FRACTURED AMERICA THE IC

[Dentali]

Fractured America

OOC LINK
viewtopic.php?f=31&t=424298

THE FRACTURING

In the year 2019 Donald Trump announced to the nation he had a major health condition and would not be seeking re-election. His presidency was controversial throughout the entire 4 years, and encouraged the rise of a number of firebrand, and some would say radical voices on all sides. The election of 2018 marked a rise in minor political parties gaining power and support but after Trump’s health announcement it became even more of a trend. The Democrats and Republicans combined would hold slightly over 50% of voter registration, with the other half of the country joining new parties.

The democratic national convention was bombed killing 14 and wounding 82. While officially US intelligence services credited ISIS, many held suspicious that domestic terrorists were responsible. The trust and unity of the American people was eroding quickly.

Democratic Candidate David Adams would win the presidential election with 24% of the popular vote, the Republican candidate took 27% but lost in the electoral college. The other parties would receive 7 to 10% each of the vote each many incredibly popular in their home states but failing to make a national impact. Many congress members belonging to these minor parties refused to verify the results of the election leading to months of deadlock and a pushing back of the inauguration of the President till April.

Growth of the economy had remained stagnant throughout this period, but breathed a sigh of relief in May and started to grow once again. In June however congress was in a budgetary standstill and began not meeting its debt payments, the government shutdown and the markets began to plunge, Congress was unable to respond. President Adams began seizing emergency powers to stabilize the economy, protests and riots broke out across the country and rumors of armed militias began to abound.

A presidential plan to declare martial law of 23 American cities and arrest a number of “Problematic individuals” who the government felt was inflaming dissent and violence was leaked to the public. Several governors whose states housed those cities mobilized the national guard to discourage the federal forces from interceding.

The first shots of the fracturing however were not fired in the Continental United States, but off the coast of California. Though the details are still obscured ships of the United States Navy began firing on each other, some crews mutinied, others declared loyalty to various states or individuals others tried to stay loyal to the government. In the chaos, a large portion of the US Navy and its largest Aircraft Carrier was sunk.

Soon similar battles were seen across the United States and the Fracturing had begun

This RP starts in the year 2024. This is 3 years after the fracturing, the new factions have stabilized somewhat and everyone is at peace, i fully expect that to change.

This is going to be a realistic RP, so while this takes place in the near future and changes to state's, technology and ideology are certainly acceptable they must be grounded in realism and not change too much too fast.



APP

Code: Select all

[b]Full Nation Name :[/b]
[b]Territory:[/b] [[place where you have absolute control over]]
[b]Territorial Claim :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [b]Capital City :[/b] [[Its IRL location and name]]
[b]Population :[/b]

[b]Government Type :[/b] [[Monarchy, Republic, etc.]]
[b]Government Ideology/Policies :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[Militant, Imperialist, Expansionist, etc.]]
[b]Unity level[/b] [[How united and supportive of your government is your populace?]]
[b]Head of State :[/b] [[highest-ranking individual in the nation according to rule of law]]
[b]Brief Bio of the Head of State :[/b]
[b]Government Description :[/b]

[b]Majority/State Religion :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]] [[It does not have to be IRL religion]]

[b]Economic Ideologies :[/b] [[Capitalism, Mercantilism, Socialism, Communism, etc.]]
[b]Major Resources:[/b]
[b]Major Imports:[/b]
[b]Major Exports:[/b]
[b]Economic Description :[/b]
[b]Economic Strengths:[/b]
[b]Economic Weaknesses:[/b]


[b]Army Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's army in as much detail as you can]]
[b]Army Weakness :[/b]
[b]Naval Description :[/b] [[Describe your nation's navy in as much detail as you can]]
[b]Naval Weakness :[/b]
[b]Further Military Description :[/b] [[OPTIONAL]]

[b]National Goals :[/b]
[b]National Issues :[/b] [[what needs to be fixed in order for your nation to achieve its true potential]]

[b]History :[/b] [[Can be in paragraph or bulletpoint timeline.]]
[b]RP Sample:[/b] [[Either a link to a past post, or an example written right here.]]

#FracturedAmerica (do not delete this, it's for keeping track of the apps)

THE MAP
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1ataaH ... HHOlF_oaI4

ACCEPTED FACTIONS LIST
PLAYER: Mifan
Full Nation Name : The Union of North Eastern States (NES)
Territory: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
Territorial Claim : New England Capital City : New York City
Population : 45 Million


PLAYER: Kihdis
Full Nation Name : The Green Mountain Federation
Territory: Vermont
Territorial Claim : None
Capital City : Montpelier, VT
Population : 640,000



PLAYER: The Manticoran Empire
Full Nation Name : The California Republic
Territory: California, Oregon, Washington State
Capital City: Sacramento, California
Population : 65,000,000


PLAYER: Tysonia
Full Nation Name : Independent Nevada Territories
Territory: Utah, Nevada
Territorial Claim : Utah, Nevada, Arizona, California east of the Sierra Nevada mountain range
Capital City : Las Vegas
Population : 6,000,000




RESERVED STATES
Alaska, Georgia, Mississippi, alabama, georgia, kentucky, tennessee, Michigan, Ohio, Missouri, Mass, RI, CT


TAKEN STATES
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Vermont, California, Oregon, Washington State, Utah, Nevada

RULES FOR RESERVATIONS
Reservations good for 24 hours, cannot reserve more than 3 states

[The Manticoran Empire]

Sacramento, California
1 January 2024
President's Mansion

Sheryl Hash, First President of the California Republic, sat behind her desk, listening yet again to the squabbling of her ministers. The budget was the topic for today, as it had been almost everyday for three years now. She didn't blame them. She'd spent the last three years pooling the funds of Washington, Oregon, and California together in order to create an almost 200 billion dollar budget and more than half of it she'd sunk into her military. She doubted the military need that much and, in fact, the Army consistently told her it didn't. The problem over the last few years had been that she and the new Congress just didn't have time. In fact, the last three years budgets had been made by executive order and she knew she couldn't keep doing that. What she knew was that California brought in $504 billion in taxes last year, Oregon brought in $40.1 billion, and Washington brought in $76.7 billion. That, of course, included the local taxes. The usable revenue she had was $42.8 billion from Washington, $27.4 billion from Oregon, and $287.7 billion from California. In total, her 2025 budget plan would ask for $357.9 billion. The main argument now was what would it be spent on? The military ate up almost $90 billion dollars, which left $267.9 billion for the remaining expenses of the nation. She had made sure to put in the California Constitution that the budget could not exceed the tax revenue, which left her with no wiggle room. That $267.9 billion would have to fund everything. A quarter of her budget was military. That would need to change. She pulled out a pencil and a calculator, completely ignoring her Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs as they mulled around, arguing over stacks of paperwork three feet high. She would use as her basis the 2017 budget. It would, hopefully, be the most satisfactory. 28% of her budget, or $100.212 billion, would be in healthcare spending. 33% or $118.107 billion would be in Social Security, Labor, and Unemployment programs. 15% of the budget, or $53.685 billion would be be in the military. 7% or $25.053 billion would go towards the debt interest payments. 4% or $14.316 billion would go into Veterans Benefits. 3% or $10.737 billion would go into Food and Agriculture and another $10.737 billion into transportation. 2% or $7.158 billion would be put into Housing and Community projects and an equal amount into Education. Energy and Environment, International Affairs, and Science would receive 1% of the budget or $3.57 billion each. Administration fees would take up the remaining $2.7 billion.

