Land of Flatwater: Protect and Survive Middle America

[Orville_third]

I'm not sure if it's inside the scope of this, but did Council Bluffs get affected badly from the strike on Omaha? Are there any historic UP (or similar) locomotives that can begin being used on the tracks of Nebraska?

Back to the story, the triage scene was heartbreaking. While I can understand the need for triage in emergency situations*, it still will be a heartbreaking decision. In addition, while Chip was being kept away for several reasons I can think of (secrecy, fear of getting radiation sickness, fear triage might be impeded or prevented), I hope he won't get into too much trouble- though the emotional scars may not heal.

I do think that some people may try and make triage as painless for the patients as possible, be it by playing music, allowing for religious counsel before death, and making it as painless as possible. (It still won't be easy for people.)

* As part of my CERT training (Community Emergency Response Team- while not affiliated with CAP, it is considered something CAP units can use and CAP members can be trained in), I was taught some rudimentary triage for injuries.

[thepenguin]

Originally Posted by Orville_third

I'm not sure if it's inside the scope of this, but did Council Bluffs get affected badly from the strike on Omaha? Are there any historic UP (or similar) locomotives that can begin being used on the tracks of Nebraska?

UP 844 is in Cheyenne, along with sister engine 838. So is Challenger 3985. FEF-1 814 is in Council Bluffs and FEF-2 833 is in Ogden, Utah. I think Cheyenne got plastered . Council Bluffs probably got some of the Omaha strike, and no idea on Ogden, UT. 3985's sister is on static display at North Platte.

[Chipperback]

Cheyenne -- completely destroyed
Council Bluffs -- heavy fallout zone and heavy blast damage. The blast wave from the Offutt strike pretty much turned Council Bluffs into a fireball.

Ogden -- heavy blast damage from destruction of Hill AFB Utah.
Likely Union Pacific assets, are anything evacuated to North Platte or any terminus not hit. Limited rail usage is a possibility down the line, but it is lower on the priority list.

The main priorities... 1. Fuel 2. Food 3. Security.

Speaking of security.

"We have a right to not be treated with cruel and unusual punishment!"

"Tell that lie to the little girl your friend held at gunpoint!"

[Chipperback]

This weekend, I'm in the mood to do something I've been wanting to do...

Flawater: The Podcast.

An occasional look at LoF straight from the author.

For the first one...I'd like to to get the input of the readers.

What I wanna know about Flatwater and I'm not afraid to ask.

The lines are open

[modelcitizen]

update = wow

[sloreck]

Triage is sorting - basically 4 categories: expectant, immediate, delayed, minimal. It is a dynamic process that depends on the number of sick/injured and the personnel and materiel available to treat them (this is the 2 cent summary). Military medical policy is that those in the expectant category are given appropriate pain medication, made as comfortable as possible, and chaplain/religious support as available. In the "expectant" category there are basically 2 sub-groups - those who are going to die no matter what you do, and those who might be potentially salvageable but to attempt to save them would use up resources that could be used to save others ("the needs of the many exceed the needs of the few").

Those who have received a high enough dose of radiation (whether measured by dosimetry or estimated by symptoms/severity/rapidity of onset) are going to die..period. The ability of the elderly and the very young to survive radiation is less than those in the middle (eg: the LD50 for them is lower - LD50 is the dose which is fatal to 50% of the exposed population). Also to be considered is that those with other diseases (even things like high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes) or other injuries..even closed fractures, will have a negative synergistic effect increasing mortality.

To those who say "what about the Chernobyl firefighters", the response is that those who had a high dose and survived required massive amounts of high tech medical intervention which did not always work - ITTL even treating one individual with that amount of medical resources is essentially prohibitive. Chips grandparents won't be "killed", however hopefully they will be medicated heavily enough to avoid too much pain - they are dead folks walking, NOTHING can save them. BTW unless individuals have ingested large amount of certain radionuclides (which would kill them fairly quickly), they are not a danger to others once they have been washed down/had surface decontamination. Chip could hug his grandparents without any danger at all right now.

long time senior military doc speaking here

[BrianD]

Is Cadet Captain Tina a good kid put into a difficult situation and in over her head?

Or is she kind of a bitch?

