O1 World IC thread

[Czernobog]

Blacklight Agency Research Facility

Theresa Ashcroft swore she could have seen a green-uniformed figure trashing the place. Was she developing schizophrenia? Or was it just stress? She went to the base's psychologist, who recommended her some meds, and she never saw the green-uniformed figure ever again.

[Shady]

Belgrade, SFRY



"So they have agreed?" Tito asked on the phone.

"Da, Sir." The voice from the other side answered. "They will come to the summit."

"Good." Tito smiled. "Excellent work. Now it's time for phase two of our plan."

"Understood. I will make all the necessary preparations for the meeting." The voice said.

"And I will prepare our offer." Josip Broz Tito said and hanged up the phone.

Oslobodjenje
The People's News

The foreign ministry of the SFRY announced this morning, that a summit of regional leaders from the Balkans will be held, in one weeks time, at the sea resort in Crna Gora. The SFRY will be playing host for the event and our great leader, Josip Broz Tito, will be attending the summit personally.

It was also said that matters of great importance for the SFRY and it's neighbors, such as trade and diplomatic relations, will be discussed at the meeting. The foreign ministry refused to specify the specific matters that will be under discussion, but implied that the summit has the potential to accomplish a lot of good for the people of the Balkans.

Tight security is expected...

[Heretic]

Doctor Manchuria shivered as he pulled the palm leaf over his head as the rain continued pouring down. Inside a small cave on a small cay, Doctor Manchuria has been here for a few days now. Thankfully, he found a few wooden floating boxes of supplies lying around to keep him alive for a while until rescue comes soon. Doctor Manchuria snarled as he shivered. It was cold out. Even with his coat it still got him wet. The can foods were almost finished and Doctor Manchuria needed more. Well, he will wait tomorrow. The wind blew the rain into his face, so he turned his back and rested his head on his knees, dreaming how the world shall react to his action. No longer will he have to worry about mechanized infantry or Jet bombers coming in to bomb his little China. A single modified nuke in the sky can cause a whole area to become the Bermuda Triangle and destroy electronic devices. If little baby Jongy or Mao wanted to mess with him, he can just toss a nuke so that they can't watch their favorite penthouse shows. And if the Raj wanted to intervene or if fat Shroomvanski wanted to be all kissy-kissy, hell, what did Doctor Manchuria have to worry about? Throw a couple their way and disable all of their installations. And when radar shows nukes coming to China, he can send his own to counter the others. The wonders of air explosions and EMP bursts.

As Doctor Manchuria started snoozing away, he heard a thud. Looking up and blinking, he saw that the rain stopped and turning around, saw a large crate, a power generator on the side, and a large television set on it. Slowly standing up, Doctor Manchuria came to the items and turned on the television. The power generator was humming, so it was on. The television turned on to show various angles of soldiers running around into various places and workers setting up defenses of radars and missiles. A scene of what seemed to be Russia and Raj soldiers and technicians moving all over the place, going from one bunker to the next. The next scene showed jetfighters taking off from secret jungle runways and icy Siberian mountaintops. And then, it showed a polygon black and green 2D line map of Asia, showing the troop and airplane icons from both the Raj and the Soviet Union huddle around borders, particulary the Sovereign.

"What is this?" Doctor Manchuria muttered as he got closer to the screen.

"It's reality, fool." A deep crackling voice came from behind. Doctor Manchuria didn't look back, as some odd fear grasped his whole being, a fear that seems to tell him that he, in some genetic memory or reincarnation of some other past, knows the speaker.

"Who are you?" Doctor Manchuria asked instinctively, though he knew who it was.

"Me? I'm your fucking conscience, Bo Jin Cheng, and I'm here to give you an education.." The voice said. Doctor Manchuria had his breath stolen.

"You call me Bo Jin Cheng? He died! I'm Doctor Manchur.." But the doctor was interrupted by a cackle.

"Don't make me laugh! You pretend that you can be better than your predecessor, but you just fall into the same trap he did. After a crucial defeat in expansionist dreams, he went and built something crazy, usually with a seemingly sane agenda, but when he became more focused on the project, wild ideas came in and grasped the mind, making him insane and tossing anyone and everyone into the feeding pens, and destroying the country without any external force. You are in the stage of tasting the first senses of mad power, and I'm here to stop you." The voice sighed as he ended his speech.

"Hah! You're the fool! What do you know of me or Bo Jin Cheng? I don't make mutants or feed my own people into pens! And if you really knew him, you should be dead!" Doctor Manchuria spat, saliva slapping the television.

"I know you two quite well. Bo Jin Cheng was quite out of his mind when I met him. As for you, you are getting there. And both of you are sore, sore losers and whiny manchildren." Doctor Manchuria's face turned red but kept his composure.

"Tell me, how specifically did you know the Mad Emperor?" Doctor Manchuria was hoping for a stall, but he heard a single sentence that had no hesitation.

"He made me and I killed him."



To be continued in the next episode of "Doctor in the Cay!"

[Heretic]

The Texan Herald

Government in business

Michael Ire today has shocked the Texan nation when he stated that in order lower the debt and have the government gain a surplus amount of money in the treasury, the whole system is gonna go and compete with in the business world. This was a shock, as the government has always stayed out of the market.

In response to criticism that this move is of a socialist leaning, Michael Ire has stated the following statement:

Socialism: an economic system that is based on cooperative control of the factors of production, usually espoused by hippie artist utopia dreamers who don't know squat about the market. What we are doing isn't regulating your business nor taxing you while we get the upper hand. Value for value, friends. The government shall have business fronts set up, using our own limited capital, make an honest profit, and expand if we succeed. If not, then our businesses shall be either bought by the private citizen or just die and sell our equipment, to start over again. The government wants to compete in the market too, without taxing or benefiting any special groups. We will not steer the market to suit our feel good wants. That's what socialists do. We are a lone rider, riding the wild bull called the Free Market, and if we lose, we get a broken ribcage. But if we win, we will win the whores called profits! We will compete like anyone else! Lord knows that every Texas has a full gun rack in his truck, two pistols under his pillow (one for him, and the other for the misses), and his first shotgun down at his Granny's. If any commie tries to touch Texas, he will get lead in his non-existent balls! It is Texas's tradition to be rugged and individualistic, to make a name for yourself without any committee or equalization legislation.

And don't get me wrong, we aren't Randian. We believe in helping the losers out with charity and good deeds. A sane Texan will go to church, synagogue, or whatever. We believe in that, but we don't let any government nanny tell us what to do. We choose, people. So, our animal instinct when any Hyperborean crooked teeth Isleman or Soviet Ambassador comes with things like "State Cooperatives" or "Destruction of the Division of Labor" is to grab them by the neckcollar and toss em outta here.

