For Fraternity and New Foundation

[Bull Run]

A scheduled phonecall is made in the middle of the night. Two men continue a discussion that has carried on for several nights. Several such phonecalls are secretly taking place across the Confederacy.

"The statistics are unquestionable. I have seen nothing to the contrary and you will recieve more documented proof by tomorow morning."

The anxious young man on the other end quickly copies down all he hears and replies, "O...K. And what can you tell me about the rising number of Confederate troops in more and more cities in the eastern Confederacy?"

The older gentlemen sighs and ponders for a moment. "I would have preffered to discuss that seperatly......But I suppose I could....."

The young man interupts, "Please, sir. If you know anything about this please let me know and I will leave you to the rest of your evening. Just if you could....please."

The gentlemen replies, "Now, you listen to me carefully. What I am about to tell you cannot be printed in tomorow's paper, do you hear me??............ The eastern region is threatening secession..."

Young man, "What?!"

Gentlement, "Listen! They are peparing for martial law in the west and troops are quietly being transffered there as you have seen....That is it. I have told you enough for now, I will call you tomorow night at this time again for..." He looks up at the clock and is startled by the time. He hangs up abruptly.

The young man sits quietly on the other end at his desk. He is alone, sitting behind a desk lamp and a pile of files against the backdrop of news articles, and framed papers of noteriety. "Hello?...Hello?" He puts the phone down slowly; his mind occupied. He looks again at his notes, "I can't believe it."

OOC: A work in progress.

Edited December 7, 2009 by Bull Run

[AironthFlamewing]

OOC: if we border(do we?) can we make the secessionist half whichever half is closer to my borders... (kind of making my intentions clear)

[Bull Run]

OOC: if we border(do we?) can we make the secessionist half whichever half is closer to my borders... (kind of making my intentions clear)

OOC: We share no border whatsoever. But rather than replying here in OOC, PM me with what you have in mind.

IC:

A city hall meeting in the city of Pine Bluff, Eastern Confederacy is winding down. The governor is addressing several questions.

"Mr. Governor, do you have any comments concerning the loosening of restrictions on fraternal organizations in our state?"

"I will follow the methods of my fellow eastern Governors and continue to deny any fraternal lodges or groups using any kinds of innitiation ceremonies or rituals of any kind."

"And what say you about the claims that we do indeed have the necessary funds for all of our schools?"

"A complete falshood. Your federal government has lied to you time and time again."

Protestors gather outside to a loud voice in a Eastern region of the Confederacy.

"Your governors have squandered your treasury! They have lied to you time and time again! We have the means to fund all of our schools. They have not allowed us! My name is John Parker, and I am a bank owner from New Richmond. It is clear to me our funds are slipping into pockets rather than schools here in the East."

His rant ends when local police break up his audience. The officers are then stopped from apprehending Parker by Confederate troops who provide him transport back to New Richmond. In the back of a humvee, Parker's phone rings and a soldier looks back. "No phones." Parker removes his coat and shows the soldier a golden pin attached to his shirt. The young soldier replies,"Oh, okay."

Parker answers his phone. "I'm on my way to New Richmond, tell Mr. May the situation in heating quickly. We are to fan this fire as long as necessary before it all let's lose."

Back at the Confederate White House, Secretary of the Treasury, Thomas May walks the main hall with a hasty step. He turns sharply into a conference room where Vice President George Wilmington is speaking with Daniel Seddon, the Secretary of War. May closes the doors behind him and leans against the large oak table. "Extend the Presidents trip-War is imminent." The men look to eachother then show expressions of deep thought before nodding to the understanding of the circumstances. Then Seddon speaks, "Where were you this morning? You missed the lodge meeting."

Meanwhile, Eastern state leaders have organized their loyal militias into an army. They have accomplished an agreement with a local indian tribe to use their reservation lands for military use, and their hands in the comming conflict, should the Confederacy deny their plea for secession.

Edited December 7, 2009 by Bull Run

[Bull Run]

Vice President Wilmington speaks on the phone with David Benedict, leader of the Eastern secession movement.

"There is....there is no need to get loud, sir...Now..I will tell you one more time, Mr. Benedict. Surrender your forces now. You are releived of your position as governor and WILL face trials on..."

He places the phone down calmly and glances over some papers with satisfaction. Then speaks

"Well there you have it. Not far off from what we expected."

Another man replies, "No, not far off at all. And, you handled yourself well Mr. Wilmington, now he has denied direct orders. We will start this war off on top. Leak this information to the press, we're going to need their support in the war."

