For our Common Defense

[Justin Green]

Franco-Spanish Border

All was quiet. The night was a dark shroud over the Pyrenees. In a fortified bunker, two men were talking.

"Do you think its true, what they are saying in the news, Jose? Could they really be willing to do it all over again?"

"It is the French. Now that they have the Atomic bomb, they think a new balance has been struck in Europe. Who knows what will happen. Hopefully it will blow up in their face. They did break the Non-Proliferation Treaty, a treaty they work to build. What's it to you anyway, Martin?"

"I don't want to die. My wife just had twins for gods sake. I have kids to provide for. I don't want another Great War. I want to do my two years and go home. I was studying to become a dentist. I just don't want to die."

"Neither do I. But the French aren't the only ones who can kill you. The ETA is still a big thing here, even though they supposively no longer mantain a military wing. Don't worry Martin. You'll see your wife and kids again. I think the world has had its share of madness. Things are going to get better. I can feel it in my bones."

"I sure hope so."

*FLASH*

And then the world descended to a new level madness.

[Justin Green]

"Well Gentleman, what is going on?", Consul Alejandro Romero Marquez said to his assembled minsters.

The Science Minister was first to respond . "Were not sure Consul. At first we suspected that France had launched an Atomic first strike against us, but no locations within Spain seem to have been hit and in the areas near the border are not smoking ruins. After the Flash, it's the most popular term in use sir, all transmisions out of the peninsula were halted. We are now recieving very...odd messages in odder languages. As strange as this seems, I do not believe we are on the same Earth. Let me begin with the ones we can understand. To the south we are getting what appears to be propaganda, in Spainsh, demanding the "heretic" government of Madrid to surrender to His most Catholic Majesty, Juan Carlos VII of Habsburg."

The Defense Minister exploded, " What the hell do you mean Juan Carlos of Habsburg", the last word he spat with hatred. "What you are saying is insane. This is no doubt just a ploy by the French, and their lesser allies to fool us into a weakness. Consul I believe that we must order full mobilization of our nation's armed forces to meet this threat and I ask you to consider the option of a first strike." The old man seemed to visibly calm with the thought of his old enemies, and their children, noticing the dull thud off a chemical warhead.

The Science Minister interjected, "What you speak of is madness Minister. We are in what appears to be a new world filled with strange peoples and you only wish to kill them. Think of the things we could learn from them. We could share the combined knowledge of our worlds to build a better tomorrow."
Calmness died on the former general's face as he rose up and shook his arm (which ended at a smooth stump at the wrist). "This is what becomes of well wishing. Hope is for fools". The Defense Minster turned to Consul Marquez. "Consul , if in the remote possibillity we are on a different earth, our first goal should be one of self-protection. We have limted resources, especially oil, and we should find what we need and take it."

The Consul had seen the reports before the meeting. He had already decided the Science Minister was most likely right, as strange as it was. I have the chance to take Spain in a new direction he said silently to himself. I have been given the chance to lead all of the Spanish Republics into a tommorow free of the bitter foreign relations. Alejandro turned to the Defense Minister. "Old friend, I agree with you on many points. We are at what appears as a disadvantage. We are cut off from what allies we had. But Spain has never given nor will she. I have already given the order for the classes of 1998-2003 to report for active duty. Rationing will soon commence nation wide. But we are not going to war with strangers, even if they are the bloody Habsburg. The Foreign Minister here has reviewed all the information we have at the present and has a course of action I agree with."

The Foreign Minister rose at the Consul's queu. "Gentlemen, I will start were the Science Minister stopped. As he said to the south in Morroco seems to exist a Spanish Habsburg state which is apparently still employing the "Holy" Inquisition. Overflights and continued monitoring of radio transmisions should bring more light. To the north France appears to have disappeared (the Defense Minster frowned, perhaps disappointed) and been replaced with a completly alien one. Soon after the "Flash" they began broadcasting a repeating message in many languages, the only one of which we could decipher being a older form of Greek. They seem to have also experienced a similar "Flash"and wish to meet with a represenative of our government. Further out things get stranger. East of the Spanish Morrocan state the Libyans are apparently speaking Italian, though Arabic is also used as much. The nation in place of Italy appears to be somewhat similar to "our" Italy. They speak the language at least. Farther then that we have only wilder guesses. The main point I would like to make is that we should attempt to find friends as soon as possible. I will be flying shortly to the northern border to attempt a meeting with the represenatives of "Rîgion Litawijâs."

"Thank you Minister. I would like you to report back to me as soon as possible. This meeting is dismissed, for now."

[Justin Green]

"Consul, your on in five seconds".

"Thank you,". The day had finally come to share what little knowledge of what happened that August day, to a nation and people. And a room full of agitated foreign ambassadors and the like. Miserable French, the Consular thought to himself. Intel said they were going mad trying to contact their government. If the Flash had done one good thing to Spain, it was by bringing it to a world where the french did not seem to exist. Any where.

"Good evening ambassadors, and all citizens and foreign guests viewing visa television. As you know Spain as been under martial law for the past week, all travel and communications strictly controled. And tonight I will tell you why. At approximately 11:00 PM, a brilliant flash was seen along the border with France and inapproximatley 10-150 miles off the coast. With this flash all communications with the rest of the world stopped. This is because we are not in this world anymore. *confused roar of questions from the audience*
Are best experts tell me that we are now on a earth people with other nations from other times. A Mosaic Earth of timelines. For a great many of you your nations and peoples may not exist in a form you would recognize, if at all. That is why I am offering full citizenship immediatley to all foreigners in Spain who want it. In time those who wish to journey to what was there homelands will be allowed to after proper communications with them have been made. This process could take as long as a year to complete, if not longer. I appeciate your time, the Science Minister will answer any further questions."