- Pronouns
- He/Him, They/Them
The following RP takes place some time after the removal of Mboto Jones from office. The new High Chief is Tsubo Tsango. All the products I link to from the NS forum I have permission to use from the creator. Their work is their own and I assert no right to it.
Yândo Referendum Too Close To Call, Exit Polls Say
I remember the news item. Following the chaos of the Civil War and the removal Mboto Jones, Naizerre took a bold new path, looking to META allies to help it recovery whilst also re-establishing historic links with tribal brothers on our borders. The Mazlï to the east and the various Kâwa tribes to Naizerre's south were uninterested in closer ties than they currently had, but in the west, a great debate had arisen in the Marä of Yândo. The Yândo people were closely related to the Naizerrî, and shared the Sango language and had a close history.
Two camps arose, centred in their twin capitals, Do Tiri, which supported unification into Naizerre, and Tö Tiri, which opposed it. An outbreak of violence, especially in the city of Taka close to the border, occured, leading to clashes which left dozens dead. With mounting pressure to find a peaceful solution, a reunification referendum was announced and both sides campaigned heavily. The vote was fraught with accusations of fraud, intimidation and violence on both sides, but eventually went ahead.
Yändo Narrowly Votes for Unification with Naizerre; Country Bitterly Divided 48-52
That should've been the end of it. Unification had won and Yändo would join the Marä of Naizerre. But the opposition disputed the results of the vote, challenging them in court. The Chiefs, as their judges were known, ordered a partial recount, with a closer result. Still a victory for reunification, but almost 50-50 - 50.46 in favour. The Tö Tiri faction used this as justification for blocking the unification bill in the legislature and violence flared up again. The opposition largely boycotted a hastily organised second referendum, which returned a massive win of more than 80% for unification. At this point, the Naizerre embassy was stormed by partisans, and several staff beaten and killed. Tsubo Tsango, new High Chief of Naizerre, resolved to act.
I was a member of the hastily recalled Section 66, the elite military unit that during the Civil War operated outside of the normal branches of the armed forces. We were tasked with securing Tö Tiri for Naizerre, and to enforce the will of their people. We were assembled in the port city of Walombë, whilst Yändo devolved into further violence.
Walombë had been spared the fighting in the Civil War. A relatively minor port, it had hosted a pro-Jones garrison until they left peacefully at the request of the city council as the tide turned and more and more towns and cities joined the advance westwards from Togbatä. When the dust had settled and with Tsubo Tsango firmly in charge at the new capital, the Naizerri military was re-organised with a greater emphasis on mobile warfare - namely the denial of such to enemies and using it to Naizerre's advantage.
Section 66 is one of 70 Special Military Units, boasting a combined land-air-sea capability that makes each SMU a military unto itself. Section 66 was originally a government unit until they followed Tsubo Tsango after the death of Francois Jarolim, then leader of the Togbatä alliance. Nowadays Section 66 is considered the elite of the Naizerri military, on par with any of the regions strongest forces. It was supported in Walombë by Sections 34, 35 and 53, all full of newer recruits who hadn't seen anything much more than anti-piracy actions. The 66 would be enough to gain a quick victory over the anti-Unification forces, military experts assured Tsubo Tsango, and he had no reason to doubt them.
Announcing a new anti-piracy operation in the area, Section 66 deployed to sea, awaiting the order to reveal their true purpose. On a moonless night a week into the operation, the order came and the combined fleet turned towards Tö Tiri...
Events were not conspiring to help the anti-unification faction in Yândo, it seemed. The military was split at about the same rate as the population, with mass defections from one side to the other and vice versa occuring. Units split themselves in two, travelling to the other side, not sure if when they saw their comrades it would be as friends or enemies. Radar coverage was sparse, following a campaign of sabotage and vandalism of equipment by departing pro-Unification forces from Tö Tiri. Later events would suggest that Naizerri agents were already in Yândo directing these efforts, but either way, the ability of the anti-Unification forces to detect and respond in an adequate fashion was greatly recduced.
Section 66's attack started when a squadron of M.Cs 82 Illusion jet aircraft began strafing enemy positions - a series of checkpoints and dock based defences were the objective - followed by helicopter insertion under enemy fire. Support was provided by the Section's naval brigade, a cadre of destroyers and corvettes mainly. Section 66's commanding officer had been told that support from Do Tiri forces was likely, but until they made contact, it would be up to them to advance upon and secure the dock as a beachhead for the remaining forces.
Meanwhile, to the east, the land elements of Sections 34 and 35 began an advance to the city of Yaka, intending to deny its limited oil fields to the anti-Unification forces. The armoured column from Section 34 rushed headlong towards the city, whilst 35's forces made more sedate progress. Section 34's commanding officer was a young cousin of Tsubo Tsango, keen to prove himself and had argued about the approach the two Sections would take with his opposite number. Eventually they each decided to work on their own, rather than together.
For the third time in a decade, Naizerre was going to war, but this time, they were on the attack.