Windwalker...

[The Rock Doctor]

What no: "I sense a great disturbance in the force..."?

Hey, I did my part.

Senator Palpatine calls for a vote of No Confidence against President Valorum

Is the senator related to a certain ex-French head of state?

The High Seas Fleet dissapeares during the night.

It puzzles me that the High Seas Fleet, despite being stubborn and obstinate in battle against foreign enemies, always bugs out at the first sign of domestic difficulties. 

Does this include damaged ships?  I'm curious to see what secret Swiss bases can manage to supply this force.

Oh, and did my observers go along for the ride, or did you dump them ashore?

[Desertfox]

Is the senator related to a certain ex-French head of state?

Could be...

Does this include damaged ships?  I'm curious to see what secret Swiss bases can manage to supply this force.

No the damage ships stayed at home.

Oh, and did my observers go along for the ride, or did you dump them ashore?

They got dumped ashore, if I took them along I would have to kill them.

[Ithekro]

That would mean the majority of the Fleet is still in port (being damaged and all).  ;D

[Walter]

The Japanese vessel was tied up in the heavily damaged harbor of Saipan. It was a big mess and it would take quite some effort to rebuild the Saipan infrastructure.

Having dressed himself as best he could against the weather, Captain Henri Guisan ran through the heavy rain to meet up with a group that had left the Japanese vessel. All ten members of the group wore cloaks with hoods pulled over their heads in order to protect themselves from the torrential downpour. Six wore grey, four wore white with a pair of red stripes running up and down with a red cross between them on the front and back.

After having welcomed the group, Guisan led the ten to one of the few remaining structures on Saipan that was still standing after the bombardment of the island. Here, one by one, the guests entered the building, those in Grey first and those in white last.

There was no mistake about it. Those four white 'shrouds' were Mirage Knights. There were rumors that anyone who dared to look under a Mirage cloak was inviting death. Looking under the hood was probably okay, but Guisan did not want to take any risks that might shorten his life on Earth considerably and for that reason, he looked away as the four Knights passed.

But if those four were Mirage Knights, that could mean only one thing.

One of the other guests had to be Empress Kaguya...

[Walter]

General Grievous looked around the room at those who had gathered. With the bombardment of Saipan, there was not much left standing and the barrack they were in was only partially destroyed. There were signs of damage visible in the room. The broken windows had been boarded up, there were a couple of holes that had been covered with rocks on the outside of the building and there was a lot of rubble in the room, left from the collapsed roof that had been replaced with a temporary simple wooden coverage, but despite the simplicity of the roof, it kept all those present in the room dry.

Those present were either from the Republic of New Switzerland or the Greater Empire of Japan. Most of them were important officers but not all.

The Swiss side was represented by General Maximilian Veers, Commander of the Australia and New Amsterdam forces, General Tal Ashen, Commander of the Alaska forces, General Cassio Tagge, commander of the New Switzerland and Hawaii forces, and of course Grievous himself, commander of the New Switzerland Expeditionary Force. Also present was Count Dooku who had come over in great secret together with Lady Atris Praeger, aide to Senator Palpatine, historian, librarian and wife of the Dragon from Pranger, General Praeger. Despite the status of her husband, Lady Atris was loyal to New Switzerland.

The Japanese side was represented by General Rasputin, second-in-command of the Army of Korea and present here due to the fact that Praeger was still at Mithlond, Lady General Aragaki Yukie, commander of the Army of Ryukyu, General Togo Heihachiro, commander of the Army of Japan, General Chow Wai-on, commander of the Army of Manchuria, and last but not least the White Hawk himself, Count Griffith, the charismatic commander of the Army of Primorsk.

Yes, one explosion here would take out a lot of important people so it was a good thing that the war was over and that only a few knew of this meeting.

"Now... we all know why we are here so let me get started," Count Dooku stated as he began to spread out paperwork and maps on the table.