And, with her over attention to protocol and apparent lack of people skills and empathy, is she about to do,something that will end badly for someone?

[John Farson]

Originally Posted by BrianD

Is Cadet Captain Tina a good kid put into a difficult situation and in over her head?

Or is she kind of a bitch?

And, with her over attention to protocol and apparent lack of people skills and empathy, is she about to do,something that will end badly for someone?

There's always fragging...

[NoOneFamous]

Poor Chip, first Bob and now his grandparents.

Tina is a scared kid way over her head.

[modelcitizen]

Originally Posted by sloreck

..... Chip could hug his grandparents without any danger at all right now.

long time senior military doc speaking here

Reinforces my (heretofore unexpressed) wish that volunteer Johnny Carson was around again to keep things from being twisted out of perspective.

[Dunois]

Originally Posted by Chipperback

This weekend, I'm in the mood to do something I've been wanting to do...

Flawater: The Podcast.

An occasional look at LoF straight from the author.

For the first one...I'd like to to get the input of the readers.

What I wanna know about Flatwater and I'm not afraid to ask.

The lines are open

I was thinking about this the other day and I would like to submit this idea to you.

What about organising Skype "Conferences" during week-ends with yourself and other authors and readers of the P&S stories. This could allow expertise to be shared on some subjects as well and topics to be debated as well?

[Orville_third]

The problem with that triage scenario is that pain meds are more valuable with much of the pharmaceutical infrastructure gone. Of course, even bullets are more valuable now. The only cost effective way that I can think of would involve induced pulmonary embolisms. (And I'm not sure how painful that would be...)

Originally Posted by John Farson

There's always fragging...

CAP is forbidden by regulations to carry firearms on duty. The only exception would be in cases where such weapons are required to be carried by law (like Alaska- where all pilots carry weapons to defend against wildlife in the event of a crash). CAP members can carry knives of some kind- though there are restrictions on those as well.

Finally, one bit that I should mention from my own experience. A lot of CAP cadets have a military mentality- and that is good up to a point. However, CAP is a humanitarian organization, even though we are the Civilian Auxiliary of the USAF. It's in our regulations. In my squadron, we had some cadets who were into a lot of military-type things (including some CAP did not teach, like infantry tactics), and were uninterested in other CAP cadet activities, like Emergency Services or flying. Our current Squadron Commander gave them a nice talk (and some of them listened), which included this line- "Anyone can kill someone. Not everyone can save someone's life." (I may have said this before- if so I apologize.)

[Archangel]

The scene with Chip and his grandparents is heartbreaking.

[Cyniclone]

Originally Posted by BrianD

Is Cadet Captain Tina a good kid put into a difficult situation and in over her head?

Or is she kind of a bitch?

And, with her over attention to protocol and apparent lack of people skills and empathy, is she about to do,something that will end badly for someone?

Long time listener, first time caller here. I suspect she's one of those "keep to protocol to keep out the bad stuff" types. Combine that with her still being a teen, and I rather suspect she'll have her big moment of empathy that sends the whole facade crashing. From then on, she'll be more civil, which you'd hope would be standard operating procedure for someone in the CIVIL Air Patrol, right?

[Lord Grattan]

Originally Posted by Cyniclone

Long time listener, first time caller here. I suspect she's one of those "keep to protocol to keep out the bad stuff" types. Combine that with her still being a teen, and I rather suspect she'll have her big moment of empathy that sends the whole facade crashing. From then on, she'll be more civil, which you'd hope would be standard operating procedure for someone in the CIVIL Air Patrol, right?

I agree; she's a typical teenage girl upon who adult responsibilities and demands have been thrust.

[Chipperback]

To: ALL CONTROL POINTS, ALL NCF AUTHORITIES, ALL CIVILIAN COUNTY AND MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES
FR: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE, NEBRASKA CONTINUOUS EMERGENCY GOVERNMENT -- BASE ALPHA
RE: EMERGENCY DIRECTIVES 30 MARCH 1984

1. Automobile use is restricted to official business only.

Dana's Performance Garage/Leigh, Nebraska

"Well Sheriff," Dana said. "Looks like we'll need horses."

"That won't be hard," The Sheriff said. "I got every rancher in the county getting their horses together. We're going to need them for planting anyway. That'll start in the middle of April."

