The dawning of a new era

[Vaquero Free State]

It had been only a few weeks since the Integralists had seized power in the Free State but already things were being to return to a sense of normalcy..at least for the majority of the people after all the lights stayed on, the shops remained stocked and law and order continued to be upheld. However there were some in society who were beginning to become keenly aware of the changes coming under the new regime.

Firstly most of the senior officers in the military were either fired or forced to resign, a few were executed but the rest were happy seemed happy enough to fade into obscurity. In their place loyal Integralist officers were promoted. Lieutenant Manuel Orozco was one such officer, despite ten years service in the army his Moradores heritage meant that under the previous government even if'd he stayed in the army till he was a hundred he would never rise up to any rank higher than a Captain. Now the newly minted Colonel Orozco was in command of five thousand men where before he had never lead more than fifty.

All across the Free State there were men and women in a similar state as the old order was being swept aside a new one was emerging , the Integralists were finding it was infinitely easier to overthrow a government then it was to run one.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Nuevo Tremere, Vaquero Free State

In the past the state had been famous for its night life in particular its vast seaside casinos and nightclubs, however in recent nights that had all changed, the Unión Nacional Integralista's paramilitaries had descended on Nuevo Tremere under orders to shut down " those dens of depravity and temptation and to arrest those peddlers of sin who profit off their fellow man". This however was proving more difficult then it first appeared..many of these " peddlers of sin" were in fact very well armed and not all at well disposed towards the Integralists attempting to shut down their businesses and now the Seaside strip had turned into a war zone.

Jefe de asalto Jose Carrazana ducked behind a burnt out car, his section had were currently pinned down in a carpark, his men were only armed with pistols and truncheons whilst the enemy seemed to have a inordinate amount of military grade rifles. So far none of men had been killed but several were wounded, unless some well-armed reinforcements arrived quickly he doubted how long he and his men could last.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Rio Bravo, Vaquero Free State

Father Hipolito Roca looked out from his pulpit and into the faces of his congregation, he had noticed that ever since the Integralists had come to power that the number of attending mass had increased tenfold, although he knew he had little to with his oratory or in a increased faith in god but more with the uniformed men in attendance who were taking note of all those in pews. Recently more and more people were making an effort to be seen as good Catholics...those who regularly skipped mass or engaged in " unchristian "or"deviant" pursuits where subject to frequent beatings. In truth Father Hipolito was in two minds about these latest turn of events on one hand he was pleased to see more and more people engaging with the church but on the other he felt that faith induced through fear was not true piety.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Juan Espinoza looked approvingly at his reflection, his new green tunic was ironed to perfection and he had polished the brass buttons till they gleamed, it was his first day as a member of Young Patriots League( Jóvenes Patriotas Liga) and he wanted to make a good first impression. The UNI government had declared that membership in the JPL for boys aged thirteen to eighteen was to be mandatory. Juan and his family had been longtime members of the UNI and as such he and others like him were to be given commissions among the JPL and permitted to wear a gold crucifix pin on their left lapels.Satisfied with his appearance he walked out of the door where he was met by others in JPL uniform, together they walked to school, he and his comrades had been tasks with collecting and destroying all materials deemed " deviant" .

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Rio Bravo, Vaquero Free State

UNI banners hung all along the streets, rank upon rank of green shirted party members marched in unison down the capital's high streets a Unión Nacional Integralista rally was being held today, the Caudillo Jose Sancho-Riviera and Papal Legate Juan Carlo Barbastro were to appear together at the Presidential palace and speak to the onlookers together, a powerful symbol of church and state as one. The Caudillo spoke first " As this new year begins, let it also herald a new beginning for our nation, all that has been stolen from us shall be returned and the Vaquero Free State will take its rightful place as a great power of the west".

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Those who made up the Unión Nacional Integralista's upper echelons all agreed, the army could not be trusted most of the general staff had been purged but many in the UNI still mistrusted the Army and until a new generation of Integralist officers and soldiers could be trained the party would have to rely on the old guard, this was frankly unacceptable to the Caudillo who had now ordered that the Integralist paramilitaries be transformed into their own parallel organization separate from the military of the Vaquero Free State, naturally the army was furious but there was little they could do but grumble and whine.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Rio Bravo,Vaquero Free State

The clearance of the Saint Francis slums in the capital was well underway, heavily damaged in General Gomez's attempted coup the fierce fighting between the Army and the Partido Campesinos y Obreros partisans had leveled most of the buildings and had forced the inhabitants to living on the streets or it tent cities outside the capital. The UNI now decided that the Saint Francis slum was an unsightly blight on the capital and one which once cleared provided a blank canvas from which to rebuild. As for the current inhabitants well chances were they were either PCO members or sympathizers either way they would have to be removed from the capital and resettled further afield, perhaps the fresh air and sun of Tierra del sol might prove therapeutic.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Tierra el Sol, Vaquero Free State

Sancho almost pitied the poor wretches out there breaking rocks in the midday sun, almost. Most of them were political prisoners, PCO members or any other poor bastard who crossed the UNI. Still these were the lucky ones, even if they didn't know it, the worst offenders were usually sent to the salt mines in Hogar de Jaguares where either they died in the mines or through lack of food and water and those who did escape more often then not fell prey to the local wildlife.

Yes even if they didn't appreciate it these where the lucky ones, hell for some of them there was even the chance of release, provided of course they helped the state by giving up their former comrades.

 

[Vaquero Free State]

Colonel Jose Carrazana looked at the men arrayed before him, he and a select group of officers were tasked with helping Tapenagá Republic form its military. Looking at the mob in front of him he was unsure if this was meant to be an honour or a punishment, most looked more suited to a life of banditry than that of a soldier. Most were barefoot and their new uniforms hung off them. Still despite their unprofessional appearance these recruits proved to be skilled if unconventional soldiers, they excelled at field-craft and sharp shooting but their drill was laughable and they only followed orders when it suited, this would have to be rectified.

While Colonel Carrazana was tasked with teaching the Republic's army the military aspect of soldiering it was up to Colonel Pablo Orasco to ensure that the recruits were politically reliable and schooled in Integralist thought. Already he had noticed a few promising recruits that showed a passion for Integralism, the best of these would be sent to the Free State to be given a more comprehensive education.