User:NFSreloaded/Zandbak

De Rode Tsaar (1894 o.j.)
8:00 PM, May 16th, 1905 - Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

Stalin/Nicholas waltzed across the floor with his wife whilst his most loyal followers surrounded them in the Golden Dreamworld. The occasion was truly one to celebrate though as today was the day that the Russian flag had been raised over Hsinking and Manchuria had come into the arms of the Russian Empire. The event had received remarkably little coverage as the Tangier Crisis had dominated the headlines, giving the Russian army the time to hold a 'democratic' plebiscite, culminating in the full integration of the province with the rest of Russia.

The Tangier Crisis had also been a massive success story, with the Germans and British finding the Russo-French alliance to be rock solid. All around Europe, he looked for a chance to begin what was an inevitable war as soon as the Russian army was ready. Mere months ago he had commissioned studies into motorized transport, military usage of the new aeroplane and the feasibility of armoured fighting vehicles. He hoped to have results and concepts within the month and hopefully production of perfected designs in two years.

His sabre rattling had mainly been isolated to the Balkans, were he was giving large amounts of help to the Balkan League, as well as nationalist elements inside. Crushing these elements was proving much harder than expected for the monarchy, leaving them a crippled shadow of what they had once been.

"We just need a spark", Stalin/Nicholas thought to himself, before kissing his wife and basking in the applause of his followers.

The dance was over.

7:00 PM, December 5th, 1904 - Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

“Happy birthday, my boy.”, Stalin/Nicholas said.

“Thanks, papa.”, Joseph said. The Tsar looked around the room. He had noticed certain streaks of his former personality had returned and had an increasingly difficult time suppressing them. Stalin and no one else ruled this body and, by extension, the Russian Empire. Most noticeably, his old paranoia was rearing its head as he had taken notice of how Alix had hired the occulist Aleister Crowley, a no good foreigner - and a rather peculiar one at that.

“Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty.”, he said in a weird accent.

''“Do not do that. I don’t like it when people sneak up on me.”''

“I’m sorry, sir.”, he said as he carefully observed Stalin/Nicholas. Instead of looking away, the Tsar looked right back and his eyes bored into those of Crowley. Tension rose for a moment, but then Crowley looked away.

''‘He’s too dangerous. He’s got to go.’'', Nicholas thought. He didn’t mention it to anyone during his son’s birthday, but he was already contemplating the best way to get rid of him. It would be before long that he and the Tsarina would get into an argument over it.

11:30 PM, December 5th, 1904 - Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

“No, he is not going anywhere!”, Alix cried.

''“He’s dangerous, don’t you see! He’s an oculist, a foreigner, a- a Satanist!”'', Stalin/Nicholas yelled.

''“But he can heal our son, Nicholas! Don’t you see that!”'', she said in tears.

''“I don’t care. He’s a threat. He’s trying to influence me through you and I have told you before that only I rule this country.”, Stalin/Nicholas replied, “My will be done!”''

“If he’s going, I’m going and I’m taking little Alexei with me!” she cried, almost hysterically.

‘That can be arranged.’, he thought as he left the room. The Tsar went into his study to phone the head of the Okhrana to arrange for an accident to happen to both Crowley and his wife.

9:00 PM, June 22nd, 1908 - 10 Downing Street, London

Herbert Asquith was becoming a tired old man. He realised now the stresses Campbell-Bannerman must have had to face. He had once believed that Germany was a rogue state which could have led to France and Britain putting their differences aside, but now his entire world had gone upside down. The increasingly aggressive Russian Empire's annexation of Manchuria as well as their boosting of the Balkan nations had proven them to be the greater threat and now Britain and Germany had been forced to come together to unite against the close Franco-Russian friendship.

He also noticed with fear how the Russian navy and army had transformed since Nicholas had taken over. They now boasted ten ships worryingly similar to the dreadnought, soon to be supplemented by five others which were still under construction. The Russian army had new armoured vehicles, which they had nicknamed 'tanks'; aptly named as they looked like giant water tanks on caterpillar tracks. They had fully embraced the new inventions of automobiles and aeroplanes and were mass producing them using their reformed industrial base. The entire make up of his fitter Bear made Asquith shiver as to which consequences a future war might bring.

10:00 PM, June 23rd, 1908 - Winter Palace, St. Petersburg

Stalin/Nicholas and Alexandra sat by the fire, it's crackling being the overwhelming noise in a room where the couple only had monotonous conversations these days. The Tsar studied his wife, wondering if he should go through with his plan. She had tested his patience far too many times, trying to intervene in political matters, espousing anti-Semitic views and being an example of the class system which the Georgian peasant still despised. She he had given him a strong healthy heir and now that the boy was growing an independence from his parents he knew she had expended her usefulness.

