Josephine

𝓔𝓹𝓲𝓼𝓸𝓭𝓮 20: 𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓑𝓮𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓸𝓯 𝓢𝓸𝓶𝓮𝓽𝓱𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓣𝓮𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓫𝓵𝓮

April 26, 1970

"What the hell do you mean the Canadian's are in open rebellion!?" I demanded as General Cochrane and I rushed down to Command Operations.

"We'll explain everything soon your majesty," He replied, failing to remain cool and collected.

Canada has been the longest territory under our control. Since 1813 to be exact during the Second World War. The Canadians were generally harmonious to our rule until the early 1950s when the younger generations became fed up and developed an unachievable lust for freedom. The thing is, Canada had never been free, it had been under French rule, then British, then American. Canadian independence had never even been a movement. Now that those younglings had grown up, and now had the power to act, they were going to kill people. Soon General Cochrane rushed me into Command Ops and I came face to face with Generals Vickers and Hookstratten, along with a few new faces.

"Gentleman! Can someone for the love of God tell me what's going on north of the Saint Lawrence!" I shouted panic spewing out of my voice like a volcano.

"Your majesty, five soldiers were shot in the early hours by revolutionaries in Mississauga. Domestic and government buildings are under siege, four separate republics have officially broken away from the Empire: Columbia, consisting of The Columbia District, The West Canadian Republic, consisting of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. Then there is the Quebec Republic, which is just Quebec, and the Maritime Republic, including Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The Northwest Territories, The Yukon, Alaska, and Newfoundland remain loyal... for now," Hookstratten explained, reading off a report.

My head was absolutely spinning.

"That's a lot to take in," I mumbled.

"Your majesty, this is the biggest crisis the Empire has faced since 1901, we need you to take control and state your orders," One of the new commanders said.

I nodded as I settled nerve-wracked into one of the chairs surrounding the large dark oak table. The generals took their respective seats as well. I studied the map. Pretty much all the areas that mattered in Canada were in an uprising.

"I want 50,000 troops at the border with Columbia, 50,000 at the Detroit River, 50,000 at Niagara Falls, 150,000 sporadically divided along the riverbank of the Saint Lawrence..." I said without looking at any of them in particular.

"Your majesty... you want 300,000 troops, being called to arms?" Hookstratten asked.

I nodded.

"Your majesty those types of troops will need to be drawn from all across the Empire! Africa, Asia... who by the way aren't exactly the best soldiers... are you sure-"

"This rebellion must be crushed swiftly and efficiently before it can properly organize, the Imperial Army should be ready to conduct offensives in a week and a half. I will officially declare war on these pathetic 'republics' soon," I explained, "I also want tanks, and aircraft being used across the front..." I added.

The generals noted this down.

"Biological or Experimental weaponry your majesty?" One of the ones I didn't know said.

"Absolutely not." I stated sharply, "We need to be tough, keep up the pressure, break the rebels quickly, but we need to keep a degree of humanity, civilians, unless they pose a direct threat are not to be harmed in any way shape, or form,"

"Understood your majesty-" He stated before I rudely interrupted.

"Excuse me, may I ask what your name is?" I asked, staring down at him.

Realizing I wasn't fully trustful of him, he shakily saluted.

"Lieutenant General William Joseph Mackenzie Your Majesty!" He robotically recited.

He was very young, maybe a decade older than me at most.

"How old are you Lieutenant General?"

Now I was interrogating him, and the other commanders knew it.

"T-twenty seven your majesty,"

"Have you ever seen the battlefield, Lieutenant General?" I demanded.

"Yes your majesty, I was stationed in the Philippines and helped put down the Mindanao Revolt in 1968. After that, I was promoted through to my current position after diffusing the South China Sea Crisis last year," He said rather proudly.

Clearly an ambitious young man. I grabbed the baton from the wall and pointed to the map.

"Lieutenant General Mackenzie, you will be tasked with the seizure of Columbia. I expect this task done by year's end, you understand?"

"Absolutely your majesty!"

Mackenzie rushed out of the room. I turned to the other commanders.

"General Dimopoulous," I said addressing one of them, "I want you to vanguard the Maritime Republic's borders to make sure that they don't try reinforcing Quebecois troops at any point,"

He nodded.

"General Vickers, you are tasked with the armies advancing from Detroit, Cochrane, you are advancing from Niagara Falls and finally, Hookstratten you are in command of the Saint Lawrence crossing," I explained, "Any questions?"

All the men mumbled and shook their heads, signaling they understood my orders.

"Gentleman you are dismissed, I want operations being launched by the end of the month at the latest!" I stated loudly.

Once they had cleared out of the room I broke down in my chair. My whole goal since I sat on the throne was to strengthen our nation which had been so disastrously weakened by my predecessor. I had put in place economic reforms, military reforms, led grand campaigns in Asia, Europe, and Africa to restore our place on top of the world. Those same policies had torn the Empire into pieces. I had failed this nation and the people who once cheered my name will want me hung-

"No! Stop thinking like that Josephine!" I shot to myself, "It is your job to pick up the tatters of your Empire and put them back together! There have always been little rebellions in a far corner of the Empire, what is so different about this one!?"

Except for this time over 30 million people want to be free of me. But I have to put this down, our national security is at stake. But no matter! I will see to it that these 'rebels' will be hung! They will never want to oppose my rule again!

Never...