WesWorld

October 2nd, 1935:

After two days of argument and discussion, the deeply divided ten general-secretaries of the Wilno Council of Government, voted 3 against acceptance of the Stockholm Protocal, and 7 voting for its acceptance. With the majority of the First Parliment already in general acceptance of the proposal, the matter was refered to the President of the Wilno Republic.

As expected, Marshal Aleksy Letowska, voted against the Stockholm Protocal. However as both the Council of Government, and the First Parliment had voted in its favour, his veto was overturned. Lieutenant-General Tadeusz Waclaw, now General-Secretary for Military Affairs, is believed to have played a pivotal role in getting the Stockholm Protocal accepted in both the First Parliment and the Council of Government.

General public opinion both in Wilno and in Lithuania is that the provisions of the Stockholm Protocal will soon be acted on by both governments. The League of Nations taskforce is expected to continue its occupation duties for the forseeable future, until the Stockholm Protocal is fully in place. Both the Lithuanian and Wilno governments are expected to make a public announcement about their future policies in regards to the Protocal, shortly.

October 3, 1935 - Berlin

The German government has released a statement on the Stockholm Protocol, recently approved by both the Lithuanian and Wilno legislatures. "The German government hopes that, with the approval of the Stockholm Protocol by the legislatures of both Lithuania and Wilno, the crisis in Lithuania is passing. However, this will only prove true IF the will of both legislatures and the rule of law is respected, as Germany strongly hopes it will be."

October 3rd, 1935:

Field Marshal Pranas Tamassaulo surprised many delegates within the Seimas today by announcing that Lithuanian Army Chief-of-Staff, Major-General Jonas Cernius, would be stepping down.

General Cernius is known to have had violent differences of opinion with the Grinys regime and with Field Marshal Tamassaulo himself, and made himself unpopular with the government and the Seimas at large with his recent heavy-handed attempts at garning political support. Doubts had publically been voiced by many of Cernius's fellow officers, as to his continued suitablility for his very important, and by necessity and tradition largely non-political post within the Lithuanian Republican Armed Forces.

Major-General Teodoras Daukantas is reported to be the officer slated to replace, Cernius as Army Chief-of-Staff, having held the position before, General Daukantas well understands the duties involved and standards of behaviour expected of him.

Major-General Cernius could not be reached for comment about this development, and it is not yet known if the General will chose to retire from military service this point or be reassigned to duties with the troops. There is some speculation that Cernius will receive an advancement to the grade of Lieutenant-General following his stepping down.

October 4th, 1935:

Marshal Aleksy Letowska, in an unexpected and distinctly ominious political move, offically annouced the Wilno First Parliment dissolved - the delegates were ejected, by armed supporters of Marshal Letowska, from their assigned First Parliment building in the Wilno provisional capital of Vaskes while in the midst of a discussion on how best to impliment the Stockholm Protocal as rapidly as possible in concert with the Lithuanian authorities.

This action drew stinging recriminations and protests from the majority of Marshal Letowska's own cabinet, the Wilno Council of Government, particularly Lt.General Tadeusz Waclaw. Marshal Letowska quickly used his authority as president and commander-in-chief to appoint new delegates to the newly convened Second Parliment. Their first order of business was to vote on the Stockholm Protocals, with the emphasis on finding means for rejecting them.

October 5th, 1935:

A stunned, disbelieving and furious Marshal Letowska, has been dealt an unexpected double blow by his own government. The first blow came surprisingly from the Second Parliment, while the second less surprisingly came from the Council of Government.
Letowska's hand picked delegates of the Wilno Second Parliment, to his astonishment have voted the same way their predessors - despite his orders to them - in the First Parliment: that is to accept the Stockholm Protocals in the best interests of the Republic of Wilno.

The Council of Government - composed of Anzelm Bazala, Premier; Lt.General Tadeusz Waclaw, General-Secretary for Military Affairs; Bendek Bernacka, General-secretary for Economics and Finance; Roslan Wejechert, General-secretary for Labour and Communications; Bialas Kirszenstein, General-secretary for Security and the Interior; Walery Lutoslaw, General-secretary for Agriculture; Rufin Bjalik, General-secretary for Public Education; Michal Konarski, General-secretary for Justice; Tadeusz Malecka, General-secretary for Public Health Services - in a vote of eight to one (the tenth member, Leon Diachuk, General-Secretary for Foreign Affaris, still being in Stockholm with Wilno Ceasefire Delegation), that Marshal Letowska stepdown as President and Commander-in-Chief of the Wilno Republic.