She looked up from her desk and saw that her Cabinet and the Joint Chiefs were silent, watching her. "Are you lot ready to get started?" she asked. Without even waiting for an answer, she rose to her feet and said, "I've come up with a budget proposal. At least a rough outline of what we'd like and where we'd like it to go. Most of our budget will be in Healthcare and Labor, followed by the military, which will receive an almost forty billion dollar spending cut." The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs opened her mouth to speak but Sheryl raised her hand. "Please be patient, Admiral." She turned back to the rest of her cabinet and cleared her throat before continuing, "6% will be spent on transportation, food, and agriculture. I would like a part of the Agriculture funds to go towards algae farms, as well as a portion of the energy request. With any luck, we can become wholly energy independent in a few years. Now you will notice that the government has a $2.7 billion dollar administration budget. That's mainly to serve as a rainy day fund. I don't intend to use most of it, since we don't have many staff and our utilities are rather limited. The extra funds will be invested into companies suggested by investment brokers, in an attempt to increase the strength of our economy."
"Madam President, I don't think you understand just how costly it is to operate the Military," Admiral Jeanne Barton said.
"Actually, Admiral, I am painfully aware of how costly it is. Our Army is barely a tenth the size of that the United States Army was and yet it received almost 20% of its pre-fracture budget. The military isn't operating overseas. The navy is relegated to maritime police duties. I am tempted to simply scrap all five of our carriers!"
"Madam President," a new voice said. Sheryl looked in its direction and her gaze fell upon a younger man. Gene Hammond was her National Security Advisor and a student of military and political strategy. "What is it, Gene?"
"Ma'am, chucking our Navy away like that is simply foolish. For one, it is almost half of our combat air power and secondly, it's the largest nuclear arsenal left in the country. We have eight Ohio-class nuclear missile submarines with full payloads. If we scrap them, without the necessary places to store the nuclear material, we could find ourselves being the biggest supplier of nuclear and radiological weapons of mass destruction in the world. Now we clearly don't need to be spending money that was originally appropriated for overseas operations, I agree. However, we must ensure that we can maintain the nuclear weapons and reactors as well as the defense of our borders and waters. Hawaii still has fleet force present, nine destroyers, a cruisers, and 16 nuclear attack submarines. Right now, our carriers are our best defense against such an attack. Additionally, we have some rather lawless areas of the country surrounding us and a refugee problem."
"REFUGEE PROBLEM? THESE ARE HUMAN BEINGS FOR GOD'S SAKE!"
"That may be, but they are a collection of 15 million people who are not citizens of the Republic and who, quite frankly, may be causing problems. We are already experiencing housing difficulties and many businesses are protesting about the loss of business with their spaces full of penniless refugees. Quite frankly, we can't afford to keep paying their tab. Not unless we violate the Constitution of this Republic."
"Then we do that."
"No, Roger. We can't do that. The spending limit is present for a reason and that is to avoid the runaway spending train that got us into this mess in the first place."
"But, but, these people!"
"Worry about our people first, Roger. We are in office for the people of California, Washington, and Oregon, not the people of Minnesota, or Wisconsin, or Kentucky, or whatever states these people came from. At the earliest opportunity, we will be returning them to their home states."
Vice President Abraham Blumenthal spoke next, "Madam President, that could backfire."
"I know, Abraham. Unfortunately, I don't see much choice. We don't have the money to keep housing 15 million extra people."
"We don't have the money to send them elsewhere, either," Abraham replied.
"That is true."
Gene spoke up again, "Ma'am, we could endeavor to make them citizens. Please note, however, that this will not be for everyone. Only those who are willing and able to get employment should receive citizenship. We need more taxpayers, not more mouths to feed."
"Damn it, Gene. You act like they're just cattle," Roger pined.
"Like it or not, Roger, we live in a real world. Not some fantasy realm where we can help everyone. We simply do not have the money to continue spending it willy-nilly. That means that some tough decisions need to be made and I'll be damned if I sacrifice Californians for Ohioans."
"YOU SON OF A-"
"SIT DOWN!" Sheryl screamed. "YOU ARE NOT A CHILD, ROGER! ACT LIKE YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THIS CABINET OR I WILL FIND SOMEONE WHO CAN!"
Roger returned to his chair, still fuming.
"Now, we have a duty to the people of this country. And by God we will see it through or I will know the reason why. To that end, each of you needs to get with whatever subordinates you have and start figuring out what you don't need. If it is not ABSOLUTELY vital, cut it. I don't care if you think it's important. If it is too expensive, ditch it. Secretary Price," she said, speaking now to Defense Secretary Aaron Price, "I want you to get me the details on what it would take to build facilities to produce tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and trucks for our military."
"May I ask why?"
"You may. It is my opinion that we do not need a Marine Corps with 80,000 Marines. Rather, I MEF and III MEF will be reorganized to form two new Army Corps, II Corps at Pendleton and III Corps to be stationed in Oregon. I Corps will remain in Washington at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. Since the majority of our Marines will be serving in the Army now, we need to equip them to be mechanized divisions. That means tanks and APCs. It means retraining them to be mechanized warriors rather than amphibious warriors. It means that Fort Irwin will be having a jolly good time over the next few years."
"Yes, ma'am. Are there any other changes that I should look into?"
"Yes, actually. We need to build aviation factories. I want to replace our F-15s, F-16s, and F-18s with F-22s and F-35s. IMPROVED and CHEAPER F-35s. We also need to increase the availability of training squadrons to permit the training of new pilots on new aircraft. Right now we have the most powerful air force in the region. Let's not squander it."
"Understood, Ma'am."
"Good. Now, I have a meeting with the Speaker of the House in an hour so I won't keep you any longer."

[Chewion]

Austin, Republic of Texas


The current residence of the President of the Republic of Texas was the former Texas Governor's mansion. After secession Austin was made a federal area and the Texas state capital was moved to Dallas. This allowed the government buildings in Austin to become the new federal buildings. Thus the former Texas Governor's mansion was now known as the Presidential Mansion or Lone Star House. Renovations had taken place to up security and to build large underground levels for the Lone Star House staff and for meeting rooms and the situation room as well as a secure bunker for the first family and the cabinet to use in case of an attack. However this morning President Kiser and his cabinet were meeting in the cabinet room located on the first floor.

