[color=#FFFFFF]05.10.817A.S. - Planet Malta - 02:02a.m.(Maltese Standard Time +2)
[font=Agency FB]'Senor Moretti, Senor Moretti, you have to hear this!' The young man barged through the flimsy wooden door, very nearly knocking it from its hinges. Moretti groaned in his bed, under the sheet. Morning already? He opened his eyes, taking a glance at the window. The curtains, ripped pieces of cloth hung lazily over the opening in the stone wall, were still drawn. It was still dark outside.
He glanced at the man, who was now tapping him on the shoulder with increasing urgency. Moretti saw him around the compound often, mostly carrying equipment. Pablo could've been his name. Something stereotypical for Outcasts of Spanish ancestry.
'Pablo,' he took the gamble. 'What is it? What time is it?' He moved his hands up to his eyes to wipe away what felt like barnacles. Sleepy dust. He groaned as he lifted himself out of his sleeping position, making sure to keep the blanket wrapped around himself. It was early October, and the weather was beginning to take a turn away from sweltering heats. His feet touched the stone floor and a shiver ran through his body. Cold. So very cold.
'Midnight Senor. There's something coming over the radio, broadcasting all across Malta. You'll want to hear it. And it's Leandro, Senor.' With that he was running again, out through the door and down the long corridor to the garden, his bare feet slapping loudly on the stone floor.
Moretti watched him go, until eventually summoning the strength to follow. Seventy-one, and already he was feeling like a hundred and ten. But he still had plenty of years ahead of him. With nobody else now looking he dropped the blanket and grabbed his dressing gown from a hook close to the door. Or what now remained of the door. Didn't Leandro know how to use a door handle?
He proceeded down the corridor, leading from his room to the garden. His feet soon grew accustomed to the chill of the stone, but he still wished that he hadn't traded his slippers away. The front gates must've been open, for a strong chill was entering the villa and making the hairs on his legs stand-up like soldiers.
The garden was packed with people. Workers on the plantation like himself, coming to hear the news. It must have been important, Moretti thought to himself as he pushed through the crowd to be closer to the radio. People were scrambling to reach a better position to hear the news, but they allowed Moretti to move forward. He was the oldest plantation worker working at that villa, separated from the next by ten miles of cardamine fields in every direction.
He was seen as many working in the villa as the real leader of its operations. He worked with them on most days, but also coordinated their efforts and took charge of administrative jobs such as organising housing and food. The owner of the plantation, Joaquin Archuleta, was seen by many as merely a title. Real power was seen by many to be held by Moretti.
He reached the centre of the mass. There stood a lone crate with a radio perched on the top, with a man attempting to operate the device. Moretti signalled for him to stop twisting the archaic knobs. The man obeyed, moving away from the radio to allow Moretti to approach.
He began to twist the small dials, fumbling with his large hands to grip them. Eventually, the device crackled and burst into life. The announcement was being broadcast over and over again in several different languages. Spanish, Italian, English. They had tuned in as the Italian repeat was concluding, and the English was beginning.
'At ten to midnight it was officially announced that the Council of Dons was to dissolve itself upon popular demand and step aside for a duly elected government. Emilio Santini has taken the position of President of the Council of Ministers and is to call an immediate convening of the Council of Ministers to discuss their first course of action for creating "a stronger Outcast nation". We'll keep you updated on all of the latest news and updates as we receive it.'
The message repeated itself again in Spanish. Then in Italian. All the while, everybody was silent. The hundreds of people had ceased their shoving to listen to the news, as the messages could all be heard loud and clear.
Moretti turned the radio off as it began to repeat the English version again. Silence. Suddenly the usual goings-on of the villa, previously unheard over the clatter of day-to-day activity, could be heard with clarity. Drains carrying water in the labyrinth of pipes. Scurrying of birds feet as they walked along the grass, or the tiled roof.
He looked at them for a moment. Stared at their faces. What did he see? He decided that their faces were filled with confusion. He thought of the questions they were asking themselves. What happens now? How will things change? How will it affect me?
