CampinKiller

@Jasorn and I will be handling this

BREAKING: NDF Brings Crisis to an End Article 25 of Dulce et Decorum The camera returns to Katarzyna Bołądź, who for the first time in a few days, seems relieved. The scene behind her features soldiers and police milling about, but without the blockade previously seen. Atop the building again flies the flag of the Southern Reconstruction Mandate and the flag of Visegrad. “Welcome back. In the preceding hour, we’ve seen, and been told from official sources, the National Defense Force successfully bring this crisis to a swift and dramatic end. For those just joining us, we were broadcasting live as the assault started just about forty-five minutes before the deadline set by the insurgents. What followed was captured live on-air.” The camera cuts to a replay of the scene, jumping in just as black-clad figures rappelled onto a second-story balcony. The group floods into the opening from the blast that had just occurred, and gunfire is audible. The camera pans right and a second group is entering from a second balcony. To the left, the doors are thrown open, and a disheveled figure in a suit emerges with their hands raised. One of the figures helps him over to the balcony with the soldiers, who then move inside the building. A group of soldiers advance from the barricades and deploy a ladder for the civilian, who quickly climbs down it. “You’ve just watched the dramatic escape of one of the hostages as the NDF raid on the building began. Official reports have stated that there were fifteen terrorists inside. All have been neutralized, with five of them being in custody. Reportedly, one of the surviving terrorists hid among the hostages and attempted to produce a grenade when confronted, but was quickly overpowered. The gunfire inside the building lasted for a good ten to fifteen minutes before the all-clear was given.” Katarzyna nods to someone off camera, and is then joined by a man in a National Defense Force field uniform, his rank insignia identifying him as a colonel. Name tape on his right breast pocket reads ‘ABETZ.’ “Joining us now is Colonel Warner Abetz, the commanding officer of the unit responsible for this daring raid. Colonel, thank you for joining us.” “Of course. I come with good news as well, we have confirmed that all hostages held by the terrorists have been rescued alive. Around a dozen had some minor injuries, but our men were successful in preventing any killing.” “That’s fantastic news! Were there any casualties for your unit?” He shakes his head, “There were a few men wounded, but nothing serious. I cannot stress enough how expertly this was carried out.” “Speaking of, how long was this in the works, and how did you manage to keep things under wraps? We did not know anyone was near the building until we witnessed the beginning stages.” “I can’t comment on specific details, but within hours of this crisis beginning we began drafting plans for alternative resolutions, should a peaceful approach not be successful. Many men and women were involved, ranging from other units of the NDF to SISA agents, and they all gave their best to get to this outcome and bring these terrorists to justice without further loss of innocent life.” “Well, we thank you for your time and efforts here, Colonel. Reporting live from Fellegvar, I’m Katarzyna Bołądź, we’ll be right back.”

LIVE: Secessionist Deadline Approaches Article 24 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens to Katarzyna Bołądź, who seemingly has had little sleep, standing in front of the besieged building. Behind her remain the same lineup of police and NDF vehicles, albeit with only soldiers in NDF uniforms being visible. A tent stands just to the right of the background, with individuals in jackets emblazoned with SISA in Solarian Common milling about. One is talking on what appears to be a secure phone with a group standing around them. “Good evening, we are now just under an hour away from the deadline set by the secessionist insurgents. Negotiations appear to still be ongoing,” she motions to the tent behind her, “but we have been told they have become much more difficult since Szalai’s news conference yesterday afternoon. Her noncommittal answer on whether or not she was willing to step down, sources say, incensed the secessionists, and negotiators have frantically been attempting to secure a deadline extension in the preceding hours. To make matters worse, when the group’s manifesto was broadcast on local news channels overnight, it was done in a truncated and garbled manner, further angering them.” The camera pans right and zooms on the tent, as whatever conversation has been happening has appeared to intensify. Katarzyna waves the cameraman forward, and begins approaching the tent, but is quickly stopped by one of the jacketed SISA agents. “Right– agent, can you tell us what’s happening now? We’ve seen no evidence of preparations for an assault, has the government elected to meet any of the demands?” The agent, clearly trying to prevent the reporters from getting any closer, begins leading them away while he answers their questions in a Lunan accent. “I can tell you that we are still working to secure an extension and the release of more hostages, but I cannot comment on what demands we are and are not willing to meet. It’s been made clear to the insurgents what will happen if they were to begin killing hostages.” “So am I to understand that there have been preparations made for-” Two loud bangs interrupt the reporter, whose head whips towards the building. The camera quickly pans to the source of at least one bang: a second-floor balcony overlooking the entrance to the building, where figures clad in black are rappelling down from the roof and entering through a fresh opening where a door once stood. More bangs are heard, and gunfire begins to ring out while the camera continues to roll.

