GWOT VI - Meeting

GWOT VI - Meeting

The bag over his head was removed.

He was in a richly furnished room, leather and brass. A large, mahogany executive desk was boldly empty of papers and effects.

Behind him and to the side, an Army of God militiaman stood with a MP-7 submachine gun on a quick release sling.

He noticed first the window - a view of the wide grass area, presumably the lawn of the Davenport megachurch.

Then he noticed the kneeler and the bible stand. The kneeler showed signs of use, which surprised him.

The man seated behind the desk wore priestly vestments, not a military uniform. His only sign of rank was two gold stars on each lapel, which clashed horribly with same.

"So, this is the man California threatens to destroy entire towns over."

"General. I am pleased to meet you but regret the circumstances."

"Chaplain. Roy. Who do you think you are?"

"Nobody. An olive branch. A prayer in the face of damnation."

The General of the Armies of God stared long into Roy's eyes.

"What is to keep me from having you marched out back and shot?"

"Nothing. But Major 18 will find out, and so will all of Iowa. I beg you not to do that. Not for my sake, but for Iowa's."

The man was utterly fearless. That surprised him.

"You've read the letter."

"I helped Major 18 write it. I had to help him tone it down. The first draft said something about pillars of salt."

And a sense of humor, too.

"Is this offer … this 'corridor' plan … is this for real?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"First for the reasons stated, to save refugee lives, get them out of your controlled areas faster, get wounded from both sides to medical care faster. Second, to divide the state into control sectors looking towards a future peace settlement. It's likely that the north-west or north-east sector will become, by default, at least a refugee safe zone. Possibly a homeland. Third, you will be blockaded for sure. Major 18 is worried about famine. If the highway is clearly demilitarized, it will be difficult for the Americans to keep food out."

"Why the fuck should he care?"

"Because his mission is to prevent genocide. He genuinely doesn't care who kills who. He's just trying to keep the body count down. Refugees today, women and children tomorrow, Iowa farmers next month … he doesn't care at all. Really."

"So why are California Republic forces arming and training refugees?" he demanded, expecting a denial.

"Because you're killing them, and because they asked. We've armed and trained resistance movements all over the world. But we only teach the good stuff to the ones we like."

"The good stuff?"

"Insurgency, population control, terror."

"You're very blunt."

"The situation calls for it. Thousands of people are dead today who were alive yesterday. Thousands of people _per_ day. None of us have time for anything but bluntness. You've loosed a tiger, General, and God help us all if you can't find a leash."

"A priest blaspheming."

"I was not taking the name of the Lord in vain. God help us all if you cannot establish and maintain control over your own forces."

The California chaplain had given naked voice to his deepest fear.

"Guard, leave us. And as you love the Lord, keep silence as to what you have heard."

The militiaman saluted and did so, closing the heavy doors behind him.

"How did you know?"

"It's obvious from the strategic situation. You called a full mobilization. Some are coming with everything they have. Some are sending token forces. Some - notably South Bend - are not coming at all, preferring to defend their homes. Stolen airplanes, tanks shooting at each other. And the forces in the field, I don't even think they know what they're going to do when they encounter either California forces or refugees. That's not an army, General, that's a rabble.

"What are you going to do when the Americans intervene?"

"They won't. We've had assurances. Iowa is not the only the state in turmoil."

So certain.

"Let's say you're right. What is your plan for removing the refugees?"

"If they have any sense in their heads, they will run away."

"They are running away. But they were already weakly and sick. Now they are dying, and they will start dying faster every day that humanitarian aid cannot operate. All those deaths will be blamed on the Church."

"Not our fault that they came here. Not our fault that they didn't leave. Any that accepted Christianity, we have taken in. We gave the others plenty of warnings."

"The sins of America lay heavy on all of us, General. Most of the refugees were made that way by the second Firecracker. What if it had been, say, Davenport that had been atomized instead of Cleveland and Detroit? Would your Iowans be starving in Ohio, after being chased out of Illinois and Michigan?"

"That didn't happen."

"It could."

"What are you saying?!?"

"The taboo has been broken. Too many nuclear weapons have already been used. What would you do if the Americans said, 'Surrender now or we nuke Davenport?'"

The General thought about it.

"The book answer is to scatter. But I can't scatter before they launch."

"Exactly. Iowa is already decentralized as much as a modern society can be. But without cities, you can't provide essential services to the towns. You have the problems of a ruler, not just a General. What is your strategic deterrent?"

"World public opinion."

"Which is turning against you, even in North America."

"It was a mistake to allow the humanitarian groups in."

"There would still have been journalists."

"Like a plague of locusts," the General snapped. "This has been a valuable conversation. Why haven't you mentioned the laws of war?"

"Because you have to control your forces first. Only then can you give orders that they will obey."

The General thought about it.

"Your humanitarian corridors proposal is refused. I won't help you create a refugee homeland. I control the Armies of God. They will be strictly instructed not to abuse refugees or other noncombatants. But they will leave, and we will make them leave.

