by G. R. Carter
Alex, Bek and the entire downtown roared “Eternal Republic!”
Chills ran down the spine of every patriotic man, woman and child as a beautiful tenor voice rose.
While the storm clouds gather far across the plain, Let us swear allegiance to lands forged with toil and blade. Let us all be grateful for a land so fair As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer:
The voice paused and everyone joined in. Even those who hailed from other provinces knew most of the words of the Republic capital’s anthem.
God bless the Okaw, land that we love, Stand beside her and guide her Through the night from the lights up above.
From the forests, to the prairies, Fertile soils, clay and loam, God bless the Okaw, My home sweet home,
God bless the Okaw, My home sweet home.
The crowd wasn’t satisfied. While the Okaw contingent marched away, they continued a second and then a third time with the chorus.
As the tail of the parade turned the corner out of sight, a solemn silence fell over the entire city. Alex waited for a moment as the last of the parade participants filtered back down the street, anxious to hear the first public speech from the Founder in years. He walked to the front of the elevated stage, pulling out a sheet of paper to look at his notes, then folding it and putting it back his pocket.
He caught Sam’s strong face in the midst of the crowd, and he felt comfortable enough to begin.
“Loyal citizens of our Republic. You are the backbone of the Creator’s chosen land. He has blessed us with natural resources beyond compare. But ultimately it is the people of a land that brings forth the harvest. They must till the soil, they must sow and cultivate, and they must sweat to bring in the sheaves. The soil will not do these things for us; it must be coaxed, and in some cases struggled with.
“So too is the struggle with this world we find ourselves living in. Our ancestors learned in the days before the Great Reset that even though they were part of a great empire that stretched around the globe, at the end of days they were still on their own, responsible for the wellbeing of their families and communities. We felt that more times than once since the lights went out.
“But then something happened, first between the Okaw and Old Main, then with Little Egypt in the Grand Shawnee, then others…a spark kept alive in the dark. We learned that those with good intentions can work together. We didn’t have to sneak around in the night to rob our neighbor, we could form a common bond. We could try to create a world where, even though the work would be difficult, we would still have enough to eat. Warmth in the ever-encroaching winter could be secured. We wouldn’t have to worry about savages sneaking in to steal our food, murdering our young and old…a partnership that would allow us to stand up to evil when it tried to force its will on us.
“To many, those days are a distant memory. To others, to our young, these tales of trial and hardship are a story told by the old. How many times do we hear ‘not again!’ when we speak of a time we couldn’t take food for granted!”
The crowd roared in approval, older folks patting younger on the back, and getting the all-too-common eye roll in response.
“My friends, my countrymen, we come here today to celebrate our Republic. Today we seat the first official Red Hawk Senate Assembly in years. New provinces have joined our cause, this will be their first ever participation in a true republican government. This is a cause for celebration, for our Republic Founders believed a government could not be just one man,” he looked back at Bek, “or one woman.”
More laughs bubbled through the crowd.
“The governed must have a stake in government. That is the purpose of the Senate, and I pledge here in front of the Creator that I will abide by the Senate’s wishes in all but matters of open war.”
Alex waited for the gasps to die down. He estimated for every head nodding in agreement, another was shaking back and forth. Some casually, others vehemently. Loyalty to the Founder’s wishes ran deep in the heart of the Republic. Phillip Hamilton saved them from the dark; Alexander was his proven heir.
Yet true republic was a dream of his father’s, and now a dream of his children. Partially because it was the right thing to do, partially because the Hamilton’s hoped to just go home someday and leave the ruling of a nation to others.
“You all know this won’t be easy. We are at tenuous peace right now. Our victory in Vincennes is complete…” His voice was drowned out by the roars of the crowd. He held up his hands and finally the crowd quieted enough to continue.
“But that victory came at a cost. It came at a great cost to many. The ultimate cost. Not just those who fell wearing a Red Hawk uniform, but also our new family who lost their homes in Mt. Horab. Hard as we try, we cannot completely cut ourselves off from the world. We have friends outside of our Republic’s borders. Sometimes we will have to fight in other lands to keep the evil out of our own. I made a mistake not facing that before Mt. Horab paid the price. I decided our Creek friends and Evansville would not fall prey to the same…”
More cheers overcame his speech. While he waited, he pulled out his notes again. This time he kept them in his hand.
“Don’t think for a moment, please, that decision was easy. While I believe with all my heart it was the right thing, I knew that giving that order meant some of our brave Red Hawks might not come home. And so it was. Even one fallen Red Hawk is ultimately too many. Bek and I pray for their families every night just as every Sunday in the Domicile, we recite the names of those killed in action defending our homes.
“Those names include my father and Clark Olsen,” he stopped and pointed at the large statue of his father’s friend and co-Founder. The statue sat directly across from the Domicile, marking the halfway point of Olsen Avenue.
He continued. “Many of those who are here today have a name that belongs to their family. That includes the missing and the captured…” Alex paused to take a deep breath “…including my youngest sister.”
Gasps returned. No one had admitted Essie Hamilton was held captive, though the capital rumor mill had worked nonstop.
