The state of the nation.

[Gran-Occidentia]

Luis cracked open his second lukewarm bottle of beer of the evening in a futile attempt to fight the stifling heat, the power had gone out again descending his entire street into darkness. The power cuts had been growing ever more frequent, of course it wasn't The Party's fault, it never was " infallible" he said to no one in particular, God and The Party both moved in mysterious ways far beyond the comprehension of a simple civil servant like him.

Of course no doubt someone would get the blame. Some poor bastard too stupid, poor or unconnected to save himself from a one way trip to Tierra de Sul. The blackout was relatively brief...only a hour or so then the lights flickered on and the television he had been sat in front of sputtered back to life displaying an old spy film where some square jawed hero was in the middle of blowing apart the lair of the villain. Luis found himself paying attention to the film perhaps in part to the acting talents of the love interest when he realized that the sound of fighting where not coming just from the television but from outside in the street.

"Fuck" Luis flung himself to the floor, and crawled over to the window. Down in the street he could see two groups of men engaged in a melee , all of them in were clad in the dark bottle green of the Sindicato Integralista Nacional, no doubt a political argument had occurred between rival factions. Such fratricidal violence was only becoming more frequent, of course it was could never be The Party's fault.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Antonio Grau breathed in the warm heady scent of his morning coffee, his first of the day, the office was almost silent at this time of the morning and he allowed himself the simple luxury of a good coffee before the start of the day. This was he thought the best part of his day, soon it would all turn to shit. All too soon the coffee was finished and it was time to get to work, as Interior minister it was his thankless task to keep great machine of the People's State running. His eyes crossed to the latest stack of reports his secretary had dropped on his desk. More violence on the streets fucking madmen tearing the country apart. From what little he could gather it seemed that this latest streetfight had occurred between two of the ultra-orthodox cliques each believing the other were ideologically impure.

It seemed violence like this was happening every other day, of course no one said anything, that would make the party look weak instead they formed their little cliques, reformers, conservatives, ultra-visionaries all of them arming themselves and waiting to strike. Still while the Caudillo lived no one would make a move, all the factions for all their differences had loyalty to the Caudillo in common.

Antonio had as of yet remained separate from any of the forming cliques, it was all petty nonsense, and soon they would see that. Even if some of them might need a little help.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Roldofo and the rest of the Valiente Brigade had barely been the backwater province of the Selva forty eight hours before the politicians in Puerto Angeles had decided to cut a deal with those Correntine dogs and now off they were heading back with their tails between their legs without so much as a shot fired. Fucking politicians, fucking party bureaucrats with pencil necks and soft hands. This was the problem with the party these days too soft, too comfortable, where was the passion where was the faith? Of course Roldofo would never say these words aloud, could never. Not unless he fancied a breaking rocks in Tierra de Sul for the rest of his life. Still he knew he wasn't the only one of his comrades who felt this way, no doubt all across the People's State young men seethed at their elders. After all had his generation not been taught of the glory of war and violence without fighting one themselves hypocrites.

Perhaps more radical steps where needed, for Integralism and the nation to be saved.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Enrique Martinez-Roca stood up before the inner circle of the Sindicato Integralista Nacional, ahead of the years budget he wanted to tell the truth, even if they wouldn't listen or act on his advice he would still tell it.

" The fact of the matter is gentlemen is that the workcamps must be stopped or at the very least drastically reformed, they are a waste. Half of the camps in Tierra de Sul are well below capacity and maintaining the roads and infrastructure is a significant drain on the economy. Of course there is the question of the populations in the camps, so I would propose that the prisoners to be transferred from the dozen or so camps in Tierra de Sul to a smaller number of larger facilities built nearer larger population centres to ease the cost of maintenance".

At this the room full of Party men erupted, cries of "traitor" and " revisionist" were hurled at him, others called him a degenerate, a crypto-communist but with a wave the Caudillo silenced them and begin to speak.

"So you would propose putting all our rotten eggs in one basket? Why should we not just liquidate the camps and have done with it?"

" Well your excellency, the prisoners may still be useful they are a cheap workforce whose labour we can use to benefit the state, if you look at page 38 of my report you will see my suggestions for the creation of factory complexes with the new prisons. This would be a much more efficient way of using our prisoners then the current system of selling their labour to corporations and only receiving a fraction of the profit".

" Fine, we will try your schemes, for now".