Closing this due to significant away site involvement.

Hostage Crisis Continues, Szalai Pressed on Demands Article 23 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens to Fleet Admiral Klaudia Szalai behind a podium, flanked by two men: one in a business suit, who some may recognize as Public Security Minister Mariusz Kovacs; the other, in the uniform of the National Defense Force, Commandant Willerich Kozak. Notably Szalai herself is not wearing her typical Solarian Navy uniform, but instead a business suit. “Good afternoon,” she begins, “I have an update on the ongoing situation just down the street. There has been more progress in negotiations, and SISA negotiators have managed to secure the release of a further seven hostages, the last of those who were seriously wounded in the assault by the secessionist insurgents. This includes the two missing Solarian Army personnel who had been assigned to protect the office. Negotiators are still working around the clock to bring this to a peaceful resolution.” Seemingly done, a bevy of hands shoot up in the packed room. Szalai nods at one. “Alojzy Kalinowski, Visegrad News Network. Governor, with the deadline set by the insurgents now under 24 hours away, has there been any movement on their demands or perhaps an extension?” “SISA’s negotiators have been in constant contact with them and we have made it clear that any sort of prisoner release will take time. Currently there has been no extension, but the second release of wounded hostages is certainly a step in the right direction.” Hands shoot up again, and Szalai points at another, who stands. “Liao Qi, Xanu News Service. Governor, by all accounts there’s still at least fifty hostages in the building, is there any word on their condition?” “From what we have been told from negotiators, as well as the released hostages, the condition of those inside the building is good, and they are in good spirits, despite their situation.” “With such a large number of hostages, are you worried if you’re forced to act as the deadline approaches?” “I’m not going to go into detail on contingency plans, but suffice to say, we would prioritize the safety of the hostages first.” Again, the hands go up, and Szalai nods at another, who stands. “Andrea Wu, Tau Ceti Times. Governor, the biggest demand from the secessionist group is for your resignation. Is that something you are prepared to do?” Szalai, who had already been viewing the Biesillite suspiciously, looked as if she wanted to strangle the reporter as she responded, “I’m not even going to entertain your question, it is an unreasonable demand.” “So you are saying that you will not step down under any circumstances?” “I am saying I will be saying nothing more about the matter. That’s all I have time for.” Szalai and the group exit the stage, her final two responses seemingly having kicked off even more questions from the assembled group.

SISA Negotiators Arrive, Secessionists Release Some Hostages Article 22 of Dulce et Decorum FELLEGVAR, VISEGRAD – The Solarian Interstellar Security Agency has announced that as of 2AM (GST), negotiators from the SISA field office located on Visegrad had arrived at the site of the ongoing hostage crisis in the government quarter. They began work with the secessionist group located within immediately upon arrival, with a secure line having been set up in the preceding hours. While the agency has refused to comment on the specifics of the negotiations so far, it has commended the progress made. Five hostages that have been reported to have “serious wounds,” have been released by the secessionists for medical treatment, in exchange for their manifesto being aired on all local news networks. They have all been identified as civilian government employees who were wounded in the initial assault. One has been released from the hospital, while the rest remain in care. With 12 hours having passed since the initial demands were made, more information has been coming out regarding the situation. The released hostages and video footage indicates that over a dozen secessionists are inside the building. Estimates put the number of hostages currently held by the group over sixty. Additionally, the names of the four Solarian Army soldiers who were killed have been released - all were native Visegradis. External CCTV footage has revealed the initial shocking moments of the assault, as well as interviews with the released hostages. “It all happened so fast,” said Stanislaw Dvořák, one of the released hostages, “We were sitting down for a meeting when suddenly we heard gunshots, explosions- followed by at least a dozen armed men screaming. I was shot in the crossfire, in the leg. The doctors said I was lucky though I don’t feel it. I just hope everyone else gets out alive.” When asked for comment on the crisis, Fleet Admiral Szalai’s office said, “The Fleet Admiral is monitoring the situation closely and working around the clock to bring this to an end. At this time the Admiral has no plans to step aside nor release dangerous traitors to the Alliance back into the streets for them to continue their previous work.”

