Terra Nullis or how I learned to stop invading and love the Theodolite

[Gallambria]

Wednesday, 14th February 2018
Santhope House

The KIng's Equerry - "Your Majesty, The Prime Minister and the Minister for Defence."

The two Ministers enter the King's private study. Both Ministers and the Equerry bow to the King.

Albert II - "Prime Minister."

Sir Anthony - "Your Majesty."

Albert II - "Sir Henry."

Sir Henry - "Your Majesty"

They both bow and shake the King's hand.

Albert II - "How can I help you Gentlemen?"

Sir Anthony - "Well Your Majesty, as you are well aware, the Navy is undertaking a survey operation in the northwest to map out the waterways through the island groups. The commander of the task group, Captain Peter Blackwell, was in contact with the First Sea Lord and the Chief of the Defence Staff stating that the islands were to the best of his knowledge uninhabited. He sort permission from the Board, to extend the operation to a joint service operation to undertake a land survey of the island groups. Which the Board, after consultation with Sir Henry and the Attorney-General, gave their blessing.

Sir Henry - "Sir, If I may. (Rolls out a maritime chart of the area, and points to the four islands). The original operation was to chart the water ways surrounding these four island groups. Part of the job they have is to also to gather information about indigenous maritime traffic, which when Captain Blackwell submitted his report, was non-existent, which lead him to believe that these islands were uninhabited.

Albert II - "So Gentlemen, you're both telling me, that we've had these islands within our sphere of influence for the last one hundred and fifty years, and we haven't done anything about it?

Sir Henry - "Not necessarily Sir. (He pulls a ring-bound report from his brief case). According to the survey reports along with imagery taken by our Air Forces UAV's, it says that up until at least ten to fifteen years ago, they were to some extent inhabited."

Albert II - "Well what happened to them?"

Sir Anthony - "Well Sir, we believe they may have migrated further west to either the Alharun or Aurelian continents."

Albert II - "Ok, So this obviously doesn't require anything done on my part, so what's the matter then Gentlemen?"

Sir Anthony - "Sir, Both sides of the house, the Defence Board, and members of industry have approached the cabinet pushing for us to make claim to the islands. Having said that, the Cabinet is of the opinion as well. According to the Land Survey reports, there are large mineral deposits on the islands, as well as from a defence point of view, they are positioned in a strategically important area, which would allow us to project our forces. So, we've come today Sir, for you to sign an instrument declaring that these island groups are Terra Nullis and they have been claimed by the Gallambrian Monarchy, as external territories."

Albert II - "Right then, well thank you Gentlemen, this will need to be discussed with the Privy Council, and Sir Jock will be in touch with you. Thank you."

Sirs Anthony & Henry - "Your Majesty."

They both bow and exit the study.

Sir Anthony whispering to Sir Henry - "That went better than expected."

Edited February 15, 2018 by Gallambria (see edit history)

[Gallambria]

Thursday, 15th February 2018
Santhope House

*** Telephone rings ... ***

Sir Jock - "Hello, Sir Jock speaking."

Albert II - "Jock, it's Albie.

Sir Jock - "Your Majesty."

Albert II  - "Could you come to my office, and can you ask Sir William to come with you as well?"

Sir Jock - "Right away Sir."

*** The line goes dead. ***

A few moments later...

Sir Jock knocks on the King's door.

Albert II - "COME!"

Sir Jock & Sir William Cockering-Brown (Honorary Attorney to the Royal Family) enter the King's private study and bow.

Albert II - "Gentlemen, thank you. Please sit - - Now, we were all at the Privy Council meeting this morning, what are your thoughts on the situation with the Islands?"

Sir Jock - "Sir, after this morning I was in discussion with the Attorney-General and the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and we're all in agreement that there's no contention over a potential claim of the islands. The Minister for Foreign Affairs was in contact with his counterparts from  @Synturia and @Derthalen who have both expressed no concerns with our Government claiming sovereignty over the islands.

Albert II - "Ok, that's good to hear. Sir William, your thoughts?"

Sir William - "Sir, the team and I have poured through every international and federal legal instrument that we're signatory to to ensure that there are no legal barriers we would come across, and so far, I can honestly say there is nothing. We have to look at some points to ensure that when we declared the claim by means of Terra Nullis. Firstly, we have to be sure that the islands are truly uninhabited, secondly, we have to ensure that there is nothing to indicate that they would be returning, and thirdly, that there is not contest on the claim by other nations. Now, as far as we're concerned all three points have been covered."

Albert II - "Thank you Sir William. Right well, Sir Jock, can you organise a meeting with Sir William and draft a Deed of Claim for the Islands and have it on my desk by this afternoon?"

Sir Jock - "Very well Sir."