'What will change, Signori?' He addressed the crowd. 'What will change?' His voice suddenly became a boom over the still silence of the crowd. They were confused, unsure, their entire world having just been turned close to upside down. The Council of Dons had always ruled. They had ruled their great great great great great great great grandparents, and their grandparents, and their grandparents, and everybody in between up to them. But now they had a government of the people, elected by the people, for the people. They were still trying to decide if it was a good thing or not.
Despite his knees protesting to the move, Moretti clambered onto the crate. He shouted out his question again. The crowd was silent. A gentle breeze was rolling into the garden, enclosed on all sides. The villa had been built to resemble a Roman farm, with solid stone walls painted a white which during the day reflected the suns rays to make the villa resemble a lighthouse when glanced at from the fields.
'I shall tell you what will change, Signori. Everything will change.' Moretti held strong political views. He had supported the Council of Dons, but had also voiced the idea of a more fascist regime taking control to replace the anarchic plutocracy. The Council of Dons had been fascist enough for him to not need to take any actions, but now something else was rearing its ugly head on Malta. Something that Moretti opposed for its weaknesses, for its flaws. All through history it had failed, and yet it was still in control of most of the Sirius Sector. Democracy.
'Everything will change, Signori. Democracy is not something to be desired. Democracy is the cancer of a nation that slowly devours the strength and will of a people until they are split into a hundred pieces.' He was deciding what to say as he went along. No plan. He'd never expected such an opportunity to present itself. For him to be in a position to speak to everybody in the villa at once concerning politics and have their undivided attention.
'Why do you think the Outcast Nation has survived for eight hundred years when we have so many enemies? The Houses such as Liberty and Bretonia are filled with democratic governments that couldn't decide what colour to paint their bathrooms without a three week debate. By the time they make some sort of decision it's too late. And most of the time it's the wrong decision anyway.
'The Outcast Nation and the Corsair Empire have survived for so long because they do not use democracy. Their systems of government invest the decisions with a few individuals, and now look at them. They have power that if combined could rival all four Houses. But I saw that neither of these go far enough!'
The crowd began to stir. Nattering amongst the people as their voices returned to discuss what he was saying.
'One leader to make the decisions! To unite the people under one leader who holds absolute authority to govern. We must prevent the Outcast Nation from falling into eternal debates about what action to take. If this happens then we will be wiped out by our many enemies with ease, for we shall not hold the same strength as before. If democracy takes hold we shall be divided into a hundred different twigs, rather than one thick log. Then the Colonials and the Corsairs and the IMG will snap us one twig at a time.'
His argument seemed to work. The crowd suddenly began applauding, shouting, whistling. And why wouldn't they? He was right after all, and they knew nothing else. They didn't know how democracy worked, it was a new concept to them and they were afraid. But fascism was simple to understand.
'One leader!' Moretti shouted. They shouted the same two words back to him. He held his right arm straight out ahead of him, his palm down and his fingers touching. He knew it originated with the Romans, but was regarded as the universal fascist salute.
'One leader!' He shouted again. 'One leader! One Signore! Unity is strength!' He was overwhelmed. He was shouting out phrases that made sense and the crowd were returning it with a deafening shout. The late night silence was broken by their shouting. Soon there was only one voice. One voice shouting the phrases of its one leader. Vitale Moretti.
*****
Through the rest of 817 and most of 818, Moretti gathered support for his movement, which he had simply dubbed "Il Movimento", translated from Italian into "The Movement". He was surprised by the level of support he received - in the polls of November 818 his political party received six percent of the vote. Earning six percent in a year was a phenominal feut. Many of the people he addressed in his speeches didn't know how democracy would affect their lives. Many felt comfortable under the rule of the Council of Dons, and as Moretti promised a similar regime they voiced their support for him.
His political fortunes would soon come to an end. In a public speech on 18th December 818, Moretti voiced feelings he had felt for some time but had yet to reveal to anybody else. For many it was a prospect even more frightening than democracy.
"Why do we fight the Corsair Empire? Have you ever asked yourself this question, late at night? We are the same people. Hispanic people, descendents of the Hispania. Same blood. We even, until recenty, had the same system of government. The Council of Elders and the Council of Dons were very similar - plutocrats, rising to their position of power due to wealth or a determination that swept all opposition aside. I say we do not need to fight our brothers. We could unite to become one strong Outcast Nation, but without our brothers we will never be complete. We must create one strong Hispanic Nation, united under the flag of fascism and one true leader. Then we must conquer spazio nostro to thrive, and deliver our message to the rest of Sirius. One day all of Sirius will unite under our banner! Strength in togetherness, one people, one leader!"