“The fallen lie in our Circle of Honor, facing the center, so that we are reminded of the cost of vigilance. Today, before we seat the Senate our troopers fought bravely to enable, we memorialize those who fell in Mt. Vernon, Mt. Horab and Vincennes. We will always remember their sacrifice. We will never forget their commitment to the ideals of freedom and safety. We will think of them when together we say…Against the Storm!”
As one, through tears and determined faces, came the reply from the masses: “Eternal Republic!”
Chapter Fourteen
Red Hawk Republic Capitol Building
Decoration Day
City of Shelbyville
Eve of the Republic Senate
The smell of barbeque hung in the air as Nicole and Kathy approached the former county courthouse turned national capitol building. The structure was admittedly beautiful in the country style prevalent out here in the boonies. Upper floor windows were open, capturing a breeze that also filled banners fluttering from the roof. One with a green and silver shield at an identical height to another displaying a bright red hawk emblem.
“Not exactly the White City. What a dump this little backwater is. I can’t believe we’re here to bow down to these people.”
“We bow to no one, Kathy,” Nicole said sternly. “And I’m done with the attitude.”
“Then tell me again, why are we here?”
“To negotiate with the largest military in this part of the country, to try to figure out a way to fend off what appears to be a Caliphate invasion heading our way. That’s one thing we and the Republic should be able to agree on.”
Nicole knew Kathy wasn’t impressed. She hated Nicole, everyone knew that. Nicole would never be family to certain segments of the Diamantes, no matter how many little Tonys she popped out. She was a witch who had somehow cast a spell on Tony’s mind, messed with his head. Kathy made no attempt to hide how
she felt, to tell everyone how the Diamante family was being hollowed out from the inside…how she’d stop it somehow, someway.
“They’ll probably kill us while we’re here,” Kathy mumbled.
Nicole ignored her. There was a certain level of risk to visiting Shelbyville; she could feel hatred towards her and the ARK entourage. Everywhere sturdy-looking townsfolk moved with purpose, pausing just long enough to stare at a former ally. I miss cell phones, she thought. You could pretend to ignore everyone else around you.
She always found the people of the Republic, and especially the Okaw province, to be the kind of citizens a real empire could be built around. Her brother Paul helped set up the original bio-fuel refinery and even lived here after the Reset. He still complained that the workers in ARK territory couldn’t get a fraction accomplished in twice the time as Red Hawk citizens. These people were the backbone of a true agrarian republic, a throwback to the dearly departed United States, circa 1910.
A generation would have to pass before anything but mistrust flowed from these folks to Nicole’s nation. A decade-plus partnership had been thrown away by Tony and Jack’s dreams of conquest. Picking on a little neighbor was always a bad idea in her opinion. When that neighbor had a powerful friend with deeply held beliefs about honor and loyalty, it was a terrible idea. Nearly suicidal. The Hamiltons were infamous for their devotion to their beliefs, devotion that extended to others who shared those beliefs. The Buckles didn’t wear the green and silver, but the cores were completely compatible.
The truth of the matter was that Nicole had originally moved to the Midwest to follow similar beliefs. She and others of traditional faiths had been run out of both coasts by the pervasive Continuity cult. There was no roundup, no forced deportation. It was more like claustrophobia, an ever-encroaching flood swirling around her feet, then ankles, then knees—it immersed you until there was nowhere left to stand. Escape was her only option.
How she ever landed in the office of a Mafia-linked…who was she kidding, ARK was the Mafia, no link about it. She fled one belief system demanding absolute loyalty and the sacrifice of the individual, now somehow, she found herself leading something disturbingly similar. ARK was completely secular in oath, yet there was still a religious aspect to the whole organization. Sacrifice was demanded, the collective was most important, absolute power was a goal to be pursued for the sake of the Firm.
She was drawn to that power once, she recognized that now. As she approached the immovable cornerstones of the Red Hawk capitol building, she realized she liked being the one calling the shots. The feeling of claustrophobia in California wasn’t just a matter of faith, it was a resentment of helplessness. She’d been just a tiny leaf floating in the flood, at the mercy of the current. ARK was her instrument to make an impact on the world, a chance to be someone to something…a somebody. Pride was her deadly sin. Perhaps a product of an empty childhood, now as an adult seeking to build a family where one didn’t exist.
Marrying Tony had provided the materials to construct what she longed for. The Diamantes were a readymade clan for her to wrap herself in. At once Nicole had a legacy, a network of siblings and cousins and a father figure in Uncle Jack. She’d acquired a family history reaching back several generations, an inertia of tradition intertwined with an indescribable gravity. That pull nearly destroyed her soul. What she longed for became a black hole harder and harder to escape, no matter how she strained.
Her visit to the Red Hawk capital was an attempt to get a little of herself back. Here she could reconnect with admired friends. More importantly, she could spend some time in the Domicile, to try to reconnect with a power bigger than armies and governments.
“Welcome, Mrs. Diamante,” a young woman in a perfect-fitting Red Hawk uniform said. “Please forgive Founder and Mrs. Hamilton for not greeting you in person. They’re still trying to make their way back from the reviewing stand. We had quite a crowd. Please follow me. I’ll take you up to the Founder’s Office.”
