A growing darkness

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Karem Azeri was the president of Shiysil, a man of power in a state that no longer felt safe. The fall of the UST and now xagreau gravely concerned his government, for years Shiysil lived in obscurity aligned with those states in some manner or form. But with the fall of the Union army which was the largest ground force in central touli, Shiysil felt the rope around its neck.

It spurred itself hatred toward frannerre who they fought against and lost every time. The Kumo who supported the elenrians and now the tafatu who owned lands they considered their own. It seemed like the world had gone mad, broken the rules, stolen from the Shiysil people and laughed about it.

Azeri accepted this meeting because of that, all of it, the Shiysil empire was a foot note in the history books. Broken by frannerre and forced to accept borders drawn by takpoe and their spider Allies. Shiysil had one airfield in the entire country which is how these people wanted to arrive.

The hulking beast landed with two smaller ones escorting it following closely. The emblem of the all seeing eye eerily stared at Azeri as the Galran delegation stepped off the aircraft. “President Azeri?” The man asked, Azeri nodded and waved toward a motorcade waiting to take them to the longhouse of the president.

The motorcade was expensive, but Azeri would not let the galrans travel by horse and carriage. As the entered the capital he could tell they were judging everything harshly. As they pulled into the gates of the long house he heard an audible huff.

In Shiysil longhouses signified wealth and power, this was no different, a long single floor home that houses the ‘elected’ leaders of Shiysil. “Welcome to our humble nation Mr errrr” Azeri stumbled not knowing his guests name, “Thompson. That’s all you need to know” the Galran barely held back his disdain at the environment he was in. They settled into the main hall where Thompson verbally insulted the fact that the Shiysil share the hall to feast and commune in. And that they sat in the floor. A chair was brought to him and his team while Azeri sat on the floor with his people, now looking up at the galrans peering down at them hatefully.

“Let’s cut to it shall we? Shiysil is cut off, your allies in the UST have fallen. A new power has risen in touli and it happens to be the frannerre and ashinara.” Azeri grimaced at the mention of his old rivals, “yes, those frannerre. They could storm this place and take it in mere weeks. No need to protest my claim, it’s true.” Thompson pulled out a cigar an lit it filling the room with obnoxious smoke as he dragged on it and on the subject, “our holy eminence has decided to shed the light of our lord however, the fox loving franch should not be allowed to expand further. Galra wishes to pact with Shiysil.” Thompson blew smoke purposely into Azeri’s face angering him but he knew better to say anything.

“We can arm your troops, fix your economy, and all we ask is for our bishops to enter your nation and for your regime to adhere to the sovereign union. You’ll be powerful, and capable of taking back what rightfully belongs to you.” Azeri knew a Faustian deal when saw one, but he knew the price of also not taking it. Isolation would eventually strangle and kill Shiysil. “Fine, when do we begin Mr. Thompson” Azeri said confirming the deal on his end, “why my dear boy, we already started. We would have even if you rejected.”

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After several weeks of negotiating, Azeri signed off joining the Sovereign Union as a minor party. Galra would begin a massive endeavor to supply Shiysil's military and several Galran industrialist would fly in beginning surveying projects to pick land for factories. Part of the agreement would be that Galran state owned companies could process materials in Shiysil for the SU economy.

As with all SU members Shiysil's military would be ordered to adapt to modernization and implement new weapons, Galran observers would order the removal of all single shot rifles in place of Galran Telbah rifles. Shipments of .30 caliber machine guns would also be flown out to be equipped by heavy units but submachine guns were withheld as the Galrans believed the Shiysil couldn't afford them. The factories being built would be used to construct Galran light tanks to be used by the Shiysil military with the Striker and Longstreet models being commissioned.

A total of 15 factories would be ordered, 10 of them for ground equipment and 5 for armaments. Shiysil's entire economy would shift to feeding the SU their raw resource economy. Munition factories would be ordered to reconfigure for the Galran 30-40 round and begin mass production to supply the Shiysil and Galran Colonial militaries. A constant flux of aircraft would begin flying over the Kingdom of Frannerre bringing in tons of materials back and forth.

The Shiysil economy roared to life decimating unemployment numbers as factories, mines and farms pushed for doubled production fed by the SU trade circle. Shiysil divisions received their new weapons breaking down their old ones for materials to produce more, it was all coming together.