‘I will rid myself of the bitch once and for all!’, he said and with that all of a sudden grabbed her in an embrace.

“Alexandra, my dear!”, he cried, trying to sound as emotional as possible. ''“We have been through a rough time together but we need to make things right between us. I am ready to listen; anything you desire will be done, I am at your command!”'' Alexandra could only nod, overcome by this surprise revelation.

''“We need to be together like before and I have a surprise for you: I've had a new hideaway built for us, away from politics and intrigue! Go there immediately and wait for me. I won't be there for a couple of days I need to settle business here before I leave.”''

Alexandra was stunned by this sudden change in her husband. For the first time in years it seemed he loved her again.

“Where is it?”, she asked in a slightly frightened voice.

“It's a château on the Middle Tunguska River”, Stalin/Nicholas answered.

7:12 AM, June 30th, 1908 - Romanov Summer Retreat, Tunguska basin

The Tsarina had got up early to prepare for her husbands coming. He had promised to come in the early hours and she wanted to be able to meet her husband as he arrived. The strange away he had acted ever since his fathers death had put their marriage on a see saw of intimate love at one moment and contempt the next. It had seemed that Nicholas had gotten word of the Crowley affair, as for the past year he rarely spoke to her and her attempts to take him away from politics had only led to more hatred from the one she once loved.

But now he seemed a changed man. His sudden expression of love that night and the revelation of this new summer retreat had given her the impression as if everything was going to be all right once more.

Alexandra never knew what hit her as she and the 'Summer Retreat' were vaporised in an instant. As was everything else for miles around as the asteroid broke through the upper atmosphere with tremendous force.

Her last thoughts had been happy ones.

10:15 AM, July 4th, 1908 - Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

Emperor Franz Joseph was an old man, but certainly not an idiot. He still retained his political skill and was ready to take advantage of this new opportunity. The Russian Tsarina had been killed, apparently by a forest fire in Siberia and he knew that his adversary would be emotionally crushed for the next few weeks. Now was the time to annex Bosnia-Herzegovina.

This, he hoped, would kill two birds with the one stone. Not only would he show the Russians and their Serbian dogs who had authority over the region, but would also show the Russian-backed nationalist upstarts that he has still in charge and that Austria remained strong. Germany and Britain gave their backing as did Italy, their Quadruple alliance would show off any of the French and Russian upstarts who would try and whine.

“The Russians believe they can take Bessarabia, eh?”, he said sarcastically to himself, “Soon I'll show them who really owns the Balkans.”

As he retired for the night he went to bed with a skip in his step. He felt on top of the world once more.

11:00 PM, July 1st, 1908 - Jughashvili estate, Tsaritsyn

Joseph Jughashvili felt uncommonly nervous as he walked down the corridors of the estate. As he entered the room, he found several members of the Okhrana; some higher up than he was in the elusive organisation. Other people present were former military men and disowned nobles. They were all united by one cause - they all hated the Tsar and Jughashvili saw the chance to unite them under his command.

Stalin wiped the sweat from his brow and began his speech; ''“Gentlemen, many of us do not know each other, but there will be a time for introductions later. There is only one thing which is important right now and that is to remove the Tsar. Now, some of us want to get rid of the monarchy all together, while others merely want a different monarch. For years, the Tsar has oppressed us and divided us, leaving us to fight each other, whilst he sits safe and in complete control. This man aims to take away our power and give it to peasants, he aims to destroy our church and, most importantly, he wants to destroy our way of life. This man cannot be allowed to succeed for if he does, Mother Russia will walk blindly into socialism.”''

“We must unite and put away our feeble differences, for there is only one enemy and he is our target!”

As the assorted guests stood up and politely clapped, Jughashvili knew he had them.

The Tsaritsyn Brotherhood was born.

West Papoea

 * Afdeling Zuid Nieuw-Guinea
 * Kolopom: Kimaama / Ndom / Riantana (alledrie op Dolak-eiland)
 * Mombum: Koneraw (Zuidelijk Dolak-eiland) / Mombum ( Komoran-eiland)
 * Morori (isolated)
 * Trans-Fly–Bulaka River: Maklew / Yelmek
 * Morehead and Upper Maro River: Bädi Kanum / Ngkâlmpw Kanum  / Smärky Kanum  / Sota Kanum

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