I was thinking about a collapse scenario earlier myself, and with the current conditions in mind, it seems like achieving a lasting peace after the end of the Empire would be a Gordian Knot of immense proportions. The Bonded and Nationals occupy distinct positions within the class hierarchy, and many old ethnic divisions have been wiped away as a result of interbreeding, forced relocations, and mass killings of entire groups. The Bonded Labor System is different from plantation slavery in a variety of ways and makes it easier for the African workers to be "cut loose" from their masters, and it seems much more impersonal in its exploitation compared to the stories of Dixie slaveowners who forced their slaves into all sorts of indignities like taking on new "Christian" names since they were seen as their personal property, but whatever potential saving grace that might have for preserving native African cultures is countered by the overwhelming hegemonic influence of Drakia as a colonial power. Previous discussions have shown how their expansion would result in African infrastructure being much more unified and built up (such as with the different rail gauges of OTL being replaced with a much more centralized system), and the continent overall would be much more unified for various other reasons such as the use of English as a universal lingua franca and the shared experience of Drakian oppression.
Therefore, I think it's possible that by the time of the collapse, there would be a significant movement among some Nationals and Bonded people to keep as much of the continent together as possible (excluding the peripheral areas in Europe and the Middle East) as a pan-African state a la postcolonial India. This idea would obviously come in conflict with the many holdouts of white settlers which would remain a wealthy, well-armed, and well-trained threat--lest we forget the emphasis on universal military service in Drakian society--as well as the princely states who'd also want to preserve the empire for reasons I discussed in a previous post. Due to this formidable opposition, much would hinge on the pan-Africanists' level of organization, aid from outside powers in the Alliance for Democracy, and ability to form a popular front with other rebel groups which they would come into contact with, such as those in the aforementioned European and Middle Eastern regions. In addition, it would be necessary to convince the common Bondsman that their best chance at a better life lies with the "Pan African Front," since they'd have no manpower or support base otherwise. Much of this hinges on the state of the Bonded and Nationals as classes under Drakian rule--what is their level of class consciousness? What leaders and martyrs have they had? Which political tendencies outside of hating the Drakians are prevalent? Are Nationals more disposed towards viewing their struggles in solidarity with the Bonded workers and possibly with themselves as the vanguard of their shared fight, or do they prefer to view themselves as better than them? I don't think this topic has been explored much yet, so those factors are of crucial importance in how this all will play out. So yeah, definitely chaotic.
