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Ambassador Guiracocha has voted AYE, in favor of the resolution.
The somewhat surprising stand by Wagondia in favor of a muscular ILA is said to have been made on the direct insistence of Sami Vilca, the Minister of Labor. A committed socialist, Vilca is a prominent member of the so-called 'red cabinet', which has played a prominent role in shaping the policies of Fradique Barrachina's second term.
OOC: I figured the ILA would have adopted some basic standards years ago, otherwise the agency would have little point in existing. The ILA would at at least enforce the right to collective bargaining and prohibit the use of child labor or forced labor.
Indeed, labor inspectors would have immunity. Refusing their presence could build a case for enacting economic sanctions against a nation and criminal charges for obstructing a UCP investigation.
Ambassador Rutte has voted to abstain on the motion.
"the confederation deeply understands the international appeal for further International authority over the place of workers. In the confederation, the right to collective bargaining, the right to work, the right to strike, and the right to earn a living are protected by federal laws and institutions. In many
of our member countries, as well as in provincial and local cities or towns, there are further laws and regulations in place that are more stringent than the federal requirements or regulations.
However, similar to the spirits expressed above, we also understand that not everyone has the same standards. I do not believe I would be speaking out of turn. If I said, what works in one place may not work in another. I know that the right to collective bargaining was not a federally protected right in Novo until last year, whereas that right has existed in the confederation since its founding. But we are trying to say is there is no one solution to the aliments of the workers plight. Every situation is different.
The confederation will abstain from this resolution and will respect the international process of voting and debate. We ask that all parties understand that this is not an endorsement for or against the resolution. We see the merits in it and also see the potential flaws. Regardless, we stand ready to work with the UCP."
SIC: after discussions with the State Department, we concluded that the resolution is unlikely to pass. If it does pass, we stand ready to implement it, but also, now that it could be potentially engaged in many legal battles, mainly over the spirit of the law. Sounds like sanctions are more of a last resort than actual first punishment.
The Orson Empire
Sysop paused for a moment then continued. "As for my interest in providing you this information -- It's simple. While I know the truth, I cannot understand it at the level a living mortal can. There's a careful cultivation that will occur from this land that'll assert the collective will of the mortal world from a mere consequence of the other two spheres to instead be a true third sphere of existence. Only when that occurs will you and your followers truly cut the last threads of gods' influences from your minds and souls. I would like your involvement in shielding this cultivation from those who would like to keep this world chained within and without, to help protect crucial moments in time from.. Temporal disruption. Additionally.. The SSO will give up their raids after the next one you foil, I could tell you their exact methods of infiltration and assault but that'd really be unnecessary -- They're nothing really new and your protections already are sufficient."
Santa Lucija votes NAY on the resolution to set up the ILA. Representative Stanislav Galkin has called the resolution "yet another thinly-veiled attempt by our socialist puppetmasters to export international revolution in the name of 'internationalism'."
Cybus1 and Novo Wagondia
As debate continues on the current resolution, the Clerk of the General Assembly has notified the delegates of the passage of CPR 2024 I (Relocating Critical UCP infrastructure from Santa Lucija). All UCP functions in Moscow have been transferred to Warsaw according to pre-existing continuity of operations plans.
CSR 2024 IV (Appointing a Special Rapporteur to Investigate Genetic Modification in West Africa) has been defeated, with no clear path to a majority following the expiration of the voting period.
Separately, a survey by the Alhandra Institute of International Affairs, which examined all 67 UCP resolutions for which data is available, has calculated that a resolution has an 83% chance of passage once it has been introduced to the floor. The chance of passage was slightly higher for procedural resolutions (86%) than substantive resolutions (80%), a category which includes oft-controversial judicial investigations.
The Wagain ambassador in West Africa, Anna de León, has heavily lobbied the Ministerial Councils to curb the plans for indefinite mobilization, pointing out the steep reduction in the size of the Orsonian military to merely a fraction of its wartime strength. De León has argued that the policy of proactive armament wil
Wagain Defense Minister Makendy Hidalgo is reportedly in Key West speaking with senior Timmian legislators about the prospect of merging the Timmian and Wagain early warning systems to better track and interdict ballistic threats from hostile actors. Hidalgo is proposing that Wagondia will help to contribute to the operating budget of the Global Solid State Phased Array Radar System. Military and civilian officials from both countries will be involved in the operation and maintenance of the early warning network.
