Rediscovery of Zib Island (Attn: Miteravia and Zib)

[Miteravia]

Sea of Alucard, Aboard the MSS Heppenberg (Trade vessel), 03:30 19th February 2018

Captain Martin Exner awoke to his Midshipman, Josef, banging heavily on the door to his cabin. Exner sat up rubbing his eyes. The banging continued.
'Cap'n, It's Josef, you need to see this.'
'Bloody Hell,' Exner grumbled to himself, 'What is it Jo?'
'I don't know sir, Koenig spotted something on the LRS.' Josef continued. Exner opened the door.
'It's called a ship, Josef, there's lots of those out here on the Alucard.' Exner snapped.
Josef looked shocked. 'No sir, its big, bigger than a ship could be.'
'Could it be a war vessel? Lodja, Muneski, Nya Aland?' The Captain questioned.
'Come and see for yourself, sir,' Josef requested.
'Very well.' Exner mused.

He followed the Midshipman back to the bridge where he found many members of the crew crowding round the monitors. A smattering of different conversations were taking place, all just out of Exner's earshot.
'Crew, retake your posts. Koenig, what's going on?' The captain began.
Koenig stood to attention, 'It's the new LRS system, sir, its reading a landmass but there's no mapped island in that quadrant.'
'Well its clearly a glitch then isn't it? So we're going to need to return to port if this issue is serious, if the LRS is scuppered we can't continue on.' The captain explained reluctantly.
'No, sir, I checked as did Koch and Kalinowski, LRS is fully functional all diagonistics were clear. There's an island out there.' Koenig explained sheepishly.
'Captain, may I speak?' Seaman Dudek, also know as Patch due to a birthmark on his forehead, interjected.
'Mmmhmm, Patch, what have you got to add?' The captain sighed.
'Thank ye' sir, its was that storm last week I'd say. When we adjusted course we've gone a few miles wide of the normal trade route. By a few it's like 40 or so which might have been enough for us to be in range of this island if no one ever came so far east with this level of radar equipment before.' Patch said.
'Not a bad theory, Patch,' the Captain nodded, 'Koch, record this, send it to SFF command, get them to check this out. If the LRS is working fine, we continue our course.'

Sea of Alucard, Aboard the MSS Ramsau (Reconnaissance vessel) , 13:40 12th May 2018
Captain Exner was onboard once again, this time however the vessel was under the command of Captain Zumr. The ship also played host to a small detachment of IST Marines under the command of Major Ackermann. The bridge contained the necessary crew members and both captains, Exner sat nervously in his seat since he had received a fair amount of ridicule after he had claimed the Heppenberg had discovered an island without ever seeing it. Contrastingly, Zumr stood at the helm, hands on the desk scanning the horizon intently, only breaking his search to briefly check the LRS and other detector systems.
'So Exner,' Zumr mused, this sudden speech causing the other captain to spin in his seat. 'We're where you recorded your position and nothing yet.'
'Give it time...Captain.' Exner replied.
'We've come a long way already and there's no sign of anything.' Zumr retorted. 'Maybe it was just a glitch in the system? Did you ever think about that before throwing away your repuation and having command send me on a wild goose chase?'
'It was no glitch, Zumr, my crew assured me.'
'Again did you ever think your crew were wrong? They're merchant fleet after all, not the brightest...'
Zumr was cut short by a single beep. And another moments later.
The crew sprung into action, reading off dials and signals.
'Large unknown object detected, sir.' One of the crew members shouted. Zumr ran over, starting at the radar screen. A single green dot stared back. He spun on his heel.
'YOU,' he barked at a sailor, 'Fetch Major Ackermann,' he turned to Exner. 'by god, man you were right.'
'Apology accepted.' Exner smiled.

Coast of Zib, Aboard the Marine landing vessel, 15:15 12th May
Ackermann sat at the helm of the RIB as it hurtled towards the island.
'Right men, listen up!' He yelled over the sound of the air rushing past them and the sea crashing below them. 'We have no idea if the island is populated and if it is populated who is there and whether they are hostile... frankly we don't know a damned thing so body cams on and weapons at the ready. We're about 5 minutes out, we have to make radio contact with the Ramsau by 1700 hours or they assume we have encountered hostiles.'

The Miteravian Marines approached the shore at a rate of knots. Little did they know they were about to land on not just any island but on the island of Zib.

