07-29-2020, 04:56 AM
July 28th
Xiomeran Military District
75 miles north of Xochiatipan
Emperor Xochiuhue leaned back in the seat of his armored limousine and smiled. He had enjoyed his visit to Xochiatipan immensely.
At the square where people had led a mass protest just weeks before against his rule, the Emperor had appeared with General Xōchhuitl and local officials. In a strident speech to the crowd, with an array of massed soldiers in front of him, he had denounced the "uprising" and praised the military for bringing Xochiatipan back under control. He had also declared that he intended to turn the Xiomeran Empire to a state of "total war" against those opposed to the country, and his reign, which he naturally equated as being the same thing. Thoroughly convinced that he had cowed the resistance in Xochiatipan, the Emperor was now enjoying the comfort of his motorcade back to Tlālacuetztla. Taking a sip of wine, he exchanged friendly banter with General Xōchhuitl.
The Emperor had no idea that eyes were on him. The Xiomeran fleet that had defected to the Crown Prince's government had packed its usual arsenal of aircraft. But it also carried two special planes that no one outside of the fleet had been informed of.
The Zitepex stealth bomber was the most secret, and most advanced, plane in the Xiomeran arsenal. It was based on the Itlanan stealth air superiority fighter, and could be equipped with a variety of missiles and bombs. For this mission, the two bombers had been equipped with several standoff air-launched cruise missiles. Their pilots had managed to evade Xiomeran air defenses - knowing better than anyone else how those air defenses worked helped.
Gliding high overhead, the two bombers noted the location and speed of the Emperor's motorcade from 230 miles away. "Target is acquired, do we have permission to fire?" the lead pilot said calmly into his radio.
Back at her command station with the 1st Fleet, Admiral Techilō smiled. "You're a go to launch. Fire at will."
Down on the ground, the Emperor and General Xōchhuitl were chatting amiably. The General looked out of the window of the limousine, just in time to see the lead vehicle of the motorcade explode. "Shit!" the General shouted, grabbing for the command phone mounted on the armrest of his chair. "Xōchhuitl, what's happening?" the Emperor demanded, turning his head to look out the other window. The explosion of the vehicle bringing up the rear of his motorcade made it clear to Xochiuhue just what, exactly, was happening.
Another explosion directly in front of the Imperial limousine made it rise into the air. Turning desperately to grab onto anything solid he could, Xochiuhue turned towards the General. Shattering glass framed the General's face, as the limousine tilted and fell back to earth. Then everything turned dark, and the Emperor fell into silence.
---
Xochiuhue's next memory was of an Army medic tending to him, and soldiers clustered around him as he lay on the ground. "What....where...." Xochiuhue said, trying to sit up.
"Your Majesty, please lie still. You suffered some head and body injuries, but nothing long-term or serious. You will be disoriented for a while, though," the medic said, gently lowering the Emperor back to the ground.
"Who is responsible for this? Where is General Xōchhuitl? I need him to find out who did this...." the Emperor said.
The medic sighed. "Your Majesty, I am sorry....General Xōchhuitl is dead."
Xochiuhue laid back on the ground, his face taut with pain - and anger.
---
Laeralsford
Five hours later
"We had a partial success, your Majesty. From our spy reports, we confirmed that General Xōchhuitl is dead. But Xochiuhue escaped." General Tlanexchel handed Texōccoatl an after-action report, The Crown Prince scanned it soberly. This won't bring you back, Nōlinyauh. But it's revenge, at least. Texōccoatl scanned the report further: one of the Zitepex pilots managed to make it back to the fleet, but the other one was shot down over Xochiatipan. Revenge is pretty damn expensive, the Crown Prince thought, regretting the loss of the pilot as much as that of the Secretary.
"I know what you're thinking, sir," Tlanexchel said. "But the pilot we lost would have been honored to give his life in battle, as we all are. And it's a worthy cost to show that bastard Xochiuhue that we can take one of his people for every one of ours he takes from us, like the Secretary."
"We needed to make that point. But I am still allowed to feel disgust at myself for spending the life of one of my soldiers to make that point," the Crown Prince said, looking at Tlanexchel.