The group of men exit the office within the Confederate White House. Meanwhile, in the East General Benedict is alerted to a call of his own. 1000 Eastern troops, seperated by grey Confederate troops by their green uniforms, now occupy much of the former Native reservation lands and have begun work on a defensive barrier. A young soldier runs to General Benedict, who shares plans with the Native Cheiftan. "Sir! Sir excuse me. You have a call." The General takes the phone, "YES?" he then begins writing notes. "right...Grey forces are unprepared?....they will not pick up an offensive yet..ok." He hangs up with a smile. "It looks like we have more time to prepare then expected. Tell the men to stop their working, we're going to push the line west." The soldier rushes off, then Benedict turns to the cheiftan. "The Confederate President is to be assasinated by one of our supporters. Our defensive barrier is being moved across the western half of your reservation lands. The Grey Army is unprepared..." Outside, both caucasian and native "Green Army" troops continue their work.

The man on the other line is an aid to the president. He hangs up and confidently enters back into the lounge where President Davis is meeting with President Murphy. He motions to the President who sighs with slight relief and immediatly understands the false messege had been delivered and received by Benedict.

[Bull Run]

An elderly man stands before a small crowed of men of scattered age, in formal/ceremonial outfit. They inhabit a large elaboratly decorated hall built by many of the men present. The elderly man takes his position behind a podium and declares, "We meet here today to commemorate the 44 year membership of our great Brother, Rudolph Cohort into the order! We now pass unto him, a new beam of illumination. Brother Cohort is now a 33° Active member of the Supreme Council of the Confederate Rite. Praise your Brother!"

The men clap respectfully and Supreme brothers approach him to share the handshake, then all quiet as Cohort takes the stand.

"Thanks be to you my Brothers. Thank you. I would like to say my time as your Brother has enlightened me beyond any other experience. Let me add I have never before been so honored as now as I recieve this membership within our great council."

His eyes water he smiles brightly. The men clap again in admiration before he continues,

"Despite the onset of war within our new Confederacy I am glad to see that justice on this day, is in the interest of the stronger party. It should be our moral obligation, Brothers to maintain ourselves as the "stronger party" to uphold and maintain our riteous laws, and see that the end of this war being about a brighter day of illumination for all our nation and perhaps one day the world. I now bid you farewell until our next gathering! And God speed for the Confederacy."

The halls erupt in a powerful applause as Cohort leaves apace. He meets with Brother Jacob who rushes to his side as they quickly make their way to the building exit. Jacob notes, "The battle is set to start in a matter of hours. Benedict won't be made aware until the last possible hour; it will be my job to keep him in his place."

Cohort replies, "My men will arrive at nightfall....The blaze won't be large...exaggerations will be left to the press."

The battlefield is set. Benedict directs his "Green Army" in proper defence constructions along the Native reservation. Soon his aid, Jacob Franklin enters the Cheifs quarters where General Benedict overlooks a map. He salutes the General, "General."Benedict looks up. His face is tired and his eyes are glazed with hollow hopes. He turns his face back down to his map then replies, "I feel as though I have been lied to Jacob." Jacob begins,"General, I don't understa.." Benedict interrupts, "I beleive we cannot rely any longer on the Rite. Tell your Brothers..whenever you get the chance..that I'd rather fight this war on my own..By tomorow, General Cohort will be relieved of his position and his army will join my direct command....Now what did you need?" Jacob's jaw lays slightly open and his eyes wide, staring hard at the General. "Benedict you...I mean General Benedict you cannot possibly turn your back on us now..' He consideres for a moment and regathers his thoghts before continuing "But what I came to tell you is that the Confederate Army has indeed gathered a force for attack..only 500 men and an unprojected amount of tanks...They will focus their attack her on out min defence as we had predicte..."

Again he is interrupted-this time by a blast. Benedict runs outside to see his defenses being bombarded, Jacob walks out soon after. Soon bullets begin firing off to and from the defensive line. Benedict turns to his aid, Jacob and as he is about to give his orders catches a glimps of Confederate flags in the distance to their South. He yells over the gun fire and explosions, "Jacob! Look there! The Confederates are going to attack the damned city; not the line! Can you hea me? Not the line! Organize the main force! We will meet them in the city! Now!" Jacob acts as though he doesnt understand, then he advises, "I believe the city is lost, sir! It would be recomended best that we hold our line here, sir!" The General looks at Jacob with astonishment, "Are you a complete fool?!! They are going to take Pine Bluff; our capital you...!!!! I will do it myself!"

The next few hours would see the first casualties of Civil War and the first major battle. Its conclusion would see half of the Rebel capital of Pine Bluff fall back to the Confederacy by nightfall. At which time Rebel General Cohort would arrive, ignoring Benedicts commands and set fire to part of the city. The propoganda war had been won by the Confederates by the will of the Confederate Rite who have the means to manipulate the entire war, however they determine fit.

