Romanian News

[TexanCowboy]

Bucharesti Times-July 5th, 1918

The Romanian goverment has announced that it plans to remove one of two machine gun from 10 of it's single engined planes, and to replace it with 5 small rockets. Naval Commander in Chief Admiral Burestai commented on the change, "Although this may cause the planes to be less effective in air-to-air combat, as the rockets are unguided, and their path can be easily altered, we feel that this will make them more effective in air-to-ground and air-to-ship combat, as the recent war in Siam showed." No other goverment officials commented.

[TexanCowboy]

Kituk Island

"That's it?" Commander Reloca Nuvlo said. "Are you sure that's the Elisaveti?"

"Positive," replied Lietentant Torta Forl. "We got picture identification in the aircraft. We know that's what it is."

"Well, something has to be done about it. All I know, is that for this, you'll surely get the Bucharesti Cross."

[TexanCowboy]

The 1st International Airplane Jousting competition will be held on December, 18th, 1918. One entry per country will be allowed, with a representing plane from that nation. Allowed weapon's in the Airplane Jousting competition are really long sticks on the front of the plane, sledgehammers, and Handbag with Brick^TM. Representing Romania will be the King's sister, the irresitably attractive Flora Flowranis, in a 1914 Model Jousting Knight.

OOC: Manzo.......

[Desertfox]

Luke 'Crash' Skywalker will represent New Switzerland in his Wright Foxhound III+ (Albatross DV).

[TexanCowboy]

Febuary 3rd, 1919

The battleship Kronstant pulls into the small port of Varna, carrying King Cronalin aboard, on a royal visit to inspect the location of the "theft of Lenin", to inspect how security arrangments have been improved since the hijacking of the protected cruiser Elisaveti. The commander of the 1st Marine Regiment, headquarters Varna, snaps to attention the moment he sees the Royal Ensign flying off of the bow of the battleship.

"Sir, I'm so sorry, I had no idea you were coming. If I had known, I would have arranged..." stammered Captain Lovardi, commander of the 1st Marine Division.

"Forget it, its not a big deal," stated the young king."It's probebly better this way, since I can view security arrangement's as they actually are."

"Yes, sir, right this way, sir," Captain Lovardi said as he mounted his horse, and prepared to lead the king on a tour of the arrangements. He signalled to a aid, who scurried off to set up a signal flag that ordered local detactment's to "Be at stations, Class A uniforms." Meanwhile, King Cronalin, followed by several aides, mounted the royal horse and followed the captain.

4 hours later

"Well, Captain, I am pleased with the defensive arrangements. I noted a extreme readiness to duty, with parade-ground type commands."

"Thank you, my lord," said Captain Lovardi, as he smiled inwardly to himself.

"There is one thing I noted. I only saw three to four companies in the town. Where are the other forces?"

"They are guarding the ammunition depot two miles out of town. That ammunition depot contains 4,000 tons of ammunition, the entire supply depot for the entire southern border."

"I understand, now. We were planning to set sail tonight, but seeing as it is already eight, would you happen to have facilites for your majesty to spend the night?"

"Certainly, my lord."

OOC: 4,000 tons of ammunition is about the scale of Misty Picture. That's 1/3 of Little Boy.

[TexanCowboy]

Nobody knew what had happened. Later on, one or two of the few suvivors claimed that they had seen three or four flashes out to sea about a minute before it blew, but in reality, nobody had a clue why the Varna ammunition dump had gone sky high.

It was 3:43 A.M. Everyone in the town was sound asleep, except for one person, the young King Cronalin. He was uneasy in the VIP house of Varna, tossing and turning in his sleep like a man with a awful vision of the future. He woke up screaming, but quieted himself down before anyone could hear him. For reasons not know even to himself, he got out of bed and looked out the window toward the port and the island of Poctoria in the distance. The relative peacefulness of the harbor, even though over one thousand sailors were in the port, settled his mind. He thought to himself, "All is well within my kingdom."

At that very moment, a flash went off in the distance. Even though it was in the opposite direction, he could see it because of its extreme brightness. Two seconds later, he was knocked off his feet by a gigantic shockwave, down, out of the window into the hard ground. As he saw the incoming fireball coming his way, he said, out loud to himself, "The lord is my shephard, I shall not want...." The world went black before him.