"The other Xtian forces, I won't be held accountable for their actions."

"General, this is a new version of the same old game. At first it was criminals. Then it was bandits. Now it's Xtian militia, but not _our_ Xtian militia. If I don't believe you, and you don't believe yourself, what makes you think the world will believe you?"

The General frowned, darkly.

"You're saying I have to use my troops to enforce law and order?"

"In a word, yes. It's more complicated than that, it always is. But the difference between Xtian militia and Army of God militia is not obvious to anyone who is not here on the ground. And if there are enough atrocities, Major 18 has made it clear that he'll stop caring."

"Will the Gs be held to the same standards?"

"In the areas under California control, yes. In the areas under direct G control, we can threaten to withhold aid if they do not comply with the laws of war. And we will."

"Direct attacks on the Armies of God must cease. That is non negotiable."

"Provide assurances that the Armies of God will not engage in genocide, make it real, and there will be no reason to attack them. The Gs will have their hands full against the other militias."

The General picked up the phone.

"Get me Operations. Yes, Colonel. The next attack is not to go in. You are to send a flag of truce to the Californians. Instruct them that the noncombatant refugees are to withdraw at once, with what they can carry. Once the refugees are well gone, they have twenty four hours to dismantle their position and withdraw. You will obtain my personal approval before the next attack."

He hung up smoothly.

"I'm not going to keep you, Chaplain Roy. You're far too dangerous, I think to both sides. Give me Echo 18's satellite phone number, and go back. I will have to send you with a heavy, heavy escort. There are those who would kill you just to guarantee the war."

The Chaplain took out a notepad and wrote down a long number.

The General, to his surprise, dialed it, and put it on speaker.

"Echo 18 Actual, go."

"Major, this is Roy. It's the General," the chaplain said quickly.

"Go ahead, General."

"I'm sending you Chaplain Roy back. I've ordered a suspension to hostilities at the one location where Army of God forces are in direct contact with California troops. Your proposal is refused with prejudice. I will order Army of God troops not to fire on Californians except in direct self defense. You will not interfere in the removal of refugees from any location east of Highway 24. We will not massacre refugees nor will we tolerate those who do. Do you accept my counter proposal?"

"With thanks, yes. What can we do to get humanitarian aid societies to return to the field?"

"You tell me."

"They need security assurances. Not only that forces in the field will not attack them, but that they can call for help if attacked by bandits or worse."

"I am not providing policing to the refugees!"

"I will. If I don't have to simultaneously fight Army of God as well. Will you stand by and watch as I fight non-AoG genocidaires?"

It was a good question.

And the General knew the answer. He might, and some of his officers. But his troops would see the crosses and pick a side.

He unrolled a map on his desk.

"Highway 24. West of Highway 24 is a safety zone for noncombatant refugees and humanitarian aid groups. You want it, you police it. I will order AoG forces to stay east of Highway 24 unless there is an overriding military objective, and I will call you and advise you in advance when there is. Refugees will keep moving west or I can't be responsible indefinitely for their safety.

"I will eventually move west of Highway 24 and fight to take the rest of Iowa. But I will give you, ahem, 24 hours notice before I do."

Drawing the line - a different line than Echo 18 had proposed - was still partition. Giving up some of the state to secure the rest.

But he couldn't exactly sweep the refugees into the Missouri River with the world watching.

"Thank you, General. I want to get your POWs off my hands right away. I'm going to return them with your flag of truce. Will you keep them east of Davenport for the rest of the campaign?"

"Yes, Major. As far as I know, I don't have any California POWs. But I can't make any promises if other Xtian forces have prisoners."

"Good luck with your internal problems, General."

The satellite call dropped with a 'hung up' tone.

"Your boss knows how to twist a knife," the General remarked.

"I think it's a training class at the California Military Academy," the chaplain confided.

"Does California have weapons of mass destruction?" the General asked suddenly.

The chaplain blinked.

"Lots, General. Lots and lots."

"Rumor has it that they bluffed the UN and the Americans. That they only have the one uranium deposit and haven't mined it."

"Had you noticed the alliance between France and California?"

And the French have a _lot_ of uranium.

"By submarine?"

"A trick borrowed from World War II, actually. Using submarines as freighters for absolutely critical cargoes."

"So, why does California care about Iowa's problems?"

"The short answer is that we hate genocide anywhere in the world. The long answer is that we still love America, even though we divorced her for cause. And Iowa - you may be our estranged brethren, but you are our brothers and sisters still. Even on the Sabbath, we will still pull you out of the well."

"So you sent six hundred troops. Why not a division?"

"There was only the one genocide."

"Thank you, chaplain. It has been valuable."

He paused, hesitant.

"Not from a General to a flag ol truce, but from one priest to another. Pray for Iowa. Please."

"That's why I'm here, General."

He saluted and let himself out.