AWWA-Yesterday, Today, and Forever(IC-Closed)

[Bojikami]

"I knew there was something special about you." He smiled more and looked up at her. "Well then I suppose I should tell the truth too. Guliano and I aren't just poor immigrants. We both fought in the Great War, joined the Mafia and came overseas to branch out, you know?" He sighed. "Well, if I'm going to go start up some major crime syndicate, I'm glad it's with you."

Izumi rolled her eyes, "I knew there was something you weren't telling me, love... But hey, I was much the same way. During the Great War, I served as a soldier in South China. It was an easy job, considering we rolled up and spit them out without batting an eye. My commander almost raped me in a drunken stupor. Fortunately I'm well versed in the Anything Goes school of Martial Arts, and I'm Yakuza. My oyabun at the time would have had the commander's legs broken, and his life ruined." She snorted and gestured to her left arm. A tattoo bearing the symbol of the Eighteenth Infantry Division which served in South China was on her upper arm. "After South China, me and my squadmates were shipped south to Indochina to fight the Americaners -- was a pain in the ass, but doable. After the war, I came back and was sent here as an oyabun." She waited for everyone to put into the pot before putting down her cards, "Four Kings."

She grinned, "The Yakuza is a very patriotic organization. When draft cards came up for young boys and girls through out the syndicate, the oyabun made us go or else they'd break our legs. The bosses don't look very highly on draft dodgers and those who are unpatriotic for the Empire... they're rather welcoming of people who hate France and the CSA."

Leo grinned again at the last statement. "Well, when I was in Europe on a Froghunt beside the Germans who were at the time our friends, Guliano here helped pull off that miracle in Nigeria against the Venezuelans with the help of the natives. He even speaks some native tongues there. Infact, most of my associates have soldier backgrounds. That's why Mussolini likes us and keeps us around."

[Unicario]

Izumi rolled her eyes, "I knew there was something you weren't telling me, love... But hey, I was much the same way. During the Great War, I served as a soldier in South China. It was an easy job, considering we rolled up and spit them out without batting an eye. My commander almost raped me in a drunken stupor. Fortunately I'm well versed in the Anything Goes school of Martial Arts, and I'm Yakuza. My oyabun at the time would have had the commander's legs broken, and his life ruined." She snorted and gestured to her left arm. A tattoo bearing the symbol of the Eighteenth Infantry Division which served in South China was on her upper arm. "After South China, me and my squadmates were shipped south to Indochina to fight the Americaners -- was a pain in the ass, but doable. After the war, I came back and was sent here as an oyabun." She waited for everyone to put into the pot before putting down her cards, "Four Kings."

She grinned, "The Yakuza is a very patriotic organization. When draft cards came up for young boys and girls through out the syndicate, the oyabun made us go or else they'd break our legs. The bosses don't look very highly on draft dodgers and those who are unpatriotic for the Empire... they're rather welcoming of people who hate France and the CSA."

Leo grinned again at the last statement. "Well, when I was in Europe on a Froghunt beside the Germans who were at the time our friends, Guliano here helped pull off that miracle in Nigeria against the Venezuelans with the help of the natives. He even speaks some native tongues there. Infact, most of my associates have soldier backgrounds. That's why Mussolini likes us and keeps us around."

Izumi shook her head and reshuffled the cards after winning the pot. "Mussolini, eh? Can't say I'm entirely fond of the man. Threw the Emperor out with the help of the guy's son. The dude fled to Rum, last I heard." She shook her head again and shrugged, "Like all polticians, he'll either succeed or fail, that's the basic fact. I'm glad Syngman Rhee got ousted right after the Americans bombed Kyushu. He was a terrible Prime Minister." She took a drag from her cigarette and bet 10 yen.

[Bojikami]

Leo grinned again at the last statement. "Well, when I was in Europe on a Froghunt beside the Germans who were at the time our friends, Guliano here helped pull off that miracle in Nigeria against the Venezuelans with the help of the natives. He even speaks some native tongues there. Infact, most of my associates have soldier backgrounds. That's why Mussolini likes us and keeps us around."

Izumi shook her head and reshuffled the cards after winning the pot. "Mussolini, eh? Can't say I'm entirely fond of the man. Threw the Emperor out with the help of the guy's son. The dude fled to Rum, last I heard." She shook her head again and shrugged, "Like all polticians, he'll either succeed or fail, that's the basic fact. I'm glad Syngman Rhee got ousted right after the Americans bombed Kyushu. He was a terrible Prime Minister." She took a drag from her cigarette and bet 10 yen.

"Can't exactly say I love the man either, but hey. We tell him about possible rebels, he keeps the cops and secret police off our backs, its a pretty good deal we've got with him." He placed 15 yen on the table and continued. "Though, he doesn't know about what we're doing here. As far as he knows, the Mafia is in Richmond gathering intel. The man's a paranoid wreck these days. Though, I don't blame him for being paranoid. Those French nationalists that think they know whats going on in Gaul, matched with the backstab of the Germans and Russians even before the whole coup, the man's got reasons to watch his back."

[Bojikami]

Caracas, Venezuela

Noting the growing divide between North and South America, Antoni Belinsky writes a narrative, Liberty and Justice for all. The story opens with the main character, Manuel Iglesias working in a labor camp in Northern Venezuela. The world Manuel lives in is rather bleak. Both North and South America are ruled under one entity, The Confederation of Colombia. The Confederation is ruled by a conservative party known as "The Knights of the Golden Circle" a party formed 50 years prior to the novels beginning as a confederate expansionist and pan-American party.

