Sovereign

"The Confederation's winter offensive was repulsed! The three weeks long offensive of the Confederation of Larissa against the Imperial Remnants holding out in the Theresa Defense Perimeter has now ground itself to a halt. Severe winter conditions, entrenched Imperial forces, and the influx of female infantry into the Imperial Army of Larissa prevented a complete breakthrough. Wrecks of Confederate tanks and armored vehicles littered the road to Velikov City, one of the main targets of the offensive, after a major tank battle between the magically supported 82nd Armored Division that utilized experimental 'portable arcane protection systems' crushed the conventionally equipped armored formations of the Confederacy. Reports show that Confederate armored forces 'had to fire an extra shell' to break through these new magical shields, complicating the dynamics on the battlefield. Eyes are now back again on the remnants of Imperial rule in Larissa. All as a new question bubbles—would magic combined with technology have a chance to triumph?"

- Geopol Press

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North Pardan Ocean

Near the coast of West Orland

An Orlish Type-14 Patrol Boat listed on its port side, its tiny seventy-six-millimeter autocannon still firing itself on a contact that was chasing its wounded self, just a few hundred kilometers in its rear.

Smoke and fire could be seen rising from the decks of the Orlish patrol boat. The ship could barely manage half of its original speed, as it continued to flee. The enemy ship was much the same, a mere patrol boat also armed with a similarly sized main gun. It was returning fire rapidly, keeping the Orlish patrol boat pinned.

More curiously, small arms gunfire could be seen being fired from the two, with the crew of the Orlish patrol boat scattered on the decks, firing their rifles in the direction of the speeding patrol boat. It didn't fly any identifiable markings, nor did it broadcast any known codes.

For all they knew, it could be a pirate sponsored by the Federal Republic. Yet why would it attack an Orlish naval vessel? They were an armed ship capable of forcing them back. There was no point if their goal was interdiction. And so, on the radios, all of which broadcasted a desperate flurry of transmissions to the nearby Orlish naval base, the same question was being asked.

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More shots rang from the main gun of the ONS Helios, causing a secondary explosion on the pursuing unmarked patrol boat. Smoke and fire finally rose up near its bow, as the unknown ship began turning around. Still, the PDC systems from the Helios and the unmarked ship, alongside the supporting small arms fire from their crews, kept the skirmish on an intense fire.

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The captain of the ONS Helios had no choice. He placed down his microphone and made his way quickly to his helmsman. There were bullet holes all around them, a result of the thin armor that patrol boats sported, which allowed both small arms and PD systems to penetrate it with ease. The helmsman himself was injured, his legs bleeding out from a severe bullet wound, all while he listlessly supported himself by holding onto the wheel.

"Hard to starboard, we have to get our main gun back on them!" The captain ordered, before looking down at the injured state of the helmsman. More shots pierced through the room, forcing the captain to duck, while the helmsman remained standing as he pulled the wheel hard to starboard.

He breathed out deeply.

"Captain…you shouldn't stay down here…" he said. "You'll suffocate."

And indeed, due to the fires and smoke nearby, the air was thick and bad, and both of them could barely even breathe. Still, the helmsman held on tight to the wheel, refusing to abandon his post. The captain nodded, before limping his way out of the bridge, all while the helmsman returned back his focus to the wheel.

As the afternoon sunset, the two ships continued dueling each other from the distance…with the smoke towering above their ships being the only indication of the tiny skirmish that was happening.

A skirmish that could result in severe ramifications.

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November Palace

Amelie barged in toward the situation room, followed both by Nia and William. The sudden meeting was called when Admiral Halberd arrived at the November Palace thirty minutes ago, alongside the news about a developing skirmish on the coast of West Orland.

Naturally, Amelie was damned pissed that someone once again tried to attack her naval forces out of nowhere, as it sorely reminded her of the actions of the Empress of Larissa last year (and goddess knows how much Amelie hated everything about Empress Katerina, including her shenanigans). And so, by the time she arrived, with Admiral Halberd and Chief Air Marshal Zimmermann already convening with each other, talking about what was happening just off the coast of Orland, it was plastered in her face that she was really irate.

Who the hell even had the bright idea to attack us again? Amelie stopped as William closed the door. Damn them to hell. I'll make them pay for this. If it's pirates, they would learn Orland's justice.