Count Dooku began to explain how the situation had been, how the situation was right now and how the situation would probably end up being. As the Count did so, Grievous glanced to his left to look at the final person who had come to Saipan for this meeting. Flanked by two Mirage Knights on each side, the beautiful Empress Kaguya listened with great interest to what Count Dooku had to say. Before the meeting started, Dooku had told Grievous that the Tennyou was the Future.

While Count Dooku went on to explan what was expected of all the elements that were present at the meeting, Grievous wondered about what the Count had said.

... what Future?

... whose Future?

... and was it a future that the people or the world wanted?

[The Rock Doctor]

...probably not.

Nice items, though.  The situation is certainly of considerable interest.

[Walter]

...probably not.

Yes, probably not... but that is an obstacle for later (a little bit later).

(BTW, Anyone with some knowledge of Star Wars may have noticed that all the New Swiss present are from the Star Wars Universe, although with Atris I added the Praeger surmname)

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"Do you really think the plan will work?" Yukie asked.

Dooku nodded. "I am sure that it will."

"Yes, but will this move be appreciated by the world? This move could be seen as a big threat, especially to nations in this region or nations that have interests in this region."

"Regarding that, we should hope for the best."

Yukie shook her head. "I think it is better to be prepared. God knows what will happen."

"Well, the Middle Kingdom might become happy... at least that is what we hope."

Yukie laughed. "Very doubtful. What I heard, New Swiss are very, very unpopular there. Unwanted... Hated... While on Hainan, I heard vague talk among the Chinese about eradicating every single Swiss even if it would cost the lives of ten million soldiers and bankrupt the nation."

"Ah yes... Words that are to be expected from the Middle Kingdom..."

"... and to be blunt, Count Dooku, I don't like you Swiss either. The only good Swiss is a dead Swiss."

Dooku's lips curved into a smile. "Ah... but what of those on your side?"

Yukie stared suspiciously at the Count. "What are you talking about?"

"Korea... Japan... Primorsk... even Ryukyu..." Dooku's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Swiss are there. They live among you."

Yukie flushed. "Th... That's different!" she objected angrily.

"Why? In what way could it possibly be different, General? Neo or New... What's the difference other than the name? Once a Swiss... always a Swiss..."

Scowling, Yukie turned away and stomped off.

"One big happy family..."

Dooku looked up and spotted the White Hawk. "You believe that?" Dooku asked Griffith.

Griffith smiled and nodded. "We'll manage. For some, it will just take bit longer to adapt and accept."

"You think so ?"

"I know so. General Aragaki strongly distrusted me and Praeger in the beginning back in 1905 and her hatred ran deep... but now, three years later, she considers us to be part of the empire. She accepts us for what we are."

"Swiss..."

"Neo Swiss," Griffith corrected. "One small word makes a huge difference. Because of one small word, people like us and hate you."

"Hopefully not for long..."

"Yes... Not for long..." Griffith agreed as he walked away.

One by one, the other three Japanese generals left. The last ones to leave were Empress Kaguya and the Mirage Knights.

"We shall succeed, your Majesty," Count Dooku assured her. "... and it shall be done within a year."

"I know you will, Count Dooku," the Empress replied. "... but the sooner the better."

"No need to worry about that, your Majesty. The population and most of the Armed Forces will support us... and those who do not..."

"... will be convinced by Count Griffith to join us." The Empress looked at Dooku. "For that is the power of the White Hawk."

"Precisely. It's not a matter of opposing us for those who do not support us. In most cases, it's a matter of doubt. A military leader with great Charisma like Count Griffith can easily take away that doubt... and that will leave only a very small group that actually opposes us."

Empress Kaguya looked up at the sky. It had stopped raining and the sun was breaking through the clouds. "At least Heaven is smiling upon this endeavour..."

"If you say so, your Majesty, then it is most certainly true."

"I assume that when this is over, I shall meet you and Senator Palpatine again. Until then, Count Dooku."

"Of course, your Majesty. Until then." Dooku bowed as the Empress and her guards left.

Once they were gone, Dooku went back into the building where the Swiss still were. Grievous held out a glass of wine to his friend and Dooku accepted it. Dooku raised his glass and the others did the same.

"Long live the Empire..."