economic laws in Stellaris. It was illegal to lend money and charge interest as it said in the bible after all. However the farming output increase was approved and they also agreed that they would test pilot the manufacturing aims in the south. A budget of 500 million Lunaric Lira was approved.

[Stellaris]

Another outpost, another assault. The natives, with their fifty thousand dollars, now had several small field guns in addition to mortars and RPG's. The outpost had held five conscripts. This lot had got away in time. After several mortars exploded nearby from the thirty strong native force they had beaten a hasty retreat, leaving the outpost  in tact. The natives had found several hundred lunaric lira and further ammunition. They were growing, becoming a force to be reckoned with.
Leo had a meeting with his military commanders. Two attacks in a month was not good. Unless they acted now they would be facing properly equipped native forces who would have to be attacked using precious military hardware. Taijitu was gearing up for war and it was vital that they didn't risk hardware in open battle until then if they could help it.
"Why don't we just invade?" One of the commanders postulated. The others gave him sharp, reprimanding looks. Stellaris had a well equipped and powerful military, but they all knew, though none of them admitted it in public, that much of it had been bought using loans from banks which would have to repaid. The loans were actually in breach of Stellarisien law, as they had had to accept that they would pay interest to get banks to loan them any money in the first place. The economic situation would come to a head one of these days, that was why Leo had been so desperate to find ways of increasing production. The nation would be on the verge of bankruptcy in a decade or so without drastic action. An invasion and it’s associated spiralling costs would bring Stellaris much closer to the brink.
“If we hadn’t bought all that military hardware we wouldn’t have to be so careful about money!” The commander complained.
“If we hadn’t bought all that military hardware we wouldn’t be taken seriously on the world stage!” Leo shot back. “We had to and still have to protect our sovereignty!”
“Let’s try to deal with this situation calmly.” A cardinal at the table said. “The most economically safe way to deal with this situation would be strike the natives from afar. That way we’re not risking equipment or men but are hammering the enemy.” The debate came to a close as the general agreement was for the long range strike plan.
“What about our tomahawk cruise missiles?” And advisor asked.
“No, they cost too much.” Leo responded. And so it was that the pope left the room sadly resigned about the economic issues and the military left the room fuming over the vast, hi-tech equipment at their disposal which they couldn’t afford to use.

[Stellaris]

Despite the establishment of Gandhar Stellaris persisted. For as far as they cared the state was simply a vain attempt by the violent natives to establish an air of legality to their actions. As a state, the native attacks had been acts of war. And Stellaris would defend herself. There was a multitude of howitzers and portable missile units rolled up to the border. Though no MBT's were in the front line, simply in reserve. They didn't want a field battle. All in all there were five armoured brigades. Each had around 250 howitzers and 50 portable missile trucks. 1,250 long range howitzers and 250 portable missile units were aimed at Gandhar. At airports around Stellaris various fighter jets were ready to launch precision strikes if called upon. The military budget would be hurt slightly by this display of power but is they could stop these attacks they would be happy.
"Permission to fire commander?"
"Permission witheld." The general in Liang said. "We have news that Gandhar is at the Pax Imperium conference. Please hold fire until further information comes through."

[Sarrafan]

To: Stellaris

From: First Consul Refus

It has come to our attention that recent engagements along your border are the result of 'renegade factions'. On behalf of the "Gandhar Consulate" and it's citizens, we offer our greatest apologies. We give you full permission for border strikes against the enemy and allow prisoners to be taken and tried to your legal system. We hope that greater discussions can be held at the "Pax Imperium" conference, but we would request you do not pursue open invasion or strike any urban centers.

[Stellaris]

To: First Consul Refus
From: The Holy Theocracy of Stellaris

We believe that you are in contact with these natives and actively helping them. You are, after all, of the same ethnic stock. Unless you present clear evidence that you have no contact with these natives a full out assault will be launched to topple your nation.

The order was given to fire and for two hours 1,250 artillery pieces and 250 missile units steadily fired against southern Gandhar. They would attack only the south for now until they decided on the fate of the rest of the nation. After the hell wreaked by the artillery 200 eurofighters and raptors took to the skies and destroyed homes and mountain caves across the south, seeking to kill any hiding raiders. By the end of the day a thin band of southern Gandhar was covered in burning flames.

[Sarrafan]

The situation in the senate chamber was of uproar over what to do over what appeared to be a Stellarian invasion. Radical right and left elements were calling for an immediate "gears to war" program to be initiated, the arrest and execution of all ethnic Stellarian citizens deemed to be within the new Gandhar border and most alarmingly of all the dismantlement of all Catholic churches in the region.

"We must act in the name of the Republic, we cannot simply tolerate these unprovoked attacks upon our borders, we must step up production of industry in all urban centers as well as kill the heretic priests spreading their 'posioned' propaganda throughout Gandhar."

Shouts of support were almost as strong as the boos and hisses that raged throughout the Chamber. Third Consul Dreyfus then silenced the senators with a raised hand.

"Fellow Senators, we must not allow revenge to overshadow our judgment, First Consul Refus is currently engaging in peace talks and we must remain vigilant until we hear the results of this. However I do agree with many honorable Senators on the issue of industrial mobilization as the war in the South and West is still undecided and there is reports of forces massing in the South."

"Has Article 12 been considered for use?"

This lead to large scale heckling from most members of the Senate, clearly not in support of this action.

"As of yet, Article 12 has been strictly opposed by Refus, and I agree fully with this action."

This was followed by a brief applause by the Senate members.

"We will just wait and see the outcome of the meeting, that's going to be the real signal for what to do next, this meeting is now adjourned until noon tomorrow."

[Sarrafan]

The jet heads towards Stellarian airspace accompanied by protective fighter jets.

"This is Flight 4314  requesting permission to land at the Capital airport, Consul Refus himself has requested an audience with the Pope regarding recent border skirmish disputes. The jets will not pass into your airspace, do we have permission to land? Over."