Whisper of Thunder

[TheShammySocialist]

 

"Vincente! Come now! Supper is ready!" called out Maria Blanco, poking her head out of the small fishing hovel to get a view of her son on the rickety docks. The lakeside fishing cabin perched on the side Lake Maracaibo was all the Blancos had, but it was home nonetheless.

 

"But mama! The lightning! It's more beautiful-...," started Vincente, not even turning to look at his mother, as the Catatumbo lightning continued to streak across the sky in the building thunderheads above.

 

"You see that lightning almost every day, little boy! Come now! Or I'll give your dinner to Alfredo!" she interjected, referring to their family dog who would love nothing more than to get a full meal, rather than some simple scraps.

 

"But... it's more... its more than I've ever seen!" he yelled.

 

"VINCENTE! LISTEN TO YOUR MOTHER!" boomed the voice of his father, Tomas, able to be plainly heard when even not at the window.

 

Vincente hung his head low, the young boy of almost seven pouting as he jumped down off the rickety dock that hosted his fathers' little boat that he scrapped a living with in the lake, and ran up to the house. He arrived at the door in time for his baby sister Veronika to begin crying, leaving his ears ringing, the young boy almost recoiling when she let loose with her bawling. Maria shushed the recalcitrant infant with a bottle stuffed into her mouth, the child cooing into it and eagerly drinking the liquid within.

 

"Come, sit down, someone said there is something coming on the television soon, something important," stated Tomas, seated with his back against a piece of cushion eating a bit of fish. "Some kind of government announcement."

 

"I want to watch Rugs Bunny," grumbled Vincente, as his mother threw a plate into his hands, with some rice and fish on it.

 

"Bugs, Bugs Bunny," corrected his father.

 

"Yeah, him."

 

"This is more important than that," piped up Maria, as she sat down next to him, holding Veronika in her arms.

 

"How can old men be more important than Bugs Bunny?"

 

"Quiet, this could be very important, to you, to all of us."

 

It was a night like any other in the Blanco household, and like in most households throughout Northern South America, workers had come home from the factory, farmers and their hands had come in from the fields, some were just getting on their way to work. The Catatumbo lightning was lighting up the sky above Lake Maracaibo, and the wild birds of the Northern Amazon made their continuous racket. There had been many whispers about the lands of an upcoming broadcast that night, it had been spoken of in the markets, in the assembly lines, in the mines, in the fields. The word 'independence' had been mentioned, but in reality, no one exactly knew where this rumor had originated from. But the rumor was not in any way a rumor, the local news outlets had made mention of an important announcement that a broadcast would be played on all the networks, no matter what they were.

 

To the young Vincente's surprise, it would not be an old man, but a younger one, who appeared on the screen, wearing a simple toga-like garment with a sash across it, and a golden badge clipped at the shoulder. The voice that boomed strongly out of the television, was not befitting the man who stood there, with several other figures appearing beside him.

 

 

"From the warm inviting waters of the Caribbean, to the bold coast of the Pacific shores, to the deep mysterious headwaters of the Amazon buried deep in the roots of the jungle, we are one tonight. The people of many tribes, of many origins, seemingly bound to their fates, bound to their futures, generation after generation. The lands I am speaking to you tonight in, are lands that have little purpose, the people you see beside me were without purpose, but now I'm looking into this camera, and imaging the faces of so many who are listening and watching now, and imaging so many who felt they've lost a chief purpose in life. Lost direction without a sense of community, without being able to wave one banner with pride, without being able to be proud of a nation.

 

My father once told me that a person without a purpose was a ship without a sail or motor, like the ship, life drifted on without aim, without an overarching goal or destination. There is much to be said about a nation, about the idea of community, about the idea of living in harmony with another person, being able to find strength there. For millenia, humanity has gathered together in groups for protection, to ensure their lives are secure, and many who roamed alone, as not part of that community, perished, or were cast aside. We have lived at the periphery, we have an idea, a dream if you will, of what a nation is, but uncertainty on where that future is going.

 

I stand before you tonight as a man who has ordered the sails hoisted, who will fill the bunkers of a ship with oil to get it on its way, to get the great gears that drive the machine that turns the propeller unstuck. I stand before you a man who felt he had no purpose until now, and that was to provide you, the new citizens of our new nation, the ability to not only dream about protection and community, but live it. To give you the tools and peace of mind to be able to live your lives without the fear of uncertainty, to introduce a new economy that all can thrive within, where citizens help their peers, not seek to undermine them.

 

This will take the trust and faith of you, the citizens, to do, it will take sweat, toil, blood, and tears before it is over. This is a nation to mold as our own, to introduce a new society not seen before, to prosper together, without exploitation of one another. This will be a peaceful upheavel of society as we know it, where the yoke will be taken off the shoulders of who have had to bear it for too long. As any humble nation would, we seek harmony with all, but any nation that exploits the good will of another will feel the might of our new society brought to bear. No whips, no chains, no yoke!