General-secretaries Bazala, Waclaw, Bernacka, Wejechert, Kirszenstein, Lutoslaw, Bjalik, Malecka felt compelled to call for Letowska's removal, given his unreasonable and unlawful behavior. Political opinion is distinctly divided on how this development will play out.

These events clearly show that Mr. Letowska is out of touch with what his people want, which is a meaningfull peace settlement.

October 6th, 1935:

Marshal Letowska under serious threat from within his own government has struck back at his domestic and political enemies. Lieutenant-General Tadeusz Waclaw, General-Secretary for Military Affairs was dismissed from the Council of Government today. Letowska obviously hopes that removing his arch critic and chief political rivel from the cabinet, he can regain control of his government.

Following the announcement of General Waclaw's dismissal, Marshal Letowska made public a proclaimation calling for the formation of a 'National Self-Defense Battalion' to guard the public welfare and territorial integrity of the Wilno Republic. This self-defense battalion is to be placed under the control of the General-Secretariat for Security and the Interior.

As the formation of this so-called battalion contrives both the original League of Nations cease-fire agreement and the third and fourth provisions of the Stockholm Protocal, Offical Lithuanian response to this move is unlikely to be positive. International response remains to be seen.

October 7th, 1935:

Marshal Letowska faced another revolt within his Council of Government, when General-Secretary for Security and the Interior Bialas Kirszenstein resigned today. Kirszenstein stated to reporters that he was resigning from office in protest at both Lieutenant-General Tadeusz Waclaw's dismissal from Military Affairs and the order for the formation of the Wilno National Self-Defense Battalion, both blatant acts against the public good of Wilno, and in the face of international agreements designed to further a peaceful resolution to the unstable situation in Wilno-Lithuania.

When asked if other general-secretaries might also resign in protest at Marshal Letowska's actions, Kirszenstein replied that, that was a matter for their own consciences. Although he hoped his and General Waclaw's appeal to moderation and pragmatic common sense within the Wilno Government would have the desired effect, and knock some sense into Aleksy Letowska, if no one else.

Bulgaria condemns the so-called "National Self-Defense Battalion" as being outside of the LoN ceasefire agreement. "Ceasefires are made to be followed in their entirety," the Bulgarian government representative said. "Parties are not allowed to pick and choose which parts of a ceasefire they like and don't like."

The Bulgarian Component commander indicated that his forces will of course be ready to assist should General Orbay decide to crack down on this rogue group, as with the other rogue units preceding it.

General Orbays staff sends his thanks to the Bulgarian commander for his support during this current crisis, and all other commanders for their support to get Lithuania to this point in the endeavour to persue a long lasting peace settlement.

October 8th, 1935:

The Lithuanian Government strongly protested Marshal Letowska's actions to date, via envoys to the Wilno Government, seemingly to no avail. Marshal Letowska apparently is not in a mood to brook either dissent from people he views as his subordinates or the views of outsiders. Following a barrage of ferocious and violent protests and accustions from the Second Parliment, Marshal Letowska has ordered that body permanently dissolved.

The building in which the Second Parliment sat for its regular deliberations was abruptly surrounded today by armed members of the newly formed Wilno National Self-Defense Battalion, and the twenty-two delegates forcefully arrested and removed. Other detachments of the WNSD Battalion were also observed to occupy other Wilno Government buildings and offices in Vaskes around the same time.

It is not yet clear how many people make up the WNSD Battalion - initial estimates put it's observed strength at some three hundred men - but this show of force, makes it clear that the unit's formation was long-planned for, and well organized to go into action at short notice. Undoubtable its formation was assisted by the use of well hidden arms caches not yet discovered by the vigilent and persistent efforts of the League of Nations Wilno Task Force, and its satillite formation the Wilno Civil Watch Corps.

Response of the Polish government to these actions in Wilno:

The previous government's naive idea to intervene in the Lithuanian civil war, we felt would hopefully produce an autonomous Polish-Lithuania. Mr. Letowska's recent efforts to obstruct the reasonable result of the Stockholm Peace Talks, has not been well recieved here in Warsaw. We did not send the Sons of Poland to die in a foreign land, for our cousins in Lithuania, only to have some madman ruin the effort made to gain peace in the region. We therefore announce to the world, that we condemn Mr. Letowska as a rebel, and obstacle to peace, and encourage the League of Nations to act accordingly.