In addition, Hidalgo has proposed the construction of 8x additional early warning radar sites in Wagain territory, to extend the umbrella of protection over both countries. This includes:
Camp Blaz, Guam
Hanga Roa (Easter Island)
Punta Esperanza, South Georgia
Cotigao, Goa
Cape Lopez, Gabon
La Union, Philippines
Cotopaxi, Ecuador
Barreira do Inferno, Brazil
The Grand Master pondered these revelations for a moment before speaking.
"We have much to meditate over. The existence of Carcosa and your description of reality's true nature is...troubling. Yet, I sense this course of action is vital to discovering the great unconscious truth. The Silent Crusaders will provide whatever aid is necessary."
Post self-deleted by The Orson Empire.
"The first of these crucial moments comes with this upcoming sunrise. A man will appear in the desert not far to the southwest, all that's needed here is a careful vigil and a.. subtle temporal haze to keep attentions away from the moment and to obscure details of the event from those who do bring their attentions to the moment. Something easily done while you meditate, your wider meditations on all of these revelations would help to add noise to the haze when they mix with the psionic background. I will of course be assisting this effort to protect this continuity on my own as well. I wish you and your crusade well in your efforts, and if you reach out in meditation I shall answer and provide what aid I can. Until then, I should make sure to give you all time to think."
Year: 2024
A sudden spike in the "PVR" or Psionic Variability Rate would be detected in a small home in northwestern Gao, a measure used by the Office of Anomaly Investigation to detect anomalies via changes in the amount of variation in the Psionic background of an area. Immediately a Crisis team in Triple Threat Armor would be deployed given the severity of the sudden spike. Upon arrival, their Psionic Jammers would contain the Psionic energy threat but the team would find themselves engaged with what looked like some kind of anomalous 'animation' of ordinary household objects by some black stone-like substance. With rapid movement and intense fire they would avoid the melee charges of these aggressive animated objects and begin vaporizing them.
Their Jammers would begin to lose efficiency, however, as it would seem something further in the building is sapping Psionic energy from their Jammers and using that stolen energy to start overpowering the Jammers. This would be accompanied with the detection of a tear in spacetime, a portal of some kind had opened. A very unstable and dangerous portal. Much more powerful Jammers and spacetime stabilizers would activate to contain the threat and all Crisis teams would be mobilized on a priority mission: Destroy the anomalous object at the center of this anomalous activity.
Heavy interlocking lasplas fire would allow the teams to cut through the hostile animated objects while Particle manipulators combined with Psionic Jammers and spacetime manipulators would capture the vapors, isolate them from one another, and contain them. The teams would advance towards the center rapidly using overwhelming force while Confederate soldiers would be conducting an evacuation from the surrounding area to limit collateral damage to civilians in the area. At the center they'd find a hidden room accessed through a secret panel in the wall of a closet with some kind of bio-mass with the same sort of black stone and with an ominous red glow to parts spreading through the room acting as both a psychic energy generator and manipulator and as the epicenter of a spacetime tear. With sheer firepower the teams would vaporize the anomalous biological material and isolate and contain the vapors, this seeming to cause the Jammers to regain full efficiency and the tear to suddenly snap shut. The Teams would continue sweeping the home for any more signs of anomalous materials or energies to destroy or contain for the purposes of later proper destruction while particle manipulators would be used to try and preserve the structural integrity of the catastrophically damaged structure and preserve evidence for the investigators to figure out what caused this incident.
Within five minutes the "Gao Anomaly Incident" was dealt with and the investigation began, although with Aurora Morte still under medical observation while she recovers from the Psiono-Genetic Decryption of the Earth Orsonian Genome using her biomass the investigation is being handled by unproven agents. However, they would quickly identify that the home belonged to the mother of the Deceased Bello Kayode and uncover evidence of occult experimentation in the hidden room despite the catastrophic damage. It seemed that the woman unable to handle the mysterious disappearance of her husband and then later the death of her son by a chaos cultist had delved into the anomalous to try and reach her lost loved ones and probably experimented on the original Bello Kayode biomass that had been given to the family for funerary arrangements by Aurora after an operation to replace the initial biomass she started and was consumed by the anomalously reanimated biomass and used as a starting point for the anomalous incident with frenzied anomalously-reanimated viral tissues seeking to spread and infect and animate even non-biological mass surrounding it but was detected and neutralized as a threat timely by OAI Crisis teams.
