WesWorld

(not quite in the right order these things. This is a pre exercise bit while the Shodahito-Purilun meeting takes place at the end of December so for things to be proper, I should have posted this one first)

Early October...

"I'm home!"

Lying relaxed on his couch, Yukimura yawned. "You sure took your time in Boliv..." he then saw Ryoko and the various injuries she had sustained. "Jeez, Rio-chan! It looks like someone was trying to kill you on an aircraft... again!" Yukimura shook his head. "You really should be careful when boarding some stranger's aircraft. You know that bad things will happen when you do."

"Actually I was on the ground..."

"After you landed or after you crashed?"

"Well... kind of like... both...ish?"

"Does trouble seek you or do you seek trouble?"

"Actually you sent me into trouble. A good thing I am anything but a damsel in distress. I can easily take care of myself."

"Oh? Why is it my fault?"

"Was it not you who sent me to San Fransisco to deal with the naval meeting?"

"Yes..."

"While I was on the plane to San Fransisco... and you know I really hate flying... a bunch of idiots (crew included) with tommyguns tried to send me into the next world. After disposing of them, there was a 'small' fire aboard the now crewless plane, not to mention that the engines seized due to lack of fuel in the fuel tanks."

"So I have heard..."

"And when I finally got to San Fransisco, some sword-wielding lunatic was determined to make me a bit shorter as he was trying to take off my head. Real tough guy. Real hard to kill... similar to what Akaibara-san told me some years ago. She was attacked by some lunatic and thought she had disposed of the guy when she ran him through with her sword... but he kept on coming, no matter how many timed she tried to kill him. She used one of her special attacks to finish him off. Not much left of him to get up after she unleashed that attack."

"Interesting... so you're saying you ran into that guy despite the fact that Yayo-chan wasted him?"

Ryoko shook her head. "No. Akaibara-san stated that the guy who attacked here was a complete whacko. This guy seemed to be quite normal."

"So how did you dispose of him?"

"You know I have my own special methods." Ryoko stated. She held up her right hand and then clenched it.

"Ah... that method..."

"Anyway... when I got home, I had to deal with the Wrath of Nyouh-Fah Shohn because several of my uniforms were at the bottom of the Pacific and the one I wore had received some... ahem... 'minor' damage from the fire and that sword-wielding lunatic."

"Well, you should have been more careful with your clothes. You know extremely well how Nyouh-Fah Shohn tends to freak out whenever you ruin all his hard work. He really pours his heart and soul into your uniforms. It takes him months to make them... yet you ruin them in seconds."

Ryoko ignored Yukimura and went on. "And of course you sent me to Bolivia to take care of some business..."

"Yes, what took you so long? Surely you could have done that in a few days."

"Actually it is a big jungle out there... and don't call me Shirley."

Yukimura frowned. "Shirley?"

"Never mind. Just some joke I picked up from Admiral Frobisher... You know... the Canadian Minister of the Navy."

"Hmmm... An unusual sense of humor he has... what about the big jungle?"

"I don't know what it was... it was like trying to kill a giant cockroach!" Ryoko shook her head. "I don't really want to talk about that."

"But for you, killing a giant cockroach should be easy. A piece of cake."

"No thanks. I just ate."

"Pardon?"

"Never mind. Just another Frobisher joke..."

"Looks to me like he is a bad influence on you, Rio-chan." Yukimura got up and walked into his small office. He came back with a yellow envelope and held it out to Ryoko. "Good thing you could make it back in time. Naval command was getting worried you know. You're expected to participate in the November exercises. Your orders are in this envelope..."

"Great. They never give me a bit of rest," Ryoko grumbled as she sinks down onto the couch. "Sometimes I wonder if they keep in mind that I do all these special side jobs as well and despite the fact that I am what I am, I can't be expected to do everything the Navy wants me to do."

"... and there is a promotion to Fleet Admiral in this envelope as well."