The government and the people are equal, folks. Not in that "The People's Republic" or that "Collective" crap where the masses just follow whatever a committee or some premier says, but the "Hey, bucko, I outprofited you. Your ass is mine, now" way. You can beat us, peeps. The government isn't an ominous web. We are just folks keeping this place sovereign and free as possible. Any of you folks an be a politician, if you find a demand and a supply of supporters backing it.

So, in the government's first business endeavor, we shall be working in the fishing industry, with our first company Dead Fish, Inc., Providing high quality swimmers for cheap.

P.S. All of you anti-corporate freaks, chill out. I read some of your conspiracy theories and they are frankly ridiculous. There ain't gonna be a Jap-controlled corporatist empire where the corporations fully take over the government and make a dystopia, enforced by massive iron robots piloted by teenagers because the population is thinning. Those buck-tooth apologists are too busy wearing cotton dresses and swinging their swords around.

[Heretic]

Near the cost of a local village in the Kamchatka Krai peninsula



It was an early Russian fog morning, and the local fishermen of the village went out in their boats to see if they can catch some breakfast. The fishermen always loved a good Kal'ya, a warm soup of fish or caviar, lemons, pickled cucumbers, and pickled water. Got them up in the morning for the main fishing, where they must fish for their yearly quota.

A teenager yawned, and his father hit his head. The young lad grumbled as he helped untangle a few nets. He has been up late with a girl, without his parents knowing. As the lad smiled remembering that wild night, he saw a big shadow in the more deeper waters as the fog died down and sun started to shine. It looked like a small island, and he was gonna leave it at that, but the boy realized that it was moving quite fast.

"Papa!" He tugged at his father's jacket sleeve. When his father looked, the boy pointed, "The island is moving fast!" The dad hit his son's head again.

"Fool! The wave is probably tossing us around..which reminds me..Yusof! Ryvych! Are our inland lines secure? I don't want to be stranded in the Bering Sea!" The father shouted at another boat of two other men. They nodded. "See, we are secured and.." the small fishing group jumped up when the island made a loud honk. "A boat? What is a boat doing here?" When the fog showed a massive curve of a ship, he shrugged. "Maybe a Naval test run. Let's hope they see us and not have an accident. I heard in the news that a collision with a sub and a tug happened two days ago.." The ship got a bit closer. And as the fog died down even more....



A red and white striped flag appeared, with a blue box in the corner. A lone star was on that box. On the side of the ship, it read in English "The Desperado" as the ship sped bast the fishermen, two huge nets on each side. The poor men could only watch as the massive fisher gobbled up their breakfast and quota. It took in dolphins, whales, fish, junk, the occasional kaiju, and water itself before passing by and going back to the deep ocean. The fishermen paddled frantically as the massive waves pushed the puny wooden boats back.



The fisher moved through and docked near a port in the northern tip of Hokkaido, Japan. There, a tall and lanky captain with no hair and a pointy chin beard came out, wearing the captain's hat came down the plank of the dock, where cheap laborers went in to pack the leftover fish and haul the crates of packaged fish down to the loading area. There, some of the fish and most of the dolphins and whales will be sold to the Japanese locals and companies, with the rest going to another freight ship to head back to Texas. Michael ire was in his cowboy gear and smiled at the captain.

"Good fishing, Bill?" He patted the captain on the back as they walked to the sailor pub, where police and bodyguards surrounded it.

"Yes, Prime Minister. We have got a good amount of salmon and tuna down near that Russian peninsula. The only people that saw us were two-bit fishermen. I doubt any Soviet official will believe them. Now, there is radar to worry about, but I doubt they would pay attention to our doings there. We are allies, no?" Both of the government officials laughed. "It felt good leaving the desk and going outdoors to adventure."

"Yep, I'm glad your on the job of our first run. You know the best fishing spots in the world. Now, let's have a drink to celebrate our victory over our huge fishes and a victory over the Soviets. Even if we are politically and militarily allied, let us not forget that Texas and the CCCP are the worst of economic enemies. We must always hit them in all fronts!" Michael Ire gave the captain a buttslap as they entered the sailor's bar, where a large cheer from the crew came.

[Czernobog]

The Superbia Times

Fighting in the Streets!

Fighting began in the streets this week, as Communists and workers clashed with police. Members of the Citizens' Party (the largest party in the Empire) and its paramilitary wing, the Red Legionnaires, were present at the riots, and the military had to be called in. It is currently unknown when it will end, or whether this signifies if a Communist revolution is beginning.

(Some weeks later)

Unrest Spreads; Riots Continue

The Superbia Riots are continuing as unrest spreads throughout the country. Riots and strikes continue in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Detroit. The military has gone to full alert. New Byzantium and Texas are reportedly on high alert. It is unknown when the crisis will cease.

(A day later)

The Revolution is Over

The Citizens' Revolution is over. Red Legionnaires stormed the Senate buildings in Superbia. Shots were reportedly fired, and a full re-ordering of the government and economy is about to begin. Said Alfred F. Jones, head of the Citizens' Party and now President of the Citizens' Federal Republic of America, 'the people have won'.


EXTRACTS FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF THE CITIZENS' FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF AMERICA


Preamble
We the Proletariat, have taken power into our own hands and thus having done, so, to establish Justice, ensure domestic Tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, establish the Constitution of the Citizens' Federal Republic of America....

...Article 1

All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the Citizens' Republic, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives...


...Article 6

No race, class, gender or creed shall be placed above the other, and none shall be discriminated against by the Government. All Religions and Beliefs will be tolerated provided that they are not harmful to the state or its practitioners...

...Article 7

A Government-registered Militia, being necessary to the survival of the Government, shall not be infringed upon, except in cases of Terrorist or Treasonous Acts...

...Article 9

The Right to Keep and Bear Arms shall be maintained and is not to be infringed, as shall Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Religion and Belief, the Right to Education, the Right to a Fair and Just Trial, and Freedom of Assembly...

...Article 11

Each shall give to the Nation according to his ability, and each shall be given the requirements of life according to his need. The Rich and the Nobility are to be taxed as high as the Proletariat, and Religious Organisations shall also be taxed...

[Heretic]

Michael Ire looked at the Superbia paper and sighed. "About bloody time..." then he stopped himself. Bloody? That was too Euro. "About FUCKING time." Ire smiled as he rephrased himself. He twirled around his swirly chair and picked up his phone on the other desk.

"Hey Bob, I got a job for you. Yes, It's Superbia. I need you to make sure we get cordial relationships with me. Thanks." Michael Ire placed the phone back to the crib and pulled out a blowtorch as he stood up. "Now I have to take care of that joker who placed that universal healthcare bill in my face."


