Nula, Yarın, Ev'saht

[Vince_Ares]

"Easy mates" Ares said, the I-19 at his back.
"Like I said, I'm here to help."

After ducking into an ally one of the armed me handed him a piece of black cloth.
You didn't have to be a SSI agent to know what that meant.
Nodding to show his understanding and compliance he took the piece of cloth and tied it around his face, covering his eyes, leaving him more or less blind.
"Lead the way" Ares remarked.

[Zimmerwald]

Remzi, steering the Inglishman with one hand on his shoulder, could only imagine what it must be like for him.  To be unable to see, to have to stumble when your guide made an error, to not know what sounds meant and how to react...  Still, it was necessary until they learned whether or not the Inglishman could be trusted.

Eventually, after a few clearences and some whispering in Gelibolu, the trio came to the antechamber of Yusuf's office.  Dunya left Remzi and the Inglishman outside while he went in to brief Yusuf on the situation.  A few minutes later, they were called in.  Remzi took off the Inglishman's blindfold, letting him see his host and the room they occupied.

It was a room without windows, but it didn't feel cramped.  The walls were plastered; the plaster looked cream rather than white due to the lighting.  There were no pictures on the walls, and the oak desk and Davet flag (A red bar atop a black bar, without charge) tacked to the back wall were the only decorations.  Dunya and Remzi took positions by the door as Yusuf began to speak.

"The Komiser said you wanted to speak to me," he said in slightly accented Inglish.  Yusuf pronounced his th's heavily, almost like d's.  "I am told you come to offer us help, Inglishman.  Is this true?"  Yusuf placed his hands together and peaked his fingers, elbows on the table.  Seeming to think better of his forthrightness, he continued "Where are my manners?  What is your name?"

[Mor'os]

Lhouzhī woke, annoyed yet again at the fact that his dreams were always cut short so unceremoniously. For a full minute he did not realize completely where he was, his brain and body already preparing themselves for the morning ritual which he had practiced so many times at home. It was not until he was fully awake that he realized his folly and violently redirected his train of thoughts. A new day was dawning, and he was completely rested and prepared for it. There would be no further delays. Dressing swiftly, he was out the door and into the streets of Tekirdag within three quarters of an hour, poking about for any news, rumors or information that might help him to accomplish what he had come to do, and with any luck locate a good place to eat as well.

It did not take long for Lhouzhī to discover that his arrival had coincided with a drastic turn of events. He had known that Corlu was surrounded, but it appeared now that the situation had drastically escalated. If things were as bad as he could gather from hear say, he might have to rethink entirely what he was going to do on the fly.

It was at some time past noon that he flopped with a groan of frustration onto a bench, his feet tired and aching from trekking up and down the city throughout the morning. Things were not going as he had expected, the events in Corlu had thrown everything off course, and to contact the Capital for help simply posed too much of a risk to the security of the mission. Nor was he making as rapid progress as he would have liked in uncovering and contacting whatever covert organizations were operating against the Xyraeli government. He had managed to catch here and there a hint, a flash of a clue, but nothing definite had yet surfaced. Before he might have had more patience, but now events were moving fast. Taking off his glasses and rubbing his weary eyes, Lhouzhī mumbled something incoherently as an expression of his dissatisfaction. He was beginning to suspect that a miracle alone would be able to rescue him.

[Zimmerwald]

Damla Vaner aimlessly wandered the streets.  Her manager at the restaurant had taken the work holiday a little too literally; the restaurant had been closed since the order had been declared in effect.  This had put an end to Damla's plans to persuade her colleagues to strike.  Not that they were likely to listen anyway, she reflected.  She'd made herself pretty unpopular due to being outspoken about her pro-Davet politics.

She cast her eyes down to the street as what she took for a lone Xyraeli came walking towards her.  The Xyraelis had been more numerous in the city since they had begun using Tekirdag as a supply line to Corlu.  However, there was something about this Xyraeli that was puzzling.  Xyraeli military and even logistics were usually built; this man was slight.  His costume was also dissimilar, civilian, not the armor and plastic of a soldier.  Before he passed, therefore, she stopped and said "Hello, sir, where are you going?"

[Mor'os]

The man, evidently caught of guard, made an abrupt and startled motion, jumping a bit. When he had regained his balance he readjusted the pair of glasses which he wore and attempted to affect a sociable expression despite the remaining vestiges of his initial shock.

"Oh, hello," he said, speaking with an accent which, while thick, was not Xyraeli. "I am not sure where I go now. Maybe I can ask your help? I look for a good place to eat. Do you know any?"

