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drewkittyGWOT IV - Epilogue - When The Governor Gives The Party
"Where have you been this time away,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
'Long with the rest a-picnicing,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, aha!
They called us out of every yard
To God knows where from times so hard,
And you can't refuse when you get the card,
And the Governor gives the party.
"What did you get to eat and drink,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
Standing water as thick as ink,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
A bit o' SPAM that were three year stored,
A bit o' jerky as tough as a board,
And a chicken we killed with a para-cord,
When the Governor give the party.
"What did you do for knives and forks,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
We carries 'em with us wherever we walks,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
And some was sliced and some was halved,
And some was crimped and some was carved,
And some was gutted and some was starved,
When the Governor give the party.
"What have you done with half your mess,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
They couldn't do more and they wouldn't do less,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
They ate their share and they drank their fill,
And I think the rations has made them ill,
For half my company's lying still
Where the Governor give the party.
"How did you get away -- away,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
On the flat of my back at the end of the day,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
I snuck away with a bleedin' cough,
For I got the medics to carry me off,
As I lay in the basket of a litter rough,
When the Governor give the party.
"What was the end of all the show,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
Ask the Governor, for I don't know
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
We raised a Bear and we saved a state,
Made sure the guilty met their fate,
And the ground's clean where the blood had flowed,
When the Governor give the party.
- Rudyard Kipling, 'When The Governor Gives The Party' [California War version]
https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/widows_party.html
Governor's Mansion {Ad-hoc]
Sacramento
Republic of California
The aide handed the phone to the Governor.
The Governor spoke a few words. Formal congratulations. Then said, "On speaker." A pause. "Tell them what you just told me."
"Governor, the Americans have agreed to the terms. The weapon is bering escorted back to the aircraft now. American forces have been ordered to withdraw to the state border lines. We have multiple confirmations that they are complying."
Wild cheering in the room. This had been the moment they had worked so hard towards. So much blood and pain and suffering. And the threat of Armageddon, a Sword of Damocles rattled. But not unsheathed.
The Governor slammed a hand on the table.
"NO!" the order came. And as with so many hard orders over the last year of insanity and suffering and death, was obeyed.
"We have made the eagle flinch. Now comes the hard part. We're not dinner, staked out on a rock for our livers. But we may not live long enough to become a rival.
"This is an achievement. If the Americans gave it one hard push, they could break us. Even now. But thanks to our diplomats at the UN, our nuclear scientists in the California Universities, so very many of our soldiers and sailors who have fought so hard and died so horribly ... we have a little bit of time.
"We must use this time. I'm sorry. The burden will fall on all of you. Celebrate, yes. But we must continue the militarization of California. Total force commitment."
Faces fell. They knew how expensive the fight for survival had been. Not just in lives on battlefields. Every tank wasn't a tractor. Every rifle wasn't a shovel. And every gallon of fuel spent on defense was a gallon needed for agriculture, if they were not to starve despite the American withdrawal.
"Future scholars can argue as to whether we have become fascist, totalitarian, communist or merely desperate. Today, now, we must continue our war plans as if America had not flinched, as if she will again invade next week, with the free use of nuclear fires despite our deterrent.
"The fabric of our nation must be uniform weave. Every person of military age must have a role in our defense. That age is eight to eighty.
"The Senate and Assembly will meet, for the first time since the Firecracker War, in two months. A package of legislation will be presented for their approval. It is not yet written. You around the table will help me write it.
"We must make a nation. Our nation must rise not to be a pebble in America's shoe, but a stone in David's Sling to face the most dangerous Goliath the world has ever known. We get what we give. We give our people our fanatic loyalty. Because we're going to need it in return.
"Because what I'm going to have to ask of our people is so very horrible that I can't even say it yet."
The Governor knew that they didn't understand. But they knew who had saved them. Saved them all. Or at least as many of them as could be.
America had nearly destroyed the world with a nuclear barrage that had devastated a continent. And yet had the means in hand to do it again.
Would California's leaders follow, if the path were made more clear?
The Governor couldn't risk it.
Not for table stakes. Not for the mere survival of California. For the world entire, and all that had been, was now, or could ever be.
California was the Governor's State, now a Republic in fact as well as in theory. Twenty-five million people, where there had been thirty.
Also, an expendable round of ammunition. If well rounded, and well aimed.
That ... was the Governor's job.
