Land of Flatwater: Protect and Survive Middle America

[Uniform 419]

A bitter-sweet Update, Chippperback.

The fact the Lieutenant is right, in a technical sense, doesn't stop him from being wrong, in a human sense.

All he has actually achieved is to drive a deeper wedge between 'Regular Folks' and 'The Military'.
That and damaging/destroying a potentially irreplacable piece of equipment.

Not a candidate for rapid promotion, methinks.

Falkenburg

Ja, Chipperback nailed the whole fucking capital-R Ringknocker persona to a tee.

 

[Bernard Woolley]

Not a candidate for rapid promotion, methinks.

He's done something which would normally be pretty career limiting. Might not be many other candidates soon.
He may advanced through the 'bloody wars and sicky seasons' route.
A famous admiral once observed that any fool can obey orders, which, IMVHO applies to the Lt. The sign of a good officer is when to use one's own judgement, which is what I think Nebraska needs.

 

[Chipperback]

"I'd warn Lincoln about a few fighter jets coming. Hint: They may have a painting of a northern state on them."

Funny you mentioned that. I see a Flatwater-Damned Bridge crossover on the horizon.

The Minnesotans have bigger issues to deal with. Like "The Hockey War" with the Soviet forces massed in the Northwest Territories.

"All he has actually achieved is to drive a deeper wedge between 'Regular Folks' and 'The Military'.

That will be theme going forward, mainly because the Continuous Emergency Government is isolated from the real situation on the ground right now. The same way that the average Nebraskan for the most part only knows what is happening in their immediate area.

Nebraska has weathered a storm, but some bigger storms are coming. It will be time to plant crops and get to hard task of going from survival to reconstruction.

There is information..Soon the world will get a little smaller again, but is that a good thing?

And there is the one lingering fact of life since February 21st...The war isn't over.

 

[LeX]

I'm wondering why the Russians bothered to invade. You'd think they'd be having enough problems to deal with at home.

 

[John Farson]

I'm wondering why the Russians bothered to invade. You'd think they'd be having enough problems to deal with at home.

True, though they may very well think that they don't have a home to return to. Those who haven't killed themselves might very well decide to just take as many of their enemies down with them before they die.

 

[Chipperback]

Land Of Flatwater: After The Storm

General Sciences Building/University of Kansas -- Lawrence, Kansas -- Sunday March 11, 1984. 8:00am

Roooock, Chaaaaaalk, Jaaaaay, Haaaaaawk Kaaaaaaay-Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu! (author's note: wanna hear the great chant?

)

The lone man sits at the radio set at the radio set. It was his shift.

His hair matted, wearing a blue track suit embroidered with "Kansas Basketball" on a chest pocket.

He spoke into the microphone. "Good morning...This is Lawrence, Kansas...Transmitting from the University of Kansas...Anybody there with atmosphere reports. Please respond."

The fast, harsh, New York tone of his voice seemed out of place here in the flatlands. He was a long way from the Brooklyn where he was born.

He spoke again..."This is Lawrence....Lawrence, Kansas...I am transmitting from the University of Kansas...if anybody is listening please respond.

A response came. "Hello. Hello...Good morning." The voice sounded very young.

"Yes, I read you," the man said.

"You said you are from Lawrence, Kansas..." the young voice at the other end.

"Yeah," the man said. "Where are you, son?"

"I am in Nebraska....Colfax County, Nebraska."

"Well, I'm looking for an atmospheric report are there any adult around."

The kid answered, "I can give you that sir. Here we are holding at 20 rads per hour sir. They seem to be dropping...But with the big snow we got...They were higher."

"Thanks, kid.."

"No problem," the kid said. "You know mister you don't sound like your from Kansas.."

"If not from here originally. I moved here to be at the University of Kansas. My job is here...or was here."

"Oh," the kid asked. "What do you do?"

"You like basketball, kid."

The kid exclaimed "YES! I play...I'm a guard...At least I was before....Are you a Jayhawk?"

The man smiled broadly. He hadn't thought much of basketball since mid-February, when his team played last.

