by King, Ryan
“You know a lot of this would have been avoided if I had the right information,” Sampson muttered. He wasn’t looking at Ethan anymore, but was staring out the window. “Information that I should have gotten, plans I could have made, victory that would have been mine if not for the disloyalty of others.” Sampson’s voice became louder and surer, “The people always want someone to blame, hell they’ve lost family members, they deserve someone to blame. Ethan, if things don’t start going right soon, I won’t have to look far to find someone to blame. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
“All too well,” said Ethan truthfully.
“Good, then we should proceed with the combined offensive. I believe I will lead the northern force personally. I’m sick of sitting in the rear and watching cowardly subordinates piss away my victories.”
Normally Ethan would have tried to dissuade Sampson from such a course, but he held his tongue.
“There comes a time Ethan, when every man has to accept the consequences of his actions and cannot hide behind others. I hope you understand and don’t take personally any potential…complications, that might happen.” Sampson stopped awkwardly at the window and looked as if he had more to say, but finally blurted out, “That is all. You are dismissed.”
Ethan walked out of Sampson’s office, closing the door softly behind him. “I do understand, and much better than you, old fool,” said Ethan to himself as he walked back outside.
Chapter 6 – Recommendations
CONFIDENTIAL REPORT
EYES ONLY FOR: Jackson Purchase President Reginald Philips
SUBJECT: Establishment of a Centralized State Security Service
FROM: Brigadier General Nathan Taylor
Mr. President,
The purpose of this report is to provide basic recommendations, and to give an update on the status, of establishing a Centralized State Security Service for the Jackson Purchase (JP) as per your earlier directive.
Although I have received all the support I require, the task is still a daunting one and will take time, maybe even years. With that said, I understand the importance of bringing all our resources to bear during this time of crisis. A professional security organization must be one of those resources.
I recommend this organization initially build on the capability it already possesses - tactical reconnaissance. This also makes the most practical sense given the current war with the West Tennessee Republic (WTR). The existing tactical reconnaissance patrols have proven the value of such information and of the specialized units which conduct them. It will likely be necessary to disband many of the existing reconnaissance units in order to provide men to serve as leaders for other such elements. New recruits can more readily fill vacancies in these unit's ranks if they possess solid leaders.
Responsive and reliable reporting is still a problem without electricity, but I have recommended unit commanders conduct missions of shorter duration which allow for face-to-face reporting if necessary. We will also need an analytical capability to sift through the intelligence gathered in order to produce finished intelligence products. I plan to detail my recommendations for this problem in a separate report.
Beyond the tactical military side, the mission of a central security service becomes more complicated. Even a framework is in question. I have examined many agencies such as the CIA, FBI, and DHS to determine if these are proper organizations to model our state service after. I have even studied the OSS, or Office of Strategic Services of World War II fame, but we need an organization that is primarily able to operate during peacetime.
The key functions of this organization should include intelligence collection in all forms, counterintelligence, and security at the state or higher level. The only area with an established framework is counterintelligence. The state troopers have been conducting this mission for several months, but it must be asked if this will remain a law enforcement, security/intelligence, or joint responsibility. I would like to recommend that the state troopers maintain this mission along with their law enforcement duties and that the state police fall under my new security service. I envision them having law enforcement authority, but also counterintelligence capabilities, similar to the FBI.
We will also need to establish a framework for intelligence collection. Since there is still no electricity, we should rely on what is traditionally referred to as "low tech". Even when electrical services are restored, I believe it is best to found our capabilities on what has worked for thousands of years. The most reliable and low tech of all intelligence collection methods is human source operations. This requires extremely well-trained and experienced handlers to run such operations. We will need to establish a robust training program for these source handlers and my recommendations on how to accomplish this training will be discussed in a separate report.
In order to conduct source operations, it is necessary to lay the groundwork for spotting potential intelligence sources in areas surrounding the JP, but most specifically in the WTR. Many JP residents have friends or relatives in the WTR. Some of these individuals would likely travel into the WTR given the opportunity. These two groups alone would make a good initial candidate pool to screen for sources. Also, individuals inside the WTR could provide information on what was happening there in addition to early warning of troop movements. We will also need a means to learn about these potential sources.
A travel pass program seems like the best option. The JP can put out notices that personnel from outside the JP could travel into the JP for short periods of time, as long as they were sponsored by a JP citizen and underwent an interview. The interview will give my organization an opportunity to evaluate these individuals’ suitability and willingness to work for us, possibly in exchange for something they want. We will also eventually need JP residents who were willing to go out beyond the borders to live for long periods of time among the local populaces and then report back useful information. The task of establishing this network will be significant and time consuming and the details of my plan will be included in a separate report.
