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The Taming of the Elk
#1
Twilight, 14 Fein, 1587
The Northern Reaches of Harmajaa -- unincorporated tribal lands referred to as Sappa.
---
Eidur Hamsson stopped his ATV and popped off his helmet to rest. He had been driving for nearly three hours. The vehicle was electric and was powered by solar energy, so it was nearly time for him to stop anyway, or at least that's what he told himself. The battery itself likely was still nearly full, as it charged through the day to run at night, but he was ready to rest anyway.

His job was an important one. He was a Field Agent for the Harmajaan special forces and it was his job to survey the land to the north of Harmajaa proper. These were lands mostly untamed, besides the occasional nomadic tribe of Saamo. This was "Sappa" as it was called.

The name came from the lone permanent settlement in the region, a small town whose population ranged from 20 thousand to a few hundred thousand depending on the season. Few buildings were actually permanent, as most of the "citizens" were nomads and came and went as they pleased .

The origins of this strange land are curious indeed. When Harmajaa won its independence, there were a select group of Saamo who rejected the modern ways of the south, preferring instead the tradition and customs of their ancestors. This created a rift between them and the government in Tyko that eventually came to blows. To settle the matter, the government demanded they leave for the north, where they would be left alone for the foreseeable future. Thus, the unincorporated territory of Sappa was created.

This place was barely independent, if one could even consider it that way. The border was not enforced, and Harmajaa protected the seas surrounding the territory. The Sappish regularly travelled south into Harmajaa proper to trade goods and services, particularly in the winter when the far north became increasingly unbearable. Harmajaa was responsible, in fact, for the existence of Sappa the city, as it was constructed prior to the separation. A single road connected the settlement with the rest of the world, as well as a small airstrip.

Sappa was barely governed, as a small council of the most respected Sappish convened once a year to settle major disputes and quarrels. It was a land off the grid, so to speak.

This had benefits for those who liked to be alone and unperturbed, and Sappa became a haven for those who wanted to leave the world at large, though this was a very small minority. There were problems however. In the last several years, hunting had grown to be a problem, and the populations of native fauna were on the brink of extinction. The lack of huntable wildlife drew the Sappish further south, even into Harmajaa, where they conflicted with Harmajaans over their right to hunt. This was the first indication that the present state of affairs could not continue.

The second was the removal of waste. Surely, even remote mountain men create waste. In the civilized world, there are places to take care of this waste in a healthy and sustainable way. In Sappa, there is no such thing. There were several large landfills of sorts where waste and trash were discarded, and over the decades these had grown to cause real problems. One in particular was near a major river that flowed south. The water had grown so unclean that it was nearly unusable and stunk terribly. This was the second sign that Sappa would have to be dealt with.

The third reason was that of human rights abuses. The Sappish, particularly the children, lived in perpetual squalor -- barely educated, barely healthy, barely civilized. While this could be ignored for a time, journalists had grown increasingly critical of the Harmajaan governments tolerance of the state of the Sappish. While they were technically on their own, how could Tyko stand by and let ethnic Saamo live in such poverty. Surely there was something that could be done.

Lastly, there were those in Tyko who were beginning to rattle the sabres of nationalism. Calls for a united Saamo state had grown in popularity, particularly after the conflict in Balochia involving the Lappish. The time, so they said, had come for civilization to come to Sappa, and for the Sappish to join the rest of the planet.

And so, Tyko acquiesced. Plans were drawn up, contingencies established, and resources mobilized. The first step, was to survey the land... this was the job of Hamsson and his compatriots. He had been out for three days, and would be out for another two and a half weeks before he would return to the south. In that time, he and his colleagues would learn all they could about these wild lands, and upon presenting this to their superiors, decisions would be made about how best to return the Sappish to the flock.
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#2
22 Fein, 1587
Sappa, unincorporated tribal lands referred to as Sappa.
---

"What are you talking about? New government?" the man stood befuddled before the armed guard standing outside the council chambers. "I'm a /part/ of the government, you fool!"

"Sir, I've already told you. The previous government of the unincorporated tribal lands of Sappa has been dissolved by the government in Tyko. You no longer have a job."

"Unbelievable! You can't do this."

"Well, we are. You can take up complaints with Tyko. I'm just here to do my job."

They came late in the evening, large trucks and tanks emblazoned with the flag of Harmajaa. They practically forced themselves on the small settlement of Sappa in a show of force.