[Zib]

Zibian Coast, Atoll Ring - 15:20 12th May
The coast of Zib, as the men would soon find, was separated into two distinct sections. The outer most ring the product of classical atoll structure noting a defined increased elevation of marine mountain formations. The sand was crisp and pure. A line of tropical plant life held together the sands with their roots as their trunks reached high into the air. The crystal blue waters off the coast made sea-life readily available to spot. Small tropical fish darted through the water, and a roaming reef shark zipped away from the raucous path of their small watercraft. There was an entrance into this atoll ring where the pressing tides of the world's ocean pushed away the gathered sands forming a crescent sandbar to the east, opening up a pathway into the much deeper but virtually just as clear waters surrounding the Island proper. A dense treeline stood between the marine's view and whatever may lie within. What could be seen on the island's coast though were disturbances in the sand, irregular disturbances. While the sand was a poor medium for defined tracks it appeared that there may have been a gathering of wildlife around peeled crab shells. Initial inspection of what was readily available to be seen may indicate that the island lacked human civilization.
City of Zib, Interior Island of Zib - 15:30 12th May
Cipion Cas Dzi lounged on a bed of palm leaves and sand, below a canopy of green woven palm leaves. His relaxed expression as he popped open a crab's shell with a tool made from a wooden hand with a singular shark tooth as a pry was symbolic of most evenings on Zib. That was until a small child rushed up to him, kicking sand with his toes as he did so.
"Cipion! Cipion! Thar esh a ship! A ship!" the boy said with wide eyes, panic tangible
"A ship? Boy thar esh a lot o'ar ships! Go away." the Cipion waved dismissively towards the child
"Cipion! Cipion wel ya please!" the child complained
The Cipion looked up from his meal with a dangerous expression and waved the tool slightly at the boy
"If dis esh a'other of ya games child, I wel feed ya to the Sharrs, aye?" Cas Dzi looked to a heavily scarred man to his right, scales and gills engraved on his tanned body visibly giving him an aquatic theme "Sharr Kur, go with the boy, find these ships o'his."
The scarred man stood up slowly and put on his head a wide brimmed woven hat that extend in all directions at least a foot an a half. The sunhats were decorated with fish bone and feathers that dangled off the sides near the ears "Aye Cipion." he said in a deep voice. The large man followed the boy, in his hand a spear with a triple stingray barb at point.

The Cipion watched both leave and then looked to the old men and women near him, being tended to by young women feeding them and giving them water.
"And what do ya think o'this, Old One?" he nodded to one of the old women
"Cipion, thar old tales of lands away from Zib. Perhaps they have found us?" Her accent was much weaker than the younger Zibians including the Cipion, her age placing her closer to the original settlers of Zib
"Ha... glad ya still have ya humor." the Cipion grinned kindly at her while snickering, before going back to his interrupted meal.

The old women smiled back at the Cipion then turned and whispered in the ear of one of the young women who smiled at her and rushed off towards a large twisting wooden horn sitting on a three legged stand for its size was too large for anyone person to hold. Placing her lips at the aperture the woman blew hard into the instrument which created a reverberating high note to a quickly descending and holding low note which rumbled throughout the island.

The Cipion was not impressed and jumped to his feet "Damn ya! What was tha, huh? Do ya see a storm woman? No? I don't see a storm! Foolish girl, ya wel scare everybody! Get away from thar!" the Cipion was livid and turned to the old woman, knowing that she had put the younger one up to it "Ya been acting an eel, old one, what have ya been sayin' to tha girl?"
The old women bowed her head and said in a voice that only an old woman could muster "Ohhh Cipion, I'm sorry for it. I just though ya like a bit o music."

[Miteravia]

The small boat zipped across the surface of the azure water inside the atoll ring, although they were going slightly slower than before as they could see the mainland fast approaching. Ackermann flicked on the radio.
'Ackermann to Ramsau, over.' He said
'Ramsau, receivi..g you, ove..' The Ramsau replied, slightly crackly.
'You're slightly breaking up Ramsau, calling in to say landmass confirmed. Over and out.'
Ackermann turned the radio off once again. Moments later the boat gently came ashore on the platinum sand. Ackermann signal for them to disembark, which was executed swiftly with great discipline, the beachhead was cleared and the Miteravians began unloading their observational equipment.
The soldier furthest up the beach, one Sergant Schulze, heard a twig break underfoot.
The cry of 'Kontakt.' filled the air as the Miteravians hit the ground, dropping any observation equipment that was being carried, their firearms pointing out into the treeline at the end of the beach.
'Damn it,' Ackermann whispered to the Corporal next to him. 'Schulze is stuck further up the beach.'
'Orders, sir?' The Corporal replied.
Ackermann lifted his head. 'Do not engage, hold your fire.' He yelled. He stood, scared as anything although he'd never show it.
'Wir sind aus Miteravia, wir kommen in Frieden!' He yelled in his native language.
'Sir get down, we don't know what's there, it could be an animal.' The Corporal hissed.
'We are from Miteravia we come in peace!' He repeated in English.
'Nahn min Miteravia wanati bislam.' He tried again in Arabic.
He repeated the phrase in Lodjian and Norse, in case the Island was a possession of Nya Aland or Lodja.
'We are from Miteravia we come in peace!' He repeated in English once again.