[Vince_Ares]

"The name's Ares....Vince Ares.
I'm here on behalf of His Imperial Majesty's government to assist you in any way possible until your independence is secured. I'm authorized to make any decision I feel is in both the the interests of yourself and His Imperial Majesty's government without consulting Beaconsfield.
Simply put, I'm at your disposal."

[Zimmerwald]

Yusuf didn't move, he was watching Ares intently.  Ares stood stock still, feet spread slightly apart, arms at his sides, looking neither left nor right.  Yusuf knew that Ares would be sizing him up, and was doing the same.  He seems sincere, but that raises more questions than in answers.  He's representing Beaconsfield, that means Inglo-Scotia's supporting our efforts, albiet covertly.  Myroria's already recognized us.  The PI seems to have an inordinate amount of interest in our success.  No doubt if we use Ares the Inglish will ask favors later, they're probably thinking of using Gelibolu as a puppet state.

Yusuf said none of this aloud, nor did he make it clear in his expression, which remained unreadable.  He lowered his hands to the table, keeping the fingertips together.  "Welcome aboard, Mr. Ares," he said, standing up and leaning forward with his right hand extended.

[Vince_Ares]

Ares shock the rebel leader's hand.
"So how did you blocks end up in this predicament anyway?" he asked.
Vince would readily admit he knew very little about this part of the world, his knowledge limited to the Inglo-Xyraeli War of 1839. Inglo-Scotia had attempted to colonize this continent, but the Xyraeli navy held them at bay, keeping the Inglish colonial empire out of this corner of the world. Since then the two powers had resented one and other.
These Gallipoli, as the Inglish called them, were a mystery to him. He really had no idea who they were, or how or when the Xyraeli dominated them.

[Zimmerwald]

"It's a long story; Xyraeli control of Gelibolu is four centuries old," replied Yusuf, leaning back into his chair.  "As for our present predicament...our isolation here is entirely my fault.  You'd think it would be easier to get the District organizers to make a quick decision."  He stopped, realizing that he'd been about to reveal the internal workings of his Party to a foreigner, a possible spy or sabateur.

"But that is unimportant.  There is currently a skirmish at Checkpoint five, on the southeast road that leads to Tekirdag.  You should be able to slip out in the west; they'll be draining troops from that area and moving them east if I know anything about Xyraeli military doctrine.  Once out, head to this island, wait-"  Yusuf pulled out from behind him a medium-sized map of the colony and circled a small dot of land with red ink (OOC: that island is marked in bright red here). 



"It houses a radar station vital to Xyraeli surveillence of this area.  I want it gone.

"Can you do that, Mr. Ares?"

[Xyrael]

Arai quickly surveyed the room briefly. It was still intact, if only for a moment. He quickly grabbed his comrade, who clutched his ears and rocke back in forth in panic and shock. "WE HAVE TO MOVE!" he shouted.

"WHAT!?"

Arai pointed out the door and signalled for the man to get the fuck out. His fingers uneasily grabbed his rifle as he hurried out the door. Arai followed him but stumbled over something. A body, or rather bits of one. Blood and smoke smeared the walls of the hallway, several gaping holes opened up to the sky as though Arai was looking from the depths of hell into the vast emptiness. He shuddered, quickly heading down the stairs. Men were shouting at each other, the com systems hissing static as they attempted to automatically recover from the shells shock. Bullets whipped through the cool air, and Arai felt a blow take him in the chest. He was thrown to the ground with a snap as his head smacked against the brick wall of the burning building. More bullets ripped bits of brick off the wall around him, and a young soldier moved quickly to pull him from the gunfire.

"God damnit!" Arai shouted as he checked himself. The vest had saved his life, but god damn did it hurt. He surveyed the building, and the surrounding buildings. There were gunmen on higher ground, and their positions were horribly compromised. There was no thought of retreat in his mind, he looked to his second in command asking an unspoken question.

"Eight dead, sir."

"Have heavy weapons lay down suppressing fire with the .50 cals. Move all sections to attack that position," he pointed his finger towards one of the two focal points of the revealed enemy resistance. "I want that building cleared."

His fellow nodded, and two dozen men were gathered to charge the building while a hellstorm of gunfire systematically ripped chunks of the wall off the building as six heavy machine guns opened fire from the warehouse 2A. They readied their weapons and grenades and set heel to dirt in a headlong charge.


Ochi watched as muzzle flashes illuminated dust which quickly clouded the area near the warehouses. Fireteam Ni reported over the headset that they were hidden in the shadows behind warehouse 4A and had found a rear entrence. Fireteams San and Si prepared to assault the enemy position, hoping that Arai's charge would provide an ample distraction for the nine men, when a rumble shook dust off the warehouse before them, followed by another.

