[center][img]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Nieuwe_Lichting...1949.jpg [/img]
[b]Kingdom of the Netherlands[/b] [/center]

[sub]June, 1955 [right]Wilhelminahaven te Rotterdam[/right][/sub][hr][hr]

The organized footsteps of a troop of soldiers marched through the harbor of port Wilhelmina in Rotterdam, fresh-faced recruits all, but with a determined tread in their step. These were not the men of France, of Britain, of Germany, marching to a certain doom in the Great War years prior. These were not the frenzied marches of the Japanese, desperately trying to cut out a piece of the great Chinese tiger. Nor were these the legions of Russia, facing off against Bolsheviks in a pace that would later come to destroy Russia. These were the determined steps of men of the Netherlands, young men, men that were prepared to lay down their lives. 

This was perhaps the giveaway that these were not career soldiers. They had not seen the Great War, they had not become shellshocked from second-hand war trauma, peering out into the smoke and fire, seeing only death and suffering in the trenches. These were men that had been convinced – by none other than the Queen – that it was not just their duty to expel the Japanese from Indonesia, it was their god-given task to ensure that not a single square meter in Indonesia would ever be home to a Japanese ever again.

In a rousing speech just a month prior, queen Wilhelmina had backed down from the vague promises of peace and reconciliation uttered by the cabinet that had been in charge at the start of the war and the 7 years after that – cabinet Herremans II and III – and she had acknowledged that the war had taken a turn for the worse under the leadership of cabinet Broodmans I. But with an unprecedented return to a true monarchy and a return of the power of the queen herself, she had hoped to rein in these mistakes and repair the damages. After all, Wilhelmina was not yet prepared to give up the crown jewel of the Dutch crown to the Japanese after ten years of war. “Indië wacht!” she had proclaimed, a rallying cry that would soon be taken over by many, leading to a surge in volunteers for the KNIL – where previously a single boat worth of troops was sent each month or two, now there were three boats worth of volunteers, prepared to fight. It seemed all they had needed to push them over the edge was the firm hand of a 75 year old woman who was fit of mind, angry, but unfortunately also ailing and ill frequently. 

Princess Juliana – heiress to the throne – and her remarkable, strange and interesting husband prince Bernhard, who was originally from the German empire, hailing from Thüringen, frequently took over the duties of the queen, acting as her mouthpiece when she was unable to instruct her people herself, a phenomenon that was becoming more and more frequent as the years passed.  

The situation in Indonesia was worsening, despite her interventions, and by now she had placed her final hopes in the city of Batavia – a city that, over the last ten years of the war, had been turned from a rich port city into a fortified stronghold that even the Japanese would struggle to besiege. 

In another unusual move, the Noordzeevloot, traditionally the fleet that protected the North Sea and the Netherlands itself, had been ordered to set sail for Indonesia – to aid the colonial naval presence. This fleet – a rather impressive one compared to what one might have expected from a small country like the Netherlands – was headed by the Hare Majesteit (Hr. Ms.) Wilhelmina, the flagship of admiral van Doorn, who had been placed in charge of the entire naval offensive. He was given an impossible amount of freedom, given only the order “to eradicate the Japanese presence in the Indonesian sea through any means necessary,” giving him carte blanche to approach the situation as he saw fit.

While the war effort by the Dutch had thus far been lackluster, it would soon become clear to the Japanese occupying forces in Indonesia that, while they had been facing colonial garrisons and a small naval presence, they would soon have the full force of the Royal Dutch Navy bearing down on them, and the presence of many eager young men ready to defend their territories – or, rather, what was left of it. 

Whether it would all be for naught was to be seen still – but to give all this up without a fight.. that would never happen. 