"Yes, I am a jayhawk."

"You guys had another good team this year. We almost had you when we played you last."

The man smiled again, remembering the Jayhawks last game before the war. It was pushed up two days because of the order to close the universities. Kansas agreed to play on February 13th..at Nebraska.

The kid remembered, too. It was the night they announced schools would be closed. He was listening to the game on the radio. Nebraska lost by 1 point. A last second shot rimmed out at the buzzer.

"I was relieved kid," the man said. "It's always tough to match wits with an Iba, and Moe had his kid ready. Your team was hard-nosed and would have made the tournament this year."

The man turned sad again. He thought of a building across the campus. He thought of Phog Allen Fieldhouse. He thought of what was there. Hundreds of bodies, many of them burned, scarred, radioactive. Many waiting to die. The joyful chant of "Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk" replaced by the moans of lives fading away.

"I wish I was playing basketball right now with my team back home," The boy said on the other end of the radio, "My name is Chip...what is yours?"

"My name is Larry. And I am glad to hear another voice still alive out there," the man said.

"How bad is it there, coach?" The boy recognizing who the man was.

"It's very sad, kid," his Brooklyn accent tinged in a longing sadness. "Near me is one of the great places in the game I love.... and now it's a morgue."

By March 14th, the snow emergency had begun to melt away. Many of CDUs, including Rick and Ed, could go home. Back to the normal duty schedules. Clean up began slowly by surely throughout the state.

The ranking Lieutenant was recalled to Norfolk, but returned to duty in Schyler, three days later. He was reprimanded for the decision to call for a flash grenade in the enclosed basement space of the medical center. But the deputies, CDUs and the NCF regular troops would have a tense existence.

Mike Wellspring and his wife Marcy were enjoying their baby girl...but Mike was cited for bringing a firearm into the FEMA-NEMA camp unprocessed. The penalty was one night in jail and a loss of 50 units in food script. The sheriff waved the loss of script in lieu of the baby's need for formula.

Friday March 16, 1984 -- Dr. Dennis Kimmineau was in communication with a working group at Kearney State College. They were trying to replicate his elixir to stablize the "Grand Island Flu" and in turn merge it with antibiotic cocktail they built to cure it. It still wasn't perfect yet. They wanted to see if the could get a batch of elixir brewed from the source, Dr. Kimmineau himself.

Monday March 19, 1984 -- CFB Cold Lake, Alberta Canada

All forces...calling GOLF-OSCAR...This is Columbia...Echo-Tango-One-Four. Calling GOLF-OSCAR I say again...GOLF-OSCAR...Echo-Tango-One-Four...Colossus or Guardian Identify and acknowledge GOLF-OSCAR...

Attention Columbia...Further authentication required.

Sierra-Lima-Three-Six-Four-Alpha-Bravo...Over.

Columbia returning X-Ray, Golf, Delta, Five-Seven-Three-Seven-Charlie-Romeo....Over...

All codes confirmed! "Good to hear you Guardian."

"Guardian confirmed, FEMA One," Captain Harper said.

"As soon as you are able Guardian, we will have eagles waiting at the coordinate we will broadcast."

"Confirmed FEMA One. What did we miss."

"I was going to ask you the same thing, sir."

"FEMA One...how goes the war."

"Which one? We still have a few of those."

BASE ECHO -- Radio Nebraska HQ -- Beatrice, Nebraska

All forces...calling GOLF-OSCAR...This is Columbia...Echo-Tango-One-Four. Calling GOLF-OSCAR I say again...GOLF-OSCAR...Echo-Tango-One-Four...Colossus or Guardian Identify and acknowledge GOLF-OSCAR...

"Any idea what it is?"

"I have no idea."

Beechcraft Bob's home and hanger...near Leigh, Nebraska -- same time.

"What is it sir?" Cadet Captain Tina asked. "GOLF-OSCAR?"

Beechcraft Bob stroked his chin. Before he taught flying, he was in the Air Force. He worked in the earliest days what we now know as C-Cubed-I..He knew what it was.