Ryoko's face instantly brightened. She jumped up an hopped over to Yukimura. "Promotion?" she said eagerly. Her eyes then narrowed. "There has got to be a catch. This smells like your doing, Yuki-kun."

Yukimura smiled and shrugged. "I wouldn't know a thing about that, Rio-chan," he replied.

"What's the catch?"

"Lady Maeko made a request... to guard this object." Yukimura held up some sort of golden medalion with a beautiful carving of a bird on it with a red crystal as its eye just above the center of the medalion. On the edge of the medalion were some ancient words carved into it. "She said that it was extremely dangerous... but how can something like this medalion be so dangerous?"

"Interesting..." Ryoko took the artifact from Yukimura's hands. "The headpiece to the Staff of Ra..."

"The Staff of Ra? So... it is more dangerous than it looks?"

"This is not dangerous at all..." Ryoko stated. "... but what it leads to is said to be extremely powerful and extremely dangerous."

"Care to tell me?"

"According to legends, it is said that in a special map room in a lost ancient Egyptian city named Tanis, this on top of the staff will show you the location of the Well of the Souls. The Well of the Souls is a secret chamber inside the ancient city where rumor has it the Ark of the Covenant was kept by Pharaoh Shishaq, about 3000 years ago. The city was lost in a massive sandstorm, said to be the wrath of God."

"I see..."

"I know Maeko-san loves archaeology. No doubt she knows exactly what this could lead to and it would most definitely be the biggest archaeological find ever. To give this to me in order to guard it and not keep it and use it... for an archaeologist like her to do something like that... that's a tough decision."

"If it exists... Maybe she already found it?"

"Maybe... but very unlikely. She would not have bothered to send me the headpiece then."

"If people know about it, then they want it. If people know you have it, then you will get many unwanted visitors trying to take it away from you."

"... which is why Maeko-san sent it to me. To make sure no one will get their hands on this. Without this, the Well of the Souls cannot be found. I'd love to find the Ark and make it part of the collection of the Kyoto National Museum... but that is probably a bad idea. Still it will be a problem to have this piece with me."

"Well, good luck fending off all those treasure hunters. There will be plenty of them where ever you go..."

"I guess I will have to patch myself up, pull on some clean clothes and then report to HQ... let them know I am still alive..."

The doorbell then rang.

"I'm not expecting anyone... so it looks like the first treasure hunters just arrived," Yukimura grinned.

Ryoko groaned. This relic was going to be a real problem...

December 31

Outrage among the traditionalists when it was announced that the Emperor will step down tomorrow and be succeeded by his niece, Queen Purilun of Chosen. While the traditionalist oppose this untraditional change of rulership, there are also a great many people who are supportive of the extremely popular Queen of Chosen. Experts have noticed that the opposition is not as bad as when Tokugawa Tsugako became Shogun.

Queen Purilun announced that she would do her best to lead the empire and she stated that eventhough she would become the Japan's ruler, she would not forget her loyal subjects in Chosen.

Pretty weird piece Roo, I enjoyed it, jonesing for more you might say.

The Belgians, Dutch, Kongolese, and Luxumbourgians will all send congratulations and wishes for a long, peaceful, and prosperous rule for the Empress Purilun.

But there's no Nazis around. You need a lawyer not a highly trained Fleet Admiral to protect that.

Ah, yes. Phase 23 part b2 subsection [pi] of Canada's plan for world domination is clearly in full effect. Just got to get them to start saying ", eh?" after every sentance....

Time to dispatch the Turks to Tokyo...after a stop at Marshall College, Connecticut. :o

Great story and nice to read.


China will send a delegation to the crown ceremony. Chiang Kai Chek will be there personally to give the congratulations and wishes of the whole chinese people for a long, peaceful and prosperous rule of the new leader of the japanese (or now chosen) empire. Likewise there are of course members of the Q+ng Dynasty at the ceremony.

Glad you liked it guys. A few things you will have recognized from film or TV.

Yes, it may be weird Kirk, but that was the idea.

Quoted

But there's no Nazis around.

