Notes from the Author: Note that all original characters, places, etc… are mine. All else is the property of somebody else.
UN Headquarters, New York City, USA
March 30th, 2008 – 2:00 PM EST
Dr. Yolanda Jockers, Ambassador of the United States to the United Nations walked with head held up high from the General Assembly Building at UN Headquarters, walking to a long black limousine sent to transport her back to her temporary apartment in the city and her teleconference with the President's Cabinet. For once, she had good news.
"Dr. Jockers! Dr. Jockers, may we have a moment of your time!?!"
Looking toward the shouting, Jockers saw a young blonde woman, holding a microphone in hand, and followed by a BBC camera crew. With a sigh, the American decided that she had best satisfy the media sharks.
"May I help you, Miss…?"
"Jessica Hicks," the newsy supplied. "British Broadcast Corporation. Dr. Jockers, today a heated struggle took place in the General Assembly between the United, and Allied States in regards to the admission of the Allied States of America to the United Nations. Do you have any commentary on the results of this closely fought clash?"
"Jessica," Jockers began. "There are one hundred and ninety two states present within the halls of the General Assembly Building. Today one hundred voted to refuse entry to what is clearly a rogue, corporate-run country. Of the remaining ninety-two, thirty said yes, the remaining sixty-two choosing to abstain for the moment from the vote. Close, maybe, but it was still the right decision. America needs support, and now, we have got it."
"You say America needs support," said Hicks. "But, aren't the people of the Allied States living west of the Mississippi also Americans? What about the Texans?"
Dr. Jockers paused a moment as she considered a reply. She looked at the enlisted Marine holding position by the limousine briefly. The young man seemed nervous. She had to get herself back on schedule. It really wouldn't do to keep the Cabinet waiting.
"While the people living west of the Mississippi are in fact still Americans by blood, they happen to be ruled by a corrupt, criminal government out of Cheyenne. Whilst the leaders in that government remain in control of those people's lives they as Americans do require help and support. We mean to bring it to them in the form of the destruction of the regime in Cheyenne, and the reunification of the United States of America."
"What about the Texans?" Hicks repeated.
"San Antonio hasn't made its stance very clear," Jockers replied. "And Columbus doesn't have any intention to force the issue of Texas being re-annexed just yet. Texas is different in several ways from the Allied States. They had a legitimate reason behind what they did in the days following the attacks. The central US government was possibly gone, and was in no position to help them even if it survived. As well, a corrupt rogue state was forming immediately north of them, and a potentially hostile Mexico was to the south. They made it their primary goal to secure what they still held, which was Texas. Because they sought independence for good reason and Governor Todd is a just and responsible woman, we're highly confident the issue may be resolved by peaceful negotiations."
"After the ASA is dealt with?" Hicks asked.
"Yes," said Jockers. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must be going."
Not waiting any further, Dr. Jockers turned and strode briskly to the waiting limousine.
It had been a long day, and she had more to do yet.
ASA Capital Building, Cheyenne, Wyoming, ASA
March 30th, 2008 – 1:00 PM PST
President John Tomarchio of the Allied States of America slammed the phone down on to its cradle as soon as his representative to the United Nations hung up. He had thought that his bid to gain entry to the UN was a sure thing, but evidently he'd been wrong. They had lost, admittedly not by much, but a loss was still a loss.
"Bad news, Mr. President?" Tomarchio looked up at Vice President Paul Chapman.
"They stopped us, Paul," he said. "Columbus managed to get enough support."
"We're denied entry?" Chapman asked, shocked. "I thought it was a sure thing."
"So did everybody else in Cheyenne," said Tomarchio. He sat down at his desk. "First we lost Texas, then the truth behind the attacks made it out through San Antonio, and now, at least for the immediate future, we lack United Nations support. What else could go wrong here, Paul? At least we're putting down most of the rebel groups in our own territory."
"Most of them," said Chapman. "Hopefully, we can stabilize before the UN Peacekeepers leave the Blue Line and expose us to the wolves."
"I don't think they'll leave just yet," said Tomarchio. "They don't know what to do. They have to figure out which is better; stabilizing things as they are, or letting us fight it out to unknown conclusions."
"Either's going to be Hell on the global economy," said Chapman.
"Damn right, and that's why everybody's so nervous. They're trying to figure out what is likely to hurt the most. They know there's going to be a war, if not now then later, but the idea is to figure which will cause the least damage for everybody's bank accounts."
"Don't let the J&R reps catch you talking financial harm, John," said Chapman. "They're kind of touchy about their money, you know."
"I hadn't ever noticed," Tomarchio said, voice dripping sarcasm. "Now, we still have that big constitutional convention to worry about this month."
"True," said Chapman. "I hope nothing goes wrong there."
"Don't jinx it," Tomarchio grumbled.
Bexar County Courthouse, San Antonio, IRT
March 30th, 2008 – 3:00 PM CST
Governor of Texas Christina Todd closed the door to her temporary office behind her and headed toward the desk. She held a mug of coffee in one hand, and a folder in the other, a list of facts and figures about the Republic's defense situation inside. She had requested it in an earlier meeting with General Charles Rodriguez, the one responsible for the nation's military forces and security.