... Centuries later, the International Anti-Corruption Technology Administration would identify the Gao Anomaly Incident as actually the first recorded Corruption Incident and that the OAI had unknowingly conducted the first Corruption Suppression Operation. The Corrupted Molecules were not able to be recovered and examined by IACTA due to the OAI using a Disposal method of ejecting the material through a spacetime breach of their own into the Inter-reality barrier space scattering them across an incalculable distance. However IACTA has concluded that the disposal method was sufficient to prevent the corruption from being concentrated enough to be harmful to anywhere but that in general disposal of corrupted materials should be done via rejection back to the Corrupted wastes to isolate the Corruption from the broader multiverse.
The colonel quickly erased the memory card, resetting the tablet and tucking it into his jacket. He extended a hand and shook, his grip firm.
“Danke schoen. I appreciate your willingness to cooperate. Good evening.”
With a tip of his hat, Von Seeckt began to leave the building, when his phone buzzed. He looked at it, and immediately grew alarmed. He had opted not to wear an earpiece for this, not wanting to attract attention, so his phone -via an encrypted channel- was the way his security team was staying in contact. A Ryan Motors Cossack was parked a block away in an alleyway, a tiny drone circling the observatory from a great height, conducting overwatch for the two members of the Blackwatch diplomatic security team assigned to the mission.
“Unidentified vehicle has pulled up to observatory. One subject closing.”
Another message followed immediately after.
“Multiple subjects closing. Deploy to extract or maintain position as you exfil?”
Then another.
“Subjects are armed. Deploy?”
The colonel rapidly typed out a message.
“Stand by: move in if things get hot.”
He rushed in the direction Fainberg had headed, hoping to catch up to her to warn her.
Unsurprisingly, Henry Whaite has voted nay. He has dryly remarked that “It is ironic that the Orsonian representative would put forth a proposal which would punish her own government. Given the recent strikes and disputes over labor in Orson by indigenous peoples, the Orsonian state would be one of the first subjects of an investigation by the ILA should this pass.”
How delightfully meta! Very fun Novo.
And the Wagains do have a noticeable presence in the fleets of merchant vessels streaming from Crykanin: there’s even a Kvartal Wagain -Wagain Quarter- in Vorontsovik, the capital of Mars, and Wagains are noted as having a talent for navigation.
Fascinating! And it’s interesting and somewhat ironic that Blacklight ended up being the -sort of- source of the first corruption incident.
Ryan Motors R-22 Lightning:
A symbol of wealth and raw horsepower, the Ryan Motors R-22 Lighting is an award-winning supercar.
A rear-wheel drive machine meant for speed, power, and luxury, the Lightning has a distinctively sharp and angular design, inspired by Rapture’s Art Deco skyscrapers, and highly distinctive taillights: four lights along the back of the R-22 in thin lines under the distinctive wing. All four light up red all along the rear when braking, two light up on the respective side when turning, and there is a light orange glow present unless turned off. Equipped with a high powered, custom tuned Ryan twin-turbocharged V8 engines optimized to run on Ryan Engineered Fuel 1 (REF1), the Lightning is aptly named for it is the fastest car in serial production on Earth, topping out at 300 miles per hour. The engine is in the rear of the vehicle, rather than the front, which holds crumple zones and a storage area.
The interior of the Lightning has a pair of comfortable sharkskin leather seats which can be heated or cooled, and an innovative control system: the steering wheel is inspired by fighter jet joysticks, with a thinner design than most, but still easy to grip. The Lightning has its own AI intended to assist with handling and control, while also handling such matters as the radio or navigation. The Lightning has all the standard entertainment features such as radio, bluetooth connectivity, cyberlink compatibility (for drivers or passengers with Ryan cyberware), as well as a host of safety features. The windows are shatter-resistant and the front of the vehicle is designed to absorb as much energy as possible in the event of a crash. To prevent theft, the vehicle uses biometric security, integrated into the door handles; only an authorized handprint and set of fingerprints can open the vehicle (although the owner can disable this for the passenger side to avoid having to manually open both doors each time). The doors swing up and back, the glass sliding up from the door as it does so; if desired, the doors can also be opened conventionally.