"Gentlemen, I need a quick rundown of the situation. What in the Goddess's name is happening?"

Admiral Halberd turned around, his face grim at the news. The Navy hadn't anticipated an attack so close to the coast of Orland, much less from the direction of the Pardan Ocean. Much of the Federal Republic's trade interdiction activities had been in the North Allas and South Allas after all. In the east of the Opellian continent. Not from the biggest ocean west of it.

"Just an hour ago, patrol boat ONS Helios encountered an unknown patrol vessel off the coast of West Orland. A brief skirmish ensued, with both parties firing at each other and severely damaging each other. The ONS Helios managed to limp back to our port up north, while the unknown vessel somehow managed to slip through our patrols."

"Who did this?" The question from Amelie's lips was simple and direct. Who did it? For whoever did it, was definitely receiving a full dose of Orland's wrath. Her patrol vessel and their men were attacked for no apparent reason. And as far as she knew, there must be casualties.

Someone…someone was really going to get the hammer treatment. And if it was pirates, raiders, those reb—

"Lieplatz," Chief Air Marshal Zimmerman said. "The Lieplatzans, Your Majesty. There's no other way. It must be the Lieplatzan patrol boat. There's no way for any rebel raider to get through our defense perimeter. Not from the wide ocean from the west. Not with the Air Force and Navy present there."

"Then how did a Lieplatzan patrol boat pass through said defense perimeter?" Amelie crossed her hands, and the two officers turned to each other, their explanations still empty. After all, the entire affair was sporadic and brief. The patrol boat that attacked the ONS Helios came out of nowhere, and disappeared out of nowhere, almost like a ghost.

A ghost that utilized stealth well. Enough to evade both the Orlish Navy and Air Force. This meant they didn't have much intel to work with, outside of a list of the potential suspects—which included Lieplatz.

But perhaps they have a point. Amelie thought to herself. The preparations for the Lieplatzan liberation had already been becoming too apparent. Even international media and observers were already at the Orlish–Lieplatzan border, watching the buildup of the OAF with great vigilance. And while there was no media presence in the west, RIU and AFI intel already indicated that a similar buildup was brewing in the borders of the Federal Republic.

All while the Lieplatzan Armed Forces mobilized into the border while instituting mass conscription. The recent border raids alone also showed that they definitely had the capacity and perhaps even the will to carry out aggressive actions against her Kingdom.

"Your Majesty…this conclusion is spotty at best, yes," the Chief Air Marshal said. "But we are preparing to fight a war against them. So are they. They already scrambled so many troops, defenses, and aircraft…they even raided us. This seems to be in line with what many of us in the OHC are thinking. They're testing us. Poking our defenses. Our forces. Looking for weak spots. It's a strong possibility."

Amelie nodded. "And in such a possibility, there won't be many changes in our policy, no? As we're about to invade them." Amelie sighed. "Still, I want further investigations. If it isn't the Lieplatzans or the Federal Republic, I'd like to know who dared to violate Orland's national security like that. If those revolutionaries are raiding shipping in international waters, perhaps I can let them off for now. But if they actively attacked a ship on Orland's territorial waters, a ship of the Navy, then I want to make it crystal clear that there will be consequences. Would that be alright?"

The two officers nodded before Admiral Halberd spoke. "We are already working on that, Your Majesty. Rest assured, we'll find out who did this transgression against Orland. And we'll make them learn a lesson."

"Good. We may be in a civil war, but Orland's sovereignty will be defended fully. No one, no foreign nation, will interfere on our borders. And none of them would poke us as if we were nothing. Our prestige and image may be in tatters…but I expect the OAF to preserve what is left."

Lieplatz, this attack, all of it, in Amelie's mind, was important. Orland's reputation on the world stage was what would determine if other countries in the MN would follow her in her vision. Her vision of creating a united front. If she allowed Orland to be poked or allowed something such as the Lieplatzan Junta to exist up north, all of it would only serve to weaken the image of Royalist Orland.

We may be badly mauled, but I'm not letting anyone look down on my Kingdom. No, Orland was the hegemon of Pollos, and it would remain the same. Before the Civil War. During the Civil War. And after the Civil War.

"We receive your command, Your Majesty." Admiral Halberd said before the two saluted her.

"I appreciate that."