Inside Cabinet Room

President Kiser sat at the head of a large meeting table surrounded by members of his cabinet. Speaking now was Albert Wilfred the Department of Transportation Secretary. “Mr. President, I can confirm, after speaking with the Secretary of Defense, the South Padre Island naval base will be opened to our submarines in a few months and the entirety of it will be completed within a year giving us two naval bases our entire fleet can access.” Sitting down Wilfred cleared his throat and waited for the President’s response. Leaning back in his chair President Brandon nodded and said “Good to hear. Now let’s hear from Nichols.” Secretary of Defense John F. Nichols stood up before saying “Mr. President, we have been able to fill our two helicopter carriers with F-35’s allowing us more firepower than before. In addition the Airforce has requested two more F-35 squadrons from the plant. As for our aircraft carriers the ROTS Sam Houston (USS Abe Lincoln) has started replacing their F-18’s with F-35’s. Construction on the Bell helicopter second factory has started and should take a year and a half to two years to fully complete. The Waco tank plant is near completion and should start to operate in a few months time pumping out Abrams and Strykers. The APC factory is also nearing completion but is still at least half a year out.” President Kiser nodded as the SecDef sat down. Turning to the Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Motioning towards him Kiser said “I want the State Department to reach out to California and Florida in regards to a possible alliance. I also want you to reach out to Oklahoma about them joining our nation. And I want you to work on UN recognition.” Tillerson nodded as he wrote a few notes. With that Kiser dismissed the cabinet for the day and went to his room to take a nap.

To: Oklahoma
From: Republic of Texas

Dear friends,

The Republic of Texas is interested in meeting with you in order to discuss possible annexation of Oklahoma into the Republic of Texas as we believe this will have many benefits for all involved.. I, as Secretary of State, would personally like to attend this meeting between or two nations. We are open to hosting or to going up to Oklahoma in order to meet. I look forward to our future and may God bless you.

Sincerely,
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

To: Florida and California

Dear friends,

The Republic of Texas is inviting your leaders to a state dinner to be held at the Lone Star House. We wish to discuss a possible alliance amongst our nations and fostering better trade between all. The dinner will be held in three weeks time and transportation can be provided if needed.

Sincerely,

President Brandon Kiser

To: UN
From: Republic of Texas

Dear friends,

The Republic of Texas is interested in become a member of the international community and working to better our world by working with other nations accords the globe, as such I, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, would like to speak before the General Assembly and plead our case for recognition to the members of the General Assembly. I look forward to your response.

Sincerely,
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

[Tysoania]

Independent Nevada Territories
Las Vegas, South Nevada Territory
Legislature Building

From Gen. Parsons' office window high above the Strip, he could see the flashing neon signs of the city's casinos and hotels, desperate to attract the few wealthy customers on the Strip. They had traveled from across the Territories to visit this, one of the nation's premier tourist attractions. By far, most of the city's business came from the Army camp in Boulder City, near the Hoover Dam; they came only to gamble and drink away what little they earned, which brought paltry amounts to the nation's coffers. The general turned away from the window and resumed pacing across the small room, waiting for the news from the Department of Defense, who were overdue with their list of projects. As much power as the general held, it paled in the face of the might of the international community, and he wanted to avoid angering his neighbours until he knew what the Army had up its sleeve.

There was a soft knock on the door and Parsons whirled around. Grabbing his peaked cap off his desk, he put it on and adjusted his tie, then opened for the door. On the other side were a man in a suit and a uniformed colonel. They both snapped to attention and the colonel saluted. The general saluted back and they both lowered their hands.

"The new project list, sir," the suited man said, holding out a stapled report. The general took it and the suited man turned around and walked back down the hall. The two officers stepped into the office and the general sat down at his desk as the colonel closed the door and took a seat at the desk, facing Parsons. The general removed his peak cap, setting it on the desk, and began reading the report. After several minutes, he looked over at the colonel.

"What happened to the Chilton Row project?", he asked.

"Cancelled, sir. Budget cut.", the colonel replied. Parsons noted that his nameplate read "Simmons".

"And the Zion construction?"

"Also cancelled, sir. All construction projects but one have been cancelled."

"And that is...?"

"The Dam project, sir. Construction is on schedule."

"Well, at least there's one left. What's this Airspace Land Command project, though? I don't recall seeing it on the last report, and the explanation here is lacking."

"To save money, the Secretary of Defense is ordering the deactivation and mothballing of all jets, sir. Instead, ground-based defenses will be established and drones put into wider usage, sir."

The general silently flipped through the rest of the report. The pages were filled with pie charts and cash flow analyses, stuff the nerds liked to throw around. Parsons ignored all of it, grabbed a pen off the desk, and initialed the last page before handing it back to the colonel; Simmons would then return it to the Secretary of Defense for implementation.

The colonel stood up and saluted. Without bothering to return a salute, the general waved him off. Simmons closed the door behind him as he left, leaving the general alone with his thoughts.

To: Republic of Texas
From: The Independent Nevada Territories

On behalf of the Territories, I would like to extend an invitation to a meeting at the Sierra Madre hotel in order to establish cordial relations. I hope that our two nations can prosper together with a healthy trading relationship.

Yours,

James Allen
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Independent Nevada Territories

To: The California Republic
From: The Independent Nevada Territories

On behalf of the Territories, I would like to extend an invitation to a meeting at the Sierra Madre hotel in order to establish cordial relations and negotiate the future of the region. I hope that our two nations can prosper together with a healthy trading relationship.

Yours,

James Allen
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Independent Nevada Territories

[The Manticoran Empire]

To: California

Dear friends,

The Republic of Texas is inviting your leaders to a state dinner to be held at the Lone Star House. We wish to discuss a possible alliance amongst our nations and fostering better trade between all. The dinner will be held in three weeks time and transportation can be provided if needed.

Sincerely,

President Brandon Kiser

To President Brandon Kiser
From President Sheryl Hash

Mr. President,

This is quite an honor and I most happily and graciously accept it. I will arrive on the specified date at the specified time.