Field Marshal Pranas Tamassaulo, General Klemes Papieliushko, and General Kazim Orbay - surrounded by a cluster of staff personel and guards - walked swiftly across the wet tarmac towards the waiting airplane, its engines whirring to life.

"I have got to get back to my field headquarters, the situation is getting out of hand, back in Vaskes." Orbay remarked as he fiddled with his hastily dawned coat, drawing in more firmly into place. Tamassaulo shook his head, as he responded.
"I think it's already out of hand, General Orbay. Has been since this conflict started."

"True." Orbay said, then turned to General Papieliushko as they walked.
"I can count on you keeping your people on their respective side of the ceasefire line?"
Papieliushko, nodded.
"Absolutely, General Orbay. I have very explicit orders not to cross the line, unless specific conditions occur, which you and your staff are already aware." Papieliushko continued after Orbay gave a nod of understanding. "I've made it clear to my line and field corps commanders that I will not tolerate any nonsense, or half cocked independent actions. What the Wilno Insurrectionists do is another matter, however."

General Orbay nodded sourly at that remark. He looked at one of his staff aides who had been stationed here in Vilnius as part of his intelligence organization.
"Any further news from Vaskes, on this Self-defense Battalion or what the Wilno Army is doing?"
"Nothing very definite, General. Perliminary reports from our own people in Vaskes, the Civil Watch Corps and foreign reporters indicates, that Marshal Letowska has managed to mass, perhaps three to four hundred armed troops in Vaskes." The officer made a quick glance at the folder in his hand before resuming. "Further reports indicate that there may be as many as an additional three to four hundred in the outlaying countryside."

"I don't like that. I don't like that at all." Orbay mumured to himself.

"At the moment, though the Wilno Army seems to have stuck to it's camps, they aren't moving at all. Nor do they seem to be arming." The aide continued.

"In light of events you can bet a month's salary, they have some armaments hidden away, even if it's only some small arms. They seem to have gotten very adept at secreting unaccounted military supplies, where our patrols and search teams can't find it." Orbay returned, an expression of extreme exasperation clouded his face for a moment.

"Is it possible that they are still getting support from elements in the Polish Armed Forces?" Papieliushko asked the aide, a questioning look on his face. The intelligence officer frowned.
"Possible, sir. Although General Sikorski has been very vocal about not supporting the Wilno Republic since he took office. There might be a few ultra-nationalist elements in the Polish military who are smuggling limited supplies of armaments and munitions to the Wilno Government, hense why we don't seem to have stamped out their covert armaments caches completely."

"I would be inclinded to consider it a possibility, one that may have to be looked into, Orbay." Tamassaulo, agreed. "I will ask, the Foreign Office to make inquires with the Polish Ambassador. General Sikorski will undoubtable pitch a fit if it turns out to be true, which might help put a stop to it." Tamassaulo paused a moment, then continued. "In any event, I've seen your impounded weapons inventories - practically all our pre-insurrection stock of arms and munitions in the Wilno area has been accounted for, with a few exceptions. We've made estimates for what was used in, lost or captured in battle, and your peoples' figures are very close to ours. The Insurrectionists can't have a very large stock of arms and ammo left, and they cant manufacture much in a big way with their currently limited industrial resouces, a few rifles and pistols and some bullets, here and there perhaps - in small shops and back rooms - but nowhere near what they would need for extended fighting."

"Agreed, but this situation still looks bad, anyway you look at it, and it has the potential to get very bad in a hurry, if its mishandled." Orbay said. Both lithuanian general officers nodded in sober agreement.

"General your plane is ready." Another aide called.

"What will you do, when you get to Vaskes?" Tamassaulo inquired. Orbay tunred back, one hand on the rail beside the plane's fuselage access door.

"I am not sure yet, the situation may chance before I get there, so I have no definite plans until I know something definite. Hopefully we will have some better intelligence and I can plan accordingly. At the very least though, I've already ordered the task force and the Civil Watch Corps to go on full alert, fort up and be ready for anything."

Tamassaulo extended his hand. Orbay took it, then did the same with Papieliushko. In turn both officers said the same thing to General Orbay.

"Good luck. Godspeed."

Lieutenant-General Tadeusz Waclaw looked pointedly at Bialas Kirszenstein, Kirszenstein looking back at him grimaced under his gaze. The two men had met secretly at Waclaw's home just outside Vaskes to discuss the situation, both felt compelled to do something, anything that might avert a crisis which would doom the Wilno Republic.

