Onto Old Glory: An Imperial Timeline

10th of January, 1007 ALB (1962 AD)

10:34 Hours

Imperial Britain, New Liverpool (formerly Canmarea)

New Fairview Street

Since most of the natives had promptly moved out of Imperial Britain, besides those who couldn’t afford to leave and some odd visitors, mostly scientists, the British government had effectively purchased all of the empty homes and buildings and sold them back to the people at cheaper prices for those who could. Who couldn’t afford a house, even with the cheap prices, were simply given one anyway as part of a re-settlement program that sought to empty out the London megacity and distribute the human population throughout the territory.

Captain Bennet was one such person. He had recieved a ‘re-location’ ticket and given the keys to a new house on the coast that was New Liverpool. Due to his status as a hardsuit operator, the house he got was a slight mansion that had the height to accomdiate for his size. Bennet didn’t wear his suit always as those things were removable. They were either left at a military base in the residing city or the operator could take it with him and throw it inside his closet.

Since this city was also a port city, the Royal Navy had established a naval port in the city. As such, since hardsuits were operated jointly by the British Army and Royal Navy, Bennet had left his hardsuit there. Lord knows that he was already too big with all the surgeries that made him taller and stronger physically. He already had problems fitting into a bus. Either way, he stared at the mansion in all but name. It was a lovely property that had a sizeable enough garden. To him, it was a normal sized garden but to the average-sized man it might have been a big one. Bennet began to consider taking up gardening as a hobby.