 

Take this evening to reflect on the purpose you and your family serve to yourselves, and your community, and now your new nation. Tomorrow, a peaceful revolution begins, the Stormlands rise, aptly named for a nation that will see change reverberate across its lands. A revolution in society, a revolution in a world that sees exploitation every day, but all have accepted it as a norm. I am Rafael Sha'am, your Lord Protector, and I will see to it that every man, woman, and child feels the wholesome warmth and embrace that this nation will bring to every single citizen. Dream big tonight, for tomorrow is a new day, and another day to make a difference in your life, the life of your community, and your nation as a whole."

 

The broadcast would close at that point, with lights dimming on the figures, only their silhouttes visible, before a figure in the front, presumably the Lord Protector himself, raising what appeared to be a baton in the air in his fist. All of a sudden, bolts of electricity could be seen flashing almost violently into the end of the baton, the blue-and-white light of the conducting electricity allowing glimpses of the assembled, darkened figures. The light show would go on for at least thirty seconds, the determined faces of the assembled individuals smiling a little in wonder as they looked up at the continual arcs of electricity. The broadcast would finally cut there, with a high definition shot of a waving flag, with diagonal green, white, and red stripes adorning a background of a digitally-rendered eagle clutching a slain snake.

 

Outside the Blanco household, the Catatumbo lightning that frequently streaked across the sky over Lake Maracaibo, seemed to get all the more intense. Tomas looked at his household, whilst turning off the television as the regularly-scheduled broadcast came back on, before taking Veronika from Maria, and carrying her to the window, where the family gathered to watch the lightning. Like so many other families, a spark had been lit that evening, a spark of idea, of imagination, on the simple thought that their new so-called Lord Protector had left them with; tomorrow was a new day.

Edited March 30, 2014 by TheShammySocialist

[Lynneth]

"The Prince and the Princess are delighted to see a new neighbour rising to the Principality's south. They, and all of Tikal wish the Stormlands stability, prosperity and peace. Welcome to the world's stage."

[lkfht]

"The United Republic of Ireland formally recognizes this new independent and sovereign nation."

 

- Foreign Minister Kendal Mayers

[Triyun]

The Holy American Imperium welcomes its newest member state and wishes it the best of luck.

[TheShammySocialist]

Instead of offering simple words of response to the well-wishers of Tikal and Ireland, as well as the givers of independence, the HAI, the Council of Stormlands would dispatch gifts of thanks to all three nations.

 

These caches included a trio of bottles of the best wine from the Stormlands, tended in the subtropical foothills of the Andes, known for their bitter yet flavorful tastes. Furthermore, each nation would receive small flocks of Venezuelan Troupials, the newly-proclaimed national bird of the Stormlands, known for their bright colors and overall recalcitrant nature. Never minding their typical fierceness despite being a smaller bird, they would make good additions to the respective nations' national zoos.

 

Both nations would also receive handwritten notes from Rafael Sha'am himself, offering his thanks for their initial shows of support for recognition of the Stormlands' sovereignty. In his note to the HAI, the Lord Protector offered his additional thanks for the confidence shown in the establishment of the Stormlands, and the passing off of the nation to the hands of the Council. He offered both Ireland and Tikal the opportunity to establish diplomatic posts within the limits of the capital, Stormsend, as well as noting that should they wish to exchange diplomatic council, they were welcome to the Stormlands, or a delegation from the Council would make the journey to meet them in their own nations.

[Evangeline Anovilis]

"The Faraway Realm of Québec hereby recognises the Stormlands and hopes it will further the stable developments in the Americas."

-Florence de Pétèvellier, Minister of the Exterior

[Mogar]

"The Cape welcomes the Stormlands to the world stage, it is a delight to see the south americans ruling themselves once more."

[TheShammySocialist]

Much like their notes to their predecessors, the Stormlands would provide complementary gifts to both the Realm of Faraway, and indeed the Cape as well. A flock of colorful birds for their national zoos to inherit and the finest wine from the Stormlands were dispatched via courier to the nations' respective capitals for their government officials to enjoy, or treat their guests to. As was typical, a handwritten note by the Lord Protector himself would accompany the gifts that were sent by private courier to these well-wishers.

 

Whilst the letters would make a generalized note of thanks to these two nations who congratulated the Stormlands on its sovereignty, they would have some personalized touches to them as well. To the realm of Faraway, the Lord Protector would also express his congratulations on its own recently-won sovereignty and diplomatic recognition offered alongside these congratulations. A similar positive tone would be given to the authorities of The Cape, which the Lord Protector expressed as "a model for other African nations to conduct themselves in a turbulent world".

 

Both nations would also be invited to send ambassadors to Stormsend and establish embassies within the Stormlands' revered capital.

[Markus Wilding]

Sierra Leone welcomes the Stormlands to the world and wishes it well in navigating the tough international political waters

[TheShammySocialist]

"The Stormlands thanks Sierra Leone for their kind words and wishes.

 

We hope that Sierra Leone's recent political troubles and civil war have proven themselves at a finality, and wish it well in the process of mending its frayed citizenry and nation as a whole."

[Aggressivenutmeg]

"Tierra del Fuego is overjoyed to here of the formation of another state within the Holy american Imperium. We wish our northern neighbors all the best in their future endeavors."

- Valentin de la Cuera, Consul of Magallanes and Tierra Del Fuego