"I'm worried about what this could do if we have to evacuate people in a hurry, especially if those nutty people in Fremont or Albion get here."

Walt stepped to the middle of the meeting. "I think that is what this directive could be about. I think the state is preparing something."

The Sheriff looked at Walt hard. "You know something I don't Walt?"

"Just going by what I know about the Ops plan. An emergency government would hold open the means to prepare some type of military response. The NCF is locking down in the control points. I know that much from the messages I get from Mayor Boyle."

"Omaha's mayor?" Ed asked. "What the hell he is doing?"

"He's in Lincoln now last I heard helping administer the military district."

2. Over the road travel is by PERMIT only . Permits are issued through law enforcement executives in the control points only.

FEMA-NEMA Control Point at Norfolk, Nebraska

Major Russell Stillman, United States Marine Corps (ret), Commanding Officer, 1st Central Nebraska Emergency Division-- Nebraska Combined Forces/Chief Law Enforcement Executive

Russ Stillman is a valuable coach on the field for Allan Griswold. A Bronze Star winner in Vietnam, Stillman was a state trooper when he came home, but joined up with the National Guard. Within two years in the guard he rose to leadership. Originally he was slated to be an aide to Brigadier General Griswold, bUT the pre-war riot in Columbus put Stillman in the field. His decisive reaction and his decisions afterward led to the Emergency Government and FEMA to put him in charge of the enforcement-military functions of the Norfolk Control Point.

The Major is achieving a very difficult balance. Weighing public safety against hanging onto constitution laws and guidelines. To Stillman, the rule of law is something he feels is sacred. He has expressed concerns that the NCF is engaging in police state tactics, and actually makes the difficulties he is facing in his area more likely.

"Gentlemen," Stillman said to two state patrol inspectors, "You are headed to Central City. We have a skunk inside the BLACK ANGUS facility there who has been shuffling food to some road gangs along US-30 and State Highway 14. You find these people and then you bring them back here. I have detachment of NCF and CDU in the area to assist."

"Yes sir," one of the inspectors, a younger man perhaps not long out of college said. "How are we getting inside?"

"Your cover is DeptAg," Stillman said. "You answer to Executive Newell. Just getting some data on how the BLACK ANGUS project is going. The other facilities have the same people going in. The difference is, we have a special problem requiring special people. So instead of county extension, I'm sending in my people."

"Your permits and credentials will be at the clerk's desk. John will have them."

"Permits, sir?" The other inspector said?"

"That is correct," The Major said. "US-30 is closed to official traffic and motor vehicle usage has been limited to official use only. You'll need the permits to get through the NCF checkpoints. I don't totally like it, men. But I understand the need for safety."

"Major, how bad are things on the roads."

"Overall, they are getting bad," he answered. "There's still a lot of refugees trying to find a place. People stealing food. People killing people on the open road. And then there's these groups. Some of these are well organized and heavily armed. We have reason to believe the former mayor of Columbus is behind one group. We should have kept him detained and we could have."

"Anyway gentlemen, you should be going.. Keep safe, fellas."

The inspectors headed to the clerks desk.

"We're for John...Inspectors Brennan and Winkler here to get our permits.."

"That's me and I've got them," John said casually. "Headed for Central City...Agriculture Department. "

One of the inspectors looked at the clerk as he retrieved their files.

The clerk turned back to them. "Inspectors...Be safe and....Marinated black angus...Tony Raimondo...and the former mayor of Columbus..."

"Excuse me?" The inspectors asked. "marinated black angus...Tony Raimondo...and the former mayor of Columbus.???"

"Yes," the clerk answered. "Name a steak...a fake....and a snake.....Have a good trip."

Both men let the statement register...and then both chuckled..."Damn, its funny...and its true...especially about the last two..."

"You know," the youngest inspector said. "If they even get comedy clubs going again, you should try out...I've heard you were funny."

Both men walked out towards a pickup truck. The older man looked at his younger partner. "You weren't serious back there, were you?"

"Yeah I was," the younger guy said. "He's not that black guy who used to be on Saturday Night Live, but that was a fair joke."

The older man shook his head. "Damn, have we forgotten that quick?" he thought.

