Let The Giants Rattle [Sovereign Union - Entente]

[EpicToaster1]

OOC Information

The following alliances and nations are expected to be partaking within this thread:

• Sovereign Union
  • The Imperial State of Galra
  • The Grand Democratic Republic of Grinvel
• Entente
  • The Shahdom of Seleucidenia
  • The United Kingdoms of Lusatia and Jzegrad
  • The United Kingdom of Ulster-Gaelia

Nations within this list are allowed to have their war status set to Mobilizing, should they choose.

---

---

Let The Giants Rattle
A Great War Thread

Spring 1930 - Aeran Pass - Galran-Seleucidenian Border

The tension in the air at the Laewaes Border Checkpoint between the Imperial State of Galra and the Shahdom of Seleucidenia located within the Southern steppes of the Aeran Desert could be felt by everyone, citizens and soldiers alike. The two commanders, Master Sergeant Axel Hawkins of Galra and Sergent-Chef Rodolphe Saint-Yves of Seleucidenia, were staring each other down in the middle of the road of the crossing. The guards numbered in the hundreds on both sides of the borders, and all stood back with strained breaths, watching their higher-ups stand motionless and wordless. Civilian cars and trucks were stuck in a several-mile-long traffic jam as the lead vehicles refused to inch closer to the staredown, the tense guards giving the citizens all they needed to know that this wasn't a situation they wanted to get involved in. Master Sergeant Hawkins had his hand directly on his sidearm, in plain view of everyone around the checkpoint. Chef Saint-Yves had a hand behind his back, gripping a knife on his belt, the weapon visible only to the soldiers standing behind him on his side of the checkpoint.

The sounds of the wind rustling the underbrush that overpowered the checkpoint was only drowned out by the sound of racing vehicle, a Seleucidenian truck racing up the wrong side of the road around the stopped civilian cars and screeching to a halt halfway between the border and the first of the cars. A man would step out, shouting something towards the commander. But the commander refused to budge, the grip on his knife tightening until his knuckles turned white.

Several minutes would pass before another vehicle broke the silence, an armored car flying up on the Galran side. The Galran that stepped out of the car was lot less skittish about the situation, walking up to only a few steps behind Commander Hawkins.

"Axel, stand down."

Seeing the Galran counterpart having a lot less issues getting close, the Seleucidenian soon moved in too.

"Saint-Yves. Arrêter."

With the two now having their own superiors watching them, Hawkins would let his hand fall to his side. He'd take a step back, spitting across the border onto the boots of Saint-Yves. Rodolphe would yell, ripping the blade out and attempting to lunge forward, only to have all his weight stopped short and dragged back as the Major grabbed him by his belt and yanked. The Sergent-Chef would look up at the major, eyes glossed over in daze as his head hits the pavement. "Nous ne commençons pas une crise à cause d'un scarabée crachant sur votre botte." He'd grip Saint-Yves by the arm and drag him to his feet, pulling him towards the truck.

The Galran Second Lieutenant would stand next to Axel, looking him over. "Don't go starting wars on us right now. I want you in my office at the end of your shift."

The two officers would leave the scene, the Seleucidenian Major dragging the commanding officer along with him. The soldiers would retake their posts on their sides of the checkpoint before flagging through the civilian traffic, the tension left in everyone's mind.

[Greywall]

A trio of Bristol A5 biplanes roared across the Gaelian channel, they were conducting a normal aerial patrol of Channel Islands and reporting back via radios installed into the cockpit. The older aircraft were some of the last of their kind in the Royal Airforce as newer planes such as the Firefly was now standard for being a faster and more agile fighter. Captain Lou Cavanaugh was in his third year leading the squadron in what must have seemed like the five hundredth patrol over this very channel, they were making their final approach to Avalon Island the Eastern most of the Gaelian islands before returning to Marshall airfield. 

"This is Red Fox 1 to Avalon base over"
"Red Fox 1 this is Avalon base, read you loud and clear over"
"AB about to pass over you, how's the weather? Over."
"Ten four mate, gloomy grey and we love it that way. Over."