As Manuel shovels another heap of coal into a steam engine, he hears a buzzer meaning his shift has ended. He walks outside and sees others from the factory standing in the town square, watching over a "Unity Day" parade. Unity Day is an annual celebration of the day that the Confederacy was founded shortly following the liberation of Bogota from "Unamerican Barbarians". While observing the parades proceedings, the happy mood of the celebration is cut short by an explosion that occurs in the middle of the soldier platoon marching down the street. Shortly thereafter, Manuel hears men in hoods yelling something in a language he had not heard since his Grandmother's death, Spanish. The Spanish language itself was outlawed following the capture of Bogota to promote americanization, and the speaking of the true and patriotic language, American English.

The hooded men quickly began retreating into the buildings to escape pursuing soldiers, and Manuel out of curiosity tries to follow them. Whilst in pursuit, he is knocked out from above and he reawakens in an abandoned building. He looks up and sees a scarlet flag with the Venezuelan state flag in the corner, something he recalls being known as a rebel flag of the people who called themselves Los Libertadores. He is only able to think about this for a moment before he hears a man's voice call out to him. "Ey! ¿Habla usted español o Inglés?" Manuel, out of shock responds "English. My grandmother spoke Spanish. Her name was Esperanza, Esperanza Iglesias." The man, after hearing the name proceeds to explain what the initiatives of the Libertadores have been since their founding, his grandmothers role in its founding and what really happened 50 years ago.

Manuel initially rejects this, but once the man, who reveals his name to be Ernesto provides him with actual footage of battles and other proof, he understands. Manuel decides he will be like his grandmother and assist in helping in the overthrow of the American dominance of Latin America, or Gran Columbia, as Ernesto called it.

Over the course of a few years, Manuel assists the liberation movement and rises through the ranks, and then suddenly, an open revolt begins in Caracas, the historical capital of Venezuela, his home, his fatherland. He takes part in the street fights to throw out the confederate armies, as were pa trio tic Venezuelans across the land. The book ends with Manuel and Ernesto sTandon side by side as President and Vice President of Gran Columbia, which now encompasses most of South America excluding a few confederate strongholds in Brazil. The book ends inconclusively, stating that the fight is still going, and that the war for liberation will never end until the oppressor is killed.


The novel, shortly after its release gains large popularity in Venezuela, and prompts Esteban to write letters to the leaders of Tawantisuyu and Guyane concerning South American unity.

[Ruridova]

The book is greatly worrying to the CSA; only four years after the Great War, the book seems to be attempting to promote a sort of trans-American war led by Venezuela, Guyane, and Tawantisuyu targeted against Brazil, the CSA, Quebec, and the remainder of North America. The concept of North America as a target sours growing relations between Tehuantepec, the Rio Grande, and al-Mayiquh and the nations of South America. Even Hispanics within the Confederacy decry the book as the words of an idiotic Ukrainian with no clue what he's talking about.

The CS Congress votes to ban the book and declare Belinksy persona non grata- but is shocked when President Hendricks vetoes the bill, saying that "banning this 'novel' would only make it seem as though Belinsky's deluded ramblings had some level of truth." Congress, furious, votes to ban the book again- this time surpassing the 2/3rds vote needed to override a veto. The law banning the book is only on the law for 17 hours before the Confederate Attorney-General Judson Harmon states, on behalf of the President, that not only reiterates that the ban makes Belinksy's babble seem legitimate, but also that the ban violates the First Amendment of the Confederate Constitution. The case, Department of Justice v. Congress, is first to be heard by a local district court; since the loser will no doubt appeal the ruling, it will likely go to the District of Columbia Appeals Court, then to the 1st Judicial District Court of Appeals, and then to the Supreme Court of the Confederate States.

The book is, however, banned without much trouble in Quebec. In Germany, the Balkans, and Russia, the book doesn't sell simply because the target audience is definitely not people living in Eurasia.

---

Another judicial problem arises because of the book, though for very different reasons. Gabriel Light is preparing to write an opinion piece arguing in support of the Department of Justice and Thomas Hendricks when he notices the book's title- Liberty and Justice for All.

Now, the Confederate Congress wants to ban(and Quebec has banned) Liberty and Justice for All(Antony Belinsky, 1897, about South Americans revolting against a despotic imperialist Confederacy). Unfortunately, it just so happens that there is another book with a dangerously similar title- With Liberty and Justice for All(Georg von Licht, 1838, about a black woman becoming a campaigner for equal rights and ultimately CS president). The von Licht book had been relegalized under President Wilford Woodruff in 1882, and had been used by abolitionists and suffragettes as a manifesto in the 1880s and 1890s.

And now, Belinsky seems to have stolen the title and published a controversial book attacking the CSA. Light becomes worried that people will confuse his father's legal Liberty and Justice for All with Belinsky's Liberty and Justice for All; that this might result in the reban of his father's book; and that he and his wife and his three infant children might be attacked by people who had confused the two books. The plots are also unnervingly similar: an oppressed minority within the Confederacy experiences an event which leads to them leading a struggle against that which is oppressing them, ending with their election to a Presidency. Light suspects that this makes it foul play, and not unfortunate coincidence. In addition, the title is copyrighted under CS law. This means that Light has legal basis for a lawsuit.