The Texan Herald

Diplomatic beginnings

Bob Hancock, the new ambassador to the newly created Citizens' Federal Republic of Ameirca, has announced today that the sun is brighter today. The ex-communist tyranny has been overthrown by the freedom-loving people, and already, a constitution (protecting gun rights as well.) was drawn.

Critics of this move have stated that Superbia didn't change, but just had a face lift. Communists are still prominent, with the Citizens' Party being a wholly socialist one, and that the constitution will get a back seat to "people agendas". Mr. Hancock chastised these attacks, stating that "Communism is the first stage to the road to capitalism."

Prime Minister Ire has not been available to comment.

[Czernobog]

The Citizens' Herald


The Flag of Our Nation

Alfred F. Jones Visits

The President of the Citizens' Republic of America, Alfred F. Jones, came personally to open diplomatic relations with Texas, to open talks of a pan-American economic and defensive alliance.


Our President, Alfred F. Jones

He was guarded by a group of Red Legionnaires, and with a team of seasoned diplomats, began talking with the Texan government about a pan-American alliance to defend against the enemies of freedom that lurk in the world. Talks were inconclusive, but are still continuing.


Austin, Texas

Indeed, the Texans did not offer much celebration to the President of our noble state - perhaps they were expecting a less important dignitary, or were not in the mood for celebration. Regardless, talks have begun, although they are far from finished.

[Heretic]

"Alright, bud. Let's get to business." Bob Hancock adjusted his awesome stetson (the unofficial piece of uniform for all Texan diplomats and government officials) as he looked at this young president, Alfred F. Jones. What did the F stand for? Funny? Bob leaned forward and cupped his hands together and rested them on his knees.

"You overthrew the previous government. We support that. But now, we need to know what you are gonna bring to the table for us. We can give you oil and sheep, and our private military contractors can provide training for your new founded military, but let's be honest here: Most of former Superbia is a piece of sand and rock that has resources we Texans already have. Maybe there are some minerals out there that we want, but we need to know for certain what you.." Bob hesitated to find the best word to describe the people.. "Americans have that we might benefit from.

Now, as for defense, as I said, private contractors can act as the instruction officers for your soldiers. Many had experiences during the Sino-French War, the Chinese Civil Conflict, and the Shroomalia Invasion, and can provide all your branches with the training they need. Weapons? Armalite Corporation can provide our new mainstay assault rifle, the M16 and the new Ar-10s. Want a little more time-comfortable weapon? No problem. Armalite has bought the patent to the rugged M14 Selective Fire Rifle. We can supply those too." Bob took a breath as he waited for the president's response.

[Czernobog]

"Alright, bud. Let's get to business." Bob Hancock adjusted his awesome stetson (the unofficial piece of uniform for all Texan diplomats and government officials) as he looked at this young president, Alfred F. Jones. What did the F stand for? Funny? Bob leaned forward and cupped his hands together and rested them on his knees.

"You overthrew the previous government. We support that. But now, we need to know what you are gonna bring to the table for us. We can give you oil and sheep, and our private military contractors can provide training for your new founded military, but let's be honest here: Most of former Superbia is a piece of sand and rock that has resources we Texans already have. Maybe there are some minerals out there that we want, but we need to know for certain what you.." Bob hesitated to find the best word to describe the people.. "Americans have that we might benefit from.

Now, as for defense, as I said, private contractors can act as the instruction officers for your soldiers. Many had experiences during the Sino-French War, the Chinese Civil Conflict, and the Shroomalia Invasion, and can provide all your branches with the training they need. Weapons? Armalite Corporation can provide our new mainstay assault rifle, the M16 and the new Ar-10s. Want a little more time-comfortable weapon? No problem. Armalite has bought the patent to the rugged M14 Selective Fire Rifle. We can supply those too." Bob took a breath as he waited for the president's response.

Alfred F. Jones chuckled mentally as he listened to Bob Hancock, but he didn't let it show on his face.

'Yes, we have lots of need,' he said. 'But we have tons of untouched farmland in the Midwest, and Uranium mines in the south-west. We can provide you with food to feed your people and uranium for peaceful and military purposes, and you can give us some of your oil, which we need for re-orienting our economy and military.'

'As for weapons, we need new guns for our soldiers. Those gyrojets work alright, but they're too high-maintenance to suit our needs. We're interested in your M-16s and M-14s, as well as your AR-10s. And, limited time only, we're offering you an aircraft carrier to seal the deal. It's the Citizen's Pride, formerly known as the Wrath of Superbia. It's in pristine condition, with fighters and bombers attached, but you'll have to pay a lot of your Texan dollars.'

[Czernobog]

OOC: Yeah, this is intended to mean that I'll stop making wars for no reason.

The Citizens' Herald



The Flag of Our Nation

War Games Begin, Pro-Active Defence Protocols Demonstrated



Ludwig Schrödinger, the Officer Responsible for the War Games

War games have begun in the Arizona Desert, according to officers in the Citizens' Freedom Army, 'to demonstrate our commitment to pro-active and re-active defence'. Also, six carriers sailed in the Carribean as a demonstration that the Citizens' Defence Navy 'is willing to defend our country to the last'.


One of the carriers involved in the wargames

According to Schrödinger, there is a vital difference between pro-active defence and aggression. 'The Citizens' Military is only willing to embark in pro-active defence if there is evidence that the enemy represents a serious threat to our government and nation. The pro-active defence protocols are not to be embarked upon lightly or frivolously by the government, and it will require a sizeable majority in Congress and the blessing of the President before war is declared. Also, we will not attack without a formal declaration of war. Every officer has sworn that.'

[Siege]

LOW EARTH ORBIT

The booster rockets had separated properly and the first main stage engine had ignited at exactly the right moment, increasing gravity inside the small cockpit to eight gees before the solid boosters disconnected. No sooner had the four SRBs begun their long fall to the Pacific below that the second stage engine ignited, burning fiercely and pushing the small craft even higher and even faster on its ascent towards the heavens.

Then, still suddenly, the second stage cut out and fell away. The disagreeable sensation of high gravity disappeared and was replaced by an odd feeling of weightlessness. Colonel Veda Brahni slowly and carefully moved the control stick, and Ganesh 1 rolled lazily around its axis. Far behind the window, the deep black of interplanetary space was replaced by the blue-green-white of the spinning Earth. In awe, Brahni watched the American continent approach beneath her even as the small spacecraft caught up with the planet's rotation and sped into the planetary noon.

She activated her microphone. “Calcutta Control, this is Ganesh 1. We are in orbit. And I've to say, the view sure is pretty up here.” Brahni smiled. Truly, the craft she was piloted was well-named. Ganesha, the Remover of Obstacles, the Hindu patron-deity of arts and sciences surely had blessed this endeavour.