"Where have you been this time away,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
'Long with the rest a-picnicing,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, aha!
They called us out of every yard
To God knows where from times so hard,
And you can't refuse when you get the card,
And the Governor gives the party.
"What did you get to eat and drink,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
Standing water as thick as ink,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
A bit o' SPAM that were three year stored,
A bit o' jerky as tough as a board,
And a chicken we killed with a para-cord,
When the Governor give the party.
"What did you do for knives and forks,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
We carries 'em with us wherever we walks,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
And some was sliced and some was halved,
And some was crimped and some was carved,
And some was gutted and some was starved,
When the Governor give the party.
"What have you done with half your mess,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
They couldn't do more and they wouldn't do less,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
They ate their share and they drank their fill,
And I think the rations has made them ill,
For half my company's lying still
Where the Governor give the party.
"How did you get away -- away,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
On the flat of my back at the end of the day,
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
I snuck away with a bleedin' cough,
For I got the medics to carry me off,
As I lay in the basket of a litter rough,
When the Governor give the party.
"What was the end of all the show,
Johnnie, Johnnie?"
Ask the Governor, for I don't know
Johnnie, my Johnnie, ah!
We raised a Bear and we saved a state,
Made sure the guilty met their fate,
And the ground's clean where the blood had flowed,
When the Governor give the party.
- Rudyard Kipling, 'When The Governor Gives The Party' [California War version]
https://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/kipling/widows_party.html
Governor's Mansion {Ad-hoc]
Sacramento
Republic of California
The aide handed the phone to the Governor.
The Governor spoke a few words. Formal congratulations. Then said, "On speaker." A pause. "Tell them what you just told me."
"Governor, the Americans have agreed to the terms. The weapon is bering escorted back to the aircraft now. American forces have been ordered to withdraw to the state border lines. We have multiple confirmations that they are complying."
Wild cheering in the room. This had been the moment they had worked so hard towards. So much blood and pain and suffering. And the threat of Armageddon, a Sword of Damocles rattled. But not unsheathed.
The Governor slammed a hand on the table.
"NO!" the order came. And as with so many hard orders over the last year of insanity and suffering and death, was obeyed.
"We have made the eagle flinch. Now comes the hard part. We're not dinner, staked out on a rock for our livers. But we may not live long enough to become a rival.
"This is an achievement. If the Americans gave it one hard push, they could break us. Even now. But thanks to our diplomats at the UN, our nuclear scientists in the California Universities, so very many of our soldiers and sailors who have fought so hard and died so horribly ... we have a little bit of time.
"We must use this time. I'm sorry. The burden will fall on all of you. Celebrate, yes. But we must continue the militarization of California. Total force commitment."
Faces fell. They knew how expensive the fight for survival had been. Not just in lives on battlefields. Every tank wasn't a tractor. Every rifle wasn't a shovel. And every gallon of fuel spent on defense was a gallon needed for agriculture, if they were not to starve despite the American withdrawal.
"Future scholars can argue as to whether we have become fascist, totalitarian, communist or merely desperate. Today, now, we must continue our war plans as if America had not flinched, as if she will again invade next week, with the free use of nuclear fires despite our deterrent.
"The fabric of our nation must be uniform weave. Every person of military age must have a role in our defense. That age is eight to eighty.
"The Senate and Assembly will meet, for the first time since the Firecracker War, in two months. A package of legislation will be presented for their approval. It is not yet written. You around the table will help me write it.
"We must make a nation. Our nation must rise not to be a pebble in America's shoe, but a stone in David's Sling to face the most dangerous Goliath the world has ever known. We get what we give. We give our people our fanatic loyalty. Because we're going to need it in return.
"Because what I'm going to have to ask of our people is so very horrible that I can't even say it yet."
The Governor knew that they didn't understand. But they knew who had saved them. Saved them all. Or at least as many of them as could be.
America had nearly destroyed the world with a nuclear barrage that had devastated a continent. And yet had the means in hand to do it again.
Would California's leaders follow, if the path were made more clear?
The Governor couldn't risk it.
Not for table stakes. Not for the mere survival of California. For the world entire, and all that had been, was now, or could ever be.
California was the Governor's State, now a Republic in fact as well as in theory. Twenty-five million people, where there had been thirty.
Also, an expendable round of ammunition. If well rounded, and well aimed.
That ... was the Governor's job.
