FBKampfer
Banned
Hey everyone, minor reboot of a TL I started. Minor storyboard changes, wanted an earlier entry into the story.
American politics have been marked by attitudes of independence and self-reliance, at times flaring into secessionist sentiment, and simultaneously by contrasting patriotism, and an unusual attitude of exceptionallism, as well as common issues such as national identity, and what it really means "to be an American".
Lets stir the pot a bit.
For any wondering, the style of presentation is heavily inspired by Martini-Peabody's TL https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/stupid-luck-and-happenstance.405746/, which I highly recommend. I will try to post as often as I can.
Prologue: September 12th, 2007
Roseville, California
James Schenk woke up to his phone’s alarm going off next to his head, and fumbled at the screen to turn it off.
Why on earth did I take an elective credit at 7:00 AM?
Opening the internet, he started to check the news, and dropped his phone onto his face. A common problem with new iPhones, but one more comical than most. Rubbing his nose, he opened the screen again.
All of the articles on the front page were about the same thing; the vote today in the semi-autonomous Pacific region. Today the states would decide how to handle ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their participation in it.
James was deeply regretting taking a political science course. His friend Sam had described his interest in the topic as merely looking at Politics' ass, but lacking any attraction deep enough to call it a love.
Still though, he'd paid for it, and so he dutifully, if resentfully, pulled out a notebook and began to take rudimentary notes.
The popular Pacific League bloc of politicians were favoring reduced participation in federal taxes, and expedited withdrawal of ground units from the Pacific Region. Though the Tea Party Republicans looked to command a plurality in the Oregon and Nevada Senates.
He'd never imagined US politics could be so complicated. Certainly nothing he'd learned in high school had prepared him for the political maneuvering. The idea of an area that was part of a country, but mostly ran itself was completely foreign to him. America wasn't even supposed to have a third party! At least one that mattered anyway. He was very much regretting his choice this morning.
Sighing, he closed Safari and went to make coffee. He had a feeling he should brew it strong today.
———————————————–————————
Olympia, Washington
April Hodges was walking by the capitol building, at least that's what her mom called it. She stopped for a moment, wondered what a lowercase building looked like, or if all of the other buildings were lowercase and just nobody called them that because there were so many.
Her mother took her hand, and lead her away from the crowd of people gathered outside the front steps, saying “Come on April, let's go get something to eat. Does that sound good?”
“Yes please mommy!”
April dearly loved her mother. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her hair was a deep amber color, and her eyes were neither blue nor green, and held all the warmth in April's world. She usually smelled a little like fresh laundry, and sometimes paper, April thought.
They had just come to the corner of the big building when there was a wave of heat at her back, and somebody pushed her over. Her mother's hand tightened around hers, but she slipped out none the less. It was then April noticed two things, people were screaming far away, and she was bleeding. Starting to cry, she tried to sit up, but found her arms didn't want to do what she told them. Fear started to sink in, her stomach turning cold, and she noticed everywhere hurt.
Crying still, her chin scraping against the ground, she tried moving her head to look for her mother. And then she found her. Her mother was a few feet away, looking back at her. But it only scared April worse, her mom’s eyes weren't warm anymore. And she started to feel cold. Soon the terror and hurt went away, and black remained.
———————————————–————————
Prarie Chapel Ranch, 02:00
"Sir, we've just received confirmation from ARCENT that Sadam is using gas against the 101st Airborne's drop zone. Casualties are high, early estimates are at least 200 dead, and maybe another 300 wounded.
Schwarzkopf wants the nuclear option against one of the primary weapons sites, and Powell is saying no."
A heavy sigh escaped him, and his shoulders slumped." It's not a city, is it? It's just some trucks out in the desert somewhere?"
"There are several Iraqi formations in the vicinity, it looks like they're trying to clear their line of retreat. But no population centers within 20 miles, and it's small."
"Tell Norman he'll get it. I just wish the world were a little brighter though...."
George H.W Bush's eyes snapped open, a thick sweat coating him. Out of habit, he reached over, and his heart broke again when his arm felt nothing but empty bed.
He dearly missed Barbara, she'd always been able to quiet his heart on nights like these. Though he knew in his bones that the stress that choice had wrought had taken years of her life. Perhaps robbed, or lovingly given to stand by her husband, they were years he would have to walk without her none the less.
He got up, and slipped on a new nightshirt. And then reached into the bottom of the drawer to pull out the glass bottle half full of amber fluid that his family said he shouldn't have. He knew sleep would elude him the rest of the night, and the early morning hours of September 12th felt unusually heavy, and ominous. His son would forgive him this vice.