BREAKING: Southern Reconstruction Mandate Building Overtaken Article 21 of Dulce et Decorum The commercial break of a foreign news segment is abruptly interrupted and the words ‘BREAKING NEWS’ flash on the screen, swiping away to reveal Harold MacMillan. “We interrupt our foreign news hour to bring you this breaking story out of Visegrad. Within the last half hour, an unknown group has assaulted and successfully taken over a Southern Reconstruction Mandate administration building in the heart of Fellegvar. We now go live to our local correspondent, Katarzyna Bołądź, who is on the scene.” The camera cuts to a Katarzyna, a woman with short brunette hair, and wearing a rain jacket emblazoned with what appears to be lettering in Visegradi Creole. Behind her is a fairly nondescript government office, with a Southern Reconstruction Mandate flag flying overhead and a Visegradi flag underneath it. In front of the building is a significant number of police vehicles and NDF vehicles, all with soldiers and police behind them, focusing on the building. “Thank you Harold. Around thirty minutes ago, gunshots rang out at this service center, which is right down the road from the main government offices. There’s no official reports yet on how many people are inside, nor who is responsible for the attack, however we can confirm a few deaths – four Solarian Army soldiers assigned to the building were killed, with another few missing. The on-site commander–” Katarzyna is interrupted by shouting behind her and turns to face the building. The camera zooms in on the flag pole atop the building, and watches as the flags are slowly lowered beyond visibility. After a few moments with no movement, a new flag begins to rise - a plain Visegradi flag with a white star in the center-left triangle. A gasp could be heard from Katarzyna, “That’s– that’s the flag of the-” She is again interrupted by shouting, but this time from a speaker system. “We are liberators fighting for the freedom of the people of Visegrad from the Alliance! Know that we have many civilians under our control inside! If you wish for them to not be harmed, you will release all secessionist freedom fighters. The oppressor Szalai will step down at once. You have 72 hours to meet these demands, or we will begin killing the collaborators we hold!” Katarzyna turns to face the camera, concern evident on her face. “Well, we’ve now had many questions answered, namely that the Secessionists are responsible for this attack. We will keep following this as it develops. Back to you, Harold.”

TCAF Officer: "We can handle anything the Alliance throws at us." Article 19 of Dulce et Decorum A central concern for many within the Republic is its own protection. Throughout the history of the young nation, it has faced countless threats, including two invasions. The Tau Ceti Armed Forces, the successor to the original Foreign Legion, is young and rife with issues, according to critics. Supporters of the armed forces in their current state warn that critics are being alarmist. “Those that say the armed forces are weak, ineffective, anything of the sort, are foolishly spreading Solarian propaganda,” says Major Szek Skret’ash, a battalion executive officer in the Minutemen, “the fact of the matter is this: we can handle anything the Alliance throws at us. We’ve done it before, and we will do it again.” While one can hardly be surprised at the attitude of an active-duty officer, we pressed the major on some of the issues mentioned by retired Colonel Jan Krzystof - over reliance on the Zoleth line, a fleet plagued by a slew of issues, and the inexperience of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces. “The armed forces are constantly training, constantly getting better. To say they are inexperienced is simply misinformation. We have suppressed the insurrection on Mictlan, we fight off pirates, and we have many in the service who have fought the Solarians before, even when they fought amongst themselves. There is no doubt in my mind we would have total victory.” Major Skret’ash’s gung-ho attitude is not uncommon in the Minutemen, especially among the branch’s many immigrants. It’s not a widely-held attitude in the other branches, who face many issues that the Minutemen have the funding to avoid. Attitude or not though, the armed forces have challenges to resolve before they are without significant criticism.