Both Sir Jock and Sir William stand, and walk towards the door. They turn, bow their heads leave the room.

[Gallambria]

Later that night ...

***KNOCK-KNOCK-KNOCK***

Sir Jock raps at the door to the King's private study.

Albert II - "COME!"

Sir Jock bows.

Sir Jock - Your Majesty.

Sir Jock rushes to the King with two pieces of paper in his hand.

- Sorry Sir, we were rushing to get both instruments finished for you tonight.

Albert II - "No rush Jock, what do we have here?"

Sir Jock - "Sir, we have the proclamation, it declares the claimed territories, their names and the governments that are to be formed to govern them Sir."

Sir Jock hands the King the document to the King.

The King reads over the document, nodding at sections ...

Albert II - "I like this Jock, I really do."

The King signs the document and hands it back to Sir Jock.

Albert II - "Publish this straight away."

Sir Jock, takes the document, bows to the King and leaves back to his office.

 

[Gallambria]

FRIDAY, 23rd February 2018
Headquarters, Joint Operations Command

 

*** sound of dot-matrix printer ***

Clerk: SIR! Message incoming over the HFGCS!

Dot matrix printer continues printing message.

Clerk: SIR! We have casualties.

The Duty Officer races over to the HFGCS terminal, tears off the completed message from the printer and starts reading.

 

---

FR: HMGS WARWICKSHIRE

TO: DO/HQJOC
       DO/HQNOC

BT

C O N F I D E N T I A L

MSGID/CASREP/CVN831-18/1

1. OC/JOPNA ADVISES ENG TF AMBUSHED BY UNKNOWN INDIGENOUS ELEMENTS. FP ELEMENT INVESTIGATING. CAS LISTING IN FOLLOWING SECTION. REQUEST ROE CLARIFICATION FROM LEGAL.
    
2. CASUALTIES AS FOLLOWS
   1. BARTON, CHARLOTTE, AB, 1092837, RGN, WOUNDED, CRITICAL
   2. GREEN, AARON, SGT, 894671, RGAF, KILLED, NON-COMBAT
   3. HOOPER, ISSAC, CPL, 926416, RGAF, WOUNDED, STABILISED
   4. PARKER, CAMERON, WO2, 689089, GA, WOUNDED, STABILISED
   5. MORAN, JADE, LS, 1078918, RGN, WOUNDED, DIED OF WOUNDS
   6. MORGAN, TONY, FLT FLT, 779891, WOUNDED, CRITICAL
       
3. UPDATES ON CASUALTIES WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN AVAILABLE.

//END//

---

 

Duty Officer: Williams! Get the old man on the horn.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2018 by Gallambria (see edit history)

[Gallambria]

THURSDAY, 1st March 2018
Headquarters, Joint Operations Command

**Telephone Rings**

Clerk : "Joint Operations Command Center, Sergeant Giffords Speaking..."

Caller: "Sergeant Giffords, this is Heidi Cocking, from the Minister's Office. Can I speak to General Hemingway please?"

Giffords: "Yes Ma'am, putting you through now."

**Line beeps as Giffords transfers the call to Hemingway's Office**.

Giffords: "Sir, Giffords here. I have a Heidi Cocking from the Ministers office on the secure line for you."

Hemingway: "Thank you Sergeant, put her through..."

**There's more beeping on the phone**

Hemingway: "Miss Cocking, I've been waiting for your call..."

Cocking: "Sorry General, We've been trying to get consensus from the Cabinet for your request."

Hemingway: "Ah yes, and what did they say?"

Cocking: "Well, its a yes from the Cabinet, but with a few limitations."

Hemingway: "They are?...""

Cocking: "The troops are being sent purely for Force Protection. Nothing Else, Nothing More."

Hemingway: "Ok. Is that all?"

Cocking: "No. With the Government finalising the legal framework for the claiming of the islands, we need to be seen as a friendly people, and not as an occupying force. The Cabinet has agreed to put extra funds into the Operation, for the engineers to establish some necessary services for the natives. They specifically want medical centers, schools and housing built. Basically the end game for the Cabinet is, that the natives will be the building blocks of the new populations on these islands.

Hemingway: "Well that's ridiculous, they're soldiers, not g-d damn baby sitters. How the f-ck am I suppose to protect our people, while also trying to win the hearts and minds of a few spear-throwing sods?"

Cocking: "That's enough General. The cabinet wanted this mess sorted out by last week. You have until Friday week to clean this up, get the work done and then open it up for the contractors to come in and set up the ports and utilities."

Hemingway: "Yes ma'am. Right away."

Hemingway slams the phone down.

Hemingway: "G-d damn, f-cking brown-nosing politicians. CARTER! Get me the Warwickshire on the line."

Carter: "Y-y-yes Sir!"