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Galra and the SU’s tendrils continued to reach over ouhiri, Verak was gaining influence over Kovus, Grinvel with Adrium and Galra now approached another Touli nation. Eleria. It was perfect, human supremacist already that could be used to put the final lynchpin in their grand plan for control of touli. One problem however exacerbated this, Elerian humans were only the majority on the island, on their mainland were the bird race Niaorinians, ancient rivals to the Inselni, these people ruled southwest touli for centuries.

Eleria subjugated them following the bloody Ronin Wars (1734-50) consistent uprisings plagued eleria but they struck a deal with Shogunate Takeda in 1865 to prevent bloodshed when elenria fell to Kumo and Eleria needed to control their empire to avoid the advantageous Kumo trying to expand further on them. The deal was simple, the samurai class of the Niaorinian kept their arms, status and wealth. The Eleria ruled beside the shoguns, warlords chosen by the clans to represent them.

Galra didn’t particularly like nor cared for this arrangement. The Elerian Imperator was easy to impress, told sweet nothings of a future with only humans and imperial superiority over the Kumo at last. Galra would supply them arms, industry and technology in exchange for their entry into the SU. But one thing was clear, the Niaorinians, needed to be removed. For that to happen Eleria needed to remove their samurai. And so after the initial agreement was signed, Elerian officials declared all samurai to relinquish their katana to the imperial army. By doing so they surrender their status as samurai. Refusal meant defying the imperium and the consequences that followed.

Shogun Tokugawa, the current shogun demanded to meet the Imperator immediately over this violation. But he was ignored, incidents across Eleria began to escalate an already tense situation, the disarming of samurai often resulted in bloody clashes between imperial troops and samurai loyalist. Galra now gained another useful tool in Eleria but the situation developing would be left for the Elerians to figure out. Begun, the samurai purge of Eleria and into the Samurai rebellions it would end.

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Shiysil's military had begun conducting war games with their new tools of destruction. Several light tanks and even some landships the Galrans didn't want anymore were now marked with Shiysil colors, firing rounds down range and getting their people accustomed to the new machines of war. Grinvel had given them most of their outdated bi planes opting to replace most if not the entire Luftreich with new monoplanes.

Squadrons of Luebrok Dr.1 and A-2 fighters flew around with Grinvel instructors drilling the Shiysil harshly on how fragile some of these airplanes could be. Gotha bombers flew slowly dropping dummy bombs in an open field. In less than a year, Shiysil would jump over its rival Frannerre in terms of technology and military preparedness.

Further west, while the Samurai had inflicted early victories the Imperial Army of Eleria was winning. Pushing their enemy harshly into the Northern border region with their backs against the Elenrian mountains. Galra had been shipping Talbh rifles and ammunition to them in massive hauls, quickly equipping the imperial army of Eleria with better armaments and letting them use them against the Samurai.

With the noble lords no longer in the way, Elerian industry began its rape of Niaorinia, entire forest were stripped bare to feed the SU wood needs. Ancient groves that stood for thousands of years, gone in a few days. Strip mining and mass pollution ran rampant sending a clear message to the common folk who didn't choose a side in the conflict. YES IT CAN BE WORSE.

The Imperator insisted on having a superb air force from the SU, shelling his own money into buying advanced fighters from Galra and Grinvel. Eleria received Luebroke A-17 mono fighters, A-5 torpedo and dive bombers, Goth bombers, A11 advanced fighters and even Galran Lancers. Eleria would have the most advanced air force in Touli in a matter of years compared to their other independents.

Both nations also received shipments of SU-MK2 tanks and SU-MK1 light tanks.

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"They wasted our time!"

The Abbadoni was shouting at his Shaum Shelan counterpart in the hallway of golden white building in Columbia, the new SU headquarters where they had been requested. "Lusatia was just pulling us around by the ear! My man said they signed with those filthy foxes!" The Shuam Shelan who was sort of shellshocked from the ranting rose his hand, "Calm brother, perhaps we could try talking to the Dirians or-" the Abbadoni turned, "Fuck that! If we allow such insolence such as democracies, they'll undo hundreds of years of order in the sands. Do you wish this?" The Shaum Shelan shook his head, "No." 

The ranting continued until another joined them, a skinny olive skinned human wearing a ceremonial military uniform and cape. They both looked at him but the Abbadoni spoke first, "A Detti? What are you doing here?" the man remained quiet as a Galran staff member approached them and escorted them into a room, at its center would be a large round table with the map of Ouhiri. 