[Zib]

The marines would hear the sound of a bellowing horn that pierced the silence of the island, save for the twig cracking in the distance. There were no people that showed themselves although in the direction of the rustling and cracking ground cover there would be heard another much more pronounced rustling as if something large was moving through. A moment later a monitor lizard, quick as lightning, sped across the sands and into the ocean waves off to their left.
Zibian Coast, Zib Island, Eastern half - 15:40 12th May
Sharr Kur and the boy heard the sound of the horn, and looking into the air they saw no storm clouds closing in.
"Somebody esh messin' with the horn again." Sharr Kur said with disdain
"Come on Sharr! It esh over thar!" the boy pointed and urged the large man to follow the foot trail towards the eastern side of the island.
The pair made their way to the coast where in the distance both spotted a group of men and a boat. Sharr Kur quickly placed a hand on the boy's chest and looked to him
"Stay behind me. Do not talk ta 'em." Sharr Kur approached the men, some of the words they were saying sounded very familiar to his own language. He understood at least that they were here peacefully. Sticking towards the treeline as they approached the large man held up his fishing spear and bellowed "I'm Sharr Kur! This esh my Zib, who ar ya?" standing well above six feet tall, as strong as one could be without a gym, and a large hat to go with his plant fiber skirt the scarred man with sharpened teeth posed an fierce visage for most (although those around this place normally were not armed with modern weaponry). The boy with him was far shorter and thinner than he, although he wore a similar but less elaborate sunhat and pants. His skin was not as tanned as Sharr Kur giving him the appearance of a white child who had spent a summer or two at camp. Neither seemed particularly aggressive, although Sharr Kur was definitely defensive.

[Miteravia]

Ackermann stayed standing.
'Greetings, English it is then I guess?' He said warmly. 'We're here as an exploration party.'
He threw his weapon down.
'We're from a place called Miteravia, My name is Sebastian Ackermann, what is it your name?' He continued.
The rest of the platoon gradually got to their feet although they were less quick to abandon their firearms and kept them clutched firmly however they were pointed at the sand rather than at the Zibians.
'A beautiful home you have here, what do you call this place?' Ackermann continued.

[Zib]

Sharr Kur narrowed his eyes warily as the guns were dropped into the sand, he did not know what they were but he could piece together they were some type of mysterious weapon.
"I'm Sharr Kur." he put a hand to his chest and pointed at the sand "This esh Zib." some of the words the foreigner was using did not really connect with Sharr Kur, for example 'exploration'.
"Ya explaratin party? What esh Explaratin? Mit... Mitarva? Miterva?" Sharr Kur pulled the boy to his hip and kept a hand on the boy's shoulder "Boy, find tha Cipion, tell 'em thar esh explaratin mitarva on Zib." And with that the boy dashed off, looking behind him every now and then - terrified of the unknown men. Sharr Kur on the otherhand, while in awe of other humans existing and looking so different from his own people, still seemed to be resolute in standing his sand. "Ar ya the Cipion? Mitarva Cipion?" he questioned Ackermann.

[Miteravia]

Ackermann smiled to try and appear as non-hostile as possible, 'Exploration is when you look for and find somewhere you have never been, see we have never been to Zib so we're exploring it if that's alright.'
Ackermann look round at his crew, English was never his strongest subject when he was in school and now with the heavily accented Sharr Kur in front of him he was slightly out of his depth.
'Any one have any idea what Cipion means?' There were a few head shakes.
'Schulze, get on the radio and tell the Ramsau that we've discovered English-speaking natives. Quickly.' He requested.
'Now Sharr; Miteravia is a place, like Zib, far far away over the sea, its our own...island...' Ackermann walked up to the side of the boat and pointed to the flag, 'This is Miteravia's flag, does Zib have a flag? Miteravia is very big so we have a President and his...friends that talk together to decide what is best for us, they make the rules that everyone follows, who makes the rules here in Zib?'
Ackermann was hoping to find some form of government official, to make sure he wasn't accidentally violating some other nations sovereignty as a diplomatic conflict is not the most desirable thing in his opinion.

Oklan, Miteravia, Presidential Office at the MGUP, 16:20 12th May
President Seiler and Vice-President Hester were lent over a map of Mundus, splayed out over the President's desk. The Vice-President was on the phone.
'What the hell do you mean no one knows about the island? Foreign Affairs? Interior? IST?' Hester yelled down the phone at some poor aide to a minister. 'What's the bloody point in funding them then?'
There was a brief pause.
'So no nation we know of claims it? But there's natives or something.' He continued.
Another pause.
'Fine, fine, tell them to proceed with caution. There's natives so I don't think making it into an island state like Tamrov would be any good.' Hester argued.
Seiler looked up from the map, 'I agree, Maik.' he added.
'The President agrees, no intrusive behaviour of any sort until we work out who they are.' Hester hung up.