Plenty of Mexicans around though.

Quoted

Time to dispatch the Turks to Tokyo...after a stop at Marshall College, Connecticut. :o

That would be quite difficult. There are no signs pointing to Tokyo and it is not on any map. It would be impossible for the Turks to find it (since Tokyo is not Tokyo in Wesworld). I hope they remember that they should leave firearms at home when they travel to Japan (their health insurance doesn't cover being shot and killed by imperial troopers while attempting to smuggle firearms into Japan).

Tokyo is the Japanese equivilent of Shangri La.

Nah, it just exists under its old name.

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Date unknown

Japanese secret service released a picture today of one of the Richelieu's main guns....


*Runs away quickly*

It would be so like the French to make main guns that ornate.

Thinking of it now, I think I was rather stupid not to take a picture of the whole gun after I took that picture. Guess I was hypnotized by the "Armand Cardinal Duc de Richelieu" bit on that gun.

Quoted

Originally posted by Rooijen10

Quoted

Time to dispatch the Turks to Tokyo...after a stop at Marshall College, Connecticut. :o

That would be quite difficult. There are no signs pointing to Tokyo and it is not on any map. It would be impossible for the Turks to find it (since Tokyo is not Tokyo in Wesworld). I hope they remember that they should leave firearms at home when they travel to Japan (their health insurance doesn't cover being shot and killed by imperial troopers while attempting to smuggle firearms into Japan).

Hence the stop at Marsall College to pick up a 'consultant' for 'directions'...

Guess we should wish the Turks and Dr. Jones the best of luck in trying to find a place that does not exist and has never existed.

As usual I am utterly confused by the Anime (?) remarks

IC: Persia congratulates the new Empress and hopes that she will find time to visit Persia

Actually, that's mostly dueSouth followed by Indiana Jones... o.o

Quoted

Actually, that's mostly dueSouth followed by Indiana Jones... o.o

Don't you mean "Leslie Nielsen followed by Indiana Jones?" (as the "and don't call me Shirley." and "No thanks. I just ate." remarks are from two other Leslie Nielsen characters (Dr. Rumack from the movie "Airplane!" and Frank Drebin from the "Police Squad!" series and the "the Naked Gun" movies) and not Buck Frobisher).

Late October 1935

"What I want is quite simple..." Tsugako looked up from her paperwork. "There are a few who will pay well if you accept to do it... therefore I want you to head for Wilno and take out Marshal Letowska... permanently."

Yayoko stared through the window at the clear blue sky over Himeji Castle. "Isn't that a bit of a problem?" she asked.

"Why should that be a problem?"

"Well, whoever wants to pay me to send Letowska into the next world obviously thinks that by taking him out, the Wilno government will fall apart."

"Probably."

Yayoko looked over her shoulder at Tsugako. "It's more likely that he'll become a martyr once I send the bits of his brains flying all over the place and things will be much worse than before."

"How far is it fom here to Wilno?"

"Something like 8000 kilometers."

"So does it look like I care what will happen once you kill him?"

"Not really... but I do." Yayoko grins. "I'll be the first at the scene to cover this news story and what will happen after that. It'll be front page news."

"Yes, You really love to create the news of tomorrow with your own hands, don't you?"

"It keeps me busy. If I didn't do it, life would be so boring."

"I understand. Better get going before Letowska has an unfortunate 'accident' and you won't get paid..."

"Got it." Yayoko walked to the door and opened it. "And Remember. Todays actions are tomorrow's newsreports. That is the Law of the Red Rose," Yayoko said before she left Tsugako's office.

Tsugako was reading the urgent message that Viscount Ishii Kikujiro had sent her regarding the Earthquake in Bolivia. She sighed. "Why couldn't he have waited with promising aide before we know exactly what we have and can send to Bolivia to help out?"

"Viscount Ishii is a caring man," Yukimura told the Shogun. "He knows it is important to help out a nation that has been struck with a disaster of this magnitude."