The Stockholm Protocal had offered Wilno a reasonable chance, perhaps not an ideal one, but certainly better then destruction at the hands of the Lithuanian military and security forces. Aleksy Letowska seemed to be beyond reason, perhaps the stress and the frequent frustrations of trying to form and hold together the fragil Wilno Republic had driven the man over the edge, he had always been a driven, passionate sort of man.

"Bialas, you agree that something must be done."

"Yes, but what?! Neither of us, is in his good graces anymore, and out of government there is not much we can do. The disolution of the Parliment pretty much puts paid to any political opposition, or at least open opposition. Letowska's got the other general-secretaries so cowed that even if they wanted to argue, they won't. Worse, Konarski and Diachuk are taking his side." Kirszenstein muttered in frustrations.
"Ok, Konarski, more then Diachuk, but Diachuk is still very much in Letowska's camp at the moment, even if he diagrees enough to push for the Stockholm Protocal and with him Nordland he's out of touch with the situation."

Kirszenstein went on in the same dispirited tone.
"And with this National Self-Defense Battalion, Aleksy has gotten himself a new means to enforce his policies upon the populous, assuming the League of Nations troops don't smash it to flinders in the next few days."

"Perhaps, perhaps not." Waclaw remarked cryptically. Kirszenstein looked up, and glared at the general and former general-secretary for military affairs.
"You have an idea that will get Wilno out of this mess?"

"Yes. A risky one, both personally and for Wilno, but perhaps worth the gamble."

"At this point, Tadeusz, I will try anything, we've got to stop Aleksy before he throws away everything."

General Orbay surveyed the faces of his staff and his senior detachment commanders. The situation in Wilno had not chanced during his swift flight from Vilnius, things were as tense as when the first news of Marshal Letowska's actions had reached him, while he was in conference with Lithuanian officals and military officers.

Still, while the situation was sobering, the League of Nations troops were in a reasonable position, they were well dug in across the area and in Vaskes in particular. Unit commanders across the Wilno area had on their own inititive, as soon as they were notified of what was going on, had ordered their troops on alert and increased their level of field fortifications, even before Orbay's order to do so had reached them.

The Field headquarters, 2nd Field Hospital, troop barracks, various fire-bases, field logistics depots and the confiscated weapons depot were well defended and well fortified to resist any assault the Wilno National Self-Defense Battalion could reasonable level at them on short notice. Although the weapons depot was really the least of his concerns as much of the stock of Wilno armaments contained in it, had already been quietly shipped to the League of Nations task force depot in Vilnius for safe keeping.

The Civil Watch Corps had been similiarly as vigilent in it's own defensive preparations, and had also like his League of Nations troops kept a low public profile, at least for the time being. Nobody, Wilno or League of Nations soldiery seemed too crazy about the idea of starting anything, but is was only a matter of time before somebody did something stupid and both sides would wind up shooting at each other. That prospect deeply alarmed Orbay, he expected his troops to win any such armed clashes, but ultimately it would me the end of the ceasefire task force's mission and with it the precarious peace in Wilno.

"Gentlemen, we are definitely at a crisis point. Opinions?" Orbay remarked quietly to his assembled officers.

General Hansen was the first to speak.
"We need to deal with this Self-Defense battalion, as quickly as possible. I recommend we concentrate the 4th and 5th Recon Battalions here in Vaskes, along with the bulk of our artillery and disarm these Wilno troops at gunpoint if necessary. Such a show of force should prevent anyone from getting any inappropriate ideas of resistance."

Orbay considered that, one German, one Turkish and one Bulgarian infantry battalions was already in Vaskes, along with some field artillery and one of the Turkish Armoured car companies at the moment. Perhaps it would be wise to call in the second armoured car company as well. The Civil Watch Corps, with the assistance of the newly arrived Dutch and Bulgarian cavalry units and the Canadian Mounted Police and Italian and Atlantean Military Police had things fairly well in hand in the countryside. Further the other German and Bulgarian infantry units had things very well in hand on the ground in their respective sectors of occupation, as did the Belgian mounted and light infantry units in their sector. Yes it might be very useful to pull in all units not really needed for occupation and patrol duties to Vaskes, to make a point to Marshal Letowska.

"General Orbay, what of the Wilno Army? I think it very unwise to leave them out of the equation." Orbay turned in his chair to look at the commander of the Belgian contingent. He had a point, Orbay reflected, he turned to his intelligence chief.

