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Post by Artsy Astra on Aug 19, 2022 13:02:53 GMT -5
An Urgent Telegram from the Marrlan War Department would arrive in the Franerre embassy from Morgan himself no less.
The message was received with wide eyes before it was quickly sent home.
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 20, 2022 22:14:30 GMT -5
The Franerri Foreign Affairs Administration, Pareau
“Shit,” de Angelis muttered, setting the telegram down on his desk with a sigh. The Marrlaner offer was a godsend. Another 60,000 men, armed to mainland standards could be instrumental in the defeat of the UST. Marrlan was the one nation that Lehran could see having no ulterior motives in this offer, even if he didn’t believe it. But if Franerre and the Tafatu accepted this offer as it stood, the UST would have that much more propaganda ammunition to fire at this rapidly expanding coalition. What’s worse was that they might have a point.
At the same time, it wasn’t exactly Franerre’s offer to refuse. Sure, they could block Marrlan’s troops from entering Franerre, but it would burn bridges with both nations. If Lehran couldn’t stop those soldiers, he’d have to change the context. All he would need is the permission of the government and the army.
~
The Meeting Room of the Royal Palace, Pareau
“Are you fucking kidding me!?”” Isaac shouted, pacing around his end of the table. Dante sighed. He sat at the head of the table, with Lehran and Verenes to his left, Zelgius and Ranulf to his right, and Dufour at the foot of the table. “How could they have given us such little notice?!” Perhaps he should have foreseen this reaction coming, and taken this meeting to the throne room. Then again, this meeting had been called on exceedingly short notice. “What do those Marrlaners think we are, some whore of a nation who will just let this happen?”
“Enough!” Dante shouted back, glaring. Dufour stared back in defiance, but it was the rest of the table’s glares that made him return to his seat.
“What I’m curious about is why the Tafatu didn’t message us,” the Marshal asked, “Or how we didn’t hear about this earlier.”
“Regardless,” Dante said, “We have to go with Lehran’s suggestion. It’s the only way.”
“Bullshit,” Isaac declared. At least he didn’t shout. “Turn them away with our warships. We haven’t used them all in the blockade.” Dante looked at the two army men, where he was surprised to find a sympathetic look on General Ranulf’s face and a resigned one on Marshal Zelgius’.
“I didn’t think I’d say this, but I agree with Isaac,” Ranulf said, “This is a massive security risk. We can’t possible have an effective guard for 60,000 men. They’re even including marines in the list of soldiers they’ve sent.”
Zelgius interrupted his second. “I agree as well. But, it’s not our decision to make, it’s Tafatu’s. That’s not to mention how effective the Marrlanner troops would be outfitted to modern standards, or how much experience we could get seeing how they fought against a technologically inferior foe. I think it’s worth the risk.”
“You sell-out whore,” Dufour spat, “This entire war has been a slippery slope sense it started. I agreed with sending men to the Tafatu, it’s a just cause and it advances our interests. I agreed with allowing the Ashinarans to assist, they’ve proven erstwhile allies and are a fellow Touli state. I agreed to foreign arms, it’s just equipment after all. But mainlander troops are a step too far. This entire damn war was a mistake and-“
“Why can’t you people accept Marrlan at face value?” Verenes interjected. The room went silent and glared. They were happy he shut Isaac up, but he did it in perhaps the worst way possible.
“Tell me, First Chairmen, when has a mainlander ever dealt fairly with us?” The King asked. “When have they ever had any interest in Touli that wasn’t to exploit it? When have their soldiers ever came here to assist, and not to invade?” He sighed again. “This line of reasoning is irrelevant. The Marshal, First Chambermen, and I agree in agreement, a Foreign Legion will be proposed.”
~
A telegram found itself as fast as it could to the hands of the Marrlan War
“To the head of the Marrlaner War Department and National Security Morgan Sheffield,
It has come to my attention that a large force of troops from the nation of Marrlan will soon be arriving in Franerre for transport to Tafatu to fight for their noble cause. However, such a large force of foreign troops, especially those from a nation on the mainland arriving on such short notice, is certain to cause a large amount of controversy in Franerre. To prevent as much of the potential conflict as possible, I propose the creation of the Franerri Foriegn Legion, a concept borrowed from the Lusatian colonial administration. Such a Foreign Legion would be an organization under the nominal command of the Franerri Army, though given the circumstances your troops would be able to act with minimal oversight from Pareau. At the end of your soldiers’ terms, which would be whenever you decide to withdraw your troops, they would be granted Franerri citizenship. I hope such an offer is amenable to you, and that your reply comes swiftly, or else your soldiers may be forced to turn back.
May this message find you swiftly,
Lehran de Angelis, Director of the Franerri Foriegn Affairs Administration.”
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Post by Artsy Astra on Aug 20, 2022 23:35:54 GMT -5
Morgan would take the letter from the urgent bin. His eyes would go wide upon finishing the letter. "Our boys. Under THEIR command?" He would sit for a moment, flabbergasted. He would pull out his typewriter and begin with a residual look of shock on his face.
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 21, 2022 21:00:45 GMT -5
‘Damn thick Marrlanner skulls,’ Lehran thought, staring at the newest telegram. Marrlan’s soldiers were due to arrive any day now, and it was a powder keg waiting to explode. He had to make sure they knew exactly how bad this situation would be for Franerre.
~
“To the head of the Marrlaner War Department and National Security Morgan Sheffield,
I can understand why you would be reluctant to have your soldiers fight under Franerre’s nominal command, but I do not believe you understand why Franerre is so insistent on not allowing your soldiers on her territory. Let me enlighten you.
The last time a mainlander soldier stepped foot in Franerre, it was not for peaceful transit. It was to conquer the country. It was to plunder her valuables, rape her women, and destroy her culture. The government, and more importantly the people, remember this fact well. Allowing foreign military advisors nearly had the Army mutiny when it was introduced, and the government is exceedingly lucky that the response to Ashinaran troops being transported has been mostly quiet, due to a large propaganda effort on the government’s part.
It is not out of some sort of misplaced sense of hostility towards Marrlan, or some sort of national pride that I made the suggestion for a Foreign Legion. There would be no small amount of violence, directed towards both our soldiers and governments. That would hamper the war effort far more than 60,000 soldiers would help. This could evolve into an international incident.
If you have another suggestion to solve this situation then refusing your troops passage or the Foreign Legion, please, let it be known. Perhaps a Foreign Legion could be made under the Tafatu’s government, rather than Franerre’s, should it prove more amenable.
May this message find you swiftly,
Lehran de Angelis, Director of the Franerri Foriegn Affairs Administration.”
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Post by Artsy Astra on Aug 22, 2022 8:21:17 GMT -5
Morgan would scan the letter, briefly sighing before calling a meeting with command staff and the Pionare. That same day another telegram would be sent off.
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Post by callmedelta on Aug 22, 2022 9:22:46 GMT -5
Lehran let out a sigh of relief when he read the letter. All he had to do now was inform the Tafatu.
~
”To the Interim Leader of the Tafatu Nation Charles Kendaya,
With the introduction of Marrlan’s soldiers to the war, it is Franerre’s wish to propose the creation of a Tafatu Foreign Legion as a blanket organization to encompass any mainland troops to who wish to assist in the war effort. The presence of foreign troops in Franerre, even for the outpost of transport, is bound to cause large amounts of tension in Franerre. We hope that by the creation of a Foreign Legion, such tension can be at least partially reduced.
Lehran de Angelis, Director of the Franerri Foreign Affairs Administration.”
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