[Empire of-the-isles]

Anchorage Metropolitan area, the biggest city in Alaska, with half of the population of Alaska living in it, currently a technological center as well, however, it's not enough for the government.
Sure, shining lights at night, the concept of self driving cars and the new High-ways being built for them may seem appealing, but for Alaska to gain recognition, it must go further, much further.
It wont go international, at first it should set up embassies in other states, especially the California Republic, being the state that is the closest to Alaska, taking up the western coast of the old United States, and a powerful economy.
Later, it will try to make contact with states, one thing is clear however, Alaska wont survive an invasion.
It should also contact Canada as soon as possible, it's close, big, powerful, and has some voice in the UN, having Canada as an ally would be PERFECT! How hard will it be is a different question however.
Another meeting of the Parliament was held today, 15 people discussing different things about the nation, "What do to with self-sustaining communities?" "What to trade? Who to trade it with?" "How to raise our population?" and so on.
The first problem was a new policy proposed by representative of the North, John Stardust from Barrow, he proposed a system, in which any person who previously had a US citizen ship can receive an Alaskan one with minimal paperwork, same goes to green-card owners.
It also states that the immigration process should be much easier, anyone wanting an Alaskan Permanent residency has to fill up paper-work, to make sure their criminal record is clear, and that they have atleast twelve years of education, after doing so, they are free to enter the Federation at will.
However, if the person has criminal charges against him after receiving the PR, they will NOT be allowed inside.
The "Open arms" bill is discussed in the meeting, Stardust stands up, saying in an American accent that sometimes goes British: "I do not see another way to raise the population of Alaska, and I think it's the only way we can survive in the modern world, workforce! In order to get workforce, we need to get more people entering our country, be it for work, immigration, or other reasons." he says, as he sits down again, with Alex Johnson standing up next, stating with a strong American accent: "Yes, we need to increase our population, but not go too far with it, in the modern day automation will take over even your job! So the workforce isn't a must, even the burger flipper was replaced by a machine! Trust me, it will only go up, the population is not a must! It's important, but absolutely not a must, we need to make sure our population remains culturally the same, and not seriously diverse!" he stated afterwards sitting down.
The meeting was over, with the bill passing 7-8, the new immigration policies will be in effect the next week.

The letters are sent to the California Republic and Canada, in order to establish diplomatic relationships.

Recipient: California Republic external affairs, to whomever it may concern.
From: The Alaskan Department of international relations, Ellie Fox.
Greetings, California! We wish to congratulate you on your independence, and offer you to visit
our country as soon as you can, to discuss diplomatic relationships, establish
trade routes, and so on, have a chit-chat with a cup of warm coffee in the last frontier's
largest city!

Recipient: Canadian external affairs agency, to whomever it may concern.
From: The Alaskan Department of international relations, Ellie Fox.
Greetings, Canada.
Noting the recent fracture of the US, we would like to establish relationships in your nations if you recognize us,
we offer you to visit our nation to discuss important matters, trade, relationships, even protection and recognition.
We hope you do pay attention to this letter.

[Dentali]

To: The Alaskan Department of international relations, Ellie Fox.
From: Marie-Claude Bibeau Head of Global Affairs Canada

I accept you invitation and shall be arriving in Alaska soon to discuss our relationship.

[Dentali]

To: Rex Tillerson
From: UN Secretary General

You do not have permission to directly address the UN, however you are hereby invited to the new UN building in Brussels to discuss privately with members of the G6.

[Tysoania]

Independent Nevada Territories
Las Vegas, Colorado River Territory
The Capitol

After months of renovations, the Capitol was ready for business. Formerly the MGM Grand hotel and Casino, the General had ordered it shut down as revenge for the owners' backing of the state government during the military coup, and had soon after begun drawing up plans for its renovation into the new national headquarters of the government. While the rubber-stamp House of People's Deputies remained down the street in the old Caesar's Palace, the General was moving into the Capitol, along with the military high command and the heads of the government's most important departments. All that remained was to cut the ribbon, and that was why the General was in front of the building with a pair of scissors, surrounded by a TV crew from the state broadcaster and a photographer from the state newspaper, The Patriot.

"I now declare the Capitol...open for business!", the General declared with a big smile as he took a pair of scissors from an aide and cut the ribbon across the entrance. The assembled staffers and correspondents duly clapped. As the two military guards at the entrance pulled open the doors, he turned with a flourish and strode into the Capitol.

The Capitol had received a massive overhaul during the months that the General had been pouring funds from the Las Vegas reconstruction budget into the project, but it hardly showed to most people that entered the building. The old statues still graced the entrance halls and the same pictures still stared down from the walls of the old resort. However, hidden away in restricted areas was where most of the funds had gone. Most of the hotel rooms had been removed and replaced with thick, steel walls and signal-jamming equipment; the old arena had been converted to a massive cubicle farm for the hundreds of staffers that suddenly required offices; the penthouse floors had been stuffed with wireless arrays and transmitters for the new military command center a few floors down, to give the commanders national command and control capabilities. Most impressive of all, however, were the new executive suites. A few had been reserved for on-site officials and diplomatic guests, but the majority had been merged into a single, vast suite for the General. Equipped with defense mechanisms and an in-building communications system, it was the General's private domain; even the builders were not permitted once the General's private staff arrived to begin installing the most sensitive equipment.

It was into this room that the General disappeared while the escorting colonel waited patiently. After a few seconds, a screen next to the door flickered on, making the officer jump. On the screen was the General.

"That is all, colonel. Please inform the Committee Security Captain to report to his desk immediately," the General ordered him, referring to the building's secret police commander. The colonel nodded, saluted, and quickly walked back to the elevator. That screen rubbed him the wrong way.

To: Republic of Texas
From: The Independent Nevada Territories

On behalf of the Territories, I would like to once again extend an invitation to a meeting at the Sierra Madre hotel in order to establish cordial relations and to discuss the future of the Southwest. I hope that our two nations can prosper together without any future hostilities, and this meeting would help alleviate this concern.

Sincerely,

James Allen
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
Independent Nevada Territories

[Dentali]

To: Republic of Texas
From: Free State of Oklahoma

Representatives from Oklahoma would be willing to come to Texas at the earliest convenience at the time and venue of your choice

Sincerely,
Rick Mason, Governor of Kansas

[Chewion]

To: UN
From: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

I thank you for your invitation to speak before the G6 leaders and will be in Brussels in one weeks time in order to lay or case out for them. I greatly look forward to the meeting as does President Kiser.

Sincerely,
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

To: Oklahoma
From: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

We thank you for being open to negotiations and can have you at Dallas in two days time if that works for you. Transportation can be arranged if needed.

Sincerely,
Rex Tillerson

To: The Independent Nevada Territories
From: Republic of Texas President Brandon Kiser

I would personally like to attend a meeting with you. I can be there as soon as tomorrow if that works for you. I look forward to growing good relations between our nations.