"What do we know of the Wilno Army's intentions?"

"A little, General. Not nearly as much as I would like, but at least enough to make some educated guesses. The removal of Lieutenant-General Waclaw from governmental office, and the resignation of General-Secretary Kirszenstein seems to have excited them quite a bit, according to our liason staffs, and reports from our C.W.C. supplied spies. There is considerable talk in the camps, much of it very angry and very negative in regards to Marshal Letowska. We're not entirely sure they will support any aggressive move, if he orders them to mobilize. We are certain however, that they will defend themselves, if they think they are going to be attacked in their camps."

"You expect that we will still have to keep them under observation, especially if we make any overt move against this self-defense battalion and by extention, Marshal Letowska's government, then."

"Very much so, General. The Amantas and Adomas Line camps are still fairly fortified, even if they have been stripped of armaments, and we are positive, that the Wilno troops in each position have some arms and ammunition hidden and ready to hand if they need it." The intelligence officer paused to let his words sink in with his audience. "The Wilno Armies of the Northeast and the South are still capable of offering some resistance should they choose to do so."

"Estimates?" Orbay asked.

"Given the arms caches discovered and confidscated in the past, and the sudden appearance of this new self-defense battalion... which by the way, our Civil Watch friends confirm has a high proportion of former and uncaptured Civil and Letowska Guards amoung its membership. The Battalion commander, is one of the former Letowska Guards divisional generals in point of fact." The intelligence officer stopped a moment and got his train of thought back on track.
"It is our best estimate, that the Armies of the Northeast and the South, would be able to mobilize the equivalent of an active battalion per division in an emergency."

"Approximately, three or possibly four battalions for the Army of the Northeast, and two to three for the Army of the South, then?" Orbay remarked thoughtfully.

"Very likely, General."

Orbay considered the situation, with a quick gaze at the map to refresh his memory and appreciation of the situation. The German contigent under General Erik Hansen, was tasked with the occupation and security of the western and central area of Wilno, having at its disposal the I and II Battalions/39th German Infantry Regiment and elements of the II Battalion/17th Field Artillery Regiment. The Belgians and Dutch with the southern area of Wilno, under Lt.General Raoul Daufrense de le Chevalere. He had the 2nd Royal Dutch cavalry regiment and the 5th Ardeense Jager Regiments. The Bulgarians under Colonel Krstev, secured the eastern part of Wilno with the 97th and 99th Infantry Battalions, plus the recently arrived Royal Bulgarian cavalry and motorized battalions. While his own Turkish infantry regiment occupied the northern part of Wilno, with two battalions.

Major Robert Mackenzie, and his RCMPcontingent, and the supporting Belgian, Italian and Atlantean military police units covered the whole Wilno area with a net work of detachments and the support of the battalions and independent companies of the Civil Watch Corps.

General de Brigade Yvanne Louis Gerard, had at his disposal all of the remaining mobile units of the League of Nations taskforce, originally tasked with patrol work, that had become increasingly redundent as the Civil Watch Corps had become both more efficent and reliable. The 4th and 6th Turkish Armoured Car companies, the 2nd Jager ter paard regiment, and the 4th and 5th German Reconnaissance Battalions. Yes, Orbay thought it would definitely be a good idea to consolidate Gerard's ad hoc mobile brigade in Vaskes, just in case, by and large the other contingents had matters in hand in their respective areas, the capital of Wilno was now the main trouble spot.

General Klemes Papieliushko, turned his range finding scope from left to right, surveying the Wilno side of the ceasefire line. He could easily make out the patrolling Civil Watch Corps troops mixed with a few league of Nations advisors maintaining the nominally Wilno Insurrectionist's side of the line. Reports indicated that the League of Nations task force had been redirecting its troop committments, in response to the developments in Vaskes no doubt, Papieliushko thougt.

From all angles it looked like General Kazim Orbay was making ready for a showdown with Letowska's new toy army, the Wilno National Self-Defense Battalion, which if estimates were correct, may now have numbered about a thousand armed troops. If it came to a fight, the lightly armed Self-Defense Battalion was going to get itself slaughtered. And while, Klemes Papieliushko would weep now tears for the insurrectionists, he was worried about the League of Nations troops who were putting their lives and limbs on the line for a Lithuania peace, what might also happen to a lot of innocent civilians caught in the line of fire was also deeply vexing to the Lithuanian general.