[Shroom Man 777]

SOVIET SOVIETSKI LIVE on SovShroomSatTV

A People's Publication for the Proletariat (1967 edition)

SOVIET SHROOMANSKI SATELLITES SEE SERVICE



The successful launch of the Molniya satellite constellation sees the glorious coming of the first national networks of satellite television in history, concurrently launched in the Soviet Union, Oceania and Brazil. While the respective networks of those comrade-nations inaugurate their own satellite services, the Soviet Orbita television network has chosen to name their satellite service in honor of Premier Shroomanski, and thus on the first-ever broadcast of Soviet satellite television - Soviet Shroomanski Satellite TV, SovShroomSatTV - the Premier himself will make the opening address to the people of the Soviet Union.



"Greetings my fellow comrades of the Soviet Union. Today we see a historic event in the first-ever transmission of nationwide satellite TV, a true great achievement for Soviet proletariat! From now on, vital news information of events not only in the Motherland, but in neighboring comrade-nations and also in faraway lands will be available for the common working-class multinational peoples of our great nation, to make benefit all Soviet men, women and small children. And thus, it is my great privilege to speak before you all now and to inaugurate the satellite TV services of Orbita, and it is my great hope that this service will be of most beneficial use to you - the proletariat!

Likewise, as the satellite TV we concurrently develop with our comrade-nations begin transmission in the countries of Brazil and Oceania, it is my honor and pleasure to be the one who will present the news of the world to you, the Soviet people, in this first ever satellite TV broadcast in the USSR."

RAJ'S REACH SOARS SPACE



"It is with great pleasure that I report to you a monumental achievement of our Quadruple Alliance comrade-nation, the Hindu Raj, has achieved an unprecedented space flight of their Ganesh 1 space plane, a true technological marvel and breakthrough! The Soviet Union sends congratulations to the Maharajah and the fine spacemen and women responsible for this achievement. Da, comrades."

CITIZEN COMMUNISTS IN ATHENIAN AMERICA



"Likewise, in an unexpected development in the Americas - the Empire of Phoenix is no more, and in its place is the Citizen's Federal Republic of America, which arose from the ashes of the Phoenix in a quick revolution. So far, the fate of the likes of Phoenix leader Franklin D. Roosevelt and the King of Athenia/Phoenix are not known so far."

"We congratulate the Americanskis for this positive step forward, and hope that this Citizen's Republic will stay true to the will of its people and will contribute to the peace and prosperity of the land it shares with its neighbor nations. The Soviet Union joins the world in watching America with anticipation."

RED RIO REVOLUTIONARY REPUBLIC RISES



"From the wartorn rubble of occupied Rio, to a new age under the good leadership of comrade Castro, the Red Rio Revolutionary Republic continues to improve with each and every day. Aid and support from both the Soviet Union and Brazil contribute to this greatly, as construction efforts of such things such as roads and bridges, power and water utilities, schools and hospitals are underway along with engineering projects. Soviet advisors have likewise trained Rio's revolutionaries and helped them become a fully fledged defense force with the protective systems needed for homeland security.

"The communist government of Rio is now in place to deliver effectively much needed services to its people, and now after so long a period of anarchy and occupation, Rio's proletariat can now once more return to a normal life. The improvement of living standards is a true benefit, and the resumption of Rio's once-renowned medical and health care professions is also a likewise welcomed development. Rio once had a world-class dental hygiene service, and hopefully once more their people will again show their pearly whites for all to see. Da!"

EGALITARIAN ECONOMIC EFFUSION



"The economy of the Soviet Union proceeds at a locomotive's pace as increased industrialization, tremendous trade, improved living standards and betterment of overall national and proletarian state continue on according to the Five Year Plan. Factors contributing to this is the improved relations with nations in the European Concord and the allied nations of Byzantium, Yugoslavia and Texas - as well as with comrade-nations in the Quadruple Alliance.

"The construction of oil pipe lines to the Concorde, and great expansions in the railway network to better interconnection with the rest of Europe, is a great economic boon. As well as the effort of the Soviet economy to provide competitively affordable goods, not just raw materials but also processed products, to neighbor nations seeking Bolshevik bounties for their own wants and needs. In return, these exchange of goods see great things such as Texan corn cobs and French breads and other good commodities entering the Soviet markets in the spirit of openess, glasnot and pereshroomska.

"Likewise, products manufactured in the Soviet Union, by the working-class proletariat, are no longer seen as derided defective products but are now highly regarded as extremely reliable, durable, and nigh-indestructible equipment manufactured from stainless steel and other hardy quality materials! The fruits of socialist labor has become the envy of the capitalist world and are much sought after even by their bourgeois."

"Business in the Far-East is also likewise doing well, with the Republic of the Philippines purchasing anti-pirate anti-ship missiles and ships and reciprocating with their agricultural expertise."

JET TRAIN JAMMING



"In cooperation with Train à Grande Vitesse of France, Franco-Soviet engineers are attempting to build a jet train to navigate the rails of Europe in both breakneck speed and luxurious comfort. Such a magnificent machine would be superior to any bullet train like those in Japan, and could quite quickly travel through long distances - even the Trans-Siberian railway."


DA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE, COMRADE?

[Czernobog]

The Citizens' Herald



The Flag of Our Nation

Feasibility Space Study Begins

The Pantechnicon is beginning a feasibility study for a space program based in Cuba. Even with the industrious nature of the Citizens' republic, it is estimated to be 5 to 6 years before a man could be put in space.


Barack H. Obama, Head of the Pantechnicon

But that did not stop Barack H. Obama, head of the Pantechnicon, from announcing the finished construction of the Havana Rocketry Base (which was mostly built during the Athenian and Superbian periods of rule). The Pantechnicon insists that its space research is for peaceful purposes, for the placing of satellites in orbit and not for the creation of ICBMs.



Robert Goddard, Rocketry Pioneer

Our country's history with rocketry dates back to 1912 and Robert Goddard, who pioneered rocketry and predicted space travel.

[Heretic]

Code: Select all

'Yes, we have lots of need,' he said. 'But we have tons of untouched farmland in the Midwest, and Uranium mines in the south-west. We can provide you with food to feed your people and uranium for peaceful and military purposes, and you can give us some of your oil, which we need for re-orienting our economy and military.'

"But don't you need that farmland to feed your own people? We Texans have enough Vegetarian-hating meat products and our own breadbasket to support ourselves. And as for Uranium, the Brazilians don't want us touching any for the next 8 years." Bob Hancock pulled out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.

"As for your aircraft carrier, we will gladly take it. The Texan Army always needs more heavy hitters. Ok, how about this," Bob leaned forward, "I will give you all the stuff we mentioned, and all you have to do in return is give us access to parts of your land in case of a invasion, like a base here or a bunker there. We will want to evacuate our officials into neutral territory if shit happens, and your place suits us best. How about it?"