"GOLF-OSCAR," Beechcraft Bob said. "Gathering order. They are trying to see who is out there among the forces its a coded message. Maybe the rumors are true."

"Rumors," Tina asked.

"I've heard on some the ham traffic that we do have an emergency national government somewhere out west and that they've gotten forces together. Its all rumors, but with all the coded traffic it may make sense."

Guardian left Cold Lake later that day with two CF-5s to escort it to a rendezvous with a pair of waiting F-15s...

"Hello Kneecappers," the lead pilot said.

"Howdy," CINC-SAC replied. "And who might you be?"

"Colonel Andrew Tanner, United States Air Force. Austin, Texas at your service, sir."

"Where are we going Colonel," Captain Harper asked.

"Going home to your new home sirs," Colonel Tanner said. "We have new capital and we're trying to rebuild one inch at a time."

Wednesday March 21, 1984 -- A new clash between Canadian and Soviet Air Forces over the Northwest Territories, with a twist. Minnesota Air National Guard enter the fray.

"More Canadians," Colonel Cheriev thought. "And now Americans. The real enemy has engaged. The Yankees."

10:00am Saturday March 24, 1984 -- Dana's Garage -- Leigh, Nebraska.

"I'm glad your wife is on our side, Dana" Dr. Kimmineau said. "Having a working centrifuge really helps."

"Why can't they make it out there? They'd have better equipment," Dana's wife said.

"They don't have the pure roots," Dr. Kimmineau answered. "The key to the elixir is the roots. The minerals in the roots are they key. I'm sending them some samples. They have a hydroponics labs there. They can grow them to my exact specifications, plus they'll have some ready to use samples."

"How soon are they getting to Kearney?"

"As soon as Beechcraft Bob gets a team together to fly it there," Dr. Kimmineau said. "He wants to fly the stuff out to Kearney, Hastings and Lincoln by Monday."

"That could be trouble," Dana said. "How many CAP people do we have?"

Rick's farm -- same time

"I need your help, Ed," Beechcraft Bob said.

"Sir, what do you need."

"Due to this sickness and so many people spread thin. I need to activate CAP Youth Auxiliaries for an important mission. I need Chip on active duty."

"Yes sir," Chip replied.

"Active Duty?" Ed said.

"Yes," Beechcraft Bob said. "We have to run needed medical supplies to Kearney, and then we are going help distribute them to Hastings and Lincoln and points in between. We fly out Monday, we should be home in a week."

Ed was worried..Chip is only 12..."Bob I'd love to help you out here, but.."

"I want to go, dad," Chip said slowly.

"Chip are you sure?" Ed said to his son. "It's hell out there most likely, son.."

Chip pointed at his head, "Its been hell up here every night dad. I have nightmares every night, because I don't know how bad it is. You always told me to trust the Lord and face your fears. Please dad, let me face it. I need to know. I will be more scared if I don't know what really happened."

Ed looked at his son. He was scared, but proud. "Lord protect him," Ed thought.

"Bring first aid, and any gear you can carry and be at my hangar by 9am Monday Morning," Beechcraft Bob said. "We go wheels up at 0930."

to be continued.

 

[Indiana Beach Crow]

Roooock, Chaaaaaalk, Jaaaaay, Haaaaaawk Kaaaaaaay-Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

As a college b-ball fan, I can hardly stand to read what's happening to one of the great home courts in the game, Phog Allen Fieldhouse, but these times call for everyone and everything to do more than originally asked. However I do think that Coach Brown and a freshman named Manning will earn the nickname 'The Miracles' some other way. Does makes me wonder what's going on at Assembly Hall back here in Indiana, and what 'The General' is doing there, though.

"Colonel Andrew Tanner, United States Air Force. Austin, Texas at your service, sir."

I see what you did there.

 

[JasonQ]

General Sciences Building/University of Kansas -- Lawrence, Kansas -- Sunday March 11, 1984. 8:00am
"Howdy," CINC-SAC replied. "And who might you be?"