"If you didn't care about that sort of thing, sir, you'd be no better than Xochiuhue, and we wouldn't be following you," the General replied calmly. After a moment, Texōccoatl nodded.
[box]Press Release from the Office of Crown Prince Texōccoatl
28 June 2020
On 14 July, agents of the Agency for Security and Intelligence (ASI) attempted to assassinate Crown Prince Texōccoatl and other officials of the legitimate Xiomeran government in exile, in an attack on our headquarters in Laeralsford. During this attack, while attempting to protect the Crown Prince, Secretary of State Nōlinyauh gave his life. The Secretary, throughout a long and distinguished career, represented Xiomera and its people with distinction and honor. The final act of his service was the ultimate expression of that honor. He cannot be replaced, and will be greatly missed.
In response to this attack on a sovereign, if temporary, facility of the legitimate Xiomeran government, and this attack on the head of that government and other officials of that government, it was determined that a forceful response was needed. In accordance with that, the Crown Prince gave authorization to loyalist Xiomeran forces to perform a surgical strike upon the motorcade of the false Emperor on 28 June, north of the city of Xochiatipan. Two fighters launched from the 1st Fleet performed this strike by launching standoff cruise missiles at his motorcade. While reports indicate that the false Emperor Xochiuhue survived the attack, we have been able to confirm that the original instigator of the military coup that overthrew Empress Yauhmi, General Xōchhuitl, was eliminated as a result of the strike.
Through this decisive action, we have made clear both our determination, and our ability, to both protect the legitimate Xiomeran government and to respond to any aggressive actions against it. As Emperor Xochiuhue recovers from his injuries, and no doubt receives advice from Security Secretary Calhualyana, who most likely planned the attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince and other officials of this government, we would advise both of them to be very mindful. We can strike back in kind, and will, whenever and wherever circumstances warrant it.
May the gods and goddesses continue to watch over the true government of Xiomera, and the people of Xiomera.
[signed] Crown Prince Texōccoatl
[signed] Brigadier General Tlanexchel, Defense Secretary[/box]
Xiomeran Military District
75 miles north of Xochiatipan
Emperor Xochiuhue leaned back in the seat of his armored limousine and smiled. He had enjoyed his visit to Xochiatipan immensely.
At the square where people had led a mass protest just weeks before against his rule, the Emperor had appeared with General Xōchhuitl and local officials. In a strident speech to the crowd, with an array of massed soldiers in front of him, he had denounced the "uprising" and praised the military for bringing Xochiatipan back under control. He had also declared that he intended to turn the Xiomeran Empire to a state of "total war" against those opposed to the country, and his reign, which he naturally equated as being the same thing. Thoroughly convinced that he had cowed the resistance in Xochiatipan, the Emperor was now enjoying the comfort of his motorcade back to Tlālacuetztla. Taking a sip of wine, he exchanged friendly banter with General Xōchhuitl.
The Emperor had no idea that eyes were on him. The Xiomeran fleet that had defected to the Crown Prince's government had packed its usual arsenal of aircraft. But it also carried two special planes that no one outside of the fleet had been informed of.
The Zitepex stealth bomber was the most secret, and most advanced, plane in the Xiomeran arsenal. It was based on the Itlanan stealth air superiority fighter, and could be equipped with a variety of missiles and bombs. For this mission, the two bombers had been equipped with several standoff air-launched cruise missiles. Their pilots had managed to evade Xiomeran air defenses - knowing better than anyone else how those air defenses worked helped.
Gliding high overhead, the two bombers noted the location and speed of the Emperor's motorcade from 230 miles away. "Target is acquired, do we have permission to fire?" the lead pilot said calmly into his radio.
Back at her command station with the 1st Fleet, Admiral Techilō smiled. "You're a go to launch. Fire at will."
Down on the ground, the Emperor and General Xōchhuitl were chatting amiably. The General looked out of the window of the limousine, just in time to see the lead vehicle of the motorcade explode. "Shit!" the General shouted, grabbing for the command phone mounted on the armrest of his chair. "Xōchhuitl, what's happening?" the Emperor demanded, turning his head to look out the other window. The explosion of the vehicle bringing up the rear of his motorcade made it clear to Xochiuhue just what, exactly, was happening.