[Czernobog]

Code: Select all

'Yes, we have lots of need,' he said. 'But we have tons of untouched farmland in the Midwest, and Uranium mines in the south-west. We can provide you with food to feed your people and uranium for peaceful and military purposes, and you can give us some of your oil, which we need for re-orienting our economy and military.'

"But don't you need that farmland to feed your own people? We Texans have enough Vegetarian-hating meat products and our own breadbasket to support ourselves. And as for Uranium, the Brazilians don't want us touching any for the next 8 years." Bob Hancock pulled out a cigarette and placed it in his mouth.

"As for your aircraft carrier, we will gladly take it. The Texan Army always needs more heavy hitters. Ok, how about this," Bob leaned forward, "I will give you all the stuff we mentioned, and all you have to do in return is give us access to parts of your land in case of a invasion, like a base here or a bunker there. We will want to evacuate our officials into neutral territory if shit happens, and your place suits us best. How about it?"

'We will,' Alfred F. Jones stated calmly. 'We'll build a bunker for your leaders, and you can build a few bases where you want.'

[Czernobog]

Eliphas Base

Natalia Kerensky, Communist Superspy, sat in the white chair, as General Vasiliy Romanov briefed her.

'Your mission,' he said. 'Is to meet with a contact in Los Angeles. There is some degree of internal unrest there, and we are also arming those opposed to the Nortonist regime there. Your duty is to our nation, and the brave people of New Byzantium who battle Norton's tyranny.'

Vasiliy Romanov knew that he wouldn't be here without Athenia. They had rescued his family, the Russian house of Romanov, from Saint-Petersburg as the Bolsheviks besieged it, and taken them to neutral territory before embarking for New Constantinople (as it had been called back then). They had also rescued many White Russians as the Bolsheviks crushed them, and Vasiliy felt he had a debt of honour toward his new nation, whatever its incarnation.



+++

Natalia Kerensky looked at the contact, close to her in the alleyway. He looked proud, aristocratic - a General, perhaps? She spoke the password, that meant it was safe to talk.

'Sunstorm.'

Then he spoke.

'Greetings,' he said. 'My name is General Octavian. An army group under my command. I'm planning a coup to get rid of Norton, who grows more paranoid daily. Perhaps all the assassination attempts are getting to him. He cracked down on the Pan-Athenian Party a few days ago. They supported peaceful re-unification. Norton may be a good diplomat, but he's from a minor branch of the nobility, 5th son, and has no experience in running a party, never mind a country. He's only keeping his nation afloat with his diplomatic skills. I swore an oath to protect my country from all threats, and Norton is the biggest threat to our nation's security I've ever seen.'

Natalia left, then flew from the nearby airport back to Superbia. She had just acquired some valuable intelligence.

[Shroom Man 777]

NBC

The National Broadcasting Company
A New Byzantium Corporation

PART I
BINGO! BIG BANGING BLOOMING BOOMING BYZANTINE BUSINESSES BLOWOUT BONANZA BLASTOFF!


Los Angeles, California, one of the centers of Byzantium's economic high.

The economy of New Byzantium is at an all-time high, with the state of California leading the nation's economic recovery, turning one of the three post-Athenian successor states into a modern success story. Compared to the fates of its sister states, namely the short-lived nations of New Athenia and the Empire of the Phoenix, the stability and longevity New Byzantium has had under the leadership of Emperor Norton has allowed the longest-lasting Athenian successor to enter a period of growth and development unseen by its sister successor states. Unfortunately, neither New Athenia nor the Empire of the Phoenix were as lucky, mired as they were in wars, annexation, political collapse and communist revolution that ended them both.

The peaceful pace of New Byzantium has made it ripe for foreign investment, not only within the Americas but also across the Pacific. In fact, one of the first economic partners of Byzantium was the Hindu Raj in the Food for Nukes program that gave Byzantium an economic head start over its neighbors during the times now known as 'After Athenia'. Shortly afterward, Norton's stance of neutrality and his distancing Byzantium from 'Old Athenia' helped garner new allies in the form of Yugoslavia and Texas. Byzantium's vital position in the West Coast of North America made it a hub for trade with China, Texas' longtime economic partners. In fact, this also made Byzantium a hub for trade with the Soviet Union, which recently established economic ties with Texas.

Other North American nations lacking access to the West Coast have to ship goods through Byzantium or Mexico, which, aside from Rio, are the only ones with access to the Pacific.


The Port of Long Beach, one of the largest ports in the world and hub for American trade bound to and from the Asia-Pacific.

The 'New' in New Byzantium also helped warm its relations with Spanish Mexico, another American nation still smarting from the bitter old days of the Athenian War, which have opened doors to the rest of the European Concord. With the Hindu Raj's economic ties other Quadruple Alliance nations have also established relations with Byzantium - such as Oceania, Brazil and even the Soviet Union. The Republic of the Philippines is another nation now trading with Byzantium, and populations of expat Overseas Filipino Workers have been rising steadily as the rising economy of Byzantium presents a land of opportunity to foreigners from both Asia and the Americas.

The recent communist revolutions have also made trade and investment a more attractive prospect in Byzantium, by virtue of scaring away capitalists from both Rio and the Empire of the Phoenix - the latter of which no longer exists, now replaced by the Citizens Republic of America. Exile Phoenix landowners, upper-class members labeled as 'elitist' or 'bourgeois', businessmen and aristocracy who fled Phoenix in the turmoil and rioting have settled down in Byzantium, where the local liberal populace quickly accepted them into their fold - shades of the White Russians who fled during the Bolshevik revolution that swept Russia decades ago.


Anti-communist rallies in Byzantium held by Phoenix Exiles.

"New Byzantium has proven itself to be the most stable nation of the post-Athenian successors, the longest-lasting one too. The economic recovery has made the country prosperous, and has helped developed much needed civilian infrastructure too long neglected during the bad old days of Old Athenia, with the rampant military buildup of the past. Whatever Norton's doing, he's doing it right, and he's given us a government that's stable, effective, and able to serve its people without disintegrating into anarchy and revolution every few years. Finally, we've got a government that can actually serve the people instead of itself," says Lord Kull Sorbo, member of the House of Lords and Parliament. "We have Emperor Norton to thank for that, he's the best thing that's happened since New Byzantium won its independence."


Lord Kull Sorbo, member of the House of Lords and Parliament.

"Frankly, I think that New Byzantium's example - one of peace, prosperity, and stability - is something that should've been a model for the Athenian successor states to follow. It's regrettable that instead of staying cohesive, staying intact, developing and advancing and progressing forward, our sister successor states instead ended up in war, upheaval and revolution. They ended up taking a step backward, and that's most regrettable particularly for the people who're living there," Lord Krull Kincaid said in a recent interview.