[Zib]

Sharr Kur looked over then man as he explained to him what exploration was as well as describing to him the different devices on the ship like their flag.
"No, we does not have that" he pointed to the flag "That esh to small, we have big -" the man put his arms out to the sides to show its intended size "Soul Fish." he finished his sentence.
Sharr Kur laughed as the man didn't know what a Cipion was, that was ridiculous in his reckoning "Ya Presodant, he esh ya Cipion, he leads ya don't he?" when the man spoke of 'rules' Sharr Kur's eyes light up
"Ah! Ya speak of tha Rules? Tha Old Ones make tha Rules 'ere." he pointed in the direction of the interior of the island "Tha Cipion brings tha Old Ones trouble an'tha Old Ones make a Rule." he explained. Sharr Kur reached out and tried to tilt Ackmerann's head to the side to look at his neck "Do ya have gills, Mitarva?"

City of Zib, Interior of Zib Island, 16:10 12th May
"Cipion! Cipion! Cipion!" the boy chattered as he dashed towards the Cipion who was speaking with several men and women.
"Don't ya be worried 'bout tha horn. Tha woman blew it cause -" the Cipion stopped and turned to face the boy "Where esh Sharr Kur?" he asked in an even tone.
"Cipion! Sharr Kur esh with tha Mitarva! Sharr told me to tell ya! Thar'n explaratin mitarva, tha what Sharr told me to tell ya!" the boy was absolutely frantic and the Cipion could see it.
"Aye boy, Sharr says tha truth." Cas Dzi looked to the group of Zibians who had begun to gather "Keep ya children in tha covers, we wel see what tha explaratin mitarva want."
The boy looked at the Cipion with large eyes "Cipion ar ya going to kill tha Mitarva?" to which the Cipion looked to him quickly "Hush child! Ya don't know what ya sayin'! Go home, ya 'ave done good. Tell ya mother that ya get extra fish - go on." he ushered the boy towards a few of the attendant young women which one of them took him away past the crowd. The city itself was a mass canopies tied to tree trunks, with dunes of sand covered in woven leaves used as bedding. Most of the Zibians had taken off their sunhats as the sun began to be a little less intense and much of Zib was in a dull shade at any rate. The only way one would know where the Cipion's dwelling was, besides the ornate carved wooden beads littering the sand, would be the massive whale ribs holding up his canopy and outstretched in the background an extremely old canvas sail displaying a large blue fish on a pale blue background.

[Miteravia]

Ackermann shook his head at Sharr Kur, 'No my friend, no gills, I'm a person too. We all are. I'm like you, y'know, human.'
He turned and waved at Schulze to get back on the radio.
'Tell the Ramsau they have a government, I don't think this is Lodja or Nya Aland, I think this is its own country.' Ackermann ordered Schulze in German. The Major addressed Sharr Kur in English,
'So you have a government? Leadership? Your Cipion is in charge? Do you know of any other countries, um...places that aren't Zib. Across the sea maybe?'
Schulze yelled back, 'Sir, Ramsau has received orders...from President Seiler.'

Oklan, Miteravia, Presidential Office at the MGUP, 16:40 12th May
Hester had now left the President in his office poring over a map of the Sea of Alucard.
'There's no islands marked there. How have the satellites missed it all this time.' He growled, annoyed. 'Bloody hell.'
The phone began to rang. Seiler ignored it and continued to study the map. The ringing eventually stopped, moments later however it would start back up again. He reached over and picked up the phone.
'Seiler, what is it?' He sighed exasperatedly.
'I'm calling on behalf of Minister Schweizer, the island seems to have it's own government, sir, Minister Schweizer has reason to believe that 'Zib' is its own sovereign nation.' The voice at the other end proclaimed.
'Jesus...' Seiler whispered, he paused for a moment. 'Does any nation recognise Zib or any other nation as owning those waters at the moment?'
'No, sir.' The voice responded.
'So we aren't violating anyone's borders by investigating and landing?' The President questioned.
'Um...grey area, sir, if they are a nation-state we may be.' The voice responded again.
Seiler swore under his breath. 'Tell the minister, give the order to proceed with caution, diplomatic mission only, any site of hostility refrain from engagement as long as possible and to retreat to the Ramsau. Tell Captain Zumr to be prepared for emergency evacuations if necessary. Tell Major Ackermann not to mess this up.'
'Understood, sir.' They replied, hanging up the phone.