Sincerely,
President Brandon Kiser

[The Manticoran Empire]

Sacramento, California
Capitol Building
House of Representatives

The delegates of the California House of Representatives sat in the building, listening to the baritone voice of the powerful Republican orator, Representative Dominic Hunter. He had only just taken the stand and was known as the Devil's Advocate in the House. Every time a bill came up, he would put himself on the opposing side, forcing other delegates to defend their bills and resolutions. This time, his target was none other than the President herself, represented, of course, by her Chief of Staff, William Hastings. "Mister Hastings, I must ask. Why does the military insist on maintaining five Nimitz class super carriers when no one within the range of their fighters has anything more than a few frigates?"
"Well, Mister Hunter, the short answer is that there is at least one nation that, in the future, will pose a threat to us."
"And this nation is?"
"The United States of America. They are not, presently, a great threat but they have laid claim to the entirety of the former United States and the former President does control the Government. Additionally, there are rumors of another Continental power rising in Georgia and a naval power in Virginia. The President and the Military are also keeping a close eye on the Pacific, since there is the possibility of foreign powers attempting to seize vital land and resources in that region."
"What does that have to do with California?"
"Sir, we are the best hope for what remains of American values. We may not be the United States of America but we're the closest thing there is. And that means that the Allies of the United States could become our Allies. We have to show them and those who may attempt to take advantage of us that we are not vulnerable."
"And what is this section about a reform of the Army?"
"The President believes that the Marine Corps is too large for its function and the Army is too small. As such, the President is seeking to construct vehicle factories and munitions plants to ensure our military is properly equipped for an end strength of nine divisions. She is also attempting to put our people back to work and to enable the refugees to become productive members of our society. This budget does not just include a large fund for the military. It provides millions of dollars for research and development in algae bio-fuels and GMO foods. It provides incentives to open businesses. It provides incentives for people get jobs. This country needs work and that work is going to take time. And the President feels that we have put it off for far too long. The Portland Tank Plant alone is anticipated to employ upwards of 17,000 people. The Spokane Tank Plant would employ more than 20,000 and the Sacramento Aircraft Plant would employ nearly 40,000 people. We are talking about the future of our country here."

[Tysoania]

Independent Nevada Territories
Colorado River Territory
Echo Bay Airfield

A soft breeze was grasping at the jacket of James Allen, but he tried to keep it firmly at his side. Along with an Army guard of 15 uniformed soldiers, the airfield was also host to a representative from the Department of Defense, Col. Mark Cosum, and Maj. Allan Trent of the Committee Security as the President's personal representative. Both of the soldiers were uniformed, Cosum in the tan of the infantry and Trent in the black of the Committee Security Corps, and Allen felt underdressed in his plain black business suit. Behind the rows of soldiers were a line of white SUVs, emblazoned with the government crest and ready to whisk the dignitaries to the Sierra Madre resort.

Allen was there to meet the incoming visitors from the Republic of Texas and act as the host for a conference with the visitors at a nearby hotel. Despite his objections, the meeting had been scheduled at the Sierra Madre, a resort a short drive away from the airfield. The massive resort complex, built in the 1950s, had been in operation since its opening but had never been renovated; the place looked like it had been ripped out of a time warp, with its Art Deco designs and lack of wireless utilities. That, along with its odd placement on a cliff overlooking an old state park, always gave him the creeps. The place seemed like something out of The Twilight Zone.

Allen heard the parade commander behind him call a command and the assembled troops snapped to attention. He turned to face the far end of the runway as a plane appeared in the distance.

[Democratic Peoples republic of Kelvinsi]

Northwestern Loyalist Federation
E Pluribus Enum, Sub Enum Pluribus

Presidential Palace, Detroit, Michigan

When this is all over, I really need a stiff drink David Adams mused to himself while sifting through huge volumes of papers. He never wanted this, all of this stupid shit started because he wanted to pass universal healthcare and his other economic reforms, now the fucking entire union is in pieces because of a bunch of random rebels springing up everywhere, he would not let this transgression slide. It is his rightful destiny to reclaim all 50 U.S. states and bring them back to the Union. He would either do it through the ballot or the bullet, the United States must be reunited, there was no alternative. It is was not his plan to create the paramilitary Protection Squadrons who now patrol the streets wearing their olive green uniforms, beating out any dissent. He had no choice, otherwise, the rebels would get to him. It was not his plan to dismantle congress, Congress simply would not listen to reason. It was not his plan to become dictator the circumstances merely dictated that he had to seize absolute power to save America.

However, his dreams of reconquering the rest of America had to be dealt with later, and any possible future excursion requires careful planning and extensive preparation. While his military is powerful enough to beat up a few random warlords here and there, it was not capable of launching an immediate invasion of their more powerful future neighbors, no, not yet. Furthermore, the rebels were running rampant all through Southern Ohio, they have become enough of a nuisance to force him to dispatch the 2 Assault Squadron Divisions, along with 3 infantry divisions, and 1 mountain division, making up Battlegroup Appalachia to the area to carry out... pacification operations. While the rebels in Southern Ohio remain rampant unfortunately there could be no offensive operations launched. Thankfully, any further resistance of this type was going to be... unlikely, as mass scale firearm confiscations have already been carried out by Protection Squadron members, now only those who have had a senior leadership position in the Neo-Democratic Party, or members of the Assault or Protection Squadrons would have the right to bear firearms. The borders were also clamped down with any foreigner found with a firearm immediately executed by the border guard Shield Squadrons were immediately put in "work camps" for an indefinite amount of time to produce military hardware, and their firearm permanently confiscated. Although such deterrence met with initial pushback, the bayonets and rifles of the Protection Squadrons were able to amiably convince most people to give up their weapons. There were, of course, those who were... reluctant, but a few disorganized rabble with their shotguns were no match for trained soldiers with assault rifles, and the problematic individuals were for the most part... neutralized. Southern Ohio was reluctant to give up their guns, and a few organized and Adams had to admit valiant militiamen banded together. Valiant: yes, Military Geniuses: No. The militia has apparently deluded themselves into thinking that they could meet professional armies on the battlefield and according to reports from his generals a large group of no less than 25,000 militiamen has taken the field and offered battle in the AS Division sector, such deluded fools. Adams almost pitied them. He would be sure to enact draconian retaliation measures for their disloyalty to the rightful President of the United States.


On a more positive note as a byproduct of the huge clamp down on guns and the large gangs of uniformed paramilitary men patrolling the cities the crime rate in the inner cities has been curbed considerably making Adams quite popular among those in the inner city particularly Detroit not hurt by the resurgent manufacturing sector as the country lost competition from foreign countries, probably should have done that before Adams mused to himself. In fact, the city of Detroit probably has been the most eager to embrace Adams and his policies, and they still remain so till this day. Unfortunately, residents outside of the cities were less supportive, and most were often coerced into supporting Adams by his jackbooted personal army. It will only get easier from now, his Minister of Truth Joe Levels is rolling out his new education system now. A new youth organization was created, named the Eagle Volunteers, despite its name attendance was de facto mandatory for all children between 8-18, with a possible branch off to the Assault and Protection Squadrons if the youth shows potential. In the new youth organization the children are taught to sing songs praising the genius of Adams, and in general being indoctrinated to believe that Adams was close to a living God. You gotta hand it to the man, Adams chuckled, it is impressive that he managed to type out the entire program and its curricula in just 2 years, that man truly is a genius.

It will be quite some time before the American Defense Force can go on the offensive, but when it does there is one little annoying thorn on his side. The State of Indiana, from his reports the state, is relatively lightly defended and would be an easy conquest for the military as well as giving considerable manufacturing ability. Currently, there were 4 infantry divisions guarding the border, along with 2 battalions worth of border guard auxiliaries. Furthermore, the terrain is relatively flat with only Southern Indiana being suitable for sustained operations past the opening few weeks. He made a mental note to ask his general to start planning the invasion of Indiana, but first we would send the state an ultimatum, he did not expect it to work, but it was something.