SISA Uncovers Plot to Bomb the Northern Reach Trials Article 15 of Dulce et Decorum A news graphic with the words SPECIAL REPORT flashes onto the screen. The camera then transitions to none other than Harold MacMillian, who appears even more serious than usual. “Good evening and welcome to State of Sol. This evening, the Solarian Interstellar Security Agency has announced the discovery of a plot to bomb the trials against former Restoration Front officials. We will be breaking the program now and going live to Director Seoyen Huong, who is addressing the media.” The camera cuts to a middle-aged woman of southeast Asian descent in business attire, standing behind a podium and speaking. Flanking either side are flags of the Solarian Alliance and the SISA agency flag. A group of men and women also stand behind her, likewise in business attire. “...To reiterate, we are confident that there will be no further threat to the trials from this particular group. Our agents have been able to apprehend a number of individuals involved with this plot, while the remainder of the group is still being tracked down at the moment. I’ll open the floor for questions.” A number of hands shoot up. The director points to one - a man who speaks with an obvious Lunan accent. “Are there going to be heightened security measures going forward as a result of this discovery?” “I’m not going to get into any specifics regarding security measures, but the relevant agencies will be increasing security measures around the trials.” Hands go up again and another person is pointed to - this time, a man of Colletish origin. “Is there any concern from your agency of continued threats against the trial, especially with not everyone from this group in custody?” “We are confident that the threat has been removed, and that it was isolated. While we are still tracking down members of the group behind this, we are fully confident in bringing them into custody with no threat to the public at large.” As the hands go up again, the Director nods to a third individual - a Xanan woman. “Director, how long was this threat known and how close did it get to becoming reality?” “The agency has been investigating various threats from tips we’ve received regarding the trial and other terrorist activity for some time. We began to hone in on this group in particular over the last couple of weeks, but I want to be completely clear: at no time was this even close to becoming reality. That’s all I have time for, thank you.” The Director exits the stage as more reporters shout questions at her back.

XNS Exclusive: Final Refugee Camp on San Colette Closes Article 12 of Dulce et Decorum The XNS jingle plays as the camera reveals none other than Mariska van den Soeterik, host of the foreign news segment. “Welcome to today’s foreign news, as always, I’m your host, Mariska van den Soeterik. A little over one year ago, the war in the Northern Wildlands was brought to a dramatic end, leaving in its wake swaths of destruction, lives lost, and people upended. However, today marks the closing of the final refugee camp on San Colette. Liao Qi has the story.” The scene shifts to Qi, who is standing in front of what appears to be several identical prefabricated buildings, which now seem to be mostly, if not completely, abandoned. A sign just to his left reads, in blocky Solarian Common lettering, ‘REFUGEE CAMP NO. 692.’ “I’m standing in front of Refugee Camp Number 692, which has just been closed as the last residents of the camp left earlier this week. Thousands of people were displaced by the war here when it began a year and a half ago, and the closing of this camp is something of a closure of this chapter in the planet’s history.” Qi looks off camera, and appears to motion to someone. The camera zooms out, and that someone is revealed: a man in the uniform of the Planetary Police of San Colette. “With me here is Alejandro Serrano, a police officer who was assigned to this camp. Thank you for agreeing to speak with us.” Alejandro, who appears young, but with a particularly grizzled appearance, nods curtly, “Of course. You came here to tell our story in our darkest hours.” “Could you tell us about yourself, officer?” “My name is Alejandro Serrano, and I am an officer of the Planetary Police of San Colette.” “You served here during the course of the war with the Restoration Front, could you talk about that?” “Yeah, this was one of hundreds of camps, and like many of them, it was overcrowded. The war really pushed a lot of people out of their homes, and you know, something had to be done for them. It was hard going, especially in the beginning, there was a lot of fighting, stealing- it’s just desperate people, you know?” “So it got better as time went on, then?” “In a way, yeah, as we got more resources too, and more camps went up. What was amazing though was as things got worse, it seemed everyone banded together more. Like we all had one enemy to face.” “That is remarkable in the face of what was going on." "Yeah- everyone you know, realized that this was it. We either had to stand as one or fall to the lunatics invading us. And so we chose the former. Then after the Alliance came to help, aid came pouring in, and we were able to get things situated again." "It's a truly wonderful testament of unity. Thank you for your time, Officer.”