"Ni! What the--" Ochi shouted into his mouthpiece while one of the men stammered to inform him that they were tossing grenades into the building. "God damnit, move move move!" The six men of San and Si hastily made their way across the open stretch of pavement and gravel. A gunman on the roof spotted the men, turning back to shout an alarm to his comrades. A bullet fired by the female marksman from Iti caught him in the neck, cleaving through his spine and throwing his head off his shoulders.


Four helicopters approached the bleack landing surface of the Mt. Ijek reseaarch facility. In them each carried twelve of the finest men the Illuminate could send to kill Iseltov. Hovering over the landing pad and releasing ropes, the forty-eight men quickly moved to secure the entrance. Any personal security the Ozian had were obviously waiting inside. The SNLF were ready for an ambush, nothing here would be a surprise. The base had more radar than any other facility in Ozia, their approach was noticed. And thus, their tactics were required to be straight forward. Many of the men were Moacian born, the SNLF not bound to only those who served in the XGSDF but encompassing all those who had proven themselves fit to fight. These Moacians restrained their impatience, knowing full well they would have their revenge. The Xyraeli's in the unit knew their comrades wishes, and had secretly vowed with each other that no man found was to be spared. They were all traitors to the Emperor.

Chūsa Akagi had been chosen to lead these men in the execution of Iseltov. A similar strike force had successfully taken La'haid, killing thirty seven scienties and eighty two dock workers, but Sevda Iseltov had not been found. This Iseltov would not escape. The doors opened after four attempts to hack the digital lock, and the men heaved grenades containing chlorine gas into the lobby of the base.

[St Oz]

Iseltov and a few other head Scientists watched the cameras as the 48 men came into the lobby base entrance. He smiled as they threw in poisonous gas into the rooms. The other scientists were puzzled with his smile and one asked, "Why are you smiling?"

"Because, Do you think they have enough gas to gas all the rooms?"

The scientist thought of this, "You know, you're right, going to take them awhile isn't it?"

"Yeah, just make sure nobody ventures out and all the traps are set, this won't be easy for them...."

Iseltov turned on the intercom of the base and in his voice he said in Xyraeli, "Welcome to the Mt Ijek base, please enjoy your stay and if you'd like to live, best that you stay in that lobby. "

He nodded to his scientists then after he turned off his intercom system, "You have Pressure Room and Biological rooms ready correct?"

They nodded, "All set up sir..."

----------

Just then in the Lobby several Smoke bombs were set off and streams of mist filled the room. An Ozian Tossed a grenade in the smoke and shot his pistol randomly from the door's entrance. Bright flashes throughout the smoke indicated where he was and then he disappeared, running somewhere.

[Zimmerwald]

That was three men the Section had lost so far, counting the one wounded.  Tulin was the only one from her fireteam still able to fire a weapon, and had scored at least one hit when the six Xyraelis they had pinned down began rushing at them.  Three Xyraelis had gone down in that charge; both falls had been inaudible.  None of these fallen were attended by their comrades, who seemed hell-bent on taking 4A.

Tulin felt the warehouse shake beneath them, and realized that they had finally been outflanked.  The other Sections had repelled one attempt with indirect fire, but three Xyraelis had reached the buidling with their frontal assault (they had reached the point where it became impossible to fire at them), and apparently there was another fireteam lobbing grenades at the building.  Tulin led the remaining members of the other fireteam down the stairs, and carried Jalel.  There was no more they could do on the roof.  They would try to stop the Xyraelis from entering, at the very least.

The other six members of the Section had, once the shooting on the roof began, followed the pre-arranged plan.  They had used the secret enterance to disappear into the alleys between the warehouses, specifically the alleys between warehouse 4A and 4B and 3A.  One fireteam per alley.  When they spotted the Xyraelis lobbing grenades into 4A and others charging the building, they knew it was time to take action.  They knew that whatever was left of Fireteams A and B would defend the building; their job was to take the Xyraelis by surprise.

And so they did.  One fireteam fell upon Ni from the flank, coming from the shadows and catching one Xyraeli in the neck before the others got under cover and began shooting back.  One member of Ni had a superficial wound on his arm.  The other fireteam weren't so lucky.  The Xyraelis they attacked were primed with adreneline, and where able to hear them coming.  The woman they killed managed to take a Xyraeli with her, but the two fireteams seemed locked in a stalemate as each of them took cover.  The Sections in the flats were put on alert to prepare to recieve Xyraeli reinforcement.