Also it would be useful to regain trade rights with Canada it would practically give his war machine the raw materials it would need to reconquer the United States.

---

To Rebel State of Indiana
From United States of America

Dear Sir/ Madam:

This message is an ultimatum. The United States of America officially requests that the State of Indiana return to the administration of the United States. Within 200 hours the United States officially demands that all rebel units in Indiana demobilize, and lay down their arms. Furthermore, the government is to cede authority to the rightful government of the United States of America. Doing so would involve the immediate amnesty of all individuals related in the rebellion, and the State of Indiana may rejoin the Union without any negative consequences. Failure to heed these instructions will result in a number of options, of which war is not
off the table.

Sincerely,
President David Adams

To Canada
From United States of America

Dear Mr./Mrs./Ms. Prime Minister
We here in the United States of America would be very interested in negotiating a trade agreement with Canada. In doing so our country promises that no harm will befall Canada in the ensuing chaotic period. Furthermore, it is my firm belief that our country's remaining loyal states with their strong manufacturing capability will strongly compliment Canada's vast natural resources.

Sincerely,
President David Adams

[Chewion]

Just above Echo Bay
President Brandon Kiser

Kiser sat aboard the Presidential jumbo jet, a Boeing 747 upgraded with communications and security enhancements making it very secure as well as a custom layout, looking down at the fast approaching airfield. Taking a breath as the plane landed and taxied to the runway he finally stood as it stopped at the red carpet and a staircase was rolled up the door. Making is way from the office to the door he stood just inside as Texas Secret Service agent’s secures everything. When given the signal he stepped into the doorframe and waved before walking down the stairs and shaking the delegation. After greeting them he made his way to the Presidential Limousine that had been brought in an hour earlier while the rest of his delegation got into the white SUVs. Kiser leaned back in the comfortable seat as the convoy started for the hotel. He would have much to discuss when they arrived.

To: State of Arkansas
From: Republic of Texas

Dear friends,

I wrote you today in order to propose to you a meeting between our governments in order to discuss the possibility of you joining our republic. Texas and Arkansas have always been good neighbors and share a city in the form of Texarkana. Two states as close as ours belong together where both are made stronger by the other. I would personally be willing to attend this meeting either here in Austin at the Lone Star House or in any venue of your choosing in your fine state.I look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,
President Brandon Kiser

[Tysoania]

Independent Nevada Territories
Colorado River Territory
Echo Bay Airfield

Allen climbed into the lead SUV, followed by Maj. Trent; Col. Cosum got into the third vehicle. The convoy slowly rolled out of the airfield's dusty parking lot, passing the truck waiting to pick up the army guards for transport to the Sierra Madre. The trip was only a short 20 minutes on Northshore Road, with Allen's SUV in lead, followed by the presidential limo of the Republic of Texas, then two more SUVs bringing up the rear. As the convoy drove north, Allen quickly flipped through his notes on how the conference should go. Status of Arizona, defense pact, free trade, yada yada yada. Nothing shocking, which suited the secretary fine.

As the convoy approached the entrance arch of the Sierra Madre, Allen gazed out the window at the villas surrounding the casino. They were part of the resort and served as hotel suites for the resort's wealthy clientele, as well as staff housing. It was almost a separate town, complete with police station and medical clinic. The convoy drove up the main boulevard approaching the resort's main building, and finally the row of vehicles came to a stop under the covered entranceway. A gang of doormen, who were standing around at the entrance doors, leaped into action, opening the doors of the presidential limo and the second SUV. Allen climbed out of the SUV and headed into the hotel as the various dignitaries and aides prepared for their entrance to ensure everything was ready for the meetings. Entering the hotel, he saw that the decor hadn't changed. The lobby was still graced by a small fountain and a reception desk, as well as signs noting the entrances to the restaurant and casino, all overlooked by an upper level with the entrances to the theater and suites. He headed towards the restaurant, where the meetings were to take place. Opening the doors, he headed in. The restaurant's maitre d' met him at the doors and showed him to the upper level. There, the area had been cleared and filled with a round table and chairs all around it. The maitre d' assured him that the resort's manager could show the delegation to their rooms while Allen made some final changes to the menu.

Indeed, the manager could. Stepping out into the entranceway, he greeted the delegation, room keys in hand. Upstairs, the cleaning staff had spent hours on each room and they had been cleaned to perfection, mirrors sparkling, tubs grime-free, and bedsheets with that freshly-washed scent.

[Mifan]

New York City
Union of Northeastern States

The most populated city in the former US, New York was the capital for sometime, a city that took in immigrants of all places. Now, once again, the city was the capital, not the capital of the US, but the capital of a new union, a union that will lead its people to a better future, a future that the US was unable to provide. Cuomo created the Union of Northeastern States in order to preserve his power in New York, but also keep that portion of the nation from collapsing on itself. The Union, overall, would be able to survive if he played his cards right, but being a new nation meant that there was no country that acknowledged his rule. The trade that went on between New York and Canada had ended and he wished to rectify the issue as he would need oil to fuel his military in the event of war.

That wasn't the only issue. Old conflicts that were common under the US government were still an issue. The rural community hated the urban one and vice versa. Every state still had some form of hatred for the next. Even the military was divided, loyal to their states than the Union, though Cuomo didn't care much for the other states. As long as New York survived, he didn't care if the other states collapsed or were destroyed.

There was still tension in Pennsylvania after the 42nd was pulled back into New York, and Cuomo had been receiving constant reports on small scale fighting still happening in the rural areas of the state, but to him, it wasn't of importance. He wasn't going to keep deploying the one of the few units that had seen actual combat. He had more pressing issues, and getting Canada to open up trade once again.

To: Canadian Foreign Ministry
From: Foreign Ministry of the Union of Northeastern States
Subject: Trade and Recognition
Encryption: None

Due to the collapse of the US Government, many economic deals between New York and Canada had been disavowed. The Union of Northeastern States ask that these economic deals, mainly those in oil be renewed, as well as official recognition by the Canadian Government. We are willing to send delegates to Ottawa to discuss this in further detail.

[Chewion]

President Kiser

Kiser walked inside the hotel after the TSS secured the area. Surrounded by security he made a short stop in the restroom to relieve himself before using the mirror to straighten his tie. I wished Sarah, his wife, had been able to go on this trip with him but she was stuck in the Republic doing official First Lady duties like visiting the Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, Texas and hosting the four states First Ladies at a luncheon. Clearing his mind he walked out of the bathroom and made his way into the meeting room where he was met by Secretary of Defense Nichols and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Kiser was glad to have Tillerson on board. With his experience as Trumps Secretary of State he was one of the few foreign ministers in the countries resulting from the fracture that had any experience in the job. The Texas delegation made their way to the seats with their names on it and Kiser shuffled his papers with the talking points he wanted to make. An alliance, trade, etc. Taking a breath Kiser waited for the meeting to start.