3. Individual towns or counties are fully bound to render legal jurisprudence on public safety matters.

FEMA-NEMA Control Point at Hastings, Nebraska -- Hastings Town Hall.

The mayor of Hastings confirmed with the remaining judges and magistrates of the state's 10th Judicial Circuit.

The Honorable Ted Dawes, the lead judge for Adams county looked at the new regulations and frowned. "They want to devolve these to the towns? What the hell is this Bob? The Wild West?"

"Might as well be," another judge said. "We need permits to travel. They are curtailing fuel usage. Welcome to Nebraska, 1884. How are we going to appoint town judges."

The Mayor tried to calm the commotion. "Listen, people. We can keep this at the county level. But we may need town-to-town magistrates in situations where travel isn't feasible."

"And they've formally suspended Habeas Corpus," another judge said. "I don't agree with that."

"Only in cases where public safety is directly involved," another emergency council member said.

"Name a case where it won't be these days," another judge contended. "Everything is public safety. Especially if the messes I've heard about in Fremont spread."

"Where the hell is the oversight on this?" Judge Dawes exclaimed. "Don't we have a legislature? The Governor said so. Where's the damn state Supreme Court. According to the Operations Plan, the Supreme Court was evacuated. Until we get some word from them, I recommend we don't go through with this."

The commander of the NCF detachment broke in, "May I remind you judge that we are under a State Of Emergency. In case you forgot what happened on February Twenty-First. We have a number of antisocial elements operating..."

The judge looked sternly at the thirtyish NCF troop. "Son, you need to shut your mouth with the lecture. Weekend warriors all of sudden want to play army? Boy back before you was thought of, I was fighting Nazis in occupied Europe. You want to lecture me on what's happened. I lost three sons that weekend. One got nuked by the Commies in the Persian Gulf. One is probably dead somewhere in West Germany and my youngest boy is buried under rubble somewhere in his missile silo in South Dakota. Save that goddamned lecture for when and if the U ever reopens."

4. Habeas Corpus has been suspended in matters directly relating to public safety.

Kearney, Nebraska town hall


Strange is your language and I have no decoder
Why don't you make your inentions clear
With eyes to the sun and your mouth to the soda
Saying, "Tell me the truth, you got nothing to fear
Stop staring at me like a bird of prey
I'm all mixed up, I got nothing to say
I don't remember
I don't remember



"Let us begin with your name," Richard said jovially . "What is your name?"


The 18-year old strawberry blonde looked up at the interrogator. There was a cross expression on her face. She was country-cute with a full, curvy, athletic figure. She was 100% Nebraska farm girl.

"Why am I being held," she asked tersely.

Richard stayed calm. "You are not being held young lady. You are being questioned. This would be much less antagonistic if I could have your name."

"I have a right to know why I am being questioned," She said again. "Who are you. Are you the cops? CDU?"

"I am merely a functionary within our county emergency government."

"Then you have no right to detain me,"

"Again, you not being detained. You are only being questioned on a matter of public safety.. You are a student at Kearney State?

"I don't have to divulge any information to you. What grounds do you have to interrogate me?"

After 10 minutes of this...There was a knock on the door."

Richard opened the door...It was Agent Clayton.

"Richard, the county sheriff needs to see you for a second,

"Sure," Richard nodded. .

Richard shut the door and Clayton sat down. He was holding a file.

He looked sternly at the young girl for at least three minutes.

She met his stare with a determined look of her own. The young girl was a spirited student. She wanted to go into politics before the war changed her plans and her future. "Who are you?" She thought. "I'm not afraid.."

She finally broke the silence. "You have no right to hold me, and you know it. I have a right to know why I am being held."

Clayton let her talk.

"You are trying to be the bad cop. Another CDU on a power trip?" Got anything to say?...Or is this an attempt to torture. Who do you think you are? I am free, white, American, and over 21."

Clayton smiled.

"Your name is Kelly Frantzen...born: Ravenna, Nebraska....July 4, 1965...That would make you 18." Clayton continued in a soft voice. "Either they don't teach math here in Nebraska, or maybe you are going by your fake ID."