Enrique could scarcely believe it, the Caudillo himself had just approved his reforms..there might just be hope yet.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Being granted one on one meeting with the Caudillo was a rare honour, for the most part the Caudillo ruled through decree, or else held court with his advisors not unlike the feudal monarchs of the old world...of course no one would dare make such a comparison out loud. Enrique walked up the steps towards the presidential palace and was ushered inside to a small side room, devoid of any ornaments or decoration only a desk and two chairs one in front and one behind.

Enrique glanced at his watch as time crept on, The Caudillo was allowed to be late to a meeting. Finally after what felt like an age the Caudillo entered the room. He seemed smaller, and older up close. Just an old man wearing a simple suit, without the military uniform or regalia of state he was barely recognizable.

" Sir, it's an honour".

" Yes, yes, yes. Enough pleasantries We're hear to talk about the future of Gran-Occidentia not a pair of housewives. Look, your reforms have been successful so far. Your and your kind represent a future for the Party and that what the party needs, a new vision for Integralism. So I am offering you if you want it, to be my successor".

" Successor? I don't understand". The Caudillos of the past had always simply declared their own successors, it was never offered.

" Its very simple I plan to retire, I will be the first Caudillo to leave the office, that will be my legacy. I will pass the Presidency over to you the young reformer. Then I will live out my twilight years as a great man. Of course you may fail and the Gran-Occidentia will suffer. But it will no longer be my concern. So do you accept"?

Enrique was being offered the highest office of the state, power he had never dared to dream of.
" Of course".

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Antonio Grau burst in the would be Caudillo's office, there already was a crowd of sycophants lining up to beg for favours and positions. Antonio and his entourage of security officers brushed past them and straight into Roca's office where Caudillo in waiting was in discussion with some minor functionary. Antonio put a hand on the functionary " fuck off now". Roca tried to object but Antonio motioned him to sit " Listen here if you ever want to be Caudillo and live to bring about your fairyland you will need me on your side, now I'm not going to haggle with you, that would be a waste of both our times, this is what I am offering. In exchange for removing those party members who pose the greatest threat to your person you will as part of your reforms slash the military budget and divert it to the Interior Ministry and internal security services, furthermore I have here a dossier of men who you will find positions in your government".

Roca finally spoke " And if I refuse your demands?"

" Well, then I don't imagine you'll last a week, then we'll have some hard-liner like Martinez in charge and the country will be ruin itself".

" fine, give me the dossier"


+++++++


The order went out and the agents of Servicio de Seguridad Nacional set to work crossing off the names on Antonio Grau's list. Some could be bribed, or threatened many could not and so across Gran-Occidentia a great bloodletting began. within forty eight hours the most dedicated opponents of the future of regime where gone.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Mateo wept as he looked about the ruins of the old cantina, it was here all those years ago he and his friends had dared to dream of a better world. what fools they were, all of them in the Movimiento para la revolución authetic thinking at they could bring the revolution to Gran-Occidentia. Now here he was, an old man the only one left of the original founders. Looking through the old building he could see it as it had been in the glory days, full of laughter and song. But launching a revolution is not as easy as singing, and the people had not flocked to their banner as hoped, but still Mateo and his friends rose up, and were shot like dogs.

Mateo swore to his dead comrades, this time would be different. He had not been idle all these years, the movement had grown again, being a socialist in Gran-Occidentia was not easy nor safe but still he had managed to rebuild the MRA into some semblance of itself.

But '78 was a long time ago, maybe the country wasn't ready for the revolution then...but now? Only time would tell.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

" The Queen Emma Isles, an unsightly blot on the coast of Occidentia, now...now it may yet be within our power to remove the decadent Franks from the golden shores of Occidentia. That alone would be justification for us taking our rightful place in the coming conflict, but also we are honour-bound to leap to the defense of our Occidentian brother-nations...regardless of their political failings. And thirdly the mad dog that is the Tsar of Tarusa must be put in his place, before he turns his eyes westwards".

The new Caudillo spoke to the assembled officials and generals. This would be his first action as head of the Gran-Occidentian state, his actions could lead to Gran Occidentia's the first war in decades and its first against a european power since its independence. Now I must play the strong man, the vision of an Integralist leader, all bluster and bravado. The assorted onlookers clapped and cheered, some whooping with joy others thumping the table. If it came to war then the Sindicato Integralista Nacional and the people of Gran-Occidentia would be ready, and more than willing to take part. But pray it does not come to that.