To: United States of Mexico
From: Republic of Texas

Dear friends,

The United States of Mexico and the states forming the Republic of Texas have long had good relations and a strong amount of trade between them. Following the collapse all trade agreements were ended. We would like to restart formal trade between our nations and would like official recognition by the United States of Mexico and opening of formal diplomatic relations. Our nations share a common history and good will towards eachother. I sincerely look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

[Hastiaka]

The Missouri Republic
The Grand American Republic of Missouri

---

---

The Office of the President
Presidential Wing | Capitol Building

The morning sun had risen over the great lands of the Missouri Republic. The nation had been rebuilt from the ashes of war and chaos that reigned during the confusing years of the fracturing. Less than half a decade ago the streets of Jefferson City were filled with National Guardsmen blockading the federal forces from entering the state capitol. Today, outside the capitol, a statue was being erected in memory of those who had fallen during the fracturing. Vice President Fred Huffman led the ceremony. A tall marble statue depicting lady liberty with a gun. While the Vice President was busy talking with people across the country, the President was on the other hand, surrounded with work.

President Tia Preston sat on her office desk looking at the mounds of paperwork that await her signature. For the past few months, her administration managed to consolidate Missourian gains in Nebraska and Iowa- finally eliminating the last bit of resistance against the Missouri Republic in the two states. Missouri was finally becoming an emerging power at the heart of America- the land of the free. Missouri however was still isolated. A few years after the dissolution of the United States of America, the Grand American Republic had not yet made any contact with any of the neighboring states. President Preston was not a naive woman, she was determined to expand the influence of Missouri and ensure the sovereignty of her country.

As President Preston was busy signing the documents that laid before her, a knock came on the door. President Preston pressed a green button beside her computer and then the door automatically opened. Paul Mitchell- the Presidential Chief of Staff came entering the room. Paul sat in front of President Preston and sipped a cup of coffee. President Preston put aside the papers and leaned towards Paul.

''Send this to Texas.'' she said. ''We share a lot of values and ideas with the Texans. We need to establish a formal relationship with them.''

The Grand American Republic of Missouri
Office of the President

---

President Kiser,

The Grand American Republic of Missouri would like to establish formal relations with you. It is in the best interest of our countries to reaffirm our historic ties and once again bond as allies just as we did when we were still a United States. We believe that a benevolent relationship between us two will benefit us more than what we expect.

Sincerely,
President Tia Preston
The Grand American Republic of Missouri

[Dentali]

From: Government of Indiana
To: President David Adams
Encryption: Very High
Rest assured we are preparing to accept your offer, please give us time to properly organize a response and ensure a peaceful transition of our populace, before making any formal announcement.

To: President David Adams
From: Prime Minister Terri Wilkenson of Canada

The nation of Canada does not take your thinly veiled threats kindly, moreover my government has no faith in your ability to ensure that no harm will befall our nation during your “chaotic period”. We are willing to discuss opening trade relations should you send delegates to Ottawa but we want to make it very clear that as of this moment we do not recognize any power in the former United States of America as a legitimate government, and we shall not get involved in the conflict

To: Foreign Ministry of the Union of Northeastern States
From: Prime Minister Terri Wilkenson of Canada
Subject: Trade and Recognition
Encryption: High

We wish to restore many of our trade deals across the former United States, our relations and trade deals with the Northeastern States have been particularly special to our nation. Please send delegates to Ottawa at your earliest convenience to discuss reopening trade.

To: President Brandon Kiser
From: President Nicolas Costa of Mexico
We indeed are interested in your proposal, please send delegates to Mexico City at your earliest possible convenience to open negotiations

[Tysoania]

Independent Nevada Territories
The Sierra Madre Resort
The Gourmand Restaurant

As the elevator silently traveled down to the restaurant, Allen ran over his mental notes one more time while nervously adjusting his tie. Hoover Dam is ours, but they have east shore. Do not give up Dam. Trade for Arizona. The elevator came to a stop and the doors whisked open. Allen strode out and quickly climbed up the staircase to the upper level of the restaurant, where the Texan delegation was seated. The I.N.T.'s Army representative, Col. Cosum, was already seated, as was Maj. Trent of the Committee Security Corps. Allen took his seat at the table and shuffled the papers in front of him before speaking. Finally, he cleared his throat.

"Welcome to the Independent Nevada Territories. I am James Allen, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs. On my left is Colonel Mark Cosum, representing the Army, and on my left is Major Allan Trent, as representative of the General. I trust you found your rooms satisfactory?"

Leaving the Texans no time to respond, he continued on. "On the agenda for the meeting are the following: the status of Arizona, border control, border delineation, and trade and travel between our two nations. We'll start with Arizona."

"As you may have heard, the I.N.T. declared their claim to Arizona almost a year ago. Despite this, we have not made any moves to annex or otherwise take Arizona from the Republic of Texas, its current government. The I.N.T. is prepared to surrender its claim to Arizona if its claim to Hoover Dam is recognized and the Republic of Texas does not attempt to control the Dam."

[Soviet Chernarus]

Federated States of America

The results of a clash between US Army forces and Georgian National Guardsmen; this image has become iconic in the South, spreading through newspapers and the Internet

"Our struggle is a battle for the heart and soul of America."
-- President Samuel Garland

Federated States of America
News | FSA | January 8 2017
Poll: Hardin surges, Garland's lead shrinks

Liberty Party candidate James Hardin has recently surged in the polls. Hardin's lead, placed at 31% in September of last year, has shrunk considerably.

The race now appears competitive, as a national poll released Wednesday showed Hardin taking nearly 34% of likely voters. Garland still maintains a 19% lead, at 53%. 13% of voters have said that they are still undecided.

Hardin's momentum, according to political pundits, have been attributed to widespread dissatisfaction with President Garland, especially over the controversial issue of tax increases.

His support base largely consists of younger adults and uneducated college whites, groups who have been disproportionately impacted by the 2022-2023 recession.

These new developments will prove important in the upcoming February 1 nationwide primaries.

The Capitol
Atlanta
Federated States of America

"Damn it," he muttered, "damn it all to hell."

The President was surrounded by his campaign staff; advisors, political consultants, speechwriters...many of them had articles open on their laptops. Some examined polls and recorded data. Others pored over every little detail of the campaign budget, setting dates for fundraising events, speeches, and rallies.

"It's concerning," one of his trusted advisors, Thomas Martinez, looked at the short article. The bold title stuck out like a sore: Poll: Hardin surges, Garland's lead shrinks

"Concerning? Hardin's a goddamn nightmare. He's a stubborn one, I'll grant him that." Garland responded, almost fuming.

"I suppose he didn't take kindly to your offer," Martinez said, grinning slightly.

"Turns out the bastard won't settle for anything less than the Presidency."

"I expected as much," Martinez sighed, "we've done some internal polling, and the results are very worrying. Do you have time to talk?"

