Civil War

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

(February 4, 2027)

In the City Hall in San Antonio, President Abbott is heading into the building. He had just returned from Dyess Air Force Base, where he had inspected the base to see how the repairs had gone and how well the host 7th Bomb Wing was maintaining its combat readiness. Thankfully, the base was fully operational, and the over 30 B-1s at the base were ready for combat. Abbott felt a great relief to know that Texas' heavy striking power was fully operational and ready to be used for the defense of the country.

As he enters City Hall, President Abbott is in a discussion with General Brown, discussing plans for a series of airstrikes and special forces raids to take out train lines that were likely to be used to transport war materials and troops to positions near Texas. As they make their way into the building, Abbott suddenly hears, "Mr. President!"

Abbott and Brown look around, and they see one of Abbott's aides hurrying towards them, eyes wide. From the expression on his face, it's clear that something big is going on.

"What is it?" Abbott asks.

"Sir, something big's happened. You've got to see it," the man says.

"Let's find a more quiet room, and you can show me," Abbott says. The three men make their way to a smaller room off the main hall used as a meeting room for the city council.

"Alright. What is it?" Abbott asks.

The aide pulls up a video on his cell phone. He taps the screen to start the video and hands his phone to Abbott.

Abbott and Brown both look at the video. The video shows the front of a state Capitol building. Standing together at side-by-side news podiums are Governor Spencer Cox of Utah and Governor Brad Little of Idaho, the flags of their respective states behind them.

"Thank you," Governor Cox says before he continues, "Today, I stand before you to announce a momentous decision. Since he assumed the presidency of the United States, President Davidson has taken the United States further and further into totalitarianism. He has stripped liberties from the American people, and consolidated his hold upon the country. He seeks not a democratic, free America, but a dictatorship. And we will stand for it no longer."

With that, Governor Little takes over and says, "Today, together, we announce that the states of Utah and Idaho hereby declare their independence from the United States of America. We will not be beholden to a government that seems more intent on increasing its personal power than on the welfare and freedom of its people. The United States is not united anymore, nor is it the land of liberty anymore. We will not be a part of it anymore."

Governor Cox takes back the conversation again after a brief pause for applause, and continues speaking, "Our state governments have been in discussion for several weeks regarding this vote and what measures to take afterwards. And, in the case of it, we came to the realization that our best chance at survival and the preservation of our freedom is together. Therefore, today, we are here to announce the establishment of a new, free nation: the Republic of Deseret. We desire a land where people can be free to pursue happiness and enjoy the wonderful blessing of liberty. We welcome those who wish to be free of tyranny, and we welcome those who wish to live a life of peace. However, we also respect the wishes of the people, and, similar to President Abbott of the Republic of Texas, we guarantee the safe passage of anyone who wishes to leave Deseret to remain in the United States of America."

"To the government in Washington DC, we give the following message: we will tolerate no further attempt to submit our people to tyranny. Any attempts to violate our borders with military force will be met by lethal force. We will defend our territory with military force, if we must, to protect the freedom of our people."