<div align="right] - Vitale Moretti, 18th December 818, political speech.
The reaction from the crowd was mixed. Some saw and approved of his way of thinking. Many were afraid. His new ideas were seen as dangerous by the government. He had to be removed.
And he was. On Christmas Day 818A.S., Vitale Moretti's arrest warrant was given, and he was forced to flee Malta with a few close supporters. They were all branded by the Council of Ministers as traitors, and sentenced to death.
*****
Now Il Movimento is merely a fraction of what it was. Much of its support has disappeared, the party on Malta was disbanded and the former members moved on, or joined Moretti in exile. He had fled to Barrier Gate with his close associates, with very few ships and limited resources. They began resorting to an age-old practice to gather funds to help fuel the cause. The practice was suitable for them, as Outcasts had done it for hundreds of years - piracy.
Moretti's stated goals are to unite the Outcast Nation and Corsair Empire under the one banner of fascism under his leadership, and to conquer for this new nation spazio nostro in which to thrive. This space includes the territories of both nations, as well as most of the Taus, Omicrons and Omegas. Their piracy operations are rare, and merely serve as a means to an end.
Most of their time is spent travelling through Outcast and Corsair space, preaching to the masses about their movement and trying to recruit new people to the cause. Combat is avoided unless victory without any losses can be guaranteed, as stretching their already finite resources would cause the movement to collapse. Any piracy operations are mostly conducted in border systems, so as not to encroach upon unlawful faction staging grounds. The last thing they need is more enemies.
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General Information
Faction name: Il Movimento (The Movement)
Naming convention: IM|First.Lastname
IFF and ID: As of yet, undecided. I'm thinking of Freelancer ID as the primary, with Pirate ID for the ships that seek to collect funds to help fund the faction. Or just a Pirate ID, but I'd rather not give all of the ships that ID.
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Ship Usage
Border Worlds:
Series X "Dagger" Light Fighter - A very cheap and reliable ship. Commonly seen amongst members of Il Movimento for its abilities to survive in dangerous combat situations thanks to its ability, and useful for escorting the single Dromedary of the group, serving as scouts and able to quickly catch up with the group if falling behind.
Series CX "Scimitar" Light Fighter - An advanced Dagger. Very expensive, entrusted only to highly valued pilots.
Series Y "Stiletto" Heavy Fighter - The second most expensive Border Worlds ship available to the group for use, only members who have proven they are capable of piloting decently are given access.
Series QX "Switchblade" Heavy Fighter - Extremely rare amongst Il Movimento members, this ship is gifted only to the highest ranking soldiers of the group charged with dangerous missions and proven to surpass expectations. The most expensive of the Border Worlds ships available to the group.
Civilian:
One of the most popular reasons for the Starflier, Startracker, Starblazer, Hawk and Falcon to be in such popular use amongst the members of the group involved in piracy is due to their ability to easily blend in with the normal traffic of lawful Houses.
CTE 750AE "Starflier" Light Fighter - Very cheap but extremely weak.
CTE 1270AV "Startracker" Light Fighter - A significant improvement from the Starflier, still even cheaper than the Dagger, the most common Il Movimento craft used for piracy operations.
CTE 1440AV Starblazer Light Fighter - One of the most expensive civilian light fighters available to the group.
CTE-1500 "Hawk" Light Fighter - The most expensive civilian light fighter available to pilots of Il Movimento.
CTE-3000 "Falcon" Heavy Fighter - The only civilian heavy fighter available to the group, its cost means only the most experienced of Il Movimento members are allowed one of their own.
Both types of ships can be used for both different jobs of course. Providing security for the Dromedary as it travels and speaks in systems, and pirate to earn money for the group.