OOC: The total is now:
Gelibolu: 4 casualties out of a total force of 48 (44)
Xyrael: 13 casualties out of a total force of 60 (47)

[Xyrael]

The SNLF personnel within the Mt. Ijek complex peered through the eerie smoke. The emergency power lights was the only lighting the illuminated the gas which covered the floor in an eery fog. It felt serene for a moment, as though they were standing within a graveyard at night. Only this wasn't a graveyard, this was a madmans lair, and they were the vindicating angels of Light come to wrest the souls of the wicked and raise them into salvation.

So many rooms to choose from, so many pathways and rooms to be ambushed in. The infared scopes peered through the rooms and soft bootsteps carried the men in groups of 6 to doors, twelve men staying to watch the entrance. The men swiftly moved to secure the rooms before them as well as the hallways which catacombed the mountain. Poking their rifles around corners to check if anyone was there, and meeting sporadic resistance and skirmishers, the soldiers slowly made their way deeper into the base.


Two full sections barreled down the center alley, taking cover behind dumpsters and inside entrance niches as gunfire from the flats pattered around them like rain from hell. Arai watched helplessly as his men from Takagawa's squad came under heavy fire. They charged through the door under the surprise attack, and gunfire inside the building continued. At least they were still shooting, it meant they weren't dead. The fireteam that had flanked them found themselves in turn flanked as the twenty four men opened fire on them from fifty yards, bullets turning two of them into semblances of Western modern art, while the third immediately ducked into a warehouse entrance.

Arai looked through the alley between 2B and 3B as the third section, assigned to maintain their hold on 1A, moved around the north side of the warehouses to flank the residential flats. They moved with vigor, and though they had lost two men to mortars they were unnerved. They quickly found themselves at the northern corner of 4B, watching as the 3 sections there came under fire from HMG's on the roof of 2A. There weren't enough guns to pin them down forever, they had to move. The lone section slipped quietly along seemingly unnoticed around the side of one of the residential flats. Arai heard the report, the men had found an unlocked window and had entered the building. Soon, they'd be moving to overtake the place. Arai began to pray. They'd need it.


Both the woman and man from fireteam Ni were injured. The man had been grazed by a bullet on the leg, the woman had taken one to the chest, knocking the wind out of her lungs with a glancing hit to her body armor. She took a moment to recuperate before looking at her comrade, his gun pointed to the back door as a bustle of footsteps charged down the stairs. He turned to open fire on the new arrivals, gunning down a man before a bullet caught him in the head. His body slumped down against the wall, and the men moved closer. She drew her rifle as gunfire outside ripped into the flanking fireteam. The footsteps stopped, startled at the sudden noise, and began to move towards the door. She lunged, opening fire wildly on the remaining remaining men, a dead woman lay on the stairs. They muttered choice curses in their native tongue and returned fire as they ducked behind crates. A grenade was lobbed through the air, clattering on the cement floor as it rolled to the Gallipoli soldiers, who kicked it away into an office room which summarily blasted into peices, burning documents and papers floated like ominous confetti amidst as the lone Xyraeli woman held her ground beside her dead comrade.

Outside, fireteams San and Si found themselves pitted against a single fireteam, they still had the numbers but their charge towards the warehouse was broken. They'd found a small gutter to duck behind, using it for a temporary trench. Ochi grabbed his radio, damning the book and shouting for reinforcements. "No! I don't give a damn if they're Gaeanist or if they Myrorian, if they've got guns and they want to help, send them here you incompetent clown!"

Command replied with several comments, followed by an acknowledgement. A platoon of Gallipoli i'va'ksh were on the way led by Chūi Aydin Koprulu.

[Zimmerwald]

And now the chaos outside had broken into 4A.  True, there were only two fireteams in combat inside the warehouse, but the fight was no less bitter.  Concrete dust choked Tulin and clouded her vision as she returned the fire the Xyraelis were pouring in on her position.  Two meters to her left, there was only one other Gelibolu standing, also returning fire.  Jalel, despite all her efforts, had been the first killed when the Xyraelis broke in.  Out of the corner of her eye, Tulin saw her comrade wildly kick at a grenade; it exploded in a side office, sending even more clouds of pulverized concrete into the air, and making the building shudder dangerously.

Tulin noticed the last Xyraeli soldier target her remaining comrade, and knew that her only opportunity was now.  Ignoring all the distractions, she picked her target and fired, catching the Xyraeli in the corotid artery.  She would be dead within minutes.  She nodded to her comrade, and they ran out of the building, moving from cover point to cover point towards the block of flats where the other three Sections lay, waiting.  They were the only Gelibolu survivers of the skirmish.