As prone to irrational anger as ever, Gabriel Light files charges against Antony Belinsky for copyright infringement, unfair competition, and attempting to "pass off" his work(that is, using the title of a more famous book written by someone else in the hope that consumers will mistakenly buy yours). He is demanding that the title of Belinsky's work be changed, that he apologize for taking the title and plot, and that the von Lichts receive a fourth of any profits Belinsky's book makes. The case, Light v. Belinsky, will be heard by the New Orleans Municipal Court. The New Orleans Municipal Court, after making sure that no local, state, or federal forces will try to arrest Belinksy(under the threat of being charged with obstructing justice), sends him a court summons.

[Shrillland]

Liberty and Justice For All, despite the copyright issues, sold fairly well in West Guyane, mostly among members of the Communist Party who supported Belinsky's view and desired to see a united, socialist Latin America. It became required reading in the Party's growing Youth League. It doesn't sell nearly as well in Canada while Britain and the other dominions actually refuse to sell the book until the copyright issue is settled.

Buckingham Palace
London

As the family was together, Queen Victoria now went to see the Queen of The Netherlands, alone as requested. "You wanted to see me, your Majesty?"

[Luziyca]

In Guyane, Liberty and Justice for all was released as "Les Libérateurs" (The Liberators), and with that title, it sold very well in Guyane. A Guyanese translator translates it back into English and releases it as "The Liberators." Anti-Confederate feelings, already existent due to how "they refuse to accept all citizens as equals," with the existence of slavery and the Jim Crow laws, increase rapidly, with a protest breaking out in Pichegru against the racism.

[Unicario]

Tawantinsuyu and the Central American state both are incensed by the book. The book drives a wedge in people's perspectives of the Confederate States. Confederate flags are burnt and the book is held as an example of the Latin American struggle to break down Confederate imperialism. The public's reaction to the book is similar to the reaction of the tenacious and violent vote in the Tawantinsuyu High Assembly over membership in the OAS -- almost a majority of people are participating in the anti-Confederate rallies. The Communist Party, the second strongest party behind the National Party, calls for a boycott of the Confederacy's goods and international organizations, which is met with some reluctance from the rest of the Assembly.

Maritza calls on her people to remain calm in the time and not make hasty decisions.

The book is not published with the same name due to copyright laws, and is instead published as "Espada de Recuerdo". A song sheet is included called "Sword of Remembrance", written by Alphonso Darien, a Tawantinsuyu composer. The song is based on Germany's Die Wacht am Rhein.

Remembrance looks on America fair,
'Cross oceans, for her sons despair,
Columbia has took her kindred dear,
and force her to submit in fear!

America, hold back your tears,
America, hold back your tears,
Sword of Remembrance, does guide us all!
Sword of Remembrance, does guide us all!

Slavemongers, with their mocking flag,
of freedom's grand old bounty brag,
Yet shackle slaves in iron chains,
and frolic in fellow man's pain!

(Refrain)

Liars, in name of republic,
Hoisted, in place of fasces, stick,
Sent America's sons to die in vain,
To justify their unjust reign!

(Refrain)

A continent under Madrid,
Took her rifles off the rack,
threw back a crown of plunder rich,
a union she would have to stitch!

(refrain)

Their spite of Freedom's working ways,
made them expand to conquer slaves,
explained themselves as workingmen,
while slaves were forced to live in pens!

(refrain)

---

Liberty and Justice For All, despite the copyright issues, sold fairly well in West Guyane, mostly among members of the Communist Party who supported Belinsky's view and desired to see a united, socialist Latin America. It became required reading in the Party's growing Youth League. It doesn't sell nearly as well in Canada while Britain and the other dominions actually refuse to sell the book until the copyright issue is settled.

Buckingham Palace
London

As the family was together, Queen Victoria now went to see the Queen of The Netherlands, alone as requested. "You wanted to see me, your Majesty?"

Queen Wilhelmina was sitting silently before she turned to address the elder monarch. "Your Majesty," She bowed, "I am in a quandary... you see, I am sixteen years old, I shall come into my own on August 31, 1898, at which time, I shall become the rightful Queen of the Netherlands, but... the way my dear mother is running this Kingdom as regent, I fear that negative results shall show if she remains ruling in my stead. I know your mother was a brilliant, respectable woman, and you may not understand the kind of problems I have with my own... but I need advice on how to drive her away from the court so that I may take charge in my own right."

[Ruridova]

New Orleans

In the midst of all the furor about Belinsky's book, the Confederate author August Breckenridge publishes a response, a novel entitled The Kings of Folly.

The book begins on a small uncharted island in the South Pacific, where sixty or so schoolboys have been stranded following a shipwreck. The backstory is explained gradually throughout the beginning of the book; the boat was headed for Seoul for an international conference of students, where schoolboys from several countries would spend several weeks studying together, living together, and sharing their unique cultures. The sunken boat had been carrying the student delegations from Brazil, Venezuela, and the CSA, and the three delegations are now stranded on the island.