[hr][sub]Paleis Het Loo, Apeldoorn, late June 1955[/sub]
[hr]

The quick tread of prince Bernhard was followed by a quicker, but more light set of steps – the hallmark of Juliana and Bernhard moving together through the royal palace Het Loo, alerting everyone that they were on their way to queen Wilhelmina herself. The prince was dressed in his finest military suit – oh, how he loved to flaunt the fact that he was the supreme commander of the Dutch armed forces – and his wife, the princess, was dressed in a long blue dress with a white folded piece of fabric, made to look like a flower, on her heart. Then followed three resounding knocks, before the couple entered the room together, and then the door slammed shut.

Inside, the queen was laid on her bed, her hands folded together – even in bed, ill as she could be, she looked royal, and her posture was no different. She looked upon her two favorite members of the royal house – and, perhaps, the only ones she could count on. 

“They asked us to give you this,” prince Bernhard said, handing the queen a single page of paper, summarizing a much more detailed intelligence report that he had received from the intelligence agencies of each individual part of the armed forces – a rather burdensome affair, as far as Bernhard was concerned, that would consume time he’d rather have spent in a plane. The man had smarts, and a certain charm – that could not be denied – but he was a bit of a daredevil, and quite rash. The perfect tool, however, for generating public support. Not a man could claim to dislike the prince. 

The queen looked at the paper for a moment, squinting her eyes then enlarging them again, before throwing the paper onto her legs and looking at the couple before her. “God’s sake, you, just tell me what I need to know!”

“Ah, yes, well, the LAMID and LUID have found records that indicate that there is, in fact, a man that still has a valid claim to the throne in Korea – and in fact, should be emperor of Korea right now. His name is Jee Gee.. gee-yon?”

The queen remained silent, her eyes trained on the prince, before her eyes shifted to her daughter. “Tell me what this jester is trying to tell me?”

“LAMID believes we might be able to fund independence movements in Korea if we use this [i]Yi Geon[/i] as a prop. LUID is not so assured – they believe that this prince lives in Japan currently, and is perhaps not as eager to take the throne.”

“Yes--,.. yes, well, if the LA.. LAM- [i]those people[/i] believes it, we shall do so. Whatever it takes, I suppose. I’ll begin drafting a letter to the Czarina of Russia to ask for funds – I believe me and her are close enough that she might be willing to support a fellow monarch.”

Prince Bernhard raised a finger, interjecting that “Japan has a monarch too,” but this only earned him a death stare from the queen, who did indeed love him dearly. 

“Do not strain yourself so, mother,” Juliana hushed, stepping closer and straightening the blanket that covered the woman’s body, before stepping back, “we discussed this. You need rest.”

“[b]Well,[/b]” the old small woman suddenly said, her voice booming in a way one might have never expected from a woman like her – although many an [i]oma[/i] has been known to be quite capable of raising their voice – “how am I meant to rest when every second I am reminded that those Japanese are taking what is rightfully [i]ours[/i]?”

“We know, mother, we know. We also had another proposition. Bernhard believes it may be beneficial if he visits Thailand and meets with the king.”

The queen hummed for a moment, considering her options, before slowly nodding in agreement. Bernhard was, perhaps, just charismatic enough to get [i]something[/i] done. “Very well – but this will be a 2-day diplomatic trip. We need him here to coordinate the war efforts.”

And just like that the old queen lied through her teeth – Bernhard was often more of a nuisance at the meetings that determined the course of the war, his rash and brazen attitude often leading to strategical decisions that were.. questionable at best. And while occasionally his rather brave attitude lead to resounding victories that surprised not just the Japanese, but also the Dutch, it was quite clear to everyone involved that he was a great public figure, but an awful general. 

And so Bernhard left for Thailand aboard one of the military vessels that would make their way there – transferring to the Hr. Ms. Wilhelmina along the way, since it was outfitted with a scout plane catapult and could launch him into the air before they reached Indonesia, so that he may fly to Thailand himself. Ofcourse, that part had not been communicated to Wilhelmina, and Bernhard may have convinced Juliana that he would simply make the fleet port in Thailand. 

But, truth be told, a prince flying in in a plane would be far more impressive, would it not?