American politics have been marked by attitudes of independence and self-reliance, at times flaring into secessionist sentiment, and simultaneously by contrasting patriotism, and an unusual attitude of exceptionallism, as well as common issues such as national identity, and what it really means "to be an American".
Lets stir the pot a bit.
For any wondering, the style of presentation is heavily inspired by Martini-Peabody's TL https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/stupid-luck-and-happenstance.405746/, which I highly recommend. I will try to post as often as I can.
Prologue: September 12th, 2007
Roseville, California
James Schenk woke up to his phone’s alarm going off next to his head, and fumbled at the screen to turn it off.
Why on earth did I take an elective credit at 7:00 AM?
Opening the internet, he started to check the news, and dropped his phone onto his face. A common problem with new iPhones, but one more comical than most. Rubbing his nose, he opened the screen again.
All of the articles on the front page were about the same thing; the vote today in the semi-autonomous Pacific region. Today the states would decide how to handle ongoing military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, and their participation in it.
James was deeply regretting taking a political science course. His friend Sam had described his interest in the topic as merely looking at Politics' ass, but lacking any attraction deep enough to call it a love.
Still though, he'd paid for it, and so he dutifully, if resentfully, pulled out a notebook and began to take rudimentary notes.
The popular Pacific League bloc of politicians were favoring reduced participation in federal taxes, and expedited withdrawal of ground units from the Pacific Region. Though the Tea Party Republicans looked to command a plurality in the Oregon and Nevada Senates.
He'd never imagined US politics could be so complicated. Certainly nothing he'd learned in high school had prepared him for the political maneuvering. The idea of an area that was part of a country, but mostly ran itself was completely foreign to him. America wasn't even supposed to have a third party! At least one that mattered anyway. He was very much regretting his choice this morning.
Sighing, he closed Safari and went to make coffee. He had a feeling he should brew it strong today.
———————————————–————————
Olympia, Washington
April Hodges was walking by the capitol building, at least that's what her mom called it. She stopped for a moment, wondered what a lowercase building looked like, or if all of the other buildings were lowercase and just nobody called them that because there were so many.
Her mother took her hand, and lead her away from the crowd of people gathered outside the front steps, saying “Come on April, let's go get something to eat. Does that sound good?”
“Yes please mommy!”
April dearly loved her mother. She was the most beautiful woman in the world. Her hair was a deep amber color, and her eyes were neither blue nor green, and held all the warmth in April's world. She usually smelled a little like fresh laundry, and sometimes paper, April thought.
They had just come to the corner of the big building when there was a wave of heat at her back, and somebody pushed her over. Her mother's hand tightened around hers, but she slipped out none the less. It was then April noticed two things, people were screaming far away, and she was bleeding. Starting to cry, she tried to sit up, but found her arms didn't want to do what she told them. Fear started to sink in, her stomach turning cold, and she noticed everywhere hurt.
Crying still, her chin scraping against the ground, she tried moving her head to look for her mother. And then she found her. Her mother was a few feet away, looking back at her. But it only scared April worse, her mom’s eyes weren't warm anymore. And she started to feel cold. Soon the terror and hurt went away, and black remained.
———————————————–————————
Prarie Chapel Ranch, 02:00
"Sir, we've just received confirmation from ARCENT that Sadam is using gas against the 101st Airborne's drop zone. Casualties are high, early estimates are at least 200 dead, and maybe another 300 wounded.
Schwarzkopf wants the nuclear option against one of the primary weapons sites, and Powell is saying no."
A heavy sigh escaped him, and his shoulders slumped." It's not a city, is it? It's just some trucks out in the desert somewhere?"
"There are several Iraqi formations in the vicinity, it looks like they're trying to clear their line of retreat. But no population centers within 20 miles, and it's small."
"Tell Norman he'll get it. I just wish the world were a little brighter though...."
George H.W Bush's eyes snapped open, a thick sweat coating him. Out of habit, he reached over, and his heart broke again when his arm felt nothing but empty bed.
He dearly missed Barbara, she'd always been able to quiet his heart on nights like these. Though he knew in his bones that the stress that choice had wrought had taken years of her life. Perhaps robbed, or lovingly given to stand by her husband, they were years he would have to walk without her none the less.
He got up, and slipped on a new nightshirt. And then reached into the bottom of the drawer to pull out the glass bottle half full of amber fluid that his family said he shouldn't have. He knew sleep would elude him the rest of the night, and the early morning hours of September 12th felt unusually heavy, and ominous. His son would forgive him this vice.