THE RED WORLD

[Psychic Octopus]

PROLOGUE: HINTS OF FAILURE

The White House
Washington DC, United States
August 7, 2011

The President of the United States was walking the halls late at night, completely thrashed and mystified by the events that had befallen him.

“This can not be happening! I am the leader! I am the sovereign of this dominion! I am the light that burns so brightly and I am to bring about a new dawn!” He took a step forward, and screamed as if he were a child. “This is not my destiny!”

The only images he had in his head were the Canadian Prime Minister’s smile, whose glee he could only imagine, and the Japanese Emperor’s laughter, whose cackle he had come to hate.

He looked up and sighed deeply. A portrait of President Fairbanks rested upon the wall. The President’s gaze shifted upward, and met his forsaken forebear’s eyes. “It looks like -” he cleared his voice in agony, “- like I will be joining you in the hall of failure, my friend.”

A voice in the distance echoed. “No, you shall not. You will fight. To hell with the capitalists and their slogans! You are a Marxist! You do not surrender! You should know that, though, as you are a smart man and capable leader. You will make it through this.”

The president, delirious and incredulous at the idea of a portrait lecturing him, turned to see that this was not the case. His Chief of Staff, Haley Barbour, was standing idly by, watching intently as his superior made a fool of himself.

“What are you doing here?” asked the unhappy world leader.

The Chief of Staff merely grinned. “I am serving you, of course.”

“Go away, then,” stammered the President. “I am a miserable failure and this affair has assured my doom.”

Barbour turned, and looked his boss straight in the eye. “You’re drunk, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, and you must be too if you are still here,” he retorted, not liking Barbour’s cheerfulness. “I am amazed that you have the gall to come into the Residence unannounced. I could have you killed for this, you know.”

“Funny,” Barbour retorted. “You always were quite the charmer when drunk. Normally you’re just silent.”

“Shut up or I’ll have your body dumped in the Potomac,” the president nonchalantly replied. “But perhaps I am one to talk, since it looks like I’ll be there anyway.”

Barbour continued to widen his smile, and placed chewing tobacco in his mouth. “I suppose I am drunk, then, but not in your sense. I am drunk off my own convictions, if you will. Our government will make it through this. Trust me, we shall fight and be right. The British Commonwealth can blabber all they want and the Japanese Empire can laugh in our face,” Barbour noted, “but we are Americans. And as such, we hold a special place in history. We deserve respect. But in order to be worthy of respect,” Barbour paused, worried that his next statement might cross the line; “we can’t have our leader moping around like a sad crocodile. You are bright and bold, and you’ll lead us through this. Now, please, get some sleep.”

The president was unmoved. “I don’t share your optimism,” he said while tersely thinking over his plans, “but I’ll acquiesce to your demands. These nations certainly don’t look to the west for guidance anymore though, and I hope you will remember that.” The President paused, still suffering from a headache and overcome with unpleasant images. “Perhaps tomorrow I will feel better,” the President said with unusual calmness. “The situation will be clearer, and after all, Huntsman will be back from the Soviet Union and able to partake in the discussion.”

The Chief of Staff bit his lip nervously, but quickly returned to his prior facial position. “Yes, yes, of course. Now go to bed. You know what will be coming tomorrow.”

The president, lumbering forward, opened the door and collapsed on top of the firm mattress. He had a new image in his head, and he could not shake it. Charles Warren Fairbanks. “Hah!” He thought, half-amused. However, while still chuckling, a bitter aftertaste soon plagued his new realizations. ”The man was failure if there ever was one, and if my suspicions are right, I will join him. The revolution of our forebears must continue. Our brave red world must not falter!”

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Very nice. Please continue.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Very nice. Please continue.

[Psychic Octopus]

CHAPTER ONE: DEATH OF A COWBOY

Kettle Hill
Santiago, Cuba
July 1, 1898

Colonel Theodore Roosevelt and his horse, Texas, stood defiantly, flabbergasted by the fierce Spanish resistance. “Men, I have had the pleasure of leading you into battle this fine day. It has not been easy, and I, like many of you, am exhausted. However, in the defense of liberty from tyranny - and hope from fear - we must march onward! Nothing short of total victory is acceptable!”