The main character, Frederick, is the de facto "leader" of the Confederate delegation and a firm believer in fairness and justice; his "second-in-command" is the overweight and bespectacled Michael; and his main rival within the group is the intensely bigoted Adam. The de facto "leader" of the Venezuelans is named Esteban; the other Venezuelan student of note is Antonio, brooding and angry but a good speaker. Among the Brazilians, there are two contenders for leadership: Goncalo, a fair and just leader who consults the others, and Cristovao, who uses threats of force to get his way among the Brazilians.

Shortly after their stranding, the boys all get together. Frederick proposes that the boys should work together to survive, saying that they stand a better chance of being rescued if they work together. He proposes a division of labor: the Venezuelans gather and prepare food, the Brazilians will build shelters and tools, and the Confederates will handle attempts to be rescued. The other boys generally agree with the plan, and the three delegations agree to work together. They agree to all meet at the end of every day to solve any problems and work out disputes. During this first meeting, Frederick, Esteban, and Goncalo become friends.

However, trouble begins to arise when Cristovao convinces several of the Brazilians that he should lead them, not Goncalo. One night, Cristovao and his supporters attack the other Brazilians. The Confederates and Venezuelans quickly join in to support Goncalo, and Cristovao and his supporters are defeated. In the battle, though, Cristovao and his supporters kill two of the other Brazilian boys. As they seek a punishment, Antonio proposes that they be "imprisoned" on a small island(the Little Island) off the coast of the main island(the Big Island). The boys build a raft, and send Cristovao and his followers over, one at a time.

Shortly thereafter, trouble arises among the Confederates: Adam, the racist, begins referring to the non-Confederates only as "the mongrels". A few days later, as a Venezuelan boy named Rodrigo searches for fruit, Adam attempts to strangle him, but is caught by Frederick, Michael, and Esteban. Frederick is furious and declares that Adam will be sent to the Little Island.

A few days later, a Brazilian boy named Duarte says that, over the past few nights, he has seen Antonio sneaking over to the Little Island on the raft, bringing the boys imprisoned there supplies that he stole from the communal supply. Initially, Frederick and the other boys dismiss Duarte as crazy- but a few days later, they find Duarte dead- apparently drowned. Michael becomes convinced that Antonio has murdered him, and Goncalo agrees, but Frederick and Esteban decide that Duarte's drowning was natural.

As the days pass, Frederick notices that the Venezuelans have begun cooperating less with the other groups- refusing to share supplies, holding talks in private, and showing up to meetings less. Frederick becomes worried when Esteban, now a close friend of his, suddenly refuses to talk to him or Goncalo. The Confederates and Brazilians discover that this is because Antonio has convinced the Venezuelans, including Esteban, have begun to believe that the Confederates and Brazilians are somehow giving them a raw deal- apparently convinced that this is the case by Antonio. At the night's meeting, Frederick confronts Antonio in front of the group, telling him to share his worries so that the situation can be fixed. Tellingly, Antonio cannot name a single thing that the Confederates or Brazilians have actually done, but in spite of this, the Venezuelans continue to support him. Following the meeting, Michael attempts to convince Frederick to exile Antonio on the Little Island; Frederick insists that this would be unjust and immoral. Eventually, Michael gives up, but warns Frederick that he's being a fool.

Despite Antonio's malicious words, the alliance continues to function somewhat, in a damaged state. It soon becomes obvious that, while Esteban is ostensibly still the leader of the Venezuelans, he is now little more than a figurehead; real power over the Venezuelans lies in Antonio's hands.

About a week after Frederick's confrontation with Antonio at the meeting, the Brazilians and Confederates are awoken when the Venezuelans attack them, led by Antonio. To Frederick's surprise, Antonio's followers include not only the Venezuelans, but also Adam, Cristovao, and the others that had been imprisoned on the island, who have now adopted Spanish variants of their names- Adam is now Adan, Cristovao is now Cristobal, and so forth. In the battle, Cristobal brutally slaughters Goncalo, and Antonio orders that all of the Brazilians who were not followers of Cristobal be slaughtered.

The surviving Confederates retreat up to a large hill on the island(known as the Mountain) where the Confederates have kept a signal fire burning, hoping that they might be able to use fire to defend themselves; however, they discover that the fire has been totally extinguished overnight, presumably by Antonio. Antonio and his followers, armed with spears and simple axes, follow them, and the Confederates realize they have only cornered themselves between the Venezuelans(who have blocked the one safe way up and down) and the Mountain's steep cliffs. Antonio initiates the mass slaughter of the Confederates by pushing Michael off the cliff and ordering the others to charge. The Confederates, however, fight back, and a bloodbath ensues.

The last ones alive are Frederick, Antonio, and Esteban; all the other boys have died. Antonio, by now absolutely insane, orders that Esteban kill Frederick. Frederick pleads for Esteban to remember the friendship they once had, and tells him that they will always have more in common than not. Esteban, even though he is dying of his own wounds, grabs a spear and runs Frederick through with it- then realizes what has happened to him. As they both die, they reconcile and apologize to each other. Antonio is furious at this change of heart, and begins ranting, saying that he has done nothing wrong, that his followers were fighting for freedom and justice. However, it soon becomes obvious that Antonio is more interested in bloodshed than righteousness, as his tirade devolves into an insane ramble. Esteban and Frederick hold each other's hands in a final show of fraternity with each other and defiance towards evil. Antonio, now having lost his sanity entirely, stops speaking coherently altogether and instead laughs maniacally, occasionally pausing only long enough to talk about the "glorious triumph" he has won. As they both die, Frederick and Esteban focus on remaining together, on remaining reunited, ignoring Antonio's maniacal laughter, mournful about the great losses, but glad that they died reconciled.