Autarch Applegate sat at its center with Field Marshall Mueller of Grinvel on one side and General Giuseppe of Verak on the other. At the table would be an Elerian military commander, Shiysil dictator Karem Azeri, and two large grub looking insectoids from Mestria. "Ah, our new associates have arrived. Welcome gentlemen, take a seat." As the Detti, Abbadoni and Shuam Shelan took their seats Applegate began.

"Welcome to Columbia, I'm sure you are wondering why i've called you here. I'm extending a final invitation to join this bloc. For Abbadon, Shuam Shela and the Dominion of Detti. You will be joining the last bastion of true order in Ouhiri. Abbadon who has been shamed, humiliated by Lusatia, and now your way of life has been threatened by the disease that is democracy. Shuam Shela, your nation that has enjoyed endless peace will be torn apart by the starving knaves leading these starving and greedy republics, traditions thrown away to appease their disgusting indulgences. Detti, you are denied your destiny to unite the Grecian states. All of you. Have come here because the status quo denies you and this world what is proper. No more." 

Applegate stood up and walked over to the grubbs sitting at the table, "These....things. Are Baron Kuang and Baron Tumin, they are Mestrian barons and just a few who...want regime change in their country. I have it under good authority, that change will be guaranteed to be better in our favor. The new order in Mestria will align with our Union, and with that. Comes the time of our final design. We cannot tolerate the world in its current form, its sinful, allowing the weak a place to speak, fornicate and multiply. It allows destructive philosophies such as democracy to foster and spread like locust feasting on healthy wheat. We need to burn these impurities before its too late, the time for the final process is coming. When all nations of this Union will act in one motion, to seize this planet and break the corruption that strangles us."

Applegate walked over to the map where Koi was located, colored in orange and pressed his finger on it, "It all begins here, where the rot of corruption is centered." 

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"They're ready to see you eminence" said the servant with mild disgust, Applegate allowed such disobedience from a lowly person because even he detested the coming meeting. 

Gruglik, a race of overweight grubs from Northern Mestria, and these individuals in particular were the two wealthiest and most powerful dukes of the CMS. Applegate had them in the last few SU meetings but now was about to push them to do their part, he cringed at the thought of sharing a space with the insectoids. 

He entered an open room wearing his usual black deacon outfit that befitted him as head of not only the Imperial State government but head of the Galran church. The two massive grubs waited for him on lifted platforms their indentured servants would lift them on and carry as the grubs themselves could not move. The old Gruglik race had one advantage, long life and obsessive greed had made them monstrously wealthy. They bought what they lacked and with slavery still existing in some of the Mestrian states, these two Mon'li and Vak'shu had an army of indentured slaves. 

The began speaking once they saw Applegate enter the room, their translator a Koian slave with her wings ripped off as a sign of her position speaking for them. "The dukes are most honored to be here once more Autach Applegate, they have expressed a great pleasure in being supportive in creating the new world." 

Applegate didn't even try to hide his disgust at the Koian speaking, it was just an animal to him, it had no right to be here standing in his palace. "Tell them I grow impatient, my final vision can't move forward if they don't move on the Queen." 

The Koian waited as the Dukes spoke in their native tongue, a mix of clicks, moist sounds and soft hums. She turned to say, "We are almost done, the army they wield is entirely of Rohka. We have illegally allowed them to breed their numbers to sufficiently seize the Queen's territories and force the other states into quick capitulation." 

Applegate was growing annoyed, he needed Mestria, it was imperative the peninsula fall to the Sovereign Union so he could strike at the heart of Kumosenkan and help Verak kill off Pomaz. "No more waiting, get it done" he said with a booming sense of command. The Dukes sat silently looking at Applegate but knew better than to say what they honestly thought, they responded and the Koian translated, "Two months, we march on the Queen and we'll kill her. Mestria will belong to the SU." 

The Koian waived at the other slaves and they slowly and painfully picked up the platforms taking the dukes out. As they left the room and eventually the palace, Applegate approached a servant and ordered them, "Clean this room, replaced the floor if you have to get that non human filth out of my palace....disgusting." He was genuinely sickened by the sight of the Mestrians, he hated them as did every other Galran. But if the dukes were so greedy to overlook the human supremacist tones of the SU and await their fate when they accomplished victory? Well, Applegate would give them their reward. Their eternal reward.