Laying the folder down on the desk and opening it, she began casually reading. When she had asked General Rodriguez to provide this data, she had requested that he include those individuals and units of the Federal US Forces still in Texas following the bombings. She had ordered these interred earlier, which had caused some tension, but now Texas and the United States were officially allies and these forces were back in communication with the new Federal government in Columbus, being organized and able to gain support from the leadership of the United States of America. Already, several units were forming up where instructed by President Charles, joining Texan forces in preparation for inevitable conflict in the next few months.
News of the decision in New York City had reached San Antonio hours earlier, and Todd had been very happy with the decision. The last thing Texas and the United States needed in this situation was the Allied States gaining formal support globally. It looked like there had been some affect when information about Project Red Bell was made public. She had listened to the Allied States ambassador when his government found out she not only had in her possession data files proving they were behind the WMD strikes, but the bomb that had been intended to destroy Columbus, Ohio. First, he had made offers of payment, tried in vain to get Todd to hand the bomb over, keep the files a secret. When that did not work he threatened, saying Cheyenne was prepared to destroy Texas to get what it desired.
For a moment Todd's mouth quirked in a smile as she recalled that conversation.
***
"You say you will destroy Texas, sir?" asked the Governor of Texas, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't just say it, Madam Governor," was the immediate reply. The man was not a very impressive sight to say the least. He was short, bald and fat. The gray suit didn't help him much. If anything he reminded Christina of a man who should be in antacid commercials.
"I guarantee we will destroy Texas, if you don't give us what we demand."
"You demand?" Todd's eyebrow quirked again. "First you threaten me, and now you are making demands of me? This is truly undiplomatic behavior, Mr. Ambassador, especially if you're trying to convince me to cooperate with you."
"Madam Governor," the man started. "I would consider my next words cautiously. If you intend to-"
"Do not imagine you can intimidate me, sir!" Todd barked, silencing him. "I do not think it is possible for the Allied States to destroy Guam, much less Texas. We have been here a long time, Mr. Ambassador, and it will take more than what John Tomarchio has to make us go away, or to intimidate us into submission."
"Madam Governor," the man tried again. "I meant no offense, but-"
"You most certainly did," Todd interrupted. "You attempt to frighten me, to cow my State into submitting to Cheyenne's demands; into helping you people hide your actions. It will be a cold day in Hell before I help Cheyenne do anything."
"I…will explain your views to my President, Madam Governor," said the man.
"Explain it to him in person," was Todd's curt reply. "You are expelled."
***
Remembering the short clash, Todd had to smile. She had received word from Cheyenne, informing her that a list of potential new ambassadors would be sent to her shortly so that it would be possible for her to help select the best person for the post. She had not replied immediately, letting them wait, and then, informed them she wouldn't be offended if they had to take some extra time to make that list.
In short, the Republic and the Allied States would likely soon be enemies, so why waste a lot of time sending a person who would be expelled in months?
Dropping the still-open folder, she found she had lost all desire to read through the report. Instead, she picked up her desk phone and started to dial. She and her husband hadn't had much time alone recently. Maybe they could arrange something tonight.
Savanna-Sabula Bridge, Savanna, Illinois
March 30th, 2008 – 3:30 PM CST
Captain Robin Wolfe, Illinois Army National Guard looked down on the bridge from just underneath one hundred feet above it in the cockpit of an OH-58 Kiowa Warrior, her eyes keenly searching the opposite side of the Mississippi for signs of trouble. Part of her mind kept noting how surreal this was, conducting security operations on the Mississippi, when less than twelve months earlier this had been the American Heartland, a place no enemies in existence could possibly hope to reach. Now the opposite bank was hostile land owned largely by the Allied States of America, excepting a few rebel holdouts, and those did not last long on either side of the Blue Line these days. When such a community was found it had usually two choices, join with the discovering nation, ASA or USA, or be annihilated in order to prevent instability. Most times the US tried the diplomatic approach, deployed its military forces where necessary, and hoped for the best.
Chief Warrant Officer 2 (CW2) Tracy Halbert sat beside her, keeping both his eyes on his instrumentation as the aircraft moved. Occasionally, he would glance backward, checking in order to make sure the second OH-58 paired with them was keeping formation. Then, a look across the river would ensure the Allied States helicopters shadowing them kept up a respectable distance from the US shore. UN forces had asked that US and AS aircraft stay inside their respective airspace at all times. Wolfe and Halbert, and the crew of the Kiowa looking back at them, could not cross the river's middle. At least, the UN had said that, as if anybody listened to the UN these days, but Columbus chose to back up those directions recently with official orders not to antagonize AS or UN forces if at all possible.
"Nothing happening yet?" he asked through the helmet microphones.
"Nothing so far," Wolfe replied. "The only soldiers down there are UN on this side of the Mississippi line. If there're any AS troops on the opposite bank, they're hiding."
Halbert nodded and looked down at the bridge. He could see UN barricades on both sides keeping the bridge empty. For the time being, there was no official travel from one nation into the other, and barring any changes, that was how it would stay. Apart from the troops in place at the barricades themselves, he saw nothing. All the wrecked cars and such were long cleared away, and the roadway looked disturbingly bare.
"Doesn't seem right," he observed.
"No," said Wolfe. "No, it doesn't, but that's how it is. Let's keep at it."