Yougrin's Hill

The three planes flew over the green, emerald island bordered with grey rocks on its shores, Avalon was the least populated island due to how difficult it was to anchor it. But some villages, fishermen and now a military base made it home. They approached Yougrin's Hill the largest of the villages where the base was located, a couple dozen servicemen stationed here and there. The village was a quiet serene piece of heaven on Ouhiri, the people lived in a bubble where nothing affected them, they would work their small jobs and only really leave to fish the channel or sell their catch to the main islands via boat or ship. Several school children ran underneath the planes as they flew over, their engines loud and shattering the silence of the quaint life they have but even the roar of a plane engine wasn't loud enough to not drown out the shouts and excitement of the kids below. Cavanaugh grinned, he thought to himself how could they be this impressed? His squadron flew the oldest aircraft in the Airforce and had the most boring assignment. But to those sheltered kids, they were excitement. The planes made their way to the Eastern coastline to another village, much smaller and only here due to the port a place called Gull's Retreat. Here several fishing boats dock and leave, bringing their bounty from the channel it was the lifeblood of the island and the only real way of life these people had. The fishermen looked up to the planes, some waved and some flipped them off laughing, Cavanaugh drew his middle finger back out at them. "Cunts lot em" he laughed. The aircraft turned left and began heading back West. 
"Alright AB we're heading back now. Over."
A moment of silence before the captain received a response. 
"Red Fox 1 please divert to 20 kilometers Northeast, got a call from Marshall. They got a ghost. Over."

A chill ran down Cavanaugh's back, "Ten four. Heading there." Without hesitation the three fighters shifted and went Northeast. "Red Fox 2, Red Fox 3 climb with me and keep a look out." The three planes ascended to get the best view as the island disappeared behind them and all that was around them was the sea. 
"AB what are we looking for? Over."
"Red Fox 1, it's an aircraft. Not Lusatian. Marshall checked it doesn't match them. Over"
"...Galra?"
"Roger"
"What in blazes are they flying out here? They know this is our airspace. Cheeky cheeky." 

The three aircraft flew for a good half hour and saw a black dot in the distance, "Red Fox 1, this is Red Fox 2. It's a recon plane." 
The fighters spread apart, Red Fox 2 and 3 went to flank the aircraft while Red Fox 1 went directly behind it, the Galra plane didn't react as they approached. Captain Cavanaugh went through a series of radio broadcasts to reach them saying, "Galra aircraft you are flying illegally in United Kingdom airspace please vacate and follow instructions. Over" Nothing. He repeated but nothing. 
"AB, it's a recon plane, unarmed but won't respond. Please advise." 
"Red Fox 1, stand by."
"This is Red Fox 2 to Red Fox 1" 
"Go ahead"
"They're looking right at me..."
They knew. 
Cavanuagh was certain the Galra heard him and knew what they were doing. "Red Fox 1. Order them to leave now or fire a warning shot." Cavanuagh repeated his warning this time with the threat of being fired on. The Galra plane ignored them, Cavanaugh aimed his Vickers machine guns right over the recon plan and fired. Suddenly a transmission came through, "This is Galra recon plane YT4, we will cooperate." "Stupid cunts." Cavanaugh huffed to himself. The trio escorted the plane back East outside of Gaelian airspace, as they approached Cavanaugh noticed what the recon plane would have seen coming this far West. A patrol of Cruiser ships heading North, every fiber of his being was now telling him, if you let them go, they're going to report those ships movements. But before he could do anything five dots appeared at his 12' "Red Fox 1 we got bandits coming!" five Galra fighters came down but held their fire, "UK fighters, we shall escort our plane back. Refrain from going further from your airspace."
"Fuck" Cavanaugh had to let them go, they were outnumbered and easily outmatched, the Galra fighters were newer and far better at a dogfight. As the two groups parted ways and the Galra became dots in his reflective mirror, Cavanaugh had an uneasy feeling. The war department felt war was inevitable, but with Kumosenkan, but the recent tensions between Galra and Seleucidenia were becoming a bigger problem. "They're going to attack." he said to himself, the squadron flew back to Marshall Island to report what they encountered.