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Technology Usage
[color=#FFCC66]Civilian weaponry, hopefully being replaced by more powerful equipment as deals are made with interested factions (although I doubt that will be for a while, and even then it'll be very few). Some of the Border Worlds ships will be equipped with Outcast technology. These ships are few in number - only four - and are the ships used in the escape from Malta. We may request from the Admins that once each ship is destroyed the Outcast technology is somehow removed to simulate the original ship's destruction and the inability to replace the Outcast tech along with the ship. Ships with more Outcast tech may be acquired over time, in which case the same rules will be applied: after one destruction of that ship (at the hands of a player) the technology will be removed.
Selections on which weapons to use will of course depend on budget. We're not having Starfliers with nuke mines. Cheap mines, cheap CM launchers, cheap guns, etc.
Allow me to make a note. Saying something along the lines of "you shouldn't make a fascist faction because it's been in recent politics and a lot of people still have bad feelings about it" will only earn you the following response: "We have communists, so why not fascists?"
Thank you.
Another note. This could not have been made possible without the extremely generous efforts of Jack Aubrey, who has donated his time into assisting me with Italian phrases to use, as well as substitutes for certain titles (e.g. Il Duce) that may be leaning a bit too close to the edge. He has my deepest gratitude.
[17:45:39] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): Tom, you have problems. Go kill yourself.
[19:25:12] Johnny (Jam): Tomtom, I will beat you with a spoon.
[14:22:56] Prarabdh Thakur: KILL HIM WITH A SHEEP.
[17:40:48] Eagle (Junes): Tom should be slapped with a spoon.
[11:32:18] Warspite: Thank you for being so awesome Tom. <3
[18:17:36] Metano: I love you tomtom
[20:06:24] Warspite: I will seriously give you epic head.
' Wrote:Edit: also, Tomtomrawr, fappin' like a boss.
' Wrote:Allow me to make a note. Saying something along the lines of "you shouldn't make a fascist faction because it's been in recent politics and a lot of people still have bad feelings about it" will only earn you the following response: "We have communists, so why not fascists?"
Thank you.
And on a sidenote, I fought this idea of Tomtom initially, just to end up in the faction due to the brilliantness of the idea. There's no actual fascism, you won't see Mussolini, nor a black coat. And the point above is good.
' Wrote:Btw, the SCRA has ships named after real life people too.
The SCRA is a remnant of the old communists of Sol. In their eyes communism in Sol had many grand leaders and they'd want to show their ideological pride by naming their ships after these people. Which is perfectly understandable.
This faction isn't particularly interested in old history. I may even say that they don't even know about the old Italian fascists. How would they know about events that took place thousands of years ago without being educated about it? Most of them were simple cardamine field workers, who never would've even heard of the history of fascism. To them, there is no prior history of their movement.
' Wrote:I hacked the account and I modified the first post. :P
Aubrey! I knew it! Thanks for the edit, it looks much better.
[17:45:39] Wolfs Ghost (Murphy): Tom, you have problems. Go kill yourself.
[19:25:12] Johnny (Jam): Tomtom, I will beat you with a spoon.
[14:22:56] Prarabdh Thakur: KILL HIM WITH A SHEEP.
[17:40:48] Eagle (Junes): Tom should be slapped with a spoon.
[11:32:18] Warspite: Thank you for being so awesome Tom. <3
[18:17:36] Metano: I love you tomtom
[20:06:24] Warspite: I will seriously give you epic head.
' Wrote:Edit: also, Tomtomrawr, fappin' like a boss.
Quote:Allow me to make a note. Saying something along the lines of "you shouldn't make a fascist faction because it's been in recent politics and a lot of people still have bad feelings about it" will only earn you the following response: "We have communists, so why not fascists?"
The same reason we have capitalists. Sure, some may not like communism or capitalism, but noone likes fashism. However, as i don't like fashism, i'm still ok with that faction idea. If i don't like something, i can shoot it.
![[Image: movim.png]](http://i499.photobucket.com/albums/rr360/John-Sheppard/movim.png)
![[Image: tumblr_lyvivmGP711qk8923.gif]](http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lyvivmGP711qk8923.gif)
![[Image: tammo.mcillheney.gif]](http://rotasig.com/rotasig2/sigs/tammo.mcillheney.gif)
![[Image: 158aufs.jpg]](http://oi49.tinypic.com/158aufs.jpg)