Lord Krull Kincaid, Minister of Finance.

PART II
ASKING ABOUT AN ATHENIAN ANSWER


ASS-ASSIN, a picture recently on a newspaper cover page, using the wordplay of 'assassin' and 'ass', as in donkey.

The state of Byzantium today has led to high levels of satisfaction amongst the general populace, but that has not stopped left-wing groups and paramilitaries from fermenting. However, compared to the fates that befell both New Athenia and Phoenix, it could be said that New Byzantium has had it easy compared to them. Nonetheless, problems persist in the form of assassination attempts on Emperor Norton, believed to be carried out by Old Athenian revanchist groups and some suspected to be done by groups supported by extra-national factions. This, and the presence of parties prone to political violence, with links to terror groups, has raised the question of the internal stability of New Byzantium. While the nation has unquestionably been more stable than its sister successor states that no longer exist, the question of whether Byzantium will follow the fate of its sister successors still lingers on - that it is not a matter of 'if', but a matter of 'when'.

These questions are intrinsically tied to the nature of New Byzantium itself, which was born out of the short Athenian Civil War where the states of Old Athenia broke away in protest and secession to form their own nations.

"I'm a soldier, but in serving my country, I have betrayed my conscience," General Claus von Stauffenshroom reminisced his time in the Athenian Afrika Korps when they were deployed to Shroomalia. "I'm a soldier, I served my country. But it was not my country. I was lying out there bleeding to death, thinking, if I die now, I leave nothing to my children but shame. I knew then that there was only one way to serve my country, and doing so I would be a traitor - I accepted that.

"Superbia's promises of peace and prosperity had fallen by the wayside leaving in their wake a path of destruction. The outrages committed by Ozai's creations were a stain on the honor of the Army. There was widespread disgust in the officer corps toward the crimes committed, the murder of civilians, the torture and starvation of prisoners, the mass mutation of Shroomalis. My duty as an officer was no longer to save my country, but to save human lives. I couldn't find one general in a position to confront Superbia with the courage to do it.

"We had a choice. We can serve the people, or Superbia. Not both!"


General Claus von Stauffenshroom, formerly a Colonel in the Athenian Afrika Korps, one of the leaders of the Byzantine freedom fighters, and now a General in the Byzantine Army.

"The decision was simple and I regret nothing. We will defend the future we fought so hard to win. New Byzantium is the liberty we've won for ourselves, and looking back at everything that has happened, and looking out to the other side, I know it was the right choice we've made." General Claus von Stauffenshroom was one of the first supporters of Emperor Norton, who led the West Coast's branches of the Athenian Army and National Guard in a coup called 'Operation SHROOMKYRIE' that successfully secured New Byzantium's independence from Superbia.

"The people have seen the rioting that went on in Phoenix, how it all disintegrated and how the communists took over and made their Citizens Republic. Even the old Phoenix people there ran here when it hit the fan over there. We see what it's like over there, and we all know that the Byzantine way of life is way better than anything they've got over there. All these attempts at assassinations, they'll only strengthen support for New Byzantium and Emperor Norton, when the people see that the people doing this are nothing but cowards and killers - no different from the cowards and killers in Old Athenia, good riddance to that big load of bad rubbish. We're better than that, and everyday we prove it out there, as a nation that's accepted by the world community, not shunned, cast aside or dejected like Old Athenia. New Byzantium has proven itself to be a worthy nation, a nation worth protecting, and a nation worth having for what it stands for."


Ronald von Reagan from California

"The military will protect the nation and its people, and stands firm and steadfast in maintaining the safety, security, and stability of New Byzantium and her allies."


Lord Bale, Minister of Defense (and former body double of Alfred F. Jones)


IN OTHER NEWS

WINNING WINE WHINE



California wine is wine made in the Byzantine state of California. Nearly three-quarters the size of France, California accounts for nearly 90 percent of entire North American wine production. The production in California alone is one third larger than that of Oceania. If California were a separate country, it would be the world's fourth-largest wine producer.

The state's viticultural history dates back to the 18th century when Spanish missionaries planted the first vineyards to produce wine for Mass.

Following a wine renaissance in the mid-20th century, Californian wine entered the international stage at the Judgment of Paris wine competition when Californian wines beat out French wines in both red and white wine categories. Today there are more than 1,200 wineries in the state, ranging from small boutique wineries to large corporations like E & J Gallo Winery with distribution across the globe.*

BYZANTINE BIGSCREEN



After a years-long lull Hollywood has finally returned as the centerstage of world film and television, competing with Rajastani Bollywood and Soviet Mosfilm in making some of the greatest movies in the world! The latest big budget films include Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo, an epic western jointly produced by Byzantine, Texan and Mexican filmmakers, starring Clint Deadwood, former Texan mercenary and ex-member of the secretive Alpha Dogs unit; Mortimer Van Cleef, hero colonel of the Athenian Civil War; and Eli Mallachus, renowned Mexican sombrero comedian.


Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo - the latest blockbuster in Byzantine cinemas!

Other new films include:


2OOl: A Space Odyssey by Shroomley Cubic, a mindblowing science-fiction spectacle!


Dr: Strangeshroom or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - a black comedy also by Shroomley Cubic depicting a Rajastani nuclear bombing of Old Athenia!


The Manchurian Candidate - a political documentary about the rise of Doctor Manchuria in Sovereign China!

AND OTHERS:








WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE?

*Copy-pasted from wiki

[Czernobog]

OOC: Sorry to burst your bubble, Shroom, but Mary Suetopias need to be dealt with, especially ones that feature the word 'shroom'.

The Planning Room



General Claus Von Stauffenberg laughed at Norton's nonsense. Norton's propagandists were totally detached from reality. Athenia hadn't had an 'Afrika Korps', whatever that was, and his name did not include the word 'shroom'. What they presented was a caricature of him. He looked at the pictures, and laughed.

'Yes, Stauffenburg?' Lord Bale, a key plotter, asked.

'It goes well. Soon Valkyrie will be ready. Sic semper tyrannis.'

Stauffenburg looked at the others - Reagan, Krull, Kull, Octavian, and Bradley, then at the portrait of Norton. A bullet hole lay between its eyes. Somehow, that summed up everyone in the room's opinion of him.

'Sic semper tyrannis,' they all said.

[Shroom Man 777]

OOC: Sorry to burst your bubble, Shroom, but Mary Suetopias need to be dealt with, especially ones that feature the word 'shroom'.

The Planning Room



General Claus Von Stauffenberg laughed at Norton's nonsense. Norton's propagandists were totally detached from reality. Athenia hadn't had an 'Afrika Korps', whatever that was, and his name did not include the word 'shroom'. What they presented was a caricature of him. He looked at the pictures, and laughed.