The Lightning has become a status symbol for the wealthy, the envy of carjocks and gearheads everywhere, and a pop culture icon, being featured in several new movies. Meredith Stout herself has starred in several commercials for the Lightning, including one showing off her curves by striding from a pool to her Lightning in a swim suit, and another one featuring a playful nod to her relationship with Francisco D’Anconia: Stout pulls up to a Sodomka Areo 50 Dynamik identical to the one used by the famous Objectivist magnate, lowers her sunglasses and winks before blasting past in her Lightning, the tagline reading “The R-22 Lightning is Objectively the car of the future. Ride the Lightning today.”
The Lightning has won numerous awards and has broken a record for fastest production car. It is of course, extremely expensive: a Lightning sells for a minimum of $750,000 Osperitas.
When Meredith Stout isn’t in her Excelsior limo escorted by Cossacks or her AV, she can frequently be found in her custom black and gold Lightning - shadowed by an AV of guards ready to swoop in at a moment’s notice, of course.
https://imgur.com/a/j3nIWsH
It was late at night, the witching hour. The TV screens droned on with the usual late night fare: talk shows, reruns, infomercials. There was a faint buzz of static, and then something else started to play during the commercial breaks.
The woman smiled warmly into the camera. She had long blonde hair, perfect white skin like porcelain, and faintly yellow eyes. She wore a long white dress, and was in a bright studio.
“Do you want to look your best? Do you want to feel the warmth and love of the sun on your skin, catching the eye of suitors and making other women jealous? Do you want to feel refreshed, invigorated, less tired? To look younger, as though you have been reborn? To reshape yourself, like sculpting yourself out of clay? Or maybe you just want the other girls to stop talking about you behind your back at work?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, you should consider Carcosa Cosmetics. Our patented formula of rejuvenating and invigorating serums and lotions will help bring about a brand new you. Tonight, I’m going to be promoting our rejuvenating serum, part of our signature Hali collection.”
She held up a small yellow bottle, a large C holding a stylized sea with a rising (or setting?) sun. It read Carcosa Rejuvenating Serum.
“Our Rejuvenating Serum will revive and rejuvenate your dead skin, restoring your looks, making you young again. And everyone wants to be young and beautiful, don’t they? We harness the miracles of nature, using special ingredients from across the Cybusian Empire and beyond which tap into the genius of natures finest resources. Carcosa cosmetics work deep within the dermal layer, promoting cell repair, fresh cells, biomass regeneration, and cell production. Our products will rejuvenate and repair your whole self: mind, body, and soul.”
She opened the bottle, and squeezed out some of the yellow-white serum and rubbed it on her hands, then on her arms and face in slow, seductive fashion.
Speaking extremely rapidly, she began rattling off side effects.
“Potential side effects include redness, irritation, necrosis, deindividuation, hallucinations, loss of self, internal emptiness, sociopathy, depression, loss of subjective baselines of what reality should be, suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts and actions, cancerous growths, and rash. If rash persists for more than two days, consult a dermatologist.”
The words all came out in a fast blurb, speaking almost too quickly for more than a word or two to be distinguished. She smiled as she finished applying the lotion. She spoke normally again.
“Applied each morning, I can promise you’ll see results after just one week. I use Carcosa every morning, and look at how radiant my skin is! All this for just 999.99 for a years supply! Call the number on your screen, now! Supplies are limited!”
The number varied from location to location. Anyone who tried to order it would find the 999.99 deducted from their bank account, seemingly just gone, with no transfer, and a large box of Carcosa Cosmetics would appear on their doorstep three days later. Chemical analysis revealed a seemingly ordinary makeup product, although each tube would emit a signature faintly -very faint emissions individually, but easy to find because there were so many tubes in the box together- detectable by agencies investigating the supernatural.