Without waiting for a reply, she led them both toward heavy oak doors that swung open like magic as they approached. Two identically uniformed guards stood in the entrance at attention, stepping back as the visitors made their way through. Nicole had been here before and knew the way up. She took her time, looking at the paintings on the wall. The scenes told of tradition, of people building their world for future generations. How would they look at all of us now? she wondered. What will my kids’ place be in the future?
Perfectly polished solid stone floors and hardwood trim reflected the bright sunlight beaming in through the picture window of the Founder’s office. The young officer motioned for them to sit down, but before they could a bookshelf swung open, revealing a hidden entrance to the huge room.
“I’ve got to get one of those,” Nicole said as two large Silver Shield troopers stepped through, scanning back and forth, staring at Nicole and Kathy like they were wolves near the flock.
Shortly behind them Alex and then Rebekah stepped out with smiles much wider than Nicole expected. Without a word Bek walked over and gave Nicole a long warm hug. She let go and turned to shake Kathy’s hand. The warm smile went to cold steel, chilling Kathy.
Bek made way and Alex walked up, limp now barely visible. “Nicole, I really appreciate you making your way here. I know it wasn’t easy to find the time. As always, I’m impressed with your courage. I can’t say I’d be so anxious to travel to the White City, even though it’s much more cosmopolitan than our little farm town.”
Nicole noticed the Founder’s language. He used the local term for ARK’s capital, not the official name. A small gesture, to be sure, but an olive branch nonetheless.
“Thank you, Alex. It’s been too long. We would always welcome old friends back into our home.”
Nicole found herself slightly disarmed. She had expected a frigid reception. Since the trip was arranged she’d been working on her charm, trying to think about how to approach her former friends. Deciding to bring Kathy was a risk she had to take in the process. Her prickly demeanor would do no good to patch up relations, but keeping her close would keep her from moving to oust Tony while Nicole was away.
She’d thought about sending a warning to the Hamiltons about Kathy’s scheming behind their back, then thought better. They were smart enough to know who Kathy was. Besides, Nicole had no doubt there were Red Hawk spies operating within ARK. Part of her expected the Hamiltons to fill her in on details even she didn’t know about the city.
“I’ve brought you something,” Nicole said as she slowly reached into her pocket. She felt the Silver Shield guards tense, though she tried to ignore them. They relaxed when what she retrieved was a folded letter. “A note from Essie.”
Alex smiled and took the paper. He unfolded and read it, his smile getting bigger the whole time. He handed it to Bek, who read it also.
“That certainly sounds like our Essie,” Bek said with a chuckle.
“I give you my word she’s safe,” Nicole assured them.
“Of course. Despite our current disagreement, we’ve never doubted the fact that ARK is a civilized people. Though not all our countrymen feel the same, I will admit,” Alex said.
A snort reminded them of Kathy’s presence. Alex ignored her completely as he walked to lean on his huge wooden desk. Bek moved to his side. “I’m happy ARK has agreed to come to the table. Considering our past together, I certainly hope we can work out an arrangement. If we can, I’d like to present it to the Republic Senate first thing tomorrow.”
“I read over what you proposed,” Nicole answered. “I think it’s fair, I don’t see any reason we can’t agree to that.” She felt daggers from Kathy’s eyes; Nicole had said nothing to her about any previous arrangement.
“Excellent. And just so we’re clear, Tony’s on board with this?” Rebekah asked.
“One hundred percent. He wants to put all of this behind us. We can’t undo what’s been done, but we can try to move on. No one else has to get hurt.
”
“Well, Nicole, I have to thank you for your openness and reason. If all negotiations were this simple, I think I wouldn’t hate my job so much as I do,” Alex said.
Kathy finally couldn’t take it any longer. “What the hell are you all talking about! I wasn’t consulted on any agreement! Tony said nothing to me, and I’m just as much a part of this as she is,” Kathy said, pointing at Nicole. “You talk to me, not her!”
Without a word, the Silver Shield troopers walked towards Kathy, each grabbing an arm.
“What is this? We were guaranteed safe passage here!”
“No, Ms. Kingsley, Nicole Diamante was guaranteed safe passage here. You…well I’ve determined you are a spy against the Republic, and a traitor to one of our allies,” Alex said matter-of-factly. “I’m seizing you right now for espionage. But don’t worry, if you play nice I’ll see if I can arrange a prisoner exchange. I believe your nation has someone quite dear to me. I’m sure the Republic and ARK can work something out…assuming they want you back.”
“You witch!” she yelled at Nicole. “You set me up! I’m going to get out and tell Tony what you’ve done. He’ll kill you for turning your back on family!” She was bright red and straining against the overwhelming strength of the guards. “Traitor!” she spat. “I’m going get out…I’m going to see all of you dead!”
“No, Ms. Kingsley, you’re going to see our Mr. Culper. He’ll be asking you a few questions. Best for you to answer quickly,” Bek said as Kathy was dragged kicking and screaming out of the room.