Edited December 12, 2009 by Bull Run

[Bull Run]

A firing squad targets 5 chained men. General Benedict orders the death of all five, just as General Cohort arrives. The event takes place on the outskirts of rebel controlled city of Pine Bluff. The bodies drop and Cohort is horified by what he sees. He exclaims "My God!...You...Jacob? He is a..." As usual Benedict interupts, "He was a "Brother" I know. You know what I realised? Jacob, and the Confederate Rite never had plans for a successful rebellion. They used me to provoke this war. A war which we would obviously lose..So that the Western Confederacy could impose its rules and traditions fully over the East. We never allowed for their activities in our region...why would they help me?"

Cohort, at first troubled then furious lifts his chin and asks, "Are you accusing me?" Benedict raises a pistol from his coat and points it at Cohorts forehead. Cohort continues, "You're a dead ma-" A shot rang out and nearby troops rushed to catch a glimps as Cohorts body slumped over. Benedict kneels and searches Cohorts corpse and reveals a necklace hidden beneath his uniform. Then he finds a cellphone.

For nearly 15 minutes, Benedict studies the phone and all of its messeges. It gave the exact routes of his and the Confederate troops, summaries on how each battle should turn out, what information the news would recieve, and orders for Cohort and troops who are aligned with the Rite, of sabotage and assasination. What gave Benedict hope was a more recent messege revealing the "Heroic return of President Davis as his plane would avoid gunfire and attack from rebel forces." Although his route was clearly far from any hot zone. Benedict had already aged considerably, and he knew he didn't have much time to live now that several Brothers lay slain. He mobilized his few means of anti-aircraft combat to intercept the Presidents direct route back to the Confederacy.

This day had been the first day of snow as winter rushed in. Behind him several Confederate prisoners of war stand behind a gate, watching silenty. One in particular; Sargeant Daniel Bellgram recognized the symbol on Cohorts necklace, and paid close attention to Benedicts orders. The revelations of a secret war being waged for absolute control of the new nation he loved so much shattered all of what he was told to believe when he entered the war. He had experienced many odd actions and symbols and heard many an odd conversation amongst top command personnel that now made sense when factoring the posibility that they we're all "on the same team". He turned to his fellow soldiers, about 34, who already understood. He turned back, took a deep breathe and called to Benedict, "Sir, General Benedict, Sir!" Benedict turned and hesitantly walked towards the gate. Bellgram continued, "It is my request..sir..that you release these men.." Benedict began to walk away, "So that we may better serve the rebellion!! Sir!!.." Bellgram's voice was now tremblng and a tear ran down his face. Benedict stoped and listened. He was shocked when upon turning to face the POWs, he was greeted by salutes.

[Bull Run]

The Confederate Rite was not long left unaware of the current situaion. The Civil War that they had manipulated and instigated was now slipping out of their control. Their quiet gathering the next morning broke into angry debate as to what to do. News that the president's plane had been shot down hit the meeting like a bombshell. It was Davis whom their relied upon to lead the nation through the planned changes. No he was gone, one of their own Supreme Councilmen was gone and Confederate where under predetermined orders that may put the Western advance in jeapordy.

The Councilmen had outlined few preperations for such a change of events and now faced a dilemma: From where they stood; nearly all of their strings over the east had been cut. But they still had unparalleled control over the politics of the Western Confederacy. What was decided in the midst of angry and frightened rhetoric was that a long and grueling conflict would be inevitable despite likely military aid from the FRA, if they did not act fast. They knew that switching sides to aid the rebellion that they began and was only to be temporary, may be their best hope for avoiding the complete irradication of their orders grip over the Confederated States.

This plan would be impossible with Benedict in command of all rebel forces. It was obviouse he knew they where working against him, and had also ordered the death of several Brothers. He had to be killed. But who would replace him was still unknown....

The repetitive blasts would numb the eardrums of any solder. Sargeant Bellgram manned one of the few outdated Anti-Aircraft pieces the "Green Army" had. Benedict had freed Bellgram and his men, seeing as though he had no other choice, and touched by Bellgrams plead to loyally aid the rebels. His order where simple, "Shoot down everything that flies!!" and he tried. Several strafes where made on rebel positions nearby. It was obviouse the Presidential squadron was caught completely off-guard. Bellgram ducked as the strafing hit nearer and nearer, the last of which routed him from his position and he hit th ground. Out of the smoke Bellgram could now make out another plane, larger and more colorfully designed than the others. He gambled this was the President. He ran with one arm protecting his head and jumped back into command of his weapon. He saught out the plane, positioned his targeting slighty ahead of the nose of the plane and opened fire. Several seconds later the plane drew smoke, then began a sudden downward spin. He kept firing until the plane erupted in flames. He couldn't allow the passangers to escape.