Can the Tau Ceti Armed Forces handle the Solarian Navy? Article 11 of Dulce et Decorum Since the end of the most significant upheaval within the Alliance since the Interstellar War, many have speculated if the Republic’s own military forces could defend themselves against a reformed Solarian Alliance. Those expressing doubts are not doing so without merit. The Alliance’s Navy has been successfully reformed and is battle hardened, having spring into action against the Restoration Front with resounding success, while the Republic’s own fleets are rife with corruption, poor equipment, and low morale. Some, like retired Colonel Jan Krzystof, have been sounding the alarm for some time. “A lot of people think that the Zoleth Line is the answer to all the problems facing the TCAF, but that’s simply not the case,” he told us. “A static defensive line is not something that will turn the tide to the level that would be required in a true fight with the Solarian Navy. Let’s not forget, it took a prototype weapon and the combined power of multiple nations and corporate forces to defeat a single Solarian fleet. The Alliance has 100 fleets, and they are battle-tested.” Others say that opinions like those of Colonel Krzystof are alarmist. They point to the Zoleth Line as being capable of delaying any assault long enough for the armed forces to mobilize, as well as buy time for friendly nations to send assistance. Additionally, they claim that the Corporate Auxiliary Forces and the Minutemen would be able to stand up against an invasion. When reached for comment, the Secretary of Defense’s office said, “The Secretary of Defense is confident that the military could handle a Solarian incursion against the Republic. The Zoleth line is designed to withstand sustained attacks by Solarian fleets, giving time for a full mobilization of all branches of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces.” While one cannot be surprised at the statement from the government, the facts of the matter are quite clear, says Colonel Kryzstof. “The simple fact of the matter is that without significant external assistance, which would open the door for another interstellar war, the armed forces in their current state do not stand a chance against a Solarian invasion.”

SANN LIVE - BREAKING: Solarian Army Patrol Ambushed by Remnants! Article 9 of Dulce et Decorum The camera continues, with obvious shake, to film as the fight intensifies down the road. Figures in Solarian Army gear lay down fire and move with precision while receiving fire from a pair of buildings to their front. “It looks like the insurgents laid a trap here!” the reporter exclaims between breaths. “These kinds of ambushes have become par for the course in the face of direct attacks over the last several months.” The camera zooms in on two soldiers throwing grenades down the road, then pans to track their landings. After hitting the center of the street and coming to a rest, the grenades very quickly expel large amounts of thick, white smoke. Shouting is just barely audible over the gunfire as the camera shows two soldiers lying on either side of the road, laying down a large volume of fire with two machine guns. The shouting can be traced to the rest of the unit, who is moving back towards the camera, away from the ambush. The unit reaches the reporter’s position and begins laying down their own fire, as the two machine gunners both begin pulling back. The camera zooms to the left one, a woman with short brunette hair, and catches her collapsing suddenly to the road. “Son of a bitch-,” a third voice says, and the camera pans to the source, zooming out to bring them into the picture. A blonde-haired woman, with the muted gold-colored bar of a Lieutenant patched to her chest, is the source of the voice. In one hand is a pair of large binoculars, with a tube-like attachment to the top - the other is cupped to her ear as she shouts into her headset. “...target southwest of friendly forces, pair of two-story buildings. Laze active, cleared hot!” The camera pans back down the road, the smoke having cleared. Seconds pass, with no change in the picture, when the pair of buildings is consumed in a large fireball, to the cheers of the Solarian personnel. The woman’s voice can be heard again, “Good effect, we’re moving in." The unit begins moving down the street again, encountering no resistance. The camera pans back to the reporter, who remains crouched behind a low wall. “Well Ava, it appears the unit’s beaten back the ambush with an impressive display of firepower. The Army spares no method to eliminate these terrorists, as we’ve just witnessed. With another cell presumably destroyed, the men and women of this unit will rest a little easier tonight. Back to you.”

