January 1996

The Blizzard of 96

The fall of 1995 had started off unseasonably cool in many sections of the northern hemisphere but once the winter of 1995-1996 offically arrived things got into full swing. The northeastern United States experienced the worst blizzard since 1947 (real life fact and the other main reason for 1995 setting. In real life this blizzard paralyzed both New York and Philadelphia for a few days. This happening during a reconstruction era would make for an EXCELLENT plotline twist of new challenges and drama. But you cannot use the Blizzard of 96 as a reconstruction barrier if the events of the story are set AFTER the blizzard, only if the events are set BEFORE the blizzard. It's just too good of an opportunity. We're not going to pass it up. ) greatly hampering reconstruction efforts.

There was a large hunting party in the Canadian wilderness of determined hunters. They knew there was a large group of aliens hiding out in the plains just north of them. So they set out on snowmobiles with guns and chainsaws.

"The snow storm has paralyzed the reconstruction efforts of the Northeastern United States including the city Sir. The material damages are not small" the captain in front of colonel Forrester spoke. "Not to mention that with a lot of people now installed in what are basically refugee camps there have been some casualties among the civilians. Emergency services and our men have done whatever they all could to provide relief for the population but without situation as it is, there's only so much they could do."

"How is public order?" Colonel Forrester asked.

"Not good sir. There have been riots at the Queens refugee camp, and the rioter have attacked many BETSI's in the area. The Governor and General Johnson from the New York Army National guard allowed to use live ammo to disperse the rioters."

The Colonel sighed inwardly while he nodded. He had been away from New York for a week. He was supposed to be away for a day only as he reported to the higher ups at the pentagon how the reconstruction of NYC was going but due to the snowstorm his return had been delayed until it was mostly finished, even if its effects remained. If they asked him to oversee the reconstruction of a city was more the job of a civilian, a government Bureaucrat, the kind of people he most despised with people like the Colonel being in charge of Security but, due to the circumstances, the martial law and the lack of government personnel, he and several of his comrades had been sent to collaborate with the State governments and military forces in the reconstruction of the USA's many affected states besides being reinforcing State Police Forces and State Guards and aiding in maintaining Public Order."

"Set up a meeting for tomorrow with them there has to be a better way to deal with rioters than shooting them, no matter if the country is in such a dire situation" The colonel ordered and the Captain nodded. "Go and tell Captain Choi I want to see him please." The colonel added.

"Yes Sir!" The Captain replied saluting and leaving the tent. Once alone the Colonel observed the papers the Captain had given him before informing him of the situation with reports detailing the events that had transpired since he had left the city and picked one up and reading it. It seemed that some of the riots had been caused not only because of the storm or the BETSIs but also because of the rather incompetent decisions of government officials.

"Sir, you wanted to see me?" A Korean American man asked as he entered the tent and saluted his superior. Colonel Forrester looked up, smiled and returned the salute. "Michael, please sit." He greeted him. His subordinate smiled as he approached his desk and seated at the other side of it. It was clear to anyone that the relationship between the two men was different than that of a normal subordinate and superior a relationship that was closer to that of a mentor and his mentee.

"It seems you've had a hard time here while I was away. Captain Robins has told me about the riot near the BETSI camp." Colonel Forrester said.

"The anger of the people was justified but misdirected. All three, Governor Pataki, Major Hopkins and General Johnson have been rather incompetent in dealing with the Snowstorm but when the people saw the BETSI camp and ships they directed their anger at them instead.

"It can't be helped. The state of the world right now is a mess because of the aliens first visit. Even if the BETSIs have good intentions it will take a lot of time for the people to accept that and accept their presence in our planet.

"That may be so Sir, but if it weren't for the BETSIs using their technology during the storm to help the many people in the camps the death toll would not be like it is right now it would be much MUCH higher." Captain Choi replied, and the Colonel nodded.

"I have to agree that ever since they made contact with us they've been pretty useful, not only have they helped us deal with the enemy remnants but with the reconstruction of our planet and are giving us new technologies, both from their enemy and their own to study and use in the future. But normal people don't see that, they only see their people suffering and dying and they see attacking the BETSIs and see attacking them as a good way of venting their anger." The Colonel replied.

"Why did you call me here Sir? I doubt it was only about this" Choi asked after nodding in agreement with his superior.

"That's right. I called you here because I have an assignment and some good news for you." The Colonel said

"What is those good news?" Captain Choi asked, a little bit confused.

"Well, just after the Two Worlds War finished I proposed you for a promotion to Major and I've been told it has been accepted, we will have an official ceremony after I return from Albany the day after tomorrow."

"Thank you, sir." Major Choi replied with a small smile. "You didn't have to do that."

"Of course I did son. You performed spectacularly well during the war even if you never saw combat. Although I wasn't there, Lieutenant Colonel Robins praised you for your role in the safe point they established after the destruction of Vegas and that has to be rewarded." The Colonel replied clearly proud of his subordinate.

"Thank you sir." Major Choi said with a salute. "What about the assignment?"

"I'm having you replace Major Stevens as commanding officer of the BETSI's camp's security detail.

"Replace Major Stevens? Why?" Major Choi asked, a little confused. Currently he was the second in command in the BETSI camp's security detail. New York Army National Guard Major Mark Stevens was the CO at the moment and while they didn't see eye to eye in everything he didn't think he deserved to be removed from his post.

"During the riots Yesterday, I find his way of dealing with the situation incompetent. A more competent official wouldn't have asked the Governor and General Johnson for permission to use live fire on the crowd."

"It was only warning shots sir." Major Choi replied. While he didn't like the fact that they had ended up using their fire arms to disperse the crowd no one had been injured by that, the shots had been to the air.

"Be that as it may, what if instead of dissolving they felt provoked to launch an assault the camp? It would have been a disaster and there's no telling if there wouldn't have been any casualties. You and the police have been given riot gear to deal with these kinds of situations. Use it." The Colonel said.

Major Choi thought about it. While he didn't disagree with the way Major Stevens had acted he could see the Colonel's point of view. Had the crowd being angrier than yesterday the results of their actions could have been much more different than what they had been. "Sir" he finally spoke. "While I see your point, I don't think it's fair to Major Stevens to be punished like this, and I think I would have done the same if I oversaw the camp. So, I ask you not to remove Major Stevens, now that I have the same rank as him both of us can work together leading the Security of the BETSI camp."

The Colonel looked at the man and thought for a minute before nodding. "Agreed but I hope both of you will refrain from using such methods again unless it's absolutely necessary. The last thing our country needs is a Civil Revolt in one of our most important cities."

"Yes sir" Major Choi replied