[Bojikami]

Caracas, Venezuela

Belinsky, after receiving the court summons sent a letter to Gavril, hoping to avoid court confrontation.

To: Gavril von Licht
From: Antoni Josefivich Belinsky

---

I would like to inform you, Mr. von Licht that you are charging me of violation of copyright, whilst I preside in a nation that has no legislation that protects international copyright.

Now, Mr. von Licht, I am a believer in justice and I must truthfully say that I had not heard of your fathers book prior to you mentioning it to me as I spent most of my life in Ukraine-Romania where such works were strictly banned. I am willing, if you are willing to drop the charges, to change the title of the book and release a disclaimer stating that the works are indeed different.

Belinsky, after reading Breckenridges book, releases a statement saying that while he finds the book to be an inaccurate depiction of the South Americans and of him, he will defend to the death his and others like him's right to write things like this as he and Esteban are pressing the Venezuelan Congress not to ban the book.

[Ruridova]

Caracas, Venezuela

Belinsky, after receiving the court summons sent a letter to Gavril, hoping to avoid court confrontation.

To: Gavril von Licht
From: Antoni Josefivich Belinsky

---

I would like to inform you, Mr. von Licht that you are charging me of violation of copyright, whilst I preside in a nation that has no legislation that protects international copyright.

Now, Mr. von Licht, I am a believer in justice and I must truthfully say that I had not heard of your fathers book prior to you mentioning it to me as I spent most of my life in Ukraine-Romania where such works were strictly banned. I am willing, if you are willing to drop the charges, to change the title of the book and release a disclaimer stating that the works are indeed different.

Light, confident that these measures will avert the problems he fears, writes a letter to Belinsky accepting his offer. The case is dropped following the out-of-court settlement.

[Luziyca]

May 3rd, 1897
Pichegru, Guyane
The Kings of Folly (Rois de Folie) was circulated, and with Belinsky's book and Breckenridge's book generating lots of debate, Marianne Dieudonne responded by writing a play, "L'histoire du peuple" (History of the People). Meant to be very mythologized, it is divided not into acts, but into ten hours (or heures, since decimal time was official in Guyane, although since 1845 co-official with the 24-hour time, with the former declining among many locals, but still used by the government). In the play, each heure will last 10 (decimal) minutes, so it will be 2.4 (standard) hours long.

The "première heure" (first hour) depicts a beautiful lady in a gazebo, with the table in the gazebo as well with some water. That lady says, "I will create the people, and I intend for them to find out their true path," putting some dirt next to the bowl of water into the bowl, symbolizing her creating the world.

The "deuxième heure" (second hour) shows proto-democracy, with small clans of 2-5 people residing and basically being noble savages, similar to Rousseau's beliefs in the indigenous peoples, but believing in reason and being quite democratic. However, they gradually vote on merging, transitioning seamlessly to the next heure.

"Troisième heure" (third hour) showed a unified kingdom, building the first settlements and led first by priests who still know the reasons, but lose the knowledge of liberty and democracy, but as generations pass by, autocrats take hold, allegedly still respecting the Goddess of Liberty, but as the forth hour comes, the Goddess reappears and urges the Lord to '"remember the concept of liberty."

Of course, "quatrième heure" (forth hour) is set in Greece, particularly Athens, where the audience could witness a lively debate about a law, and then vote. The Goddess looks on again, wary that no women were given any say, let alone slaves, but she says, "It is reasonable."

Now, the "cinquième heure" (fifth hour) was set in Rome, initially under the Roman Kingdom until the last King of Rome was driven out by a mob led by the Goddess, then a Roman Republic was declared. However, when Cesar gets killed and a civil war starts, the Goddess flees Rome, and at the end, it becomes a very corrupt empire and crumbling by the "unreasonable faith."

"Sixième heure" (sixth hour) shows the medieval era, a bit similar to the third hour, but a bit more brutal: the Lord oppresses the peasants and forces them to abandon reason altogether in favor of Christianity, with the cons of Catholicism (and its negative effects, including indulgences) showing. Towards the end though, news comes to Paris: the New World is discovered, and thus, a quick transition occurs to the next heure.

The "septième heure" (seventh hour) shows the industrial revolution as occurred in Britain, contrasting it with the situation in France where there is no democracy. About a quarter of the way in, the French Revolution begins and the Goddess takes hope at the situation stabilizing. For the first time in many millennia, she is worshiped and reason seems to be moving in, but after a counter-revolution and Napoleon coming into power, he expels Pichegru to Guyane, and thus transitioning to the eighth hour.

In the "huitième heure" (eighth hour), it shows Pichegru, some Frenchmen, and the Goddess of Liberty arriving to a prison. There, they secede from France to continue on the path that France herself had set and to ensure a new oasis of freedom. It shows a model of Pichegru being built, on the bowl in the table in the gazebo from the first heure, and then various segments of the many anthems were played, commemorating the conference held in 1836 that averted war between Rum and China. Then it goes to see the present, with an accurate scale model of Pichegru, upon which the Goddess praises Guyane and how it is the only nation that can look up to reason, but then goes on to point out that some are not as fortunate.