SANN LIVE: Reporting from Lycoris Article 8 of Dulce et Decorum The camera opens to a younger Solarian woman in business attire sitting at a news desk. “Good evening and welcome to tonight’s edition of SANN Live. I’m your host, Ava Lewis,” the Callistean-accented woman begins. “This week, we are following a Solarian Army unit currently deployed on Lycoris. We go live to our reporter who’s spending the week embedded with the men and women of the 2nd Battalion “Hawkeyes” of the 54th Plutonian Infantry Division. The screen shifts to a short, stocky man holding a microphone in front of what appears to be a run-down residential structure. The man is wearing the typical attire one would expect of a reporter in a combat area, though his helmet and armor are notably lacking anything that identifies him as a civilian press reporter, instead being patterned the same as the other members of the unit. “Thank you Ava,” the man starts, his accent placing him undoubtedly as a Jintarian. “We’re here currently on a counter-insurgency patrol with the 2nd Company of the Hawkeyes. Earlier this morning their forward outpost was attacked in a hit-and-run fashion by a band of Restoration Front guerillas. While attacks have been on the downswing over the last several months, the Army is still facing challenges rooting out the last of the hardliners.” While the man speaks, the camera begins panning to the left, showing the scene down the street of the small town the unit is operating in. Other than figures clad in Solarian Army gear, the street is deserted, and the camera shows small teams intermittently breaching into buildings and clearing them. As you can see here,” the reporter continues, “the unit is now clearing a section of the nearby town that the loyalists are suspected of using as a hideout. This town has been mostly abandoned since-” The sound of an explosion cuts off the man, as a building that a team of the unit had just entered explodes in a fireball. The camera zooms out, as members of the platoon instinctively take cover. Almost on cue, gunfire erupts down the street, and the cameraman can be heard moving into cover himself, as the reporter curses and joins him. “It looks like an ambush!” he exclaims, barely audible over the sounds of an intense fight breaking out.

Your justification here is "reasonable odds." That is about the same as saying your justification is "I would win," which is rather insane given what this server is, and also not a relevant nor acceptable justification. There is basically one situation where shooting first when you're not an antag is okay, and that's when there's been prior escalation, which there was not here. Outside of yourself, who enjoyed this situation and got more roleplay out of it? The antags found themselves immediately dead and outed, with no further chance for actual roleplay and the round turned into a snipe hunt for the one survivor. It is a bad faith argument and completely false to claim that I'm telling everyone they must all bow down to antags no matter what (which is not the case), when I have been rather clear that the main issue is there was no roleplay or chance for roleplay at all, due to your actions of trying to win and own the antags. Further, you have an extensive amount of exploitables on your character, which invite antagonist action, so why are you instantly killing an antag when they show up in your office? It baffles me that you have all this encouragement for antagonist action, ostensibly to encourage roleplay, but then do this. Your purpose, especially as a command whitelisted player, is to encourage roleplay, not use your position and exploitable information to bait John Traitor to target you, then own zone him when he breaks into your office.

Sorry for the delay in a response, I had an exam Saturday. I am going to keep this brief, but while this situation had different variables than your warning, it was still exhibiting the same issues. As I said before I banned you, this was less of a reason than the following point regarding shutting down a gimmick, but it was still a contributing factor. Two people hacked into your office (not sure where the violent break-in is coming from) and ran in with weapons. You had some other person across from you, and you decided you would immediately draw and open fire on people who had essentially caught you with your pants down. You're a civilian government official, not John Wick. This took place about an hour in, and the captain told me in msay that command, by that point, had determined that the janitor was lying and did not believe their story about the attempted robbery, saying as much over the radio. Even if that were not the case, when faced with the two antags, you instantly shot, then magdumped one to death, before they could get a word in edgewise. In a rather ironic twist, the only reason you were not killed and/or headgibbed by the antags like you were the last time this incident occurred, is because the antags were trying to roleplay with you when you immediately shot them. Players, especially command players, are expected to give antagonists some leeway, and your immediate response to try and play hero and kill the antags in your office were not in keeping with that expectation. Your actions, not this ruling, were stifling to roleplay. This is not a consular-specific ruling. If the Captain immediately shot two armed people who came into their office before they could speak a word, during code green, they could expect a similar talking to. Further, we do have guidelines on this sort of thing in our rules: -Killing in self-defense in NOT preferred. If possible, always try to flee, or disable your opponent. -We expect players to allow traitors some leeway. We expect players to not powergame and give the antagonists a little leeway to get away with things. -Generally, avoid playing hero.