+++++++

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

" Now Prisoner 97246 the Caudillo in his benevolent wisdom has seen fit to release you for your crimes against the people of Gran-Occidentia". He could scarcely believe what he was hearing, after all these years, left to rot in the workcamps of Tierra de Sol and now he with one speech from the Caudillo it was over. " So...I'm free?" he couldn't hide the sense of hope in his voice. The warden answered bluntly " No not quite, you are on parole here are your papers which you will keep on you at all time and present to any party official when asked. Well prisoner 97246 I do hope for your sake that I never see you again, but I doubt it you're sort always get into trouble one way or another".

Freedom at last. He was a man again, 97246 no longer he was Juan Martinez once more for the first time in fifteen years. fifteen years, all that time and nothing to show for it but the clothes on his back and a bus ticket. But still he was free, or as free as he could be in Gran-Occidentia, and for the first time in more than a decade he dared to hope for a better tomorrow.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

FELLOW MEMBERS OF THE PROLETARIAT THE FUTURE IS OURS IF ONLY WE SEIZE IT!

the graffiti was sprawled across the wall of the meat works in five foot red letters which the custodian staff where failing to remove despite their hard work and the angry protestations of their manager demanding they work harder and faster. Raoul tried to look at the graffiti without being seen, being too curious about such things was bound to lead to trouble, that being said he couldn't help but wonder at how such a thing could happen...after all all the damn Reds where meant to be dead or in exile. But the new Caudillo had said that the regime made mistakes, maybe they hadn't been as through as the propaganda suggested.


+++++++

It was a simple thing really, a few forms here, some rubber stamping here and suddenly a shipment of weapons meant for the garrison in Monterrey just disappeared. It was a small thing really but if it helped bring down the Integralists then she would happily do so again. Of course no one would probably notice, and even if they did no one would suspect an old secretary in a dingy office in the Ministry of Defense. Her boy, her sweet boy he would've been in his thirties now maybe with his own family, instead they had taken him away all those years ago all for the crime of daring to love the wrong person. Bastards. And soon they'd pay.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

San Pablo. Gran-Occidentia

"Gentleman...and women sorry Maria welcome the inaugural meeting of the San Pablo branch of the Movimiento por la Auténtica Revolución, It has been a long road and who among us would've thought the Integralist Caudillo would be the one to bring us here. But now we are here we must continue our struggle through democratic means, we must work to spread our message among the people we must..".

At that moment a group of nine men in green Integralist party uniforms with balaclavas burst into the church hall the San Pablo MAR branch where using for their meeting. The men where armed. the twelve Auténtico's where not.

++++++

Puerto Angeles. Gran-Occidentia

Maximino Camacho gave himself one last look in the mirror, his uniform starched and his medals that he wore with pride gleaming in the early morning sun. He always wore his medals proudly, he was proud of what he had done of serving his country first in the army then as a policeman. He kissed his wife before he left and climbed into his car. The device planted under his car ignited as soon as he started the engine, Maximino had no time to scream, the blast from the explosion shattered the glass of his house, his wife had been standing by the window. Maximino might not have had a chance to scream but she did and she screamed enough for the both of them.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

" Compadre's the Sindicato Integralista Nacional is no longer the party of the honest working man, no now the Caudillo only cares about his hoity toity friends in the elite and the foreigners who want to buy up our nation from under us. If you want a real Integralist party that's gonna fight for the working man then by god you men gotta join the Partido de los Obreros y Campesinos Integralistas! We'll make sure this country looks after the people who made it great and we'll throw out the fat cats and party suits! We'll make this country truly great!

At this the crowd erupted in cheers and applauded. It looked the SIN would have competition when it came to the upcoming elections.


++++++++


Office of the Caudillo, Puerto Angeles


" The Army frankly sir is not fit for purpose, the political relationship between the military and the Sindicato Integralista Nacional has meant that our officer core is rife with nepotism, factionalism and cronyism. And while we do have easily the largest army in Occidentia, most of our equipment is out of date by roughly twenty years. And while we do have several regiments of note the bulk of our forces are conscripts with little or no combat experience, you'll see here in my report that I advocate for a total overhaul of the miltary, namely severely downsizing the current standing army and investing in new weapons systems namely Eiffeland's rocket systems. The fact is we'll never need to fight a massive land war in Occidentia so why should our army continue to be designed to fight a war that will never happen"?