Upon which the "neuvième heure" (ninth hour) starts, showcasing the horrors of slavery that was not abolished until 1891, and the lack of rights the slaves had. Many try to flee to Canada, but most of them fail, and then news that the slaves have been freed. The Goddess is skeptical, and she soon realizes the new Jim Crow laws were just "de-facto slavery," and saying that "if the negroes are not free, then the Confederates are lying about being a free nation."

Thus, the final hour has been reached: the "dixième heure" (tenth hour). The Goddess lets reason spread: the racist system in the Confederate States abolished, the various monarchies and colonies crumbling down, with the Book of Reason bringing forth reason and liberty to the people. All the actors gather on stage and sing the Marseillaise, with one hoisting the de-facto flag of Guyane, the French tricolor.

They then all repeat the three words: "LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY!"

The French version would premiere at the Pichegru Opera House on that day and was so popular that an English translation of the original manuscript was sent to St. John's, Newfoundland with the intent for it to go on to London. Another was to head to Georgetown.

[Shrillland]

Buckingham Palace
London

It was, indeed, a difficult issue for Victoria to comprehend. She had never experienced what Wilhelmina was proposing, save for the growing power of Parliament under Disraeli, Gladstone, and Salisbury. Even so, she sympathised with the young monarch and said, "Admittedly, this is not something I would normally advocate. What does the Staten think of her?"

May 6, 1897
Georgetown, West Guyane

L'histoire du peuple was a big hit in England and on Canada's Broadway, but when it reached Georgetown, the success came with a worrying change. The western director, Guillaume Charette, was a supporter of the Communist Party and put his own twist on the final hour. In many of the scenes, Karl Marx stood at the side of the Goddess of Reason, The Marseillaise was replaced with the Internationale, and the Guyanese flag had a large red star in the centre: the current flag of the Guyanese Communist Party.

As the opera ended, the crowds headed out, some of them shouting party slogans while others looked worriedly upon the West Guyane that appeared to be on the rise. It did not help that many in the crowds had been heavily drinking and were turning violent. The British Governor, Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming, and the Prime Minister, Emmanuelle Chapleau, were forced to send out a small detachment to assist the city police in calming them down. By the end of the night, 110 rioters had been arrested, and 2 had died.

[Luziyca]

May 7, 1897
Back in Pichegru, news of the performance in Georgetown spread like wildfire, motivating Marianne Dieudonne to condemn Guillaume Charette for his "modification to the play which dilutes the intent to provide a mythological history for the people and instead defile it with Karl Marx." President Albert Robespierre condemns that version and says "such modifications have resulted in riots in western Guyane."

In the Crimea and China, they do moderately well.

[Shrillland]

May 9, 1897
Georgetown, West Guyane

The civil authorities in the west had ordered the play to be shown with its original content. Kapoor spoke in the Western assembly admitting that Dieudonne's intent had been altered and publicly respected the Prime Minister's response, but she said, "Comrade Charette does portray an accurate depiction of the future of the Americas and of all mankind. Guyane has already moved towards the utopia that was envisioned, and will continue to fly forward."

[Unicario]

Buckingham Palace
London

It was, indeed, a difficult issue for Victoria to comprehend. She had never experienced what Wilhelmina was proposing, save for the growing power of Parliament under Disraeli, Gladstone, and Salisbury. Even so, she sympathised with the young monarch and said, "Admittedly, this is not something I would normally advocate. What does the Staten think of her?"

Wilhelmina said, "The Staten are not entirely happy with the regent's methods of dealing with colonials, they're afraid she's going to cause the death of the Dutch Empire prematurely. They are just too afraid to act against her because of the legality, if we had a strong ally backing my right of rule, we could override her."

[The Vaktovian Empire]

May 10,1897
Palmas, Federative Republic of Brazil

Bridgette Botello, Secretary of Propaganda for Brazil at 20 years of age and hero of the Federative Republic for the assassination of Emperador Isaac Diaz Sanintino a half-decade ago had business in Palmas. The local law enforcement office wanted heightened propaganda against dealers of drugs such as Marijuana and Tobacco, in Palmas labeled illegal. One thing the Federative Republic had yet to establish were a set of National Laws. There were some, like laws against murder, stealing, rape, tax evasion, debt, pillaging, breaking-into-homes, and other such international offenses. But other such liberties were not listed yet. However, these were subsequently under the jurisdiction of Bridgett'es father Federovo Botello. She told the Office Marshall she would have some of her Propaganda Crews from Brasilia back out North to Palmas in a few days after she took the railine back.
She walked out of the office, hustling to get to her horse of which was of Government Quality.
As she turned the corner of the lot, and into a alley where her horse was tied, she encountered a woman standing next to her horse. She was a few inches taller than her, but she wore these ridiculously long heeled shoes of which Bridgette had never seen worn by any lady, even that of a Prostitute. The woman was moderately dark skinned, and looked to be of both East Indian and Incan descent. Her face was covered in makeup, again not a normal trait for an average woman. Her clothes were not like that of Bridgette's; made of softer materials and conforming tightly around her body of which both her upper body and waist danced about in an hourglass figure. Her thighs were thick, muscular, but barely visible under the dense but short-cut dress the woman wore. Her hair was combed, straight downward, similar to that of Bridgette's. Her bust erupted from the upper portion of her skirt.
Bridgette starred peculiarly at the woman, who held the rope of which attached to her horse. "What are you doing?" Bridgette questioned. "Nothing. Simply holding this for you." She said, with a smile. It was quite a fake smile. Bridgette looked at her with questioning eyes. "Who are you?" She inquired. "I am Priya Reyez Ajendri, or Priya Reyez." She said, with a bold tone but with a light, moderately loud, bone-chattering female voice. "Why do you hold my horse?" Bridgette said. "Because." Priya Reyez said, handing the rope which was still attached to the pole to her, "I need you to hold the rope so I can do this." She said while making a quick motion to her back waist and removing a magazine-loaded pistol. She cocked it and spun it around all in one motion, and fired a shot into Bridgette's lower chest. The impact at near point-blank range shattered her lower ribs and sent her sprawling to the ground. As she held her upper body up against the ground, looking at the woman, she simply said softly. "Why?" While clutching her chest. "Because. You are an idol to a nation that needs to have its moral shattered." She said, and shot Bridgette again in the upper left chest. This sent her sprawling fully against the ground. Both shots were non-fatal, but the blood loss would kill her in a few minutes. Priya untied the horse, and got onto it, riding out of the alley and into the streets, and towards the jungle area Southeastward, as Bridgette lay coughing up blood and trying to slowly shimmy across the ground. Law enforcement men came to her aid, and went rushing for doctors, but she died on the ground in a few minutes of time.

