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The clacking heels of his shiny black boots echo throughout the long hallway. The man passes the guards, and walks through the doorway to Wilhelm's study.

As the man enters the study, he is met by the potent scent of tobacco smoke. He walks over to the desk where Wilhelm reads a book,

“I have an urgent message for you, your majesty.”

Wilhelm closes the book and looks up at the man,

“Go ahead.”

The man, with a tone of unease in his voice, continues,

“The High Command wishes to notify you of a developing situation in Verusa. It regards our surveillance operation following the Northern Incident.

The bomber contingent we sent as a deterrent has been intercepted by an unidentified aircraft. No radar-bearing aircraft were within range of the bombers when I received this message. However, a fighter squadron off ENS Victory had successfully been launched and moved at full speed for intercept of the unidentified aircraft.

So far, the situation is deemed to be of minimal risk. However, it may escalate.”

Wilhelm leans his elbow against the desk, deeply contemplating the situation. Finally, he speaks, almost second-guessing every word as he carefully chooses what he says,

“Request that they return the remains of the downed jet, and allow us to aid them in locating the remains of Lieutenant Werner.

I want the 3rd Battle Fleet ready to sail for the waters outside Canineia. Have the entire 1st Battle Fleet go into emergency wartime readiness, but don't make a public statement about it. Make sure that if something happens, we have every asset of the 1st and 3rd fleets ready to hit Canineia. I also want the entire strategic air command ready to launch bombers and escort fighters, as well as all national defenses on 1-hour activation readiness. I'm not gonna take chances here, update me every 10 minutes, or when urgent.”

“Yes, sir,” the man walks out of Wilhelm's study, closing the doors behind him.

ENS Fortress, 1st Battle Fleet, Northern Tsyemny Sea, Verusa

Rear Admiral Ivan Donovan stands on the bridge of his dreadnought. He watches as helicopters take off from the ENS Victory, a mere mile away from his own ship.

His ship is not just any ship, the Emnarian dreadnought, ENS Fortress, is the flagship of its class. Its keel was laid in 1967, and it was commissioned in 1971. Built during the age of atomics, the Navy was obsessed with the unlimited range of nuclear powered ships. It was also the first ship to be mounted with CIWS systems in the Emnarian Navy (in 1989)

As the ship aged, it was retrofitted with even better equipment. SAM missiles were mounted in quad launchers across the superstructure, and the 17 inch guns of the ship were given improved electro-mechanical computer rangefinders, paired with radar. However, the most important change was the addition of 2 helicopters, of the UHM-58 model, and new artillery shells. These new shells are rocket-boosted, giving them a much increased range compared to traditional cordite-only shells. After the 1989 retrofit, the ship became the standard for fleet bombardment platforms in the Emnarian Navy.

The ship completed 13 combat patrols between 1971 and 2004. It has 48 confirmed vehicle kills, 2 ships sunk, and destroyed 11 artillery batteries. With its combat record, and potent armament, it’s become the pride of the Imperial Navy.

Yet, what may be even deadlier, is its commander. Donovan was born in 1979 in Kashimyra. His family was forced to log timber in the far north of Kashimyra. However, they weren't paid any money, instead, the Communist government paid them in food. But, after the mass agricultural fires of 1983, they only had enough food for a small meal once a day.

The Donovan family lost 4 of their 5 children. Ivan was the only survivor. When he turned 16 he enlisted in the Kashimyran Republican Navy to try and get some actual money. However, the food was still subpar. Being fed 2 potatoes and 3 ounces of sausage a day, he was almost starving.

However, by the age of 19, he had become captain of an aging light cruiser. On his first combat patrol, he encountered the Emnarian missile cruiser ENS Interceptor. At 3:18 A.M., the Interceptor, using its radar, located Donovan’s light cruiser, KRNS Kryenna. The Kryenna, under orders from Donovan, made a suicide run perpendicular to the ENS Interceptor. The 140mm bow and stern guns of the Interceptor opened fire. After 18 rounds, 2 hit the starboard side of the wheelhouse, killing 3 officers and 2 sailors on the Kryenna. Ivan Donovan waited until he was within 1 mile of the ENS Interceptor. Turning his cruiser hard to portside, he ordered that the deck torpedo launcher on the starboard side launch all 4 of its torpedoes. However, as the ship turned away, a 140mm shell from ENS Interceptor ripped through the engine room. The number 1 main and number 4 auxiliary engines were destroyed. The KRNS Kryenna limped away from it's target, still being bombarded by 140mm shell fire. Suddenly, 2 explosions rocked the Interceptor. Although 4 had been launched, 2 of the torpedoes were duds. The Interceptor began to list to port side, eventually listing as far as 28 degrees.

In 40 minutes, the ENS Interceptor sank, taking 48 sailors with it, and 1 officer. The survivors, except for 3, were taken on by the KRNS Kryenna. Donovan was awarded the People's Courage Medal by the Kashimyran Navy, only 3 of its kind. The KRNS Kryenna, under command of a different captain, was sunk in a large-scale engagement later that year.