He continued to recite her vital statistics. "You are a freshman at Kearney State. You graduated from Ravenna High School. You went to Girl's State last year. Was voted Lieutenant Governor. You also played basketball and ran track. Ran at the state meet last year in the 400 meters. That was my event.."

"So you can read. Big deal." She said.

"You have an older brother...Kyle...age 25 and a younger sister Heather, age 11. Heather is sick with this Grand Island Flu thing....So your Brother and his nazi pals take some high powered weapons and sneak into Kearney State and break into the chemistry building. Some professors and students are working on a way to fight this thing. The building is guarded, but they got some help getting onto the campus without the proper permits.."

She still looked defiantly. "You still haven't told me why you are holding me. You have to tell me by law and I have the right to an attorney."

Clayton smiled again. "Those regulations have been suspended due to the state of Emergency, besides your brother has already told me, you helped him and your fellow nazis or klan or whatever flavor of vanilla violence you choose to gain access."

"I am NOT a nazi and neither is my brother."

Clayton smiled again. "Could have fooled me Ms. Free, White, American..and 18.. Did you know one of the people you helped shot at a member of the executive council of Nebraska's Emergency Government? Or how about the scum who held a loaded gun at the head of a little girl who could be your twin?..

"Kelly, Do you know a man named Tim Skow?"

"Tim?" Kelly asked. "What about him? He's just a friend..."

Clayton pulled out a photograph. It showed the young lady half-naked with Tim at a lake...it was last summer."

"Looks like more than a friend," Clayton said. "How about just answering...Who is he?"

"What I am being held for?" Kelly was extremely angry. "What the hell did this man do? Break into my dorm? Question my friends?"

"He is your boyfriend?...And he's a nazi as well."

"Do you know what the fuck a nazi is?"

Clayton answered calmly, "Yes, Tim Skow is...He is currently being held because he attempted to bomb Kearney Catholic High School. Would have killed a lot of refugees. But people like your brother and you don't mind. Tim has identified the person that got your brother and his friend their weapons. It was the same person who gave little Timmy a bomb."

"You have no legal ground to hold me here."

Clayton's gaze turned hard and cold. "By the emergency regulations I have full legal ground to hold you here indefinitely."

Clayton's voice was still soft, but decidedly more menacing. "You aided your brother and his band of klan, nazis, or whatever. Your boyfriend confirmed the person who gave your brother the weapons. Who else in Ravenna is working with him? I want names, missy. Now before you start acting like a college kid at a protest let me help you appreciate the stakes."

Clayton stood up and walked towards her. "I have the full legal authority to execute anyone who directly threatens the state's recovery and public safety. Your brother, his friends and his weapons dealer all qualify...as do you."

Kelly's defiance turned slightly to nervousness as the man encroached on her.

"For your brother and his friends...Maybe a firing squad...Maybe reconstruction duty somewhere very ruined and radioactive.."

"But what do I do with you?" Clayton asked.

"You can't legally do anything to me, cop." Kelly said slowly.

"I'm not a cop, young lady and under a state of emergency I can do anything I want..And I'll tell you what I can do with you..."

Clayton smiled again. " I could have you join your brother, but instead..I have a better idea. You see, you are young, pretty....I think what I will do with you is give you a choice. You can start giving me names now..."

Clayton paused for effect..."Or, I can take you out of here, drive you to Camp Antelope...strip you naked down to your reddish-blonde hair and your porcelain skin...and leave you in a room with ten young male refugees who are longing to feel the warmth between a pretty young woman's legs, especially one who hasn't gotten completely dirty, stinky and raped in the refugee camps. Yep, desperate hungry men would love to use a cute fresh-faced college girl."

Clayton continued his soft, evil monotone. "Think about it, young lady. I'll give you an hour. But, also think about this. Your brother, his friends, and the white trash they are covering for have already hurt your dear hometown."

Kelly said in a scared voice. "What do you mean?"

Clayton smirked, left the room and shut the door.

5. In the event of harboring and sheltering any known violent or antisocial elements in a community, the emergency government has the right to with hold any or all emergency aid to that community until such time the antisocial or violent element is captured or eliminated.

A warehouse in Ravenna, Nebraska


"YOU CANNOT DO THIS!" The mayor of Ravenna screamed.