His troops, though weary and warily trekking along, responded in immaculate chorus. “Yes, Colonel Roosevelt! Victory shall be ours!”

Roosevelt looked at the black soldiers, who were separated from their group and now under his command. “Now, you must follow me. For if you choose not to, I will turn around shoot you instead. Got it?”

The “Rough Riders,” troops under Roosevelt from the beginning, merely laughed and followed Roosevelt’s façade in jest. “Oh he always does, he always does!” yelled one soldier, almost forgetting that he could be killed at any moment.

Roosevelt, anxious and unhesitant, went and spoke with the captain at the back of his platoon, willing to make a daring charge up the hill. The captain disagreed with his superior, and let his opinion be known. Even the soldiers at the front could hear an inaudible tirade, as the Captain vigorously made his case that it was too risky.

Roosevelt, furious, made the observation that the other colonel was not present. “I am in charge here. And I say that the hill is ours! Captain, your insolence will have repercussions! I can assure you that!” He turned to his troops, and roared like a lion. “Onward to victory, men, we shall make America proud today!” Roosevelt, like a cowboy, rode off into the distance while waving his hat in the air.

His men cheered in splendor, and followed their leader. The captain merely scowled, and thought deeply. For all his bravado, he really is a smart man. I sure hope he knows what he is doing.

Roosevelt, riding Texas, marched onward, with men from all walks of life following. “This is our moment! The Spanish will fall!” he proclaimed, eager for glory.

Unfortunately, his dream never came true. While galloping forward, a bullet grazed his shoulder, making him lean outward. A second shot, far more deadly, hit him square in the chest, piercing his heart and toppling him dead from his horse. The flamboyant rising star was no more.

His soldiers, horrified by the death of their commander, stormed Kettle Hill with fury, treating any Spanish captives with unquestionable brutality. The captain with whom Roosevelt had quarreled was unapologetic. “Well,” he thought, “I was right. Yet another brilliant man has let his pride get the best of him. Better luck in the next life, Colonel.”

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Nooooo!! Hmm.. I wonder how history will remember the politician turned dead soldier. Maybe he'll get a wikipedia stub.

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

From the title, I was hoping this would be about John Carter running to be Senator from Barsoom, but this is nice so far.

I like to guess from the available clues what a story will be before it is revealed.  I'm guessing Fairbanks ends up being President during the Great War and launches a failed invasion of Canada, but I'm probably wrong.  It would be doubly Alien Space Bat territory to have the U.S. invade Canada then and if that did happen, the U.S. would win with Britain distracted elsewhere.  Still, a war between the U.S. and the Anglo-Japanese alliance is possible, and the U.S. would have a decent chance of losing it.

[Psychic Octopus]

From the title, I was hoping this would be about John Carter running to be Senator from Barsoom, but this is nice so far.

I like to guess from the available clues what a story will be before it is revealed.  I'm guessing Fairbanks ends up being President during the Great War and launches a failed invasion of Canada, but I'm probably wrong.  It would be doubly Alien Space Bat territory to have the U.S. invade Canada then and if that did happen, the U.S. would win with Britain distracted elsewhere.  Still, a war between the U.S. and the Anglo-Japanese alliance is possible, and the U.S. would have a decent chance of losing it.

John Carter of Mars? Heh. I guess that could be an interpretation of the title.

Nice speculation, but I won't go much into detail. Canada will be a major factor in the timeline, though.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Update this or die

[Vosem]

Update this or die

[shameless self-advertising]If you're dying for a good election what-if, you can always read my West Wing. I don't think you've ever commented on it.[/shameless self-advertising]

Carry on, NiK.

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Update this or die

[shameless self-advertising]If you're dying for a good election what-if, you can always read my A Second Chance. I don't think you usually comment on it.[/shameless self-advertising]

Carry on, NiK.