[TexanCowboy]

Varna
Febuary 4th, 1919
8:43 A.M

The town was a blazing wreck. The detonation of 4,000 tons of ammunition, much of which was high explosive, had devestated the town. Within the town, there was barely a house left standing. The radiation from the massive shockwave and explosion had set houses on fire that were over a mile away from Ground Zero. The First Regiment, 1st Divison Marines simply didn't exist. The whole organizational structure was gone, and perhaps a dozen men were left about the entire town. In the harbor, the two drydocks, which had been so laboriously built, with the blood and sweat of hundreds of men, were shattered, the massive gates being wrecked. The mighty battleship Czarania, as it was officially known, was bent like a child bending a piece a rubber. The 10'' thick armour was bent into many bends and curls, worse than whatever could be done to it in battle. Its fuel and ammo had cooked off while loading, adding farther destruction to what was already a gruelsome scene. No matter what, this town had gone the way of Altina.

[maddox]

When this news reaches France, a campagne to aid those poor Romanians kicks off.

[TexanCowboy]

Expect about three days, since the harbor and telegraph lines are utterly destroyed.

[Carthaginian]

Hmmm... 3 days to France, another day to Richmond... call it a week before it makes the papers in the CSA in a big way.

I'll have to factor this into my budget.

[maddox]

To late for the French HY 01 budget, unless the Green Cross pitches in.  They have the funds for loans to ease the suffering;

[TexanCowboy]

In the Imperial Palace
Febuary 4th
4:56 P.M.

Princess Flowranis....Princess Flowranis, your majesty, are you available for just a second?

Yes. I have to attend a ball at 7, but for now, I have time. What do you wish to talk about?

Your imperial majesty, the battleship Czarania is long overdue in the port of Constanta. The Imperial Signal Service sent out a wireless telegraph message to Varna, to see what was causing the delay. When we got no response, we sent out a aerocraft, which, if you don't know

I know what an aircraft is. I'm qualified to fly in every aircraft in the Romanian Navy. If you didn't know that, and that I am a commander in the navy, well.....someone's going to be counting vampires.

Yes, Yes ma'am. I knew that....It was a temporary lapse of memory, I swear!

(sighs) Carry on, then.

Well, anyway, we sent out an aerocraft, and...well...your brother will not be coming home. I'm sorry, your maj...

What! What the hell happened?!?

From what we can tell, your imperial majesty, the ammunition dump blew up. The entire facility...is gone. We have no idea why or how.

And the town? My brother?!?

I doubt there is a hundred suvivors in that town...the battleship was bent like a child and rubber...and if your brother was on it, as likely, well...there's no way he survived. I'm sorry.

Dissolve the congress. I will be taking over the reign of the goverment until the entire emergancy has passed.

Your majesty, that's illegal according to the law!

I don't care what it is. You shouldn't either, unless you want to be counting vampires in the mountains. I will have my revenge on whomever took my brother from me.

Yes, your majesty...



Bucharesti Times
Feburary 5th, 1919

Princess Declares Monarchy

In a release Imperial Palace, the Princess Flora Flowraina has declared she is to be the empress of Romania, with Romania becoming a true Monarchy. No comment was recieved about the whereabouts of the King, although his last destination, Varna, has been in the dark for the past two days. When asked by our reporters about the King, the Imperial Palace refused to comment on the matter, although a staff member hinted at a *dark fate*. We pray for the King, and hope that the new Empress, if she is deserving, lead a rewarding and peaceful regime, and, if the King is still alive, that she be quickly unthroned.

[maddox]

February 6th 1919, Paris.

Minister Capet is pleading to Premier Galpoux to go to Romania, to see what Glorious France can do for the most important oil supplier for La Patrie.

In the mean time, Admiral Geon (who has recieved a telegram from Capet) has ordered Le Magnificent to get ready, and a huge amount of supplies is being drawn from the cavernous Hangars at the Djibouti Fleet base. 

The Green Cross headquarters at pago Pago is notified of these peparations, and is asked to provide doctors and nurses

[Sachmle]

OOC: If Capet knows by the 6th then Takeda knew by late the 5th, which means Kaiser knew by early the 6th. Now....what can I do to help?

IC: February 6th, 1919

Brandenburg offers whatever assistance it can bear to the poor souls of Varna. The Battleship S.M.S. Königsland, just completed in Venice, along with the Kleiner Kruezer S.M.S. Kaiserin Augusta will make port call in Varna if so desired. Between the two of them there are ~150 Stürmtruppen (if that sounds like a reasonable number, I have yet to find info on that) to assist in maintaining order, clearing debris, or providing security to whatever remains of the port facilities. We must clear this movement with the Ottoman Government of course since we'll have to pass through the Bosporus. Additional supplies will be collected and transported via cargo vessels as soon as they're loaded.*

* Blankets, food, clothes, medical supplies, etc... I'll tweak my budget figure ~$0.25-$0.50 from somewhere will go here instead.

[Logi]

Unfortunately the Republic of China is too far and too tight in the budget books to be able to offer any financial or physical aid to Romania. However, it wishes to expresses its condolences to the disaster that has befallen the nation.