He ran for the last time in time to avoid a near fatal strafe that saw his origional position consumed by fire. He ran and caught the end of a damaged Humvee as it sped out of the area. He clung on for his life before he finally pulled himself aboard. They swerved around bodies, fire, and twisted metal. Bellgram caught a glimps of Benedict on their way back to Pine Bluff. Before he could speak the driver stopped and opened fire on Benedict. The old general's body dropped as Bellgram wrestled the assasin soldier for his gun. Bellgram dropped several solid blows to the mans chest and face before he took the murder weapon and used it against the soldier. The dead man slumped over and an exhausted Bellgram pushed his corps out of the vehicle. He then found his way to Benedict's body. The Genderal was alive but had already lost pigmintation in his face. He had been giving one last address and command to his armies, then handed his sword to Bellgram. His last words were, "I don't care..whether you win or lose..As long as you don't lose.." With a grin he slumped back, dead. Over the radio, rebels had been ordered to serve Bellgram and wehre now contacting him on their next orders.

[Bull Run]

"Several days before the Battle of New Richmond, Commander Bellgram struggled to maintain his growing rebel force. His main divisions, called the Central Army, where loyal, well trained, and organized. With them he established Eastern Secret Service Bureau which led successful espionage and counter-espionage operations in the West. Their mediocre yet devoted spies had infiltrated the Confederate White House, passing information on Western army movements, and passing information to the Confederacy. Bellgram found his most successful espionage operations to come from his female spy netweork. Most successful of these where Belle Boyd, Antonia Forc, Rose O'Neal Greenhow,and Nancy Hart. Together they had established the backbone of what Bellgram called the "Secret Line"; a system used to pass intelligence reports, and other documents into the East.

With these new advantages, Bellgram now had somewhat of an upperhand. He new the Western Army had been preparing for a defense of New Richmond. An attack there would lead the press, and public to question the information fed to them from the West, and perhaps even the "propoganda playing field". An assult on the capital would lead to heavy losses on both sides and it was unclear who would come out on top. Despite the dissaray of the rebel forces with the rapid change of command to an unknown, former Western Army soldier, the Western Army had been disintigrating by the day; bleeding men and supplies across the frontier. From what Bellgram knew from his spies, the West had gambled that he would lead his forces to strike a much easier target, the national news headquarters. This would largely bring an end to the Western propaganda effort, but it would show even further the rebel effort as a sinister movement.

What Bellgram had planned would cost valuable time and put his entire army at risk, but it had to be done. He passed documents and acquired files down from the hands of his inner circle and into the hands of his troops. The rise in moral knowing that they know risked slavery, should they lose to the West overwhelmingly outweighed the risk of Western spies relaying exactly what Bellgram did and did not know. With a new sense of urgency to to win at all costs, he led his enflammed troops straight to New Richmond. They picked up nearly 200 Western deserters along the way, along with ammunition and supplies. They now outmatched the Western Army in all fields. The battle of New Richmond would be a turning point in the war. Western leaders, including President Wilmington had not expected such an assult, and if so, never a victory by Rebel forces. The President was captured and just after 3 hours of intense combat, the Western Army surrendered for the last time.

Behind the fight to maintain freedom, and to keep the West from forcing its way over all of the C.S.A. Several other advantages fanned the rebel flame, especially during battle. For the first time in the nations history an anthem had been created and used to highten morale for rebel troups, along with a new flag symbolizing their valiant fight against tyranny. In his short time in command of the rebel forces, Bellgram proved a strong leader, taking on the burden left after Benedict's assasination. What started as a violent bid for complete power by both sides, ended as a victory for all the Confederacy. Mainting their unity, and solidifying a true Confederate nation. What came after the fighting would be a new era, with new promises and challanges. The war had just begun."

The writer added his last puncuation and rested back in his seat with a sigh of relief. "Ahhh." He turns and looks to several elderly men standing over him. "Well, it seems you have accomplished what you saught..aside from slavery...Next time you get another ball rolling, make sure you can keep your strings on it if you wanna try something like this aga.." The writer was strangled and dragged out of the room. The eldest of the men notes quietly, "It is ironic isn't it?..Our main objectives where carried and completed almost to the letter. Only, it was our enemy rather than our friends who acheived this. When your friends are dead, a must make a friend of the enemy, whom you could not destroy. We will see the rise of a new day, brothers.