[Shrillland]

"I agree that the loss of the Dutch colonies would be a disaster of the highest magnitude. I shall get my Government to support your aspirations." Queen Victoria said, and she accordingly sent a letter to Salisbury. The governments of Canada and New Zealand also supported this action, as did South Africa and all six of the Australian colonies.

May 10, 1897
Georgetown, West Guyane

The time for action had now come. Kapoor had sent a message to her friends and allies in the government and the army to seize key posts in the western government and proclaim the People's Republic of Guyane. Within an hour many government offices were seized by loyal soldiers, and Prime Minister Chapleau was holed up with Governor Hemming in the Governor's palace, but not before an emergency message was sent to Georgetown and Albany:

From: Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming, Her Majesty's Governor of the Anglo-Guyanese Condominium of West Guyane
To: President Albert Robespierre of the Republic of Guyane, and Theodore Roosevelt, Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada

The Guyanese Communist Party and its supporters have seized major buildings in the city and have Proclaimed a "People's Republic" with the intention of making all of Guyane a Communist state. We are requesting support to quell this rebellion before it gets out of control.

Signed,
Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming,
Her Majesty's Governor of the Anglo-Guyanese Condominium of West Guyane

[Luziyca]

May 10, 1897
Georgetown, West Guyane

The time for action had now come. Kapoor had sent a message to her friends and allies in the government and the army to seize key posts in the western government and proclaim the People's Republic of Guyane. Within an hour many government offices were seized by loyal soldiers, and Prime Minister Chapleau was holed up with Governor Hemming in the Governor's palace, but not before an emergency message was sent to Georgetown and Albany:

(Image)

From: Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming, Her Majesty's Governor of the Anglo-Guyanese Condominium of West Guyane
To: President Albert Robespierre of the Republic of Guyane, and Theodore Roosevelt, Prime Minister of the Dominion of Canada

The Guyanese Communist Party and its supporters have seized major buildings in the city and have Proclaimed a "People's Republic" with the intention of making all of Guyane a Communist state. We are requesting support to quell this rebellion before it gets out of control.

Signed,
Sir Augustus William Lawson Hemming,
Her Majesty's Governor of the Anglo-Guyanese Condominium of West Guyane

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE OF THE REPUBLIC OF GUYANE

From: His Excellency, President Albert Robespierre of the Republic of Guyane
To: Sir Augustus William Hemming, Her Majesty's Governor of the Anglo-Guyanese Condominium of West Guyane
Cc: The colonial authorities of Dutch Guyana/Suriname

---

We have received your telegram, and we have seen it as a concern, not just to the condominium of which we both administer, but to our fatherland, Guyane, itself. This revolution seeks to disrupt the progress that we have both made over both our lands, and we must quell the revolution before the government in Pichegru falls and the last outpost of the ideals of the French Revolution extinguished.

Signed,
Albert Robespierre
President of Guyane

---

Pichegru
With news of the telegram, Robespierre convened an emergency session to discuss the situation in the western departments, and how to resolve the situation. Immediately, a deputy representing Georgetown suggested implementing martial law in both wings of Guyane, the first mention of the term "wings" referring to West and East Guyane, and of course, that deputy explained that he means both West and East Guyane.

Another deputy from Pichegru suggested that until the conflict ends, communism is to be banned and all suspected communists must face the guillotine. The two suggestions were enthusiastically agreed by the rest of the National Assembly, and were passed 149 ayes to 1 nay, a communist deputy. Robespierre immediately signed it.

Thus, President Robespierre published on the local newspaper, the Pichegru Journal: "due to the situation in the western regions administered by both the Guyanese Republic and the British Empire where communist revolutions threaten to spill over into Suriname and Guyane itself, it is in the best interests of the Guyanese people to impose martial law and to punish all suspected communists who threaten violence against the Republic of Guyane."

The Guyanese Reign of Terror had finally begun.