Tsugako mumbled something and then looked at the list of 'urgent needs' again that the Viscount had added to his message. "At least 200 doctors and 1000 corpsmen to handle current injured," she read out loud.

"Well, we should be able to send some to Bolivia. I would have to find out how many would be available." Yukimura grabbed a pen and a sheet of paper and wrote it down.

"Two equipped and staffed military field hospitals..."

"Can't say anything about that. I would have to make some inquiries about availability of such facilities." Yukimura made notes about it.

"Approximately 15000 tonnes of food to make it through the Bolivian winter. Peru's grain reserves are insufficient..."

"I hope they like our food. I would have to inquire as to how much we can spare for Peru but we should be able to send part of the rewuired 15000 tons." Yukimura made another note.

"Any railroad equipment and rolling stock that can be spared on loan for a period of six months, sufficient for twenty trains-especially water tanker cars..."

"Small or standard gauge?"

Tsugako looked through the message. "Doesn't say. I will need to send a message to Viscount Ishii regarding the Bolivian railroads."

"Should not be too big of a problem, but is is good to know what we're dealing with so I can find out what's the best to use and how much is available."

"Well drilling equipment to restore the wells destroyed by the earthquake..."

"I would need to know how many wells Bolivia estimates it needs. We have some equipment available, but water is vital. The more wells are needed, the more material is needed... or time but I don't think any time should be wasted getting the wells ready."

"So we need more equipment which would mean that this is not a one nation job if many wells need to be restored."

"Exactly."

"Shelter tents for at least 30,000 people, maybe more..."

"Should be some available. I will have to inquire about the exact number and the capacity of the tents." Yukimura wrote this down as well.

"Check out the number of fieldbeds and blankets available as well as medical supplies. Also there is a possibility that we'll be sending troops to Bolivia due to the presence of Bandits there... though with the threat of bandits in the area, I think it is better to send troops to Bolivia regardless in order to protect all the stuff we will be sending."

Yukimura nodded. "I will also check out the availability of cargo transports - planes and/or ships - with which we can move all the goods across the Pacific and where the best point is to unload all the goods."

"Okay. I will send the information you still need once Viscount Ishii has sent it to me."

"Time to get to work." Yukimura got up and left the Shogun's office.

~~~ March 1, 1937. Northeast Atlantic near Ireland, aboard the Beautiful Snow... ~~~

"Kanchou! We've intercepted a message a while back," the radio man, ensign Asano, called out.

While drawing a line to Scapa Flow on the map, captain Iida Miyuki looked up. Dropping her pencil, she quickly moved through the command room while the submarine was rocking back and forth and stepped into the aft corridor though the command room's rear exit. She slipped into the radio room located just behind the command room.

"Give it to me," Miyuki told.

Asano handed over the piece of paper on which he had written down the intercepted message. Miyuki then began to read it.


0949 Hours, Galway Naval Wireless Transmission:
All ships alert STOP
All warships detain motorship DJEBEL AMIYAH alternate name KARABOUDJAN upon sight STOP
DJEBEL AMIYAH has resisted and fled Irish police investigation STOP
Crew has small arms and is considered dangerous STOP
DJEBEL AMIYAH believed responsible for ramming Danish submarine BELLONA March 1935 STOP
Civilian vessels stay clear of DJEBEL AMIYAH STOP
Vessel is 13,550 tons normal length 580 feet waterline 72 feet beam STOP
Vessel painted black with white superstructure and single funnel painted orange STOP
Last known position in Shannon estuary location 52°36'38.87"N STOP 9°10'40.33"W, speed eighteen repeat eighteen knots STOP
All warships detain motorship DJEBEL AMIYAH alternate name KARABOUDJAN upon sight STOP


"Interesting..." Miyuki mused.

"Yes. I thought you might find it interesting," Asano grinned.

Miyuki looked around her. "You know, we have worked hard to get this far without being spotted. Going through the Suez Canal wasn't really an option. Too great a chance of being detected. This is the top secret round-the-world shakedown cruise of the Beautiful Snow and no one outside Sensuikan Tousotsu knows our route and I'd love to keep it that way until we get back home. All nations will be screaming if they knew we were here... not to mention this bad North Atlantic weather..."

"I am well aware of that, Kanchou. But it is not that far away."

"I will have to think ab..."

"Unknown vessel bearing 0-3-8!" one of the lookouts on the bridge then shouted down into the submarine. His warning was followed by a crash of Atlantic water and lots of cursing from the men on the bridge.

"Action stations!" Miyuki ordered as she stepped back into the command room. "Take her down!"

"Clear the bridge!" the XO, commander Fujikawa Ken shouted. "Seal all vents! Prepare to dive!"

The soaked lookouts quickly got inside the submarine and the last man sealed off the hatch. "Hatch secured!" the last man called out while he rubbed his wet face. He spat out some of the salt Atlantic water that had gotten into his mouth.

"Dive! Dive! Dive!"

An alarm went off as the submarine began to submerge.

"Periscope depth, Ken," Miyuki told.

Ken nodded. "Understood! Periscope depth!" he called out.

The periscope was raised and Miyuki moved in behind it. Looking through it, she turned it into the proper dircetion. The rough sea and poor visibility made it hard to locate the unknown vessel.

"All right... what are you?" Miyuki mumbled as she spotted the unknown vessel in the distance. She knew that it was only a matter of time before she would find out as the unknown vessel slowly got closer and closer to the brand new Japanese submarine I-401, nicknamed Beautiful Snow.


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Kanchou = Captain
Sensuikan Tousotsu = Submarine Command (If I got that right)