In November of 2003, Donovan, spurred on by poor rationing and other effects from Emnarian bombing and blockading, defected to Emnaria. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

After the successful invasion of Kashimyra in 2004, Donovan was reclassified as a civilian prisoner of Emnaria, giving him citizenship. In June of 2014, he was officially released from prison, and allowed to enter a normal civilian life. However, he opted to go his own route, and joined the Imperial Emnarian Navy.

After a 3 month long review of his previous military career, he was given the position of Lieutenant Captain aboard an Emnarian destroyer, ENS Defender. Over the course of the next 7 years, his tactical prowess would prove itself in both training exercises, and maritime incidents. He eventually got promoted up to a Rear Admiral in September of 2021.

He had demonstrated in every way possible in a peacetime scenario, that he was one of the best commanders in the Navy. Paired with his demonstration of bravery and courage on his first of two combat patrols, the Navy came to favor the once troublesome enemy. He was put in command of the ENS Fortress in February of 2022.

Donovan has become one of the most skilled commanders in the Imperial Navy, and is the only commander to have a medal from a now defunct country.

His assignment to the 1st Battle Fleet has only served to strengthen its presence in the Tsyemny Sea. However, as he will soon be informed, he may add a third combat patrol to his record…

ENS Fortress’s Stern Deck, 1st Battle Fleet, Northern Tsyemny Sea, Verusa

The high pitched whining of jet-turbines muffles all conversation. The only way the sailors can communicate is through hand signals, or if they are lucky enough to have a radio.

As the pair of UHM-58 helicopters spool up their rotors, Rear Admiral Donovan makes his way towards the helicopter parked on the starboard side.

He climbs into the open side door of the helicopter, shaking hands with the pilot and co-pilot. Putting on a headset, he talks over the helicopter's internal radio. In his thick Kashimyran accent (slavic) he says to the pilots,

“It is good to see you again my friends!”

The co-pilot leans over in his seat to look back at Donovan,

“You as well. We're takin’ you to the Victory today, right?”

Donovan grins,

“Yes, yes. I have a meeting with the Admiral today.”

The co-pilot turns to look forward again, talking to the pilot as he works to prepare the helicopter for flight.

After 5 minutes of waiting, the helicopter finally lifts off, the second UHM-58 on the battleship following close behind.

As the helicopters touch down on the flight deck of the ENS Victory, the crew on the flight deck rush to secure the Rear Admiral.

War Room, ENS Victory, 1st Battle Fleet, Northern Tsyemny Sea, Verusa

Donovan walks into the dark octagonal shaped room. Admiral West and Emperor Wilhelm stand around a circular table, a map of the fleet and the entire Verusan theater surrounding it.

Wilhelm greets Donovan,

“Good. You've joined us.”

Donovan leans against the map table,

“So what the situation?”

Admiral West, not wasting a second, responds,

“The Canineians aren't backing down-”

Wilhelm interrupts the Admiral,

“I’ve ordered the military to be on standby for EWR. The Canineians haven't seemed to deploy any naval forces, but our bombers are reporting a light aircraft tailing them. Since you're a naval commander, I don't expect you to know, but they don't have radars onboard, they are far too old. So, we have a fighter squadron moving to intercept the aircraft. I believe they should engage in the next minute. We have a radio so you can hear their transmissions.”

The group listens intently, waiting for a radio transmission from the squadron…

12th Carrier Fighter Squadron, Northern Tsyemny Sea, Verusa

The squadron of 8 fighter jets fly in a tight arrowhead formation, high in the sky above the water.

As they fly on, squadron leader Captain Nathan Stevens and his RIO William McKearny keep a sharp eye on the horizon. Suddenly, RIO McKearny’s radar track alert begins to sound off. He looks down at his radar screen to see 5 white circles against a green background.

He radios to the rest of his squadron,

“Reaper Actual to Reaper Squadron. I have radar lock on our bombers. Announce when you have visual on unidentified aircraft. Set radar frequency scan range 7500-1450 MHz, azimuth scan range 24-68 degrees. We got 5 big bombers out there, watch your jet wash. Over.”

Simultaneously, the fighter jets of the squadron shut off their afterburners and spread their wings. Taking their own paths to surround the bomber squadron is a defensive circle of sorts. As they gather around the bombers, they slow down to match their speed.

Captain Stevens radios to the bomber squadron,

“This is Reaper Squadron Actual to Grim Reaper Squadron. The cavalry is here. Over.”

...

The government of the Emnarian Empire demands the following from the government of Canineia:

• The return of all debris and persons recovered from the recent wreck from ENS Victory.

• The full cooperation with the Emnarian Navy in search and rescue to locate the co-pilot.

• All logbooks, manuals, and other informational booklets/papers found inside of the aircraft, to be returned to the Imperial Navy.

• All debris, equipment, machinery, and other parts of the downed aircraft to be returned to the Imperial Navy, including the aircraft itself.

• Any and all aircraft to maintain a distance of 15 miles from Emnarian patrolling aircraft.

Emnaria is willing to do the following if terms are agreed to:

• not fly, sail, or drive any vehicles inside Canineian territorial waters.

• invest a 30 million dollar sum into the Canineian economy (as a sign of cordiality).

• Remove any and all spycraft from Canineian airspace.

• Remove the EWR status from the military