"The Continuous Emergency Government has given me written orders to do this," The Buffalo County deputy said as he held up the written orders. "Due to the presence of antisocial elements in your town and their actions against the Emergency Government, we hereby suspend all Emergency aid to the area until such time as you surrender said elements and the people behind them to our authority. In short mister mayor, find the other nazi-klan-scum the helped raid Kearney State and are causing havoc in the camps, or Ravenna can fucking starve."

The troops began to take food out of the warehouse. "Oh by the way Mr. Mayor," the deputy said. "We have orders to take half your food stocks. Think of it as a fine for harboring people who endanger Nebraska. If you continue to harbor them. We'll come back and take the rest."



FEMA-NEMA Refugee Camp #3 Fremont, Nebraska

The head of camp security read the edict, "It is the order of the emergency magistrate of Dodge County to the following individuals are ejected from this refugee area and Dodge County, This van will take you to area North of here

A group of 25 black refugees gathered with the belongings. At the lead what a bearded man with a bronze complexion. He looked to be wearing a kufi and a kinte scarf around fatigues.

"Why aren't the Europeans who instigated against us being thrown out to the fallout and starvation," the man said.

"Listen Muhammad," an NCF officer said. "The other side will be dealt with and ejected as well, so save the bullshit. Your people were are part of it, and by the regulations we will kick you out and them out. We don't need any more crap between you two. Now if you happen to run into each other. We don't give a fuck. Personally, I'd like to see your kind and their kind kill each other off so the rest us can get to the business of surviving this shit we're in."

The refugee boarded the vans. The leader, a one-time street revolutionary named Isaiah Allison was the last to board.

He turned to the NCF troop. "You know something? It was you white motherfuckers than blew the damn world up in the first place. Maybe if you people hadn't of done that, none of us would to the deal with the business of surviving the shit we're in...eh?"

As the van pulled away, Isaiah's mind was in thought. "They are taking us North...toward where some of the people attacking the camp were from."

The CDUs driving the van didn't check the bags of these refugees.

The never noticed the weapons leaving the camp...Weapons taken from the armories of the camp security platoon.

6. The decision regarding triage procedures have been devolved to the individual town level with oversight by the control point medical executive.

7. Any decisions in regard to termination of life in regards to those persons in triage categories three and four must be executed and disposed within 72 hours.

An Area near McCook Army Airfield

The buses churned through a number of backroads before the reached the abandoned airfield. But the airfield was not abandoned now. There were NCF troops in MOPP suits at the entrance.

The driver pulled up to the gate. He met with the troops carrying an M-16.

"the shipment has arrived." The man said through his respirator mask. "North Platte hospital?"

"Yeah," the driver said. "The cabins are just up this road.."

The driver pulled ahead to an area to where he was flagged down by a group of troops. They began entering the buses with body bags.

"What do you need those for?" The driver asked.

"You mean didn't notice?" The troop said in a shocked tone.

The driver looked back at the seats in the bus. Every passenger in the bus was dead.

The driver got off the bus in horror. He caught up with a driver of another bus..."What the hell?" He exclaimed.."Everybody on my bus....died."

"Gee," the other driver said. "No shit. Didn't you know?"

"Know what?"

"They gave each of the terminals a shot of something before they left North Platte. It was poison. They died painlessly."

The soldiers lugged the bodies off the buses and began placing them in body bags.

Two solders each carried Chip's grandfather and grandmother. The carefully placed them each in a body bag.

From there they were placed on a cart. Two horses drew the cart of bodies...

At the end of a short tarmac trail were the tombs. Each dug into the prairie grass. Bodies were placed on top of bodies. The only sound is the whirr of a cement mixer.

The soldiers tipped the cart into the vault. The bodies fell in..Chip grandmother and grandfather were the last of the group to fall.

It took maybe 2 hours to clear the bodies from the group of six buses. An entire vault was now full.

The chute from the cement mixers lowered into the grave. The liquid concrete filled every crevice to the top. The square shape of the hole helping form the tomb.

Once filled, the mixers stopped, and the concrete began to harden.

Other troops began to wash down the buses. Never can be too careful.

Five of the drivers didn't bother looking. They ate some food or smoked a cigarette.

One driver couldn't keep his eyes off of it. Not believing what he saw.