Another explosion directly in front of the Imperial limousine made it rise into the air. Turning desperately to grab onto anything solid he could, Xochiuhue turned towards the General. Shattering glass framed the General's face, as the limousine tilted and fell back to earth. Then everything turned dark, and the Emperor fell into silence.
---
Xochiuhue's next memory was of an Army medic tending to him, and soldiers clustered around him as he lay on the ground. "What....where...." Xochiuhue said, trying to sit up.
"Your Majesty, please lie still. You suffered some head and body injuries, but nothing long-term or serious. You will be disoriented for a while, though," the medic said, gently lowering the Emperor back to the ground.
"Who is responsible for this? Where is General Xōchhuitl? I need him to find out who did this...." the Emperor said.
The medic sighed. "Your Majesty, I am sorry....General Xōchhuitl is dead."
Xochiuhue laid back on the ground, his face taut with pain - and anger.
---
Laeralsford
Five hours later
"We had a partial success, your Majesty. From our spy reports, we confirmed that General Xōchhuitl is dead. But Xochiuhue escaped." General Tlanexchel handed Texōccoatl an after-action report, The Crown Prince scanned it soberly. This won't bring you back, Nōlinyauh. But it's revenge, at least. Texōccoatl scanned the report further: one of the Zitepex pilots managed to make it back to the fleet, but the other one was shot down over Xochiatipan. Revenge is pretty damn expensive, the Crown Prince thought, regretting the loss of the pilot as much as that of the Secretary.
"I know what you're thinking, sir," Tlanexchel said. "But the pilot we lost would have been honored to give his life in battle, as we all are. And it's a worthy cost to show that bastard Xochiuhue that we can take one of his people for every one of ours he takes from us, like the Secretary."
"We needed to make that point. But I am still allowed to feel disgust at myself for spending the life of one of my soldiers to make that point," the Crown Prince said, looking at Tlanexchel.
"If you didn't care about that sort of thing, sir, you'd be no better than Xochiuhue, and we wouldn't be following you," the General replied calmly. After a moment, Texōccoatl nodded.
[box]Press Release from the Office of Crown Prince Texōccoatl
28 June 2020
On 14 July, agents of the Agency for Security and Intelligence (ASI) attempted to assassinate Crown Prince Texōccoatl and other officials of the legitimate Xiomeran government in exile, in an attack on our headquarters in Laeralsford. During this attack, while attempting to protect the Crown Prince, Secretary of State Nōlinyauh gave his life. The Secretary, throughout a long and distinguished career, represented Xiomera and its people with distinction and honor. The final act of his service was the ultimate expression of that honor. He cannot be replaced, and will be greatly missed.
In response to this attack on a sovereign, if temporary, facility of the legitimate Xiomeran government, and this attack on the head of that government and other officials of that government, it was determined that a forceful response was needed. In accordance with that, the Crown Prince gave authorization to loyalist Xiomeran forces to perform a surgical strike upon the motorcade of the false Emperor on 28 June, north of the city of Xochiatipan. Two fighters launched from the 1st Fleet performed this strike by launching standoff cruise missiles at his motorcade. While reports indicate that the false Emperor Xochiuhue survived the attack, we have been able to confirm that the original instigator of the military coup that overthrew Empress Yauhmi, General Xōchhuitl, was eliminated as a result of the strike.
Through this decisive action, we have made clear both our determination, and our ability, to both protect the legitimate Xiomeran government and to respond to any aggressive actions against it. As Emperor Xochiuhue recovers from his injuries, and no doubt receives advice from Security Secretary Calhualyana, who most likely planned the attempt to assassinate the Crown Prince and other officials of this government, we would advise both of them to be very mindful. We can strike back in kind, and will, whenever and wherever circumstances warrant it.
May the gods and goddesses continue to watch over the true government of Xiomera, and the people of Xiomera.
[signed] Crown Prince Texōccoatl
[signed] Brigadier General Tlanexchel, Defense Secretary[/box]
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