Cassilda Corvikian is trying unorthodox tactics to spread the word of the Yellow King. Because the Yellow Sign and the play both almost always drive people to suicide and/or homicidal frenzies -with a few rare exceptions like Hildred Castaigne, who “just” became a sociopath- she’s decided to use mass marketing instead. As you might expect, actually using this is not a particularly good idea, since prolonged exposure will essentially make you into a sociopathic servant of Hastur.
Johannes, unsurprisingly, thinks this is completely ridiculous and inelegant, and hates the idea.
The Exiles
The Exiles are the ancestors of all existing Earth Orsonians, having arrived on Earth roughly 22,000 years ago.
Origins
The Exiles came from Viltrum, a world located many billions of light-years away from the Milky Way Galaxy, near the edge of Reality itself. Viltrum was founded by Orsonian colonists in 23,000 BC, near the closing stages of the Cybusian Great Reconquest. Few independent Orsonian nations existed at this point; the Freeman Republic, which once served as the governing body for rebellious Orsonian slaves during the Rebellion, had disintegrated millennia ago. Viltrum was intended as a last refuge for Orsonian civilization in the face of total Cybusian subjugation. As a consequence, Viltrumite society was completely isolated from the universe, and trade or travel with foreign nations was prohibited on pain of death.
In 22,200 BC, Viltrum suffered a devastating civil war against various colonial settlements it had founded during previous centuries. These settlements desired autonomy from the central government and demanded free trade with foreign nations. The subsequent war would last half a century, ultimately concluded under the ruthless leadership of a Viltrumite general named Andrevich Kreeg. Kreeg led a military coup against Viltrum's ruling council and declared himself sole Didact, seizing absolute authority and marshalling the nation's resources for total victory. The war was finally ended when all rebellious settlements were annihilated via experimental singularity bombs, which weaponized microscopic black holes.
Kreeg established a totalitarian state, intending to wipe out all remaining dissent and hunt for suspected "crypto-Cybusians" hiding in the ranks. All Viltrumites were forced to have neural interfaces installed in their brains, allowing police to monitor their minds for suspected thought-crimes.
Creation and Journey
Yet, even this was not enough. Kreeg began to have regular visions and hallucinations of foreign armies marching across Viltrum's surface, convincing him that a Cybusian conquest was inevitable. To preserve the Orsonian species' independence, Kreeg believed they needed to abandon all advanced technology, as this would only serve to attract Cybusian attention.
As such, 5,000 of the most loyal Viltrumite citizens were selected for a new colonial mission. All knowledge of how to create or maintain advanced technology was erased from their minds, while only basic survival skills remained. Their destination was Earth, chosen due to it being Charles Orson's homeworld and its total abandonment following the Rebellion. The colonists were instructed to lay low and live a primitive lifestyle, until civilization naturally emerged on Earth and Orsonians became powerful enough to challenge Cybusian hegemony.
The Exiles were sent on a colony ship into Jaunt space, which crash-landed off the coast of western Australia. Shortly after their departure, Kreeg ordered the detonation of singularity bombs across Viltrum's surface, resulting in the planet's destruction and the death of all remaining Viltrumites. Kreeg remained on the surface and perished alongside his people, satisfied that Orsonian civilization would live on for countless more millennia.
Year: 2024
Deep in the corrupted wastes, a woman would walk humming to herself as though the intense concept corruption, Corrupted objects, and ruins of an entire overrun universe around her were all not of any sort of concern to her. COs around her stopped and watched passively, some even seemed to seek cover as though afraid of her. The Woman finally approached her destination, a ruin like the others. She entered the ruined building, inside was a laboratory which she read through the few remaining surviving documents.. Disintegrating them as she finished with each one. Her eyes emitting a sudden red glow each time.. Revealing just why the COs were behaving so strangely. She's already corrupted, and much stronger. As she finished recovering the lost data in the ruined laboratory she flicked her wrist and the building around her vanished having wielded the concept of the potential for existence to entirely erase it from existence leaving just an empty plot among the surrounding ruins. She smirked, it was just extra confirmation on what she already had come to the conclusion of with her own experiments. Now it was time to get back to hunting the Corrupted Objects and consuming them to strengthen herself.
Voting on CPR 2024 II (Reforming the International Labor Administration) is currently deadlocked 2-2, with one nation abstaining. While a quorum has been achieved, a simple majority of votes is necessary for passage.
