Beyond the Pit [Pitboss Diplomacy Game] [Story Thread] . PART 11 (June 2009)

[Pitboss Japan]

Chairman Vasili Mikhailovich Blokhin,


The open border treaty for the next 50 years between our people was included in the treaty of Durango but hereby I make a new statement that it's our intention to keep the open border treaty for 50 years and further.
Your ships will be allowed to sail thru Alcetas and rest there if they wish.
However I hope you understand that we will need to be informed before major military forces are about to move through our territory.

Tomonaga Shinichiro, Prime minister of Japan

[Pitboss Rome]

My friends Vasili Mikhailovich Blokhin of Russia and Tomonaga Shinichiro of Japan,

It gives me great pleasure, as my health continues to fail and my own time is drawing near, to see the thawing of the relationship between your nations. Long may it continue. Let us put the events of the great war, and the Russia-Japanese tensions in the preceding century behind us.

Marcus of Rome

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Chairman Vasili Mikhailovich Blokhin, Council of Transition and Stability
To: All Nations of the World
CC: Tomonaga Shinichiro, Prime minister of Japan

This is my final statement as I shall be retiring at the end of this Round and all further business will be conducted by Prime Minister Daniil Aleksandrovich until full and free elections have been concluded. I had hoped that I might maintain my energies to stay in office for long enough to see all my final ambitions to fruition but I am just a, now elderly, soldier and it is incorrect that I should stand as a beacon of all that Japan and Greece hate. I have had enough of politics and the time has come for a new mind to direct Russia.

The one thing I can leave with now is to order the return of Alcetas to Japan. This will happen upon this Round following Prime minister Tomonaga Shinichiro's commitment to Open Borders and Free Transit of Russian Vessels. The caveat regarding 'major troop movements' is basically irrelevant as the Russian Western Navy is minute and only defensive forces are deployed in Piercia.

Farewell All Nations!

Chairman Vasili Mikhailovich Blokhin
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Federation

[Pitboss Rome]

A New Mayan Army

At the port of New Durango, the fleet of Roman transport ships docked.

They were expected. As part of Rome's support for the new nation of Mayana, and as thanks
for their loyalty throughout the great war against the tyrant and butcher Alexander, the Custos
had promised some modern weaponry for the fledgling state.

The squadrons of bombers had already arrived.



Now the Mayan commanders were expecting some tanks left over from the great war, to find a
new service in defending free Mayana.

They started to be unloaded:




And then a moment of confusion and then an outburst of joy when the military waiting on
the dock-side realised that the Custos had instead sent the most powerful modern armour
known to Rome, and mechanised infantry.



Similing broadly the commander of the transport fleet told his Mayan colleague.
"Rome honours its friends. Only one or two other nations in the whole world can match the
firepower and strength of this equipment. We wish the nation of Mayana peace and security".

[Pitboss Rome]

A National Outpouring of Grief

The death of Marcus Aurelius, emperor then custos of the Roman Empire, was anticipated and yet brought a great shock to the Roman people.



The political settlement he has arranged by which the Roman people had full representational governmnet, indeed in recent times extended to woman too, with that Senate controlling all domestic policy, but with the Custos (guardian) retaining a role of national leadership, and control over diplomatic and military policy, had served the Roman people well. Rome had not suffered from the huge swings in policy which other nations, such as the Spartans, had done. Here stability was twinned with the free aspirations of the Roman spirit. Some academics and newspaper columnists argued that the position of Custos meant that the Roman people were not in charge of their own desinty - how could universasl sufferage be twinned with such an office which Marcus Aurelius held simply because he was the heir of his father Augustus? But even before the great war there was little support for revolutionary chanage among people - stability and loyality being at the heart of the Roman psyche. Now, all people - Romans, Koreans, Mayan and Piercians knew that one man - Marcus Aurelius - had stood between them and the tyrannous destruction which Alexander and Sato would have brought upon Rome. The custos was never more popular than in his last days.

The end was mercifully quick in the end. Failing health but then a massive heart attack. He died contented, not only had the evil of Alexander and Sato's invasion been resisted, but the new armourment he had dispatched to Rome's friends the Maya had arrived, a new treaty has been signed with the Russians, the Wynadot had honoured the long friendship and had been rewarded, the friendship with the Portuguese had stood the test of time once again, the nation of Spain had been preserved, and in recent days even the long-icy relationship between Russia and Japan was beginning to thaw.

The funeral was a huge affair, people travelling from across the Empire to pay tribue to the great Custos.



There was much grief, many particlarly from the military, and from the western lands - from Pierica, west Maya and Korea - feeling that they owed so much to this one man. But there was also much celebration, of the great glory that was Rome's under Marcus Aurelius.



But what would next. The senate had announced that after a month of mourning for Marcus Aurelius they would announce how Rome was now to be governed. For in this modern age, could the postion of Custos continue? And in any case, Marcus himself only had a single daughter.

[Pitboss Portugal]

Portugal in mourning.

The thousands of flowers laid by the people of Portugal in front of the Roman Embassy in the capital.

[Pitboss Greece]

Citizen of Sparta celebrate the death of Marcus Aurelius



Roman Embassy under siege in Sparta, Archelaus tripled the defence of the already heavily guarded embassy



The Knossos Great Square is filled with people who demand Archelaus II to be replaced by Alexandra the daughter of Alexander II and to break free from Rome now Marcus Aurelius has died

[OzzyKP]

Greek Bears fans with machine guns.

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Interim Prime Minister Daniil Aleksandrovich, Council of Transition and Stability
To: Senate and People of Rome

All Russia shares your grief My Friends! Custos Marcus was a magnificent leader and a staunch and true friend to Russia. Diplomat, Scholar and Military Strategist unequalled he sought Peace with all but could defeat even the mightiest of foes if need be.

Before he left the Official Residence for the last time Vasili Mikhailovich Blokhin caused a wreath to be placed upon the door.



Groups of common citizens gathered to bring tributes to the Roman Embassy in Vladivostok.



A Requiem was performed by the State Choir in his honour.



Never again shall the World see his like!

Prime Minister Daniil Aleksandrovich
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Federation

[Pitboss Celts]

The Celtic people send our condolences to Rome

[Pitboss Maya]

[Pitboss Maya]

[Pitboss Spain]

Mayans for Sale, Mayans for Sale...

[Pitboss Russia]

From: Foreign Minister Evgeni Plushenko, Council of Transition and Stability
To: All Civilised Nations of the World
Subject: Russian Exclusion from UN Voting

Russia is outraged that once again she has been, for the second time in a row, excluded from participation in the World's Democratic Forum. This is an utter disgrace and a betrayal of all that the United Nations was supposed to uphold. Is the UN to be the preserve of mighty Nations alone? Will only those possessed of mighty Armies get a seat at this Forum?

Prime Minister Aleksandrovich took time from his briefing in Rostov with newly appointed Minister, without portfolio, and running mate for the upcoming election Alena Kazan, to call upon me to issue this protest.

Ms Kazan and the Prime Minister have been dicussing important matters of State.



This interuption has seriously delayed the briefing and caused him to have to call upon his new Deputy Prime Minister, Anna Nazarova, to join him despite presssing issues at home.



Ms Nazarova is new to politics and has had to face a heavy workload as the Prime Minister can be a hard man to satisfy. A perfectionist in all things he expects nothing short of perfection from all his Ministers. Ms Nazarova faces a hard enough job already without having to face yet another example of Anti-Russian discrimination so soon after her welll deserved promotion.

Foreign Minister Evgeni Plushenko
For, and on behalf of, The Russian Federation

[Pitboss Maya]