At first, no one was sure how to respond. As individuals left their homes early in the day they noticed them. Armed men in large parkas and military fatigues guarding specific areas, all Harmajaan soldiers. Trucks drove through the streets, blasting on mega horns that there would be an informational meeting in the evening to explain the new state of affairs. This was an ominous statement to many of the Sappa.
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#3
22 Fein, 1587
Sappa, unincorporated tribal lands referred to as Sappa.
---

"...and so, to conclude. You are now under the administration of the Sappilaista Integraatioviranomaista (Sappa Integration Authority). We will do our utmost to ensure this transition is a peaceful and prosperous one. Please return to your homes. More information will be posted tomorrow."

As the bureaucrat stepped down the podium, the people watching grew ever frustrated. Rocks had started getting thrown at the stage, along with shouts and threats from the enraged Sappa. The bureaucrat ducked behind a line of Harmajaan guards, armed with riot gear -- shields and batons. They stood around him as he approached the vehicle that would be taking him to HQ. The Sappa pushed against the line menacingly and the shouting grew more fierce. From somewhere, a gunshot rang out, and one of the Sappa screamed, clutching his chest. The crowd grew more chaotic as people ran in all directions. The bureaucrat was in his car and driving away as the Harmajaan guards worked to contain the violence.

Two hours later, twenty-seven arrests were made. Three guards were injured, one seriously. Thirteen Sappa were injured as well, and one, the man who had been shot, had died. None of the Harmajaans were supposed to have been armed with guns, so it was uncertain where the bullet had come from, but that did not matter.

It was clear this would not be a smooth transition
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#4
It had been some weeks since the official move had taken place, and it had been a rocky experience. The Sappa did not take kindly to the Harmajaans moving in so unannounced and protested day and night. Bricks had been thrown through nearly every window and there were, at any given time, at least twenty ominous people milling about outside the headquarters.

Extra security was brought, and elements of the Harmajaan military were sent as well. While this did assure safety, it only further frustrated the Sappa, who now saw the transition as an invasion. Nothing had happened yet, but there were rumors of coordinated resistance that had started circulating.

Still, construction in Sappa, the settlement, had begun in earnest. Hospitals, better roads, schools, etc. were all being built, under the watchful eye of the Harmajaan military and other government elements. A highway was being constructed as well, to accomodate auto traffic to Sappa. Previously there had only been a single, seldom-used rail line.

In Harmajaa, advertisements were circulating telling intrepid young Harmajaans that they would be paid handsomely for moving to the "great white north" of Sappa. The intention was that, if enough Harmajaans moved in, they would soon drown out the Sappa who would be able to do little to resist.

The expectation was that many would simply accept the changes and adapt to the new lifestyle. Send their kids to the schools, use the roads, hospitals, etc. Others would simply move into the wilderness to live their nomadic lifestyle as they did before. While Harmajaa was investing in the region, there was still plenty of wide open spaces where civilized life had never existed. By leaving no other options, the Sappa would adapt or leave.

Still, others would likely resist violently. They would be dealt with in time.
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#5
Ochtyr 11, 1587
Sappa, unincorporated tribal lands referred to as Sappa.
---
Though it was only autumn in more southern regions, in Sappa snow had been on the ground for two weeks. Construction had been halted by the weather and the Harmajaan Sappa Integration Authority was behind schedule as is.

The truth was, they had been hampered at nearly every level by rogues. There were not any deaths, but nearly every day there were little annoyances that required fixing. Wires cut, tires slashed, supplies ruined, etc. It wasn't the end of the world, but it did cause significant delays... Costly delays...

Tyko was not pleased, but what could they do? The rough plan was to invest more in the spring and in the meantime, more soldiers were sent to the great white north.

The first Harmajaan settlers arrived. Many came from former Balochia, seeking the stipend provided by the government and a home to call their own. In Balochia, they were used to poverty and distress. While Harmajaa had been making investments into the new territories, things had gone slowly and much of the land was still impoverished. Still yet there were some native Harmajaans who arrived in Sappa. Prefab homes had been erected in the warmer months to ensure there would be plenty of space, and in the outskirts of Sappa whole suburban communities of immigrants were established, much to the frustration of the Sappa.
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#6
7 Nueva, 1587
Minniatko, Sappa
---
Minniatko was one of the newly minted Sappan suburbs. Nearly a hundred kilometers from Sappa (the city) itself, the site that would become Minniatko had been selected due to its access to nearby Tin and Copper resources. Mines were built, and nearly overnight a settlement was formed, not only to service the mines themselves and the industry they supported, but the families of those who worked in the industry.

This was the plan to establish an economy in the impoverished region. Sappa was an odd land, in that much of its resources were relatively untouched. All the better for the Harmajaans, who would use this to establish a basic resource-based economy. Exports contracts were already being lined up and manufacturers were being given special licenses to begin construction in Harmajaa proper. That wasnt expected to become significant for several years, however, as startup businesses dont crop up overnight. The investment in Sappa was expected to come sooner and would pay dividends early, as there was demand for the resources abroad.