~~~ March 1, 1937. 10:48. Imperial Japanese Navy Submarine Beautiful Snow ~~~

"Battle stations!" Miyuki called. "Unknown vessel now bearing zero-five-two!"

"Battle stations! Hai!" Ken replied loudly as the alarm went off.

"Full speed ahead! Change heading to zero-four-five! Load tubes one through eight!" Miyuki preferred better weather so that the submarine could use its Ninjatousaya system while underwater and allow the submarine to run faster. The large waves made that impossible though.

"Engine Room, full speed ahead!" Ken ordered one of the two men sitting a few feet away from him.

"Full ahead. Hai!" was the quick reply from the man as he gave the two telegraphs a swing to 'Ahead Full'.

Ken reached over to one of the command pannels and called the torpedo room. "Torpedo Room, Load one though eight!"

"Roger. Loading one though eight," came the reply from the front.

"Change heading to zero-four-five!" he ordered the other man sitting a few feet away from him.

"Understood," the man replied. "Changing heading now to zero-four-five."

As the boat began to run faster and change its heading, Miyuki slowly turned to keep a fix on the ship in the distance.

"Now heading zero-four-five," the helmsman informed.

Ken then got a call from the torpedo room. "Tubes one through eight are loaded." was the message.

Ken looked at Miyuki. "Kanchou, tubes one through eight are loaded. Do you want to open the bow doors?"

Miyuki waved her hand as she temporarily lost sight again of the vessel. She cursed. The heavy seas were making this pretty hard and she did not want the Beautiful Snow to become another ramming victim of the Djebel Amiyah.

Miyuki then got a clear view of the ship.

... Black with white superstructure. Two funnels... Red...

... it was not the Djebel Amiyah...

"Target I.D. is negative. Actually, it looks a lot like one of our own merchant vessels," Miyuki told. "Cancel battle stations. Remain on action stations. the Djebel Amiyah might still be out there."

"Understood," Ken replied.

"... and turn to heading three-five-zero. We do not want to end up in Irish territorial waters... though no doubt the Canadians would love that to happen if they knew we were here..."

"Don't worry. They won't... at least not until they find the 'gifts' we have for them floating in the Saint Lawrence River."

Miyuki laughed. "Sure. But first we need to deliver the 'gifts' for the British to Scapa Flow."


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Ninjatousaya = Ninja sword's scabbard.