Within another half-hour the buses were clean. The drivers started their motors and began heading back towards North Platte, perhaps to get a next shipment.

The one driver shocked and saddened was beside himself.

"I cannot believe this?" He screamed. "Those were damn people. Is this what we've come to?"

The soldier was cold. "Get used to it, buddy. It ain't changing. The damn Russians made sure of that."

"When I get back to North Platte, someone needs to know about this,"

The Soldier looked at the driver hard and gripped his weapon. "When you get back to North Platte, you will keep your yap shut and drive the next group of terminals here. You think the doctors don't know? Who the hell do you think came up with this idea?"

to be continued.

[Scottyboyswa]

Wow... Chilling installment.

[Unknown]

Yes, this is chilling.

As for the oil workers, why not contact the Texas state government (Texas was and still is a big oil-producing state)? OTOH, the Texan oil workers might be trying to do the same things in Texas. At least Texas doesn't have to deal with the fallout from the Midwest silos (1).

Hope Kerrey's kids are OK (if they live in a rural area, they probably are).

Texas also has a lot of ranches, with cattle, which will help Texas's recovery.

My own opinion is that the Texas governor (Mark White) would have started preparing for disaster around December of 1983 or January of 1984, especially if he talked to Oklahoma or Florida's governor before that time (and especially if Kerrey made a side trip to Texas before that time). Bryan-College Station I could see as an emergency capital, especially since its far enough away from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, and the Houston-Galveston area not to get any damage.

I can also see Ross Perot preparing (he had sources in and out of the military and Washington, and would probably tip off White himself (2)) himself, his family, and his company (EDS) for the worst, too.

OTOH, while this solution is horrible (talk about high-octane nightmare fuel), is the alternative any better (dying of fallout poisoning)?

Jack Kevorkian (if he survived) would fit into this world really well. That's scary, IMO.

You know who I haven't seen mentioned? Ron Paul (and his son Rand). OTL, Paul (all politics aside, so don't flame me for bringing him up) was a Congressman for Texas's 22nd district (and was succeeded by Tom DeLay) until 1985. He'd probably leave Washington as soon as the Third World War broke out and go back to Freeport (where he lived). Guess what he was before he became the Ron Paul we all know and love? A doctor. He'd be treating the survivors of the Houston-Galveston blasts in southeast Texas, IMO.

(1) OTOH, Texas had a lot of military and civilian targets, and millions of Texans died on the day itself.
(2) OTL, Perot and White worked on the No Pass, No Play legislation, so they had a working relationship (at one point).

[Chipperback]

"As for the oil workers, why not contact the Texas state government (Texas was and still is a big oil-producing state)? OTOH, the Texan oil workers might be trying to do the same things in Texas.

At this point Texas is at the beginning of trying to figure out where their capacity for oil production stands. That is a major project in the state. This was in Duck and Cover. http://www.alternatehistory.com/disc...&postcount=381


Texas being a larger landmass is an asset, because it was heavily targetted. Every major population center in the state was a weapons impact point. Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Galveston, Corpus Christi...GONE.

SAC bases in Texas...GONE

However a number of organs of the Texas Law Enforcement did survive and plan amongst themselves. State Police, Texas Rangers etc. What stymied Texas as far as next level planning is the form of and scope of the government within the state. The Lone Star State has favored a more decentralized structure of government at the state level. That's good for business, makes fine grist for Molly Ivins (I wonder if she survives), but its not as good a situation for emergency planning.

As far as contacting Texas, the state is still trying to put together communications within the state, although their listening posts have received broadcasts from other areas.

I can also see Ross Perot preparing (he had sources in and out of the military and Washington, and would probably tip off White himself (2)) himself, his family, and his company (EDS) for the worst, too.

A very interesting thing. H. Ross Perot. Unknown, you should consider becoming an author.

In Nebraska, another critical time. Planting will start within a week. Farms and refugee camps are gearing up...and so are Nebraska's Combined Forces.

There is a funnel cloud forming.

[modelcitizen]

And so my wife just handed me a delicious juicy pear, chilled from its time in the big refrigerator.

If Chip ever sees an orange again, I'll be pleasantly surprised.


Intense update!!!! (Happy to see Carson and Cavett, guilty pleasure dept.)