Difficulties persisted, particularly from a very vocal minority, but with the influx of Lapps and Harmajaans the culture in Sappa was changing.
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#7
"Freeze! Put your hands in the air and step away from the motorcycle."

Willem did as he was told. It was the end of the road. He had spent eight years in this wilderness, hiding from his demons. He was a Lanlanian, nearly 40. Eight years ago he had committed murder, and rather than face his sentence, he stowed away on a freighter due for Severyane. Once there, he made the careful and quiet journey north, until he had finally reached the frozen wastes of Sappa. There, he struggled for a meagre existence, but a free one.

When the Harmajaans had started making inroads, he fled further into the forest, not eager to be seen. He was essentially a hermit. Still, when the Harmajaans began demanding that every person in Sappa be identified and counted, he ran further. He did his best to hide, but at times he still had to trek to the villages for supplies. The last time he was sure he had been seen, and sure enough, someone had followed him to his small hovel.

He knew it had been a matter of time, but still... it hadn't really dawned on him until now how futile his struggles were. Was it worth it? As the Harmajaan officer asked him to lay down on the ground, he wondered what it would have been like in a Lanlanian prison. He would soon find out, in a way, as he would likely spend time in a Harmajaan prison.

He made his decision. He looked up to the sky one last time and breathed deeply. The officer was still shouting at him.

This is your last chance! I'm warning you!

With that, Willem quickly reached for his side arm. He never even touched it, as bullets tore into his chest. He fell to the ground and promptly died.
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#8
The forest was burning.

Large thick black clouds of smoke were carried high by northern winds and could be seen for miles and miles.

There had been an accident at an oil rig, and a fuel tanker had exploded. With how dry the forest could get late in the year, it went up in flames relatively quickly. The remoteness of the blaze made it difficult to contain early on, and it spread rapidly. It took the authorities nearly half a day to get into position to begin combating the blaze, and by then it was already enormous.

It was all over the news in Harmajaa, and many saw it as a critical blunder in a long list of them in Sappa. The environment itself was fighting the Harmajaan efforts. Still, progress was being made, slow as it may be.

It took four days for the blaze to die down, and even then the ground was still hot. Oddly enough, it was precipitation that expedited the end of the fires.

Environmental officials in Harmajaa and abroad blasted the oil company responsible for the accident, a Mordvanian oil group called Astakka Oil. It was a lot of negative press, but privately the government assured Astakka that nothing serious would occur. Their investment in Sappa was important to building the economy there, and they couldnt lose it for the sake of a few angry environmentalists.
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#9
Tolven, 1587
---

Tyko was abuzz as the election in Vintyr approached. It was a critical election, as it was the first to include the various new citizens, both from Lappa and Sappa. The legislature was already announced to be expanding with this election, from 270 in the legislature to almost 425.

The New Social Left were expected to make massive gains in the new populations, which would be a significant change in Harmajaan government. President Ruri Amenaa and her Tomaa Party were preparing for the worst, that their decision to grant automatic citizenship to the Lappa would come back to bite them in the coming election. Still, what could they do but move full steam ahead.

Anton Kaalamuni, the leader of the New Social Left, was styling himself as a socialist liberator of the Saamo and, if he and his party were granted leadership, would establish a new Saamo Socialist Republic that worked for all Saamo, not just those in and around Harmajaa. It was a bold play, and put the NSL in direct competition with the incumbent Tomaa Party, who preferred a more measured approach.

Regardless, the winds of change were blowing and there was intense speculation in Tyko and across Harmajaa.
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#10
Vintyr 1587
----

Winter in the far north was an inhospitable, dangerous experience. The highways were blocked by massive snowdrifts brought by storms from the sea. Ice covered the ground and rivers, making travel difficult in general.

In Sappa, underground tunnels had been built between various municipal locations, town hall, the hospital, the police station, and the military garrison. These tunnels allowed government officials to move quickly, while the land overhead was still covered in snow.

Plows were used to clear the roads as much as possible, but the snow kept coming. This was one of the worst winters in the history of the region, with heavy, heavy snowdrifts and frigid conditions creating dangers to even automobile travel.

Even the resistance, coming from the wilds, paused to wait out the winter. This presented a key opportunity to the government officials in Tyko, who waited for the first clear evening to strike.

Large gunships and helicopters were sent out to scan the wilderness for heat readings. This would allow the government to identify where resistors were hiding out. Then, once found, military teams on snowmobiles would be dispatched to bring them back, dead or alive. Resistance from the Sappa would not be tolerated.

The snow would soon be stained with blood.
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