Motstånd

Motstånd (meaning "Resistance") is a resistance group opposed to the amalgamation of the Free Rasalhague Republic and Ghost Bear Dominion.

Overview

When Clan Ghost Bear extended the hand of friendship to annex the remaining seven worlds of the Free Rasalhague Republic in 3071 in the midst of the Word of Blake Jihad, a great many on both sides approved, but a notable number were opposed to what they saw as giving up the Republic's hard-won freedom and renewed domination by outsiders. Boosted by elements of the KungsArmé who were discharged for their refusal to undergo Trials of Position to remain warriors, numerous resistance groups sprung up to try and oppose the Bears.

Jihad

Much like the Tyr Resistance Movement of old, Motstånd emerged up as umbrella group, attempting to coordinate the efforts of these individual nationalist groups, giving them a unified purpose but also directing them toward propaganda as opposed to military strikes. Despite the best efforts of the Clan Watch and Mimir the movement gained increasing strength. An episode of "Bears on the Border", a six-part Skye News Now series detailing the joining of the FRR and Ghost Bears discussed the rise of Motstånd and its similarity to the Tyr Movement, but also pointed out the low odds it would ever successfully displace the Clan. While the Tyr movement was eventually successful, it had support from Lyran Commonwealth and a Draconis Combine that ultimately saw retaining Rasalhague as too costly, whereas Motstånd had no external support and a more inflexible foe that simply had nowhere else to go.

The tacit level of support for Motstånd from much of the population ended when members of the group engaged in a terrorist incident on the Dominion world of Alshain. The bombing, conducted by Motstånd on the 31st of December 3078, struck at the Omni-Paradise Hotel and killed 378 civilians - both Rasalhagian and Clan Ghost Bear in origin - as well as several members of the Unity Council, including Selanna Jorgensson and the former Prince of the Free Rasalhague Republic, Christian Månsdottir. Motstånd used explosives determined to have Word of Blake origins in the attack, which played a factor in the loss of support experienced by the group in the wake of the bombing.

Following the bombing the leaders of Motstånd were pursued aggressively by the Ghost Bears; on the 2nd of January 3079 one of the group leaders, Albert Gronvold-Minami, was killed by Ghost Bear paramilitary police on Stanzach. The press coverage of the death of Gronvold-Minami reported that he and a number of other Motstånd members had holed up in a flat in the Hayden Arms estate block of Janetown, and that when the surrounding area had been cordoned off by the Ghost Bear paramilitary police the terrorists decided to try and fight their way out rather than surrender. The resulting combat devastated the block itself and damaged two other nearby blocks, with a total of 14 terrorists and 6 paramilitary police killed. Gronvold-Minami was evidently apprehended while trying to escape in a car, and he and eight other terrorists who had attempted to surrender were summarily executed at the scene by the police. It was noted that while the summary execution of the terrorists attracted some criticism from legal activists, polls of native Rasalhagians conducted across the Ghost Bear Dominion showed a high level of support for the action taken.

The last known surviving member of the Motstånd leadership was Cilla Amdahl, who narrowly escaped capture on the Dominion world of Tinaca on the 9th of January 3079. Amdahl's capture was considered a top priority by both Mimir and the Ghost Bear Watch.

Dark Age

The group ultimately appeared to go completely underground to avoid capture. However, by 3099 a resurgent Motstånd staged opportunistic uprisings across the Ghost Bear Dominion. The actions of Motstånd were responsible for the Ghost Bear Dominion developing and introducing to service the Constable Pacification Suit in 3092 - an offshoot of the earlier Rogue Bear battle armor - which was designed to enhance the combat capabilities of the Dominion police forces.

Motstånd engaged in a short-lived rebellion in 3125 which was notable for both its brutality and the Dominion's response. Both Clan and native troops were mobilized and quickly smashed the organization. The group's core leadership, which had been active for decades, was captured after the 3125 uprising and sentenced to death. One of the largest conflicts between Motstånd and the Dominion military took place on Balsta, where the 2nd Tyr Assault Cluster crushed the First Snapphanar. Other battles were fought on Predlitz and Vipaava; on the latter world Cilla Amdahl was finally captured and executed.

After these events Motstånd members kept a low profile and confined their activities to handing out propaganda.

Bibliography

• Era Report: 3145
• Field Manual: 3085
• Jihad: Final Reckoning
• Jihad Hot Spots: Terra
• "Mother of Resistance" Dead on Vipaava (in: Shrapnel, Issue #1)
• Technical Readout: 3145 Clans