"Colonel Andrew Tanner, United States Air Force. Austin, Texas at your service, sir."

"It was five to one. I got four!"

 

[Chipperback]

A special message from the author

Hello everybody and greetings from the Land of Flatwater.

I'm back home for a 'lil R-and-R and plan on trying something fun. Over the coming weekend..I'm going to shoot a video mini-tour of some of the key sites of Land Of Flatwater: Protect and Survive Middle America...and this is where I'll use some audience participation.

Here's a chance to Ask the Author.
Anything you wanna know about LoF? PM me, and I may just answer your question on the mini-tour.

The entire Protect and Survive Universe is getting into some serious stuff. From Destiny Black to the California War...to Purple Rain Lives...to a state reforming in Seinajoki...and all points in between.

The Worldwide Struggle to Survive Continues
This nation has been attacked with nuclear weapons
This is the world of Protect and Survive.

-- Chipperback

 

[Chipperback]

"Does makes me wonder what's going on at Assembly Hall back here in Indiana, and what 'The General' is doing there, though.

Protect and Survive: Boom, Baby!

How about it, Indiana Beach. Tell the story. How does the Hoosier State hold up?

 

[Indiana Beach Crow]

Protect and Survive: Boom, Baby!

How about it, Indiana Beach. Tell the story. How does the Hoosier State hold up?

Actually, I had already come up with Protect and Survive: A Season On The Brink, but I hadn't really gone much farther than that yet. Good thing I was already heading down to Bloomington this weekend to visit my sister and to observe the human spectacle that is Little 500 so I might do a little research while I'm at it.

 

[Otis R. Needleman]

"It was five to one. I got four!"

WOLVERINES!!!!!

 

[Orville_third]

CAP is mobilizing...and Chip's going in. This could be big. I trust he can handle it. You'd be surprised how capable CAP cadets are.

Semper Vigilans.*

* Motto of CAP.

(PS For those in Cold Lake, are there any plans to include CASARA in any of the response or story? They're one of the two things that could be considered CAP's Canadian equivalents. (The other would be the Canadian Air Cadets).)

 

[Apollo 20]

Another spectacularly good set of updates. Gripping, horrifying ... and quite moving.

It struck me in reading this that while this and other P&S accounts may be accounts of an alternate history, they might be of value for students of history in our future, when later generations far removed from the Cold War and the threat of global nuclear annihilation look back on the era. Perhaps it is only through an examination of the "what if" of a nuclear war in that era that future generations will be able to understand how close to the brink of apocalypse humanity was during those years and what madness it all was. We may yet see a nuclear war, but unless there is a dramatic change in armament levels, we have passed the days where each side had tens of thousands of nuclear warheads and the capacity to inflict planet-wide devastation.

 

[red1]

tell me about fort myers florida.

 

[Bernard Woolley]

Does the guy in Lawrence look a bit like John Lithgow and Col. Tanner a bit like Powers Boothe? A nice shout out to two appropriate '80s movies, well done.

 

[Archangel]

Good updates, Chip!
I'm glad the baby survived.

 

[Dunois]

Good updates Chip, it is good to hear that some form of coordination on a national level is now taking plac again, but it also looks like it could be months before it really starts to make an impact.

I am curious as to how the Soviets holed up in the Northern Territories are surviving a month after the start of the war. How many Soviet troops are there up north?

 

[sloreck]

The Sovs in NW Territories should be in bad shape. They can't have any significant logistic connection to what's left of the USSR. This means they will very rapidly be cannibalizing equipment as their limited spares run out and the region is tough on equipment. Likewise while they may be able to get compatible small arms ammo to some extent from Canadian stocks (Soviet weapons were designed with this in mind), SAMs, air to air missiles, tank rounds etc can't be replaced. Lastly, fuel is going to be a real problem - that part of Canada does not have a gas station on every corner just waiting to be looted...

 

[Hörnla]

Excellent updates, again.

Not a candidate for rapid promotion, methinks.

...depends. General wisdom says that people sometimes get promoted so they stop creating havoc where they are at present.