General Papieliushko gave the scope an angry, helpless thump with his fist as he drew back from the eye piece and turned away. He strode out of the suddenly too confining blockhouse and into an ajoining communications trench, he need some fresh air. No what he really need was some peace of mind, Papieliushko thought to himself, some assurance that all would go well, eventually even if things looked bad right now.

"General!" A battalion runner frantically came up the trench at a dead run, brealthless and sweating. Papieliushko paused in his pacing. Something was wrong, he knew it.

"Yes? What is it?" He asked, maintaining a mask of studied calm for the runner's benefit, the Lord knew, Papieliushko didn't feel calm. The runner snapped open a dispatch case at his hip and with a shaking hand presented a shelf of papers to Papieliushko.

General Klemes Papieliushko, read the documents quickly, the runner noticed, with an increasingly worried look in his eyes. The general's expression became increasingly agitated as he studied the photos taking by covert air reconnaissance missions taken over Vaskes, Amantas and Adomas, that had been forwarded with the written reports.

Papieliushko suddenly looked up from the documents and photos in his hands, he looked pointedly at the runner for a moment.
"Stay here, rest a moment I may need you in a moment." He then turned and snapped at the commander of the blockhouse who had realized something was going on, and stepped out the rear door of the structure to inquire what was going on.
"Kapitanas! Get me a line to Field Marshal Tamassaulo, now! Also, warn all the posts in the Antanas Line - come to full battle alert!"

and notes that General-Leutnant Platon A. Lechitskiy and his 16th Rifle Corps are still around, if required.

The Polish Government also is against Rebel Letwosky's determination to begin fighting in Lithuania.

The Polish Motorized Brigade has been ordered to seal off the Wilno/Polish border, and as has been mentioned before is at General Orbay's disposal should fighting spread into Polish territory.

October 10th, 1935:

Fighting has broken out in the Wilno provisional capital of Vaskes! It is not yet clear who is fighting whom, at this time - however preliminary reports indicate that the Wilno National Self-Defense Battalion was attacked by armed men who's alliagence is at this time unknown. The Wilno Governmental offices and buildings and the self-defense troop barracks seem to be at the heart of the conflict.

Reports indicate that there are stirrings within the Wilno Army camps in the Adomas and Amantas Lines, although it is not clear as of yet, if the Wilno Army is in fact mobilizing to either support the fighting or suppress it. Alternatively the Wilno Army may merely moving to protect it self, being no more sure at the present time of what is going on them anyone else.

League of Nations troops seem to have keep out of the combat in Vaskes, for the time being, obviously they are no more clear on the situation then anyone else is. While Lithuanian troops on the ceasefire line have gone to full combat alert when news of the fighting reached them, no attempt has been made to cross the ceasefire line.

General Orbay, and his assembled officers looked startled when the unmistakeable sound of small arms hit their ears. Bewildered looks were exchanged amoung them, for a moment paralysis took hold. Then abruptly with terrible suddenness men jumped up from their seats, knocking over chairs, dropping cups of coffee or tea, papers, document folders and photos were sent flying, officers clawed pistols out of their holsters, while staff non-coms and enlisted men dove from their desks and work tables for their rifles or carbines.

The distinctive rattle of machinegun fire revibranted through the streets of Vaskes. Distantly, the muffled crump of grenade detonations could be made out over the gunfire. No one had the least idea what was happening. For a long moment, everyone thought that the Wilno Insurrectionists were attacking the task force HQ, but after several minutes of confusion that obviously wasn't the case.

"What the hell is going on!" General Hansen snarled at a headquarters telephonist, who was listening intently to a message being relayed to him. The enlisted man, raised a hand for quiet, then began jotting down notes on his work pad. A moment later the man beside him began to read off, what was being written down.

"Fighting in the government district: troops hostile to the Letowska Regime, inflitrated Vaskes, or where already, in town during night. Commensed active operations against government buildings in some strength, estimates several hundred men - Second Parliment taken by unknown hostiles, Radio Wilno - being bitterly contested, Presidential Palace - contested, heavy fighting; WNSD Battalion barracks and General-Secretariat buildings - held by Pro-Letowska force, although under attack; Civic population in flight or hidding, reports of heavy casualties, people caught in cross-fires."

"Task Force installations, field hospital, barracks and depots unattacked, outposts throughout Vaskes, on alert and ready to repel attack. Awaiting instructions, repeat awaiting instructions from Field Headquarters."

The man finished. General Orbay nodded, that was something at least. Now time for some action to be taken.

"GET YER FRESH POPCORN HERE!!!!"