" Intriguing Ramirez, leave the report on the desk with the others". Reform the army, a year ago that would've been impossible...now....now he might just manage it and if he could well, the military was a massive drain on the economy. Yes he would do it.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

It was four in the morning the Presidential palace was utterly silent, Enrique was still at his desk a bottle of mezcal next to the computer and the never ending stream of communiques. Lately he had taken to sleeping at his desk aided by hard liquor there was so much to be done and few enough people he could trust to do it. He finished reading another report from the general staff complaining about the cut in military spending and suspecting red infiltration among the several of the armoured regiments. Christ he took another gulp from the bottle and massaged his eyes trying in vain to ward off another headache as he sat back in his chair.

He was woken by the sound of the maid moving around the office and not quietly either, every so often she would catch his eye and tut disapprovingly as she tidied. And so another day began for the Caudillo, another round of meetings and more communiques, requests and demands. Still in the end it would be worth it, a bettet Gran-Occidentia was possible.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

He fell to the ground after the first punch, then as he was down they kept kicking him for good measure. He could smell the rancid stench of them, sweat and cheap liquor and brown leather and he could hear the sound of their steel capped boots as they smashed into his ribs. " Red bastard!" they shouted as they continued beating him. Just as the corners of his vision were starting to fade into black then his assailants stopped and fled. Marco was hauled to his feet by another protestor who like him was covered in blood, all around lay broken placards and shattered glass as the EIL members pulled themselves from the pavement others where worse off than him.

He watched as the Integralists fled but he was unable to understand why, then he heard the screams coming from behind him. The Guardia Urbano had arrived and charged batons swinging into the protestors. Already concussed and clutching his broken ribs he was unable to flee or even dodge as the press of bodies hemmed him in, then a club to the head and nothing.

++++

" Fucking bastard traitors you should be one our side!" Luis spat at the guards in front of him, they'd cornered him in an alley and where slowly advancing batons at the ready. his knuckles were bloody and aching, it had been a good day teaching those fucking kids a lesson in the might of the Integralist ideology. That is until the Caudillos fucking goons had come in heavy handed and had smashed into the Integralists and protestors alike and ruined a perfectly good fight. " Bastards call yourself Integralists if you had any balls you'd been with us!" One of the guards replied by slamming his baton into Luis's gut knocking the air out of him, then another came in swinging their baton straight at his head knocking him senseless.

" No balls eh" The Guards looked around...no witnesses perfectly time for a little extra judicial work.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

The emergency meeting of the Estudiantes Integralistas por la Libertad's Puerto Angeles branch got off to a bad start and had gotten worse from there. Accusations flew with factions forming over whether or not the violence of the previous day could have been avoided and of course what should be down next.

" I say that if they want to put our people in the hospital we should put theirs in the morgue!" One young women one arm in a cast stood up and declared " Only with direct action with the Integralist hardliners and the so called reformists will yield results...what have our protests given us except pain and disappointment!"

" Order order order sit down! We are a strictly non-vio"

" Go fuck your mother".

" SIT DOWN!"

" Anyone who has the courage to fight come with me, leave these fucking posers to their meetings". At this the young women walked out, quickly followed by at least a dozen or so others.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

" Bernardino Verro"

Bernardino stood up as he heard his name called out, he and some of his fellow Zaran emigres had been lead to a waiting room after arriving in Gran-Occidentia. The flight had been long and his whole body ached and he had to steady himself and walked over to the Integralist party official. " Go to the first room on your left, you will meet with your liaison officer who will assign you housing". the Integralist said in halting Zaran and gestured for Bernardino to leave.

Bernadino sat in this next room as a small man with nut-brown skin in the bottle green of the Integralist Party came in and shook his hand warmly " Buenos dias senor Verro, my name is Joaquín de Oca y Saucedo and I am to be your liaison officer and I will help you to settle into our great nation. Now it says it our files you were a scientist in Zara Libre, this is good the People's State needs scientists ".

" Well I was a science teacher, I don't think you could call me a scientist in the strictest-"

" Fine, fine science teacher" at this the man scratched at the paperwork in front of him " Still good, we need teachers too, and it says here you were a member of the Zaran League of Integralists which is excellent. This means we do not have to assess your political reliability. Now you will need to go through an cultural education course prior to being assigned housing but I'm sure a smart man like yourself will have no trouble".

" So where will I be housed, do you know?"

" Well hmmm, It looks like you will be sent to Tierra del Sol, very nice there good weather lots of sun and lots of room you'll like it".