Counterintelligence and security are another huge endeavor. Although the state troopers have the lead for investigations, and might eventually be able to take on all the other duties, they are not ready to handle everything else needed to protect the JP’s secrets and critical resources. The first line of defense should be the average citizen’s diligent and natural suspicion. The JP governing bodies need to convince the people not to talk idly about things they hear and see. The state also needs to convince them to report anything out of the ordinary since they are much more likely to notice something odd before an official would.
In summary I envision a comprehensive intelligence, security, and law enforcement agency capable of gathering needed information on its enemies, protecting the JP’s most prized resources, and investigating and arresting those who would harm the JP. Although the idea of such an organization with broad powers makes sense, it also raises concerns. A significant amount of power will reside with one organization and by default with this organization's leader. There will need to be checks on such power.
An official could be elected to head this organization, but that would mean a critical position could go to someone with no experience and who may have political agendas to boot. It could be a political appointee like myself, but that appointee could at some point hold whomever had appointed him as a political hostage over threats of blackmail much as Hoover was rumored to have done with the FBI. The leader could be determined by seniority in the organization, but that had its own pitfalls. The best idea that I can envision at this point is to use a political appointee elected by the Executive Council who serves for a defined time period, say five years, with absolutely no ability to stay longer under any circumstances. This person could continue to advise and assist the organization and the state after their term has ended, but could no longer hold such power. I understand that these thoughts are premature, but the last thing we want to do is create an appa
ratus that could be used to subdue a democratic populace. The state needs a comprehensive organization with extensive powers; but does accept risk by investing too much power in any one person, or group of persons’, hands.
With your approval sir, I would like to begin the work of establishing the Strategic Security Agency with the above basic guidelines. As always I am available for further discussion and would welcome any feedback or guidance you may have on this issue.
Sincerely,
ORIGINAL SIGNED
Brigadier General Nathan Taylor
Recommendations Approved/Disapproved/Provide Further Information
ORIGINAL SIGNED
President Reginald Philips
Chapter 7 – The Burned City
An old man in sweat-stained overalls galloped up to the McCracken County Municipal Building in Paducah on a lathered horse. He slid from the saddle before the horse had even stopped.
"They're coming!" he yelled as he hobbled up the stairs, "From the south, on the river, dozens of them, filled with soldiers!"
Some gathered on the steps to discuss what the now vanished man had been hollering about. He did look old enough to be senile. They smiled, shook their heads, and continued on with their business.
About five minutes later Mayor Leslie Mitchell fled the building taking one of the fueled up police vehicles with the lights and siren going as he sped off to who knew where.
Several men and women still stood in the mayor's office not sure what to do. The old messenger had been questioned by those in the room and then with his duty done had departed. The room was quiet and those in attendance kept unconsciously looking to the empty mayor's chair.
"Maybe he went to get help or something," said the mayor's secretary referring to her now fled boss.
"You heard what he said," answered the County Clerk. "The mayor isn't coming back, at least not when we need him."
"What about County Executive Williams?" asked a sheriff's deputy who happened to be in the building when the old man stormed in.
The Clerk shook his head, "He's out of town, won't be back in time."
"What are we supposed to do?" asked the secretary. "Who the hell is in charge now?"
Everyone looked at the clerk expectantly and he looked almost sick. "You won't like it," he said.
Confused looks stared back at him until understanding dawned in the deputy's eyes. Incredulous he said, "You can't be serious!"
"I'm afraid so," said the clerk. "That damn murdering gang leader is now in charge of everything. God help us."
"Best run while you can," said the deputy.
They did just that.
*******
Brazen quickly organized the regimental companies. He still couldn’t help but call them gangs in his own mind. They evacuated the people from the center of Paducah. Brazen figured that was where the WTR troops would land, so he sent the civilians to the outlying regions of Reidland, Heath, and Lone Oak. The gangs were brutally efficient as Brazen expected. He couldn’t be worrying about saving some individual while trying to fight an invader. Many went into the crowded stuffy buses against their wills.
Defending the entire city was out of the question. If the old man’s story was to be believed, there must be close to three hundred or more soldiers on the way and they probably had heavy machine guns, grenades, and mortars. Brazen’s regiment was taking in new recruits, but they were mostly untrained, and his forces chiefly consisted of the gangs. They were fanatical in their own way, but would never be able to stand up to such troops in the open, at least not yet.
His leaders argued for opposing the WTR landing at the river flood walls.
Brazen disagreed, "If they get resistance before they have landed their troops, they might simply move on downriver, could attack where the civilians are. The battle has to be in the city."
"Won't they just be able to do more damage there? Best to meet them straight on," said a state trooper, one of the few JP officials who had come to hear the plan and try to help instead of fleeing south and east.