'Yes, Stauffenburg?' Lord Bale, a key plotter, asked.

'It goes well. Soon Valkyrie will be ready. Sic semper tyrannis.'

Stauffenburg looked at the others - Reagan, Krull, Kull, Octavian, and Bradley, then at the portrait of Norton. A bullet hole lay between its eyes. Somehow, that summed up everyone in the room's opinion of him.

'Sic semper tyrannis,' they all said.

BREAKING NEWS LIVE on SovShroomSatTV:


The assassin, Claus von Stauffenberg, General Claus von Stauffenshroom's long lost evil twin brother, attempted to assault a Shroomalian-Byzantine woman prior to his capture.

AN AUDACIOUS ATHENIANIST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT was foiled today when revanchist groups launched their boldest plan yet again, attempting to recruit key members of Byzantium government into a conspiracy to overthrow Emperor Norton. A lookalike of General Claus von Stauffenshroom contacted Lords Bale, Krull, and Kull and divulged to them his plans to use Operation Valkyrie - a corrupted version of the historic Operation Shroomkyrie General Stauffenshroom used in the Athenian Civil War - against New Byzantium.

Shortly after their meeting, as the assassin Stauffenberg prepared himself, Lords Bale, Krull and Kull immediately contacted the San Francisco Police Department where SWAT teams were immediately sent to apprehend Stauffenberg. There was a brief standoff in which Stauffenberg attempted to use an unnamed Shroomalian-Byzantine woman as a hostage, but the intervention of hero cop Detective Barry Callashroom safely diffused the situation by driving a police car into the building Stauffenberg was in. After Detective Callashroom negotiated with him, Stauffenberg surrendered and was safely put in police custody.


Detective Barry Callashroom, the hero-cop who also foiled a previous assassination attempt by Daniel Bradley, and a renowned hostage situation negotiator.

"It really struck me as odd," Ronald von Reagan was quoted saying in an interview. "There was this guy, who looked inexplicably like General Stauffenshroom but wasn't, and he was recruiting us into this plan to assassinate Emperor Norton and dissolve New Byzantium. Why would I want Emperor Norton gone? Why would I want New Byzantium to end up as a defunct state like Phoenix and New Athenia and Old Athenia? And have it like a riot-ridden hole full of commies? No way. As a patriotic Byzantine citizen, I'm proud to say that after the meeting, I reported that doppleganger to the police."

Stauffenberg is currently held in police custody, where he will face interrogation. Already, Lords Kull and Krull have reported Stauffenberg's collaborators, two individuals known as Bradley and Octavian. Whether this Bradley has any relation to the attempted assassin Daniel Bradley has yet to be determined.


THIS IS A WORLDWIDE BROADCAST BROUGHT TO YOU LIVE BY - Soviet Shroomanski Satellite TV - SOVSHROOMSAT TV!

[Invictus]

Barbecue party at the Brazilian Embassy, Houston, Republic of Texas



Ever since the banks of Brazil rescued the Texan economy with its epic bailout a few years ago, trade relations between the two American countries have been on the rise. Perhaps it was the sheer recognition that the headline-grabbing move bought, or simply the natural migration of money as the continent's economic center moved out of the war-torn Athenian heartland, or most likely a combination of all factors that could be named. But aside from the mildly smoldering indignity of what some Texans have gotten around to call "The Great Mine Heist", relations between Texas and Brazil, formerly on the opposite sides of opposing international alliances, have never been closer. And parties at embassies have also grown more frequent.

This was a fairly typical example of one, businessmen and officials from both countries complemented with a smattering of local celebrities and diplomats from all over; with the unsurprising exception of any representative of the Citizen's Federal Republic from up north, so newly formed that initial relations were still being established in the government offices a block away.

The clink of ice mingled with outbursts of laughter and the delicious smell of roasting meats. The atmosphere was light, enthusiastic; most of the guests were by now old friends, their mutual interests for profit driven together by the tides of geopolitics and subsequently found each other quite agreeable to deal with. Indeed, the Brazilian businessman's horror over red tape and regulation found its perfect match in the Texan entrepreneur's disdain for bureaucracy. Talk and alcohol was the grease on the axles of commerce here, and for every official trade treaty signed by stiff ministers ten backroom deals are concluded over raucous toasts. Consequently, behind the walls of the embassy garden, business was talked and sometimes even policy was made.

"I believe you gentlemen have met." Davi Fujimori, the Brazillian Ambassador to Texas, steered a man towards Nick Gorbez, Chairman of the Texan Energy Board.

"Of course. How could I have missed him?" He put down his plate and shook the hand of Demetreo Muniz, CEO of the Hidalgo Mining Company. "How's business been lately?"

"The usual, the usual." Muniz sighed. "I'm always happy to see a friend, though. Good thing your government is so compact, eh? You always have to come to these parties!"

"And there's so many of you that Davi here has to find you for me!" They laughed. "So, what's new?" Gorbez said.

"I've been hearing voices in the wind, little birds in the bushes, that sort of thing." Muniz explained. "About the American delegation."

"Them? Can't say I haven't been either. There's something essential in their character, I must say, about their generosity when they're dealing with us. Something that coming down with communism didn't really change. President Jones had practically been throwing gold and myrrh at our feet."

"That's as much as what I've been told." Muniz ventured. "And another metal, besides."

Gorbez raised an eyebrow. "I thought that was what you wanted to talk to me about. Don't worry about that, Demetri. Prime Minister Mike might like windfalls, but he doesn't break his word that easily. We're still clean where uranium is concerned."

"Ah." Fujimori looked surprised. "You refused that offer?"

"Sure did." Gorbez took a drink of cool beer. "On the behalf of my country though, I can't guarantee so much about the other offers. We are a small country, after all."

He caught Muniz and Fujimori exchanging a glance. "It's not exactly about that." The executive said. "Buying uranium from Ath-America doesn't go against the terms of the bailout at all, as long as it's for purely peaceful purposes."

"Well whatever. We have plenty of oil." The Texan official replied. "I'm sure Bob and his team had reasons for refusing the offer. But I sense disapproval..." He lilted.

"That's because we can do better than that."

"I...see. That's not what I expected. You'll sell our own uranium, which I must hasten to add is yours by contract, back to us?" He turned. "Hey Davi, you not staying?"

"Let's not make this seem too official." Fujimori smiled, and went into the crowd.

"So." Gorbez turned back to the man whose company owned his country's entire uranium reserve. "What's the price?"

"A fair one, with no strings. None of your forced goodwill, none of your famed small arms proliferating to a country which is bound to get into trouble with them in the future."

"You talk sense. Quadruple Alliance strategic commodity market rates?"