"Make it quick, Thomas. I've got an appointment with the Secretary of State."

"The polling we did shows the race might be closer than we think," Martinez began cautiously, perhaps hoping to gauge a reaction from Garland, "we've got results saying that Hardin could be 4 or 5 points behind. Well within the margin of error."

"Jesus," The President paused in mute shock, "And you're just telling me this now?"

"We got the results this morning. It's worrying, but I wouldn't put too much stake in it. Polling is very unreliable, especially here in Dixie. You, of all people, should know that."

"Another thing to worry about, then," Garland grimaced. He had fought hard for his state and the people; Garland couldn't afford to lose to some man who could barely run a lemonade stand, much less the people of an entire country. He had too much at stake, and so much left to do...

[Empire of-the-isles]

"May the Arctic light show the path to progress and prosperity" Would be the official motto of the Fairbanks Institute of Research and Development, the progress on the TF-X(Formerly a "Flying car" made by Terrafugia, cancelled due to lack of funds.) is going well, with the first working prototype done by 2026, and available by 2028.
The self driving cars program is getting more funds, with more routes programmed by the FIRD, with the car being available for a cheap price by 2030.
The Space Administration branch of the FIRD, once again, receives more funds, with the first satellite planned to be launched by 2025, and the first planned moon landing will happen by 2028.

Meanwhile, the parliament in Anchorage, was discussing things again.
John Stardust stands up, saying "I believe we should start communicating with Europe, if we manage to join them, Alaska will progress by decades, with the Middle East running out of oil, and the Bering Strait opening up, I do believe that Europe will open it's gates to us soon enough, so hopefully, if we manage to get Canada's recognition, Europe will accept us with open hands, what nation should we choose, however?" He asked as he sat down.
Alex Johnson stood up, and with an American accent said. "I agree for once! I think we should go with Germany and the United Kingdom, we need to learn much from Germany, it's economy was skyrocketing in years once they knew what to do, we should follow their example.", he sat down after saying so.

To: The Alaskan Department of international relations, Ellie Fox.
From: Marie-Claude Bibeau Head of Global Affairs Canada

To: Marie-Claude Bibeau, Head of Global Affairs Canada.
From: The Alaskan department of International relations, Ellie Fox.

Great to hear that! When do you want to visit and what city exactly?
We hope you can visit our nation soon, we believe that the Continental U.S will undergo
another civil war, and we fear that we will get hit painfully by it.

[Mifan]

New York City
Union of North Eastern States

"Any word from Canada?" Cuomo was hoping that the Canadians would be willing to befriend the nation. Before the US collapse, New York and Canada were close, with many deals that benefited both. Being independent, the NES had to regain trade to keep its economic power. New York is the financial capital of the world after all.

"Yes, Mr. President. The Prime Minister, himself, wishes to see a reopening of trade. He requested that a delegation is sent to discuss further details."

Cuomo smiled. "Well let's not keep them waiting. Send a delegation." Cuomo stood to leave the room and dismiss his staff, but they stopped him, requesting he sits down as there was more news.

"Sir, the State of Indiana has sent us a telegram, one with a major request."

"What is it?"

"They are asking for a mutual defense pact."

Cuomo sat in silence. He had no doubt they were afraid of the Northwestern Loyalist Faction, those who are loyal to the former President, David Adams. Being a massive power, the NES was the only nation nearby that would be able to offer any form of support. On top of that, being bordered with Adams didn't make Cuomo at all comfortable, so limiting his power would be wise. "Send a telegram that we are willing to accept a Mutual Defense Pact. I will have to run it over with the Senate, but there is no reason why they would object it. If that is all, dismiss."

Senate Building

For hours, the senators debated over if the risk of war over a state was worth the lives it would cost. The idea of mutual defense looked like it would die, but Cuomo reminded the Senate that President Adams was the one who ruined the country and that allowing him to grow in power would only bring ruin. Many agreed, fearing what could happen in the event Adams is able to unite the land once again. The defense pact passed with massive support.

JFK Airport

The delegation loaded onto a plane and left the city, heading towards Ottawa to meet with the Canadian Prime Minister. If all went well, the NES would be in much better position than it was before. It would be about an four hour flight before they reach the capital.

To: Foreign Ministry of the State of Indiana
From: Foreign Ministry of the Union of North Eastern States
Subject: Mutual Defense Pact
Encryption: Very High
We here in the Union of North Eastern States have received your request and have decided it would be in both of our interests to accept. We shall offer military assistance in the event that you are attacked.

[Soviet Chernarus]

Federated States of America


"Our struggle is a battle for the heart and soul of America."
-- President Samuel Garland

The Capitol
Atlanta
Federated States of America

"I hope you at least thought about my...proposal." The Secretary of State glanced at Garland, opening up a folder. She took out a paper, titled Memorandum, and slid it in front of the President.

"I got it through email, yes. I haven't had time to look at it. The campaign's kept me busy." Garland replied distractedly; Martinez's news was still on his mind.

The Secretary of State was Kendra Duke -- a short woman whose intellect and cleverness had left a good impression on Garland. A woman who had previously worked in embassies around the world, she had no shortage of foreign policy experience. She was the perfect woman for the job, considering the tumultuous situation that was post-Fracture America.

"It is my belief that the country is at a crossroads." Duke started.

"A crossroads?" Garland asked, confused.

"Yes, a crossroads is-"

"I know what it means, Kendra. I'm asking you to elaborate."

The Secretary of State smiled, "Of course. As you already know, the Federated States continues to maintain a claim over all of the pre-Fracture United States. This has resulted in several issues, particularly in the foreign policy and trade fields. Other states refuse to open diplomatic relations, and our lack of a defined, concrete policy causes confusion. It also isolates us. It's clear that we can't go on like this."

"What are our options?" Garland asked reluctantly.

Duke began to read from the memorandum. "The first option is to double-down. We can't stay like this, with all of this murky, middle of the road crap. We'll, of course, need to aggressively seek international recognition, a fairly daunting task. Many of our neighboring states may be threatened, and we will need to expand both our military and heavy industry capabilities."

"Our budget is already hamstrung as is. We can't afford to increase our defense spending."

"And that's why there's option two: reform. Abandon our claims, and start over from scratch. New name, new flag...of course, this would come with its own consequences. However, it would end our isolation, and allow us to accommodate with our...neighbors."

Garland challenged the option, "That would be nothing short of political suicide. Hardin would have a field day."

"Option 3," Duke pressed on, ignoring Garland's interjections, "pledge allegiance to the Midwestern Loyalists under David Adams."

"Absolutely out of the question. I hope to God he rots in hell someday."

Duke suppressed a smile. "Last but not least, option 4. We could try to bring ourselves into the sphere of another power -- Texas, maybe, someone who has the capacity to protect us militarily."

Garland leaned back in his chair, taking it all in. "You don't make it easy for me, Kendra."

The Secretary of State shook her head. "Being President is never easy."