[Bojikami]

Caracas, Venezuela

President Esteban found himself shocked by the actions undertaken by the Guyanese government. The Venezuelan communist party, which makes up majority of the government denounces the actions undertaken by the Guyanese as fascistic and comparable to the regimes in Ukraine-Romania and Italy. Esteban himself makes no statement.

Moscow, Russia

In an attempt to quell nationalist sentiments across the Empire, Tsar Nicolas offically bans all languages that are not Russian from being used in official documents and on official government property. While people may still speak their home languages, this still creates resentment across the Western provinces of Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and in the southern regions where Georgian and Ukrainian were spoken by expats who fled to Russia from ethnic persecution.

Kiev, Ukraine-Romania

Tsar Oleksandr publicly denounces the Russian laws as oppressive and urges all Ukrainians to return to their fatherland for protection from the laws.

[Ruridova]

Moscow, Russia

In an attempt to quell nationalist sentiments across the Empire, Tsar Nicolas offically bans all languages that are not Russian from being used in official documents and on official government property. While people may still speak their home languages, this still creates resentment across the Western provinces of Estonia, Latvia, Finland, Lithuania, Poland, and in the southern regions where Georgian and Ukrainian were spoken by expats who fled to Russia from ethnic persecution.

Kiev, Ukraine-Romania

Tsar Oleksandr publicly denounces the Russian laws as oppressive and urges all Ukrainians to return to their fatherland for protection from the laws.

Berlin, Germany

With unrest in Russia becoming a possibility, the Volkskongreß begins looking for ways to foment further ethnic discontent in Russia while preventing such discontent in Germany.

Krakow, Galicia

Czechoslovakia and Galicia also begin encouraging ethnic separatism in Russia- particularly Galicia, which knows that, should the Poles in Russia begin a revolt, they might be able to create a resurgent Polish state.

[Shrillland]

Albany, District of Carteria

Although Prime Minister Roosevelt was in London, he had sent a message to Parliament requesting a force of 55,000 men and 15 ships be sent to West Guyane to assist to Guyanese in quelling the rebellion, saying in his message to Parliament(which he believed in so much that he actually recorded it on phonograph for posterity):

"There comes a time in the life of a nation, as in the life of an individual, when it must face great responsibilities, whether it will or no. We, the Dominion of Canada, have now reached that time. We cannot avoid facing the fact that we occupy a new place among the British Empire and among the people of the world since the Great War. Our new flag, not the Union Jack, but our new flag of the Maple Leaf, is a proud flag, and it stands for unity and civilisation. Where it has once floated, there must be no return to tyranny and savagery."

This speech, showing that Roosevelt saw this as a uniquely Canadian responsibility rather than just one of a British Dominion, was a turning point in Canada's journey to true nationhood. Many now saw themselves as Canadians first and British second. Upon these principles, the House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to support the Government's measures, and even the Conservative opposition was in favour of the measure. Accordingly. a fleet of 10 new battleships, led by the HMCS Maine, sailed southwards to Georgetown. They would arrive in five days.

[Luziyca]

Pichegru
Worried of any repercussions from Venezeula and a decision from them to intervene in Western Guyane to aid the communists, he sends President Esteban a telegram.

Mr. Esteban of Venezuela,
I have heard how the communists in Venezuela have condemned the actions of our government in regards to the martial law.
Firstly, this ban is only in effect until the end of the revolution. Secondly, the communists will only be punished if they are suspected to have taken part of the rebellion. Lastly, if you promise to our government not to aid to the communists in West Guyane, we will not invade your nation.

[Unicario]

London

Queen Wilhelmina was overjoyed and sent word back to The Hague to her allies in the cause to topple Emma. They organized a silent coup d'etat, and a letter was dispatched to London to be read to the Queen and her regent.

---

Annaba, Italian Algeria

"Salaam, comrades."

"Salaam, commander." Echoed the voice of several men in the dimly lit pub, which had been bought by the new organization as a front. Captain Selim Mustafa Akbar bin Laden, a military officer in the Rumite army, serving as one of the main commanders of the army in Tunis, had bought out a bar in Italian Algeria and set up his new organization, which he hoped Constantinople would approve of. The primary money coming in was from Ferdinand Eichemann's vast industrial empire in Africa, and from various Japanese and Rumite aristocrats, as well as the radical left faction in the Rumite Assembly.

Named "Front National pour la Libération de l'Algérie" (FNLA for short), the organization's goal was to remove the French Republic from Algeria, and to establish an independent state with close ties to the Rumite Empire, and to spread the Pan-Islamic revolution west into Morocco. They began to plan means of encouraging France to leave Algeria to independence, but it would take time.

Selim looked over at the Italian Army officer who had signed onto the plan after hearing it, "What are your views on our cause?"

[Ruridova]

Belgrade, Yugoslavia

When Yugoslavia became independent in the 1830s, the agreement had postulated that Dubrovnik(also known as Ragusa) would remain Rumite. Now, however, Yugoslavia sought to purchase the city, which was majority-Croatian, and which many Yugoslavians saw as rightfully Yugoslav. King Sviatopolk sent an offer to the Rumite sultan, offering the sum of fifteen million lira in return for the port city.

Washington, Confederacy

Department of Justice vs. CS Congress, the judicial case based around Belinsky's book, was now at the 1st District Court of Appeals, with the lower courts having variously upheld or struck down Congress' law. If either side appealed the ruling made by the court of appeals, it would head to the Supreme Court.