+++++++


Lots of sun was right enough, lots of room too if you liked barren sun blasted soil you couldn't do better than Tierra de sol. Still Bernadino mused it was better than living under the Csengian boot. And six more months and he could apply for a housing position somewhere nearer the coast and the golden sands he had expected.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

[URGENT COMMINQUE TO MISSILE COMMAND]

SUBJECT:SANTA CATARINA


SANTA CATARINA TO BE TARGETED BY MISSILE STRIKES IF CSENGIAN FORCES INVADE ZARA.

MOBILIZE GRAN-OCCIDENTIAN GARRISON IN EMBARACADERO FOR IMMEDIATE DEPLOYMENT.

VIVA GRAN-OCCIDENTIA

EL CAUDILLO
Enrique Martinez-Roca

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

" Friends, Occidentians, fellow Integralists. I am here to tell you the truth! Those in Puerto Angeles don't care about you, all they care about is a fat paycheck from the WOTO for being good little boys..." at this Otilio González Ortega took a swig from the ever present bottle of beer he had on him when out in public, it and the open green Integralist tunic and white vest where all part of his carefully cultivated image as a simple man of the people. " Now the WOTO is a fine idea and of course we gotta defend the west from those bastards in Gallo-Germania but goddamn it I won't have those deviants in San Jose or those hoity toity Natalians tell us how to run our country. Now the Caudillo I'll give him credit he's done a lot of good a lot needed changing but he aint gonna go far enough where it counts and he's already going too far when it comes to selling all our nations assets to the big corporations." At this he took another swig from the bottle " The Partido de los Obreros y Campesinos Integralistas is for the people, we aint sellouts and we aint reds we're patriots who love our country and if you love Gran-Occidentia you'll vote for us".

At the end of the speech Ortega took an elaborate bow and walked off the stage behind him he could hear the crowd chanting " VIVA ORTEGA VIVA LOS CAMPESINOS". Another small town, many more to do go on his tour around the nation. The Caudillo might have the cities but Ortega would have the countryside and soon perhaps the nation.

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

[URGENT COMMINQUE TO EMBARACADERO GARRISON: CONFIDENTIAL]

SUBJECT: CONTINUED VIGILANCE

GARRISON TO MAINTAIN STATE OF MOBILIZATION.
ADDITIONAL FORCES INBOUND.
PREPARE FOR AMPHIMIOUS OPERATIONS.
AWAIT FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS FROM COMMAND.
VIVA GRAN-OCCIDENTIA.
GENERALISSIMO GUILLERMO ORTIZ RUBIO​

 

[Gran-Occidentia]

Fuck, fuck fuck fuck. Enrique massage the bridge of his nose in a fruitless attempt to stave off what was promising to become a truly brutal hangover. It was too early in the morning for this bullshit, couldn't these idiots manage without him for a few more hours? He stared blearily out at the room full of generals, ministers and countless bureaucrats and hangers on. All of them looking at him expectantly as if he the Caudillo could simple wave his hand and solve everything.

The situation in the Offices of the Caudillo was not good, the Army's high command had scrambled to try and organize and respond to the current strike, although mutiny would probably be nearer the mark at this point. No one had a concrete idea of how many mutineers there were in the various bases and barricades, worse still no one knew exactly what they were planning.

" We need to shell the bastards! After a few hours they'll know we've got them beat and surrender!" One particularly rotund general was suggesting this "solution" to the crisis which while it might technically work would result in large areas of Gran-Occidentia's cities levelled as well. When Enrique mentioned the possibility of collateral damage the general went bright red then as if a light bulb had appeared above his head declared "Gas!, we'll gas them...no property damage and those seditious bastards will be easy pickings for our loyal forces".
Again Enrique had to remind him that civilian casualties where a bad thing, also that the mutineers had gas too, and all the protective equipment that would defend against it. No, this would require tact something this crowd of geriatric's and their bootlickers knew nothing about.


+++++

While the Caudillo and the nations high command were holed up in the Caudillo's palace Otilio González Ortega was hard at work doing all that he could do to gain votes ahead of the election. Controversially he had gone to the San Miguel military base, which held by the mutineers and was considered to be the nucleus of the whole uprising. Of course his aides and advisors had advised him not to go, but when Otilio got an idea in his head there was no stopping him.

So there Otilio found himself shaking hands and greeting the mutineers like brothers, truth is most were, or rather had been members of the Integralist party and ever since it's split many had found themselves lost politically. no doubt the Auténtico's are here too exporting the revolution he thought to himself, still he couldn't judge them too harshly he was here doing the same, albeit for a different cause.