"We can do better than that. Try the Soviet-Brazilian Atomic Autarky Agreement rates."

Gorbez whistled. "Russia okay with this?"

"Mr. Gorbez, we are a private company! How our government wants to sell our uranium is none of the Hidalgo's business."

"I've butted heads with you over mine regulations and worker benefits enough to known that you're not soft in the head. Are you sure the Hidalgo would make any money out of this?"

"It's still better than the usual rates we sell to the Exchange. Our government re-trades it to Russia and the Raj for a profit. To them, we're only a humble extracting operation. And if our prices aren't competitive enough, it's the big state-owns in Africa that get the deal." Muniz said. "We save on shipping, too."

"Appealing to my love for the free market, I see." Gorbez grinned. "But sweet talk like that won't get you further. Since you've got to have at least a bit of official backing to propose something like this, and at the end of the day you're still a pawn of Big Government, right?"

"Alas, guilty as charged."

"Well still, I can't deny that landing this deal of yours wouldn't be something of a coup. It's good timing for Texas."

"The Byzantine pipelines?"

"Yep. Fuel demand over there has been picking up with their economy booming. People like Norton because he provides a good business environment, and he'll need our oil if he wants to keep his crown. The problem is we need that oil as well, and we'll need a substitute if start exporting it."

"And that's where we come in." Muniz flagged down a waiter with a tray of Tex-Mex canapes.

"Goddamn international socialist conspiracies, always colluding to present tempting business opportunities." Gorbez then put on a more serious expression. "It will be a massive undertaking though. Lots of infrastructure to put into place, since we've never had the chance to develop our own containment technologies..."

"Don't worry about that." Muniz waved with a half-full mouth. "My brother works for the power station construction companies. I'll have a talk with him. He'll be glad for business once the Brazilian grid reaches saturation."

"Isn't your president making a big push in Africa? The money's pretty hot there."

"Let me give you a tip about that. There won't be much of a margin building nuclear power stations in Africa. What's in Africa? Sand and slums. We practically have to ship all our expertise across the Atlantic. But it's a government mandate though, so he has to go through with it and apply for reimbursements later. And then in order to do that he has to prove his deficits, which is not good for his stock. And the government money might come a year late. Trust me, he'll be desperate for any extra work on the side."

"Sometimes, I honestly, unironically love our free market system."

"Well, sleep on the offer."

"Oh, of course. I'll mention it to the right people." Gorbex glanced around; the waiters were coming around with the Cuban cigars. "You know, I've got to come to more of these parties."

The Brazilian executive smiled. "There's a long future for that."

[Siege]

MUMBAI - The L-2000 supersonic passenger liner aircraft today conducted its first high-speed run between the two countries that developed it, Australia and the Hindu Raj. Aboard for the flight between Canberra International Airport and the Calcutta Aerodrome were diplomats, engineers and CEOs of the two manufacturers, Hindustan Aviation Limited and United Aerospace Corporation.

A world first, the L-2000 is a narrow-body aircraft powered by four J58 turbofan engines, same as used on the high-tech A-12 strike interceptor of the Maharajah Air Corps. Its range is 7,400 kilometers, and at a cruise speed of Mach 3 (roughly 3,672km/h) it made the trip between the two capitals in less than two hours, shattering all previous air travel speed records in the process.

According to representatives of both aircraft companies the L-2000 will enter service later this year with several Australian and Rajastani airlines, and will connect all the world's major cities, significantly speeding up air travel in the process.


The L-2000

[Shroom Man 777]

SOVIET SOVIETSKI LIVE on SovShroomSatTV

A People's Publication for the Proletariat (196X edition)

SOVIET SUPER SUPERSONICS SOAR


The Tu-144 supersonic transport (SST)

Aeroflot and Brazilian Airlines (BAL) have announced the successful launch of the Tu-144 supersonic transport, a brand new state of the art aircraft designed to compete in the emerging market of commercial supersonic transportation, and to provide high-Mach travel to proletarian customers not only in the Soviet Union or Brazil, but also worldwide.

Currently, the Tu-144 is planned to fly from Sheremetyevo International Airport to Brasília International Airport, but as more aircrafts are made the Tu-144 will soon be landing in airports all over the world.

As the Soviet Union and Brazil's entry into the supersonic transport arena, the Tu-144 is expected to face stiff competition from the likes of the Raj/Oceanian L-2000 and the European Concord's Concorde, but both Soviet and Brazilian teams have expressed confidence in their design and have stated with certainty that in the future supersonic transports will render older and slower forms of air travel obsolete.

Premier Stanislav Shroomanski himself wrote a message addressed to his Brazilian counterpart on the nose of the Tupolev, but in the high speed transit the ink was burned off the aircraft's hull!


The Winged Sickle, logo of Aeroflot, the Soviet Union's premier airline.



ZIG ZAG ZOOM ZIP!

The latest fighters from the Zikoyan design bureau are now entering service in the Soviet Union.


ZiG-25, mass produced high-Mach fighter, interceptor and reconnaissance bird.

The mass-produced ZiG-25 - an extremely robust aircraft made out of steel, sporting durable vacuum tube electronics, and engines that can send it to thrice the speed of sound* - now sees successful export to the Union's comrade-nations, in the form of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, the Socialist Totalitarian Republic of All Korea, and the Red Rio Revolutionary Republic.


The ZiG-31 Firefox, premier Soviet supersonic Mach-3+ fighter.

The newer, and highly advanced ZiG-31 Firefox has also now entered full service in both the Soviet PVO and VVS Air Forces. Called "greased lightnings" by Premier Shroomanski himself, these aircraft can engage the fastest of bombers and fighters at extreme altitudes and speeds, and have a performance second to none in the skies.


SUKHOI SUPER SPEED


The Sukhoi T-4, high-altitude high-speed Mach 3+ bomber.

Also entering the Soviet VVS and Naval Aviation branches are the new T-4 bombers, which the West has given the designation of 'Bullwhip'. These aircraft are an answer to the questions raised by the modern and future battlefields, in which quick reaction times in the face of emergent threats are necessary to ensure the safety of the Motherland and her proletariats. Incidents such as the Nuclear Airburst Over Beijing have shown the need for such an aircraft, which can engage any target at any place and at any time in short order. The VVS variant will be specialized in both conventional and strategic bombing, whereas the Naval Aviation version of the T-4 will be specialized in dealing with missile submarines, as well as other seaborne threats, where the Soviet reaction must be swift and formidable.

The Sukhoi T-4 is part of the Tri-Air Forces Modernization Program brought by new Sky Marshal Mikhail Konstantinovich Shepilov.


*Yes, I know, a MiG-25 that goes to Mach 3 will bust its engines. Da, comrades!