The delegates of 
Oceara, 
The Unified Nations of Felucia, 
Corsahnim, and 
Socialist Republic of Andrew have been invited to register their vote, should they wish to participate.
Deputy Representative Star has voted Aye.
As Von Seeckt turned about and rushed in the direction his security detail was feeding him, Fainberg stepped outside into the cool breeze of a Moscow spring, lighting up a Veregin cigarette as she made her way to a nondescript personal vehicle parked nearby. Fainberg had acquired a taste for Veregins (the Grand Duke made sure a pack was never out of arm's reach in the Winter Palace), finding its high-grade ishkatar to have a delightfully smooth texture superior even to the best tobacco imported from Wagondia.
Walking towards her vehicle, Fainberg heard the faint rustling of branches, and instinctively shot a glance to the right, where she immediately locked onto the stern visage of a rebel partizan, emerging not 30 meters away from a line of trees, Makarov already leveled at her head. Fainberg felt a dagger of nervous impulse shoot down her spine, right to the sleek, hammerless pistol she had strapped to the inside of her ankle. As she moved her hand toward her leg, a voice called out.
"Don't even think about it. By the time you get a shot off I'll have put two between your eyes. And you wouldn't want that, now would you, Councillor."
The last word, heavy with disdain, was almost hissed. Fainberg wondered for a moment if these Reds intended to kill her, but quickly dispelled the idea. She was far more valuable as a hostage, and besides she would already be dead if that was the fate the great Baryshnikov had decided for her. She resolved to play along, and wait for an opening when she could safely make her escape.
"Okay, my hands are raised, let's just all calm down here."
Another sound could be heard almost exactly opposite the first man's voice; likely an accomplice. Halfway between the observatory door and her vehicle, Fainberg was still too exposed to run, but she began slowly backing up, inching ever closer to the street where her car was parked.
As a stop gap until the completion of the Inspiration Class' testing and refinement stages and then rollout, The Confederate Military has begun a massive refit of their Dragonfly Sea-refueling helicopters replacing the tail rotor and main rotor with Rydberg Based rocket engines, sealed up the craft to be air-tight, added some bulk in the back to make room for life support and a shield generator, and installed a Plasma Accelerator Cannon as primary weapons system with the capability for multiple modified Dragonflies to link up together to combine their fusion reactor power production, shields, propulsion, and even linking together their PACs to allow for them to fire much more powerful shots much more quickly than as individual craft making a sort of rushed out space warship when combined. Similar spacetime manipulation to what enables effective FTL for the Inspiration Class and for the over-clocking maneuvers of the Star Knight is also integrated.
This new refit is being referred to as the "Void Class Dragonfly" given it's space capability. It's planned to only really be used on a temporary basis and phased out entirely once Full scale production of the Inspiration class is complete. It's likely that once phased out, the surplus Void Dragonflies will be sold or even simply transferred freely to Confederate allies. IDEAL member states have access to the Void class Dragonfly already if they too desire a stop gap Space-capable combat-transport until the Inspiration Class is completed and rolled out.
Novo Wagondia
The Ministerial Councils have dismissed the Ambassador's arguments, stating that a large military is required to ensure the national defense and that the Honest Force doctrine would preclude any placing of trust in foreign nations words into the national defense's considerations. Making it clear in no uncertain terms that Segou doesn't trust the Orsonians to keep their word on the non-aggression pact and is fully expecting to be attacked.
The representative from Luhsank and Dontesk has introduced an amendment to: CPR 2024 II (Reforming the International Labor Administration).
Establishes a system of appeals and schedule system for declared violations.
There shall be four levels of appeals. We must acknowledge that mistakes can happen and should grant the right of due process.
1st level: Appealed to the ILA Committee made up of three ILA "judges."
2nd level: Appealed to the ILA Committee made up of five ILA "judges."
3rd level: Appeals to UCP Court in Panama.
Removes sanctions as the first line of punishment, grants investigators wide authority to allow for the nation to into compliance without facing punishment "giving time for grace."
Requires investigators to adhere to local and national laws of the investigated entity, thus preventing them from enforcing standards that are not in law with the political situation.
Removes sanctions as a form of punishment for companies. It is a violation of sovereignty to single out one company directly for violating labor standards when there is no international standard.
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