New Lancaster Airport

[Voshkod]

The sun is rising over the tarmac at New Lancaster Airport. Several makeshift shelters have been set up and secured by LIRA soldiers. Coffee, juice, water, and pastries have been provided for those also secured here.

An Eutopian Airlines 737 sits at the end of the otherwise empty runway. Several helicopters have collected near the terminal.

In the tents are President Loic de Fourgéres, still feeling a little crispy from the taser, President P.G. Talbott, the members of the General Assembly, President O'Floinn's cabinet members, Fred Williamson, Justices Clay and Dredd, and assorted others. Notably absent is President O'Floinn.

The LIRA troopers are generally respectful, but firm in making sure no one leaves.

A Huey alights near the tents. General Marcus Levarge, flanked by heavily armed OSO agents, strides over to the tents. The General is wearing his battle fatigues and has a pistol at his side.

He stops before the "prisoners" and comes to attention. "Gentlemen. I have assumed control of the country to restore civil order. Your continued presence in the country will not aid me in that mission. You have two choices. That 737 over there will be departing for Bern in one hour. You can be on it. You will be given $10,000 in cash for your immediate relocation needs, and full access to your Eutopian assets when the immediate crisis is resolved. Or you can accept close house arrest under military supervision. I do not believe that either exile or house arrest will last too long. I don't intend for democracy to die in Eutopia on my watch."

He looks at them for a minute. "Where's O'Floinn?," he snaps to a LIRA colonel.

"Didn't get him, sir, but we're looking."

Levarge nods. "Secure him as soon as you can."

Fred "the Hammer" starts shouting. "Levarge, you son of a bitch! Where's your goddamned honor, you fascist?"

Levarge gives Williamson a hard look. "There is a third alternative, Mr. Williamson, though not one I want to use. There's a small copse of woods past the helicopters. We will return your body to your family."

With that, the General starts to march away. "One hour to decide, gentlemen. Exile, house arrest, or the woods."

 

[unmerged(35742)]

Is that a threat sir?
Says a very annoyed looking Braxton

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge stops for a moment without turning around. "Yes, Major, that was a threat. Go to Bern, gentlemen. Spend a few months in exile. It will be easier on everyone that way."

 

[unmerged(22430)]

I will go to Bern but when I get back i wish my position as Head of the office of Transportation and Deputy MIDA to be restored

 

[aussieboy]

I will go to Bern, and from there to Vienna. As a hint, Per Naruto is planning on launching a guerilla war to overthrow both democracy and your petty military regime.

 

[unmerged(35742)]

I might as well go to Bern but when I get back I want my property returned the same way I left it.

 

[Voshkod]

The LIRA colonel motions those willing to go toward the airplane. "After you get to Bern, we don't care where you go. Your property won't be touched, and you'll still have access to your bank accounts. The General had no intention of punishing anyone; but if Naruto starts shooting at us, we'll show him a bit or two about combat."

The plane begins to taxi down the runway, toward the rising sun. Envelopes stuffed with cash are handed to those who are heading to Bern. Scared-looking stewardesses serve drinks and breakfast, and the EAL 737 leaves Eutopian airspace for exile abroad.

 

[Erc]

*Talbott shouts towards Levarge*

Levarge, listen to me...I've known you for a long time, Levarge. I know your intentions are good, that you're only trying to do what's best for Eutopia...but it's not going to work, Levarge. It never does. Even if you do have your nice little success today...in the end, you're just going to end up like the rest of them. Roger Smith...the late Admiral Tulp...Colonel Haynes.
Colonel Haynes--now that was an upstanding officer, and a good friend of mine. And then he got put away for 10-20.

And if you do somehow succeed with all your plans? Restore democracy in a year or two, like you claim. What makes you think this new democracy will be any great fan of yours, General? The mob is fickle, General, and once it gets power, it will turn against you. Sure, you could run away, like Hartwell. But then you spend the rest of your life on the lam. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather retire someplace a bit more...scenic...than Guyana or Sierra Leone.

And, of course, you can comfort yourself in your long retirement in jail or in Guyana, with what you've done for the country. But what will you have done? The military's reputation is just going to go down the drain again, just as people were thinking that we could trust the Officer Corps. You won't be getting much support for additional funding, legal or not. And the country itself? Yeah, a military coup's going to do a lot of good for us. Paraguay got beyond military coups 15 years ago. In the view of the world, Eutopia's an instable country that's about on par with Falklands-era Argentina.

And if the problem's just with the current situation, then you've pretty much fixed it. If it's our involvement in Cuba, our troops are on the way home. If it's the entire Presidential succession business, then I appoint O'Floinn as my Vice-President and resign. Heck, I never wanted the Presidency anyway--well, at least not from Fourgéres' hands. And if Fourgéres here is the problem, well we were just about to impeach him anyway. We've got the entire Council of State right here, we can have him removed from office in five minutes. Even better, you've got your goons here, just take him out back and shoot him. Can't say he doesn't deserve it--and I don't think any of us will object.

It's not too late, Levarge. You can end this now. Recognize the authority of the rightful federal government, put your troops back under command of President O'Floinn--or, if you can't find him, I'm in charge here. I'll see to it that no charges will be filed against you, that you will receive a full and most honorable discharge from the Army, and that you can enjoy a long and quiet retirement in peace with a full pension commensurate with your rank and with the gratitude of a country thankful for your loyal and patriotic acts of the last few days.

This is your last chance, Levarge. Stand down and follow the orders of your commander-in-chief, or you will pay for your actions. Not now, maybe not next month--but when your regime comes crashing down, as it will. You may have the best of intentions, Levarge, I'm sure you view yourself as the liberator of your people, the man who has to save democracy in Eutopia by destroying it for a while--but when the book of history is written, your name will be accursed within it if you do not cease this madness now.

*Seeing that Levarge has gotten in his jeep anyway, Talbott begins up the stairs towards the 737.*

*At the top of the stairs, Talbott turns around, strikes a particularly melodramatic pose, and utters a carefully thought out, wittily delivered line, the culmination of his speech:*


*Unfortunately, at that moment, the engines of the 737 go into a full roar, and the line is forever lost to posterity.*

 

[unmerged(24047)]

Major McGrath comes out of the crowd, nodding at his ex-comrades of the LIRA, with a shady look in his eyes tries to talk to Levarge:

"General Levarge, I assume that for me is the the same situation. But if i can help out here, remember that i'm still a Soldier. If you prefer, i'll take that plane."

 

[Voshkod]

Levarge doesn't turn to look at McGrath. "Major, anyone who sticks by me will be ruined forever when the democracy returns. You're a good man, and someone Eutopia will need in the future. Get on the plane, denounce me, fight against me, make sure your viable in the future."

 

[unmerged(41776)]

"I have no desire to see Switzerland." MGA Olson informs whatever military personnel that happens to listen. "And its not like I'm overwhelmed with assets, so I'll go under house arrest, if you don't mind."

Olson ponders for a minute. "Samuel, bring me back some chocolate. Or a watch. Or some other stereotypical Swiss thing. We'll figure out what to do when you get back. Travel safely."

 

[Voshkod]

"Right this way then, sir." Olsen is escorted to a car and driven back to his home. A pair of soldiers is posted outside. One of them knocks on the door. "Just let us know if you need anything, sir, and we'll have someone deliver it."