Brazen grimaced at the trooper, "We have to believe these are WTR soldiers. Our men won't be able to stand up against them in normal battle, plus we'll likely be outgunned."
"What then? Just let them walk into the city?" asked Jinks, one of his leaders.
Brazen nodded, "That's exactly what we do."
They looked at him like he had lost his senses before protesting in louder and louder voices. He held up his hand to cut off their protests.
"Anyone know about the Battle of Stalingrad?" there were some faces that showed semblances of recognition, but most were blank. "During World War Two the Germans tried to take the industrial city, but the Russians simply fought building to building, nullifying the German’s superior mobility and fire power. Maybe we can do something similar here in Paducah on a smaller scale. Unless of course, someone has any better ideas?"
No one did.
They established a hasty perimeter around the downtown area, mainly using additional men or teenage boys who volunteered to help instead of evacuate. Brazen divided the city up into sections and assigned each of the five gangs their area to defend. He told them it wasn’t about bravery, but about killing as many of the enemy as they could without being killed or getting captured. They understood.
It was the next morning when they spotted the invasion force. They counted three small barges carrying men and equipment and a dozen smaller support craft. The barges lumbered close to the flood walls until their metal bottoms scraped with a shrill protest on the sloped concrete embankments. Ladders and ramps were lifted over the side and the men were able to come ashore with no more than their lower half wet.
The WTR forces seemed surprised at the ease of the landing and the fact that the city appeared to be abandoned. The enemy squads worked their way slowly away from the river and into the center of the city.
When they were spread apart, and too far from their boats to retreat easily, Brazen gave the signal.
His men started taking pot shots from inside the tall buildings. The WTR troops responded with overwhelming firepower, putting machine gun rounds and grenades into any window or position that fired on them. Many of Brazen’s men died, but they harassed the invaders’ advance, and by sunset had slowed them to a crawl.
Too far from the river to return in the dark, the invaders set up a defensive perimeter using several buildings to wait out the night. That was when the gangs went to work.
In the pitch black confined streets, Brazen’s men were able to sneak up close to the perimeter guards and pick them off one by one. The enemy was forced to tighten its perimeter as they took casualties. Psychologically, the men became even more afraid of the night.
Before sunrise they were forced to make a slow and painful withdrawal back to their boats, carrying their dead and wounded on makeshift litters. The WTR troops firebombed every building they passed on their way, but Brazen’s men kept up their harassment at a terrible cost to both sides. Soon WTR dead and wounded were being left behind, first as individuals, then in droves.
Brazen even thought they might actually be able to trap and destroy the entire force. He led a flanking attack on the boats, but they were too heavily defended. The WTR army had left a strong guard force, definitely wanting to secure their way home. Brazen abandoned the plan after a brief probe and settled with just driving the invaders out of the city. They would have to be content with killing as many of the enemy as they could.
The WTR force continued to make a hasty withdrawal, loading the barges while sustaining heavy casualties. By dawn's light Brazen's men saw the boats already in the middle of the Mississippi steaming back south. Many of Brazen’s men came down to the river to cheer and heckle the fleeing men, but machine gun fire from one of the boats scattered them and wounded one man. The enemy might be defeated, but they were definitely still dangerous.
Brazen cut their cheering short with a piercing whistle. "Listen up! You men have done great things, but
we still have work to do. We need to tend to the wounded, get those fires out and most importantly warn people down the river."
"Won't they already know?" asked Jinks, a dirty bandage around his right forearm. "They saw them come up."
"Yes," answered Brazen, "but the invading force only wanted to attack us. They'll go back dragging their tails and be more likely to take it out on some poor unsuspecting farmers and such.
They dispatched warning riders south on bikes. He also sent riders with reports to President Philips in Murray and General Anderson at Fulton. Brazen finally sent a rider to locate the County Exec who he thought was on his way back from visiting the dam and seeing the destruction there.
Brazen was now left to clean up the mess. Many of his men were dead; but it could have been much worse. Only a few of the civilians, who had refusing to evacuate, had been killed in the fighting. The buses were now bringing people back to downtown to help try to put out the fires as best they could. A number didn’t want to help and just wished to go home, but Brazen made it clear there was no choice. They were a community after all, and true communities helped their neighbors…whether they wanted to or not.
Brazen and his men walked through the smoldering, charred remains of downtown. Much of the city was still burning; but they just didn’t have the firefighting equipment, especially without electricity to power the water pumps, so they had to watch as the old buildings burned and collapsed.
When the electricity had gone off, no one thought to shut down the water feed from the city’s water towers and these drained almost dry within the first day as water consumption continued at a normal rate. All the water lines were now bone dry.