The shooting behind them had stopped by the time the four reached the block of flats, and an eerie silence reigned over the battlefield.  Tulin knew she would have to go back out there and assault a position she had helped to hold, a position the Xyraelis would hold with double the strength, this time without her dead and wounded comrades.  At least Jalel will be properly cared for she thought as she briefed Teğmen Tanju Yildiz on the situation.  The lieutenant barked out "I want 23 and 24 Rifle Sections ready to assault those warehouses; 8 Heavy Weapons section will provide covering fire for the assault.  Are you sure you want to go back there again, Onbasi [Tulin]?"

"Yes, sir.  We all do."

"If you wish."  To the general area he called out "And contact Headquarters for reinforcements!"

Chūi Aydin Koprulu turned to his men.  They had left the Checkpoint two minutes ago, coming up the road to the block of warehouses in full view of the Xyraelis.  Why not?  They had kept up the masquerade until now, the Xyraelis weren't aware of what was about to happen.  How could they be?  Before they had left, Aydin had told his platoon what this would mean: treason to Xyrael, with the death penalty the only punishment if they were to fail.  None had backed out of the mission they had chosen for themselves.  But they would not do anything just yet; better to first see what opportunities the Xyraelis would provide.

Per usual, the i'va'ksh were cast in a supporting role.  The HQ Section and one Rifle Section would occupy the warehouses while the other Rifle Section and the Heavy Weapons Section would join with the two Xyraeli sections in an assault on the block of flats in the northwest, which the Gelibolu were using as a base.  Not the best we could have hoped for, thought Aydin, but it could have been a lot worse.  The HQ and Rifle Section occupied Warehouses 3A, 3B, 4A, and 4B, the four closest to the flats.  The Xyraelis took up positions behind the i'va'ksh Rifle and Heavy Weapons Sections, keen to use them as cannon fodder.

This Platoon-sized formation had advanced less than twenty meters towards the block of flats when Aydin told his Section leaders, by radio, to take action.  The formation had traversed another five meters when fire began pouring into the Xyraeli sections from the tops of the warehouses.  The two i'va'ksh sections, at this unmistakable signal, turned around and began attacking the Xyraelis as well.

The formerly silent battlefield became animated again with the joyful agony of death as these i'va'ksh made their loyalties known.  Aydin could barely see, issuing from the block of flats, Davet fighters advancing towards this talbleau, the few shots of friendly mortar fire petered off.

Casualties:
Gelibolu (excluding turned i'va'ksh): 10/48 (38)
turned i'va'ksh:12/60 (48)
loyal i'va'ksh: 180/180 (180)
Xyrael (excluding loyal i'va'ksh): 28/60 (32)

[Xyrael]

Arai let out a wild scream as he held the trigger down with all his might, letting his rage go on the damned bastards who would dare betray his Emperor.

click click click

He threw his gun at the i'va'ksh who stared in somewhat disbelief at the mans rage and his charge into their gunfire. Drawing his last hope, his katana, he sailed headlong into red hot lead that tore into his body armor and flesh, organs and bone. A young boy, barely seventeen, stood in his way, his jaw agape as the blade crashed into his skull, cleaving through his skull send bits of blood and brain into the air. The wild Arai took several more gunshots before his body lost its momentum and collapsed in a cloud of dust and splattered blood. His comrades, enraged now more than ever, did not spare a single shell of ammunition from their cartridges as they fired on the traitors, gunning down six more before a heavy machine gun set up behind a fence opened fire on those wretches. The remaining Xyraelis fell back into 4A, only to discover more traitors. The ducked back out to where the heavy machine gun opened fire, tossing several grenades into the first floor of warehouse 4A.

Ochi had taken a forward position ahead of the i'va'ksh, his honor was to lead the assault with his men, but as the traitors turned he realized his position, manuever, nay very life was forfeit. Death with honor. His men knew as well as he did, they charged to the flats without orders and without notice, guns strapped over their shoulders as they sprinted over rocky ground. Gunfire claimed the lives of two of them, and as they reached the flats they noticed the Gallipoli were prepairing for an assault. Ochi tripped over himself in surprise, the rest of the men taking his blunder as a sign to drop for cover. They quickly fired upon the Gallipoli who had begun moving from the buildings, gunning down any man they saw with extreme prejudice. It took the Gallipoli six deaths and two wounded to realize that they needed cover where there was none. They fell to the ground prone as the Xyraeli's had, taking what shots they could at each other.

Meanwhile, southeast of the warehouses, two platoons of loyal i'va'ksh could hear the fighting. Over their radio they listened in on the happenings, shocked at Aydins betrayal. They quickly relayed the information back to headquarters, which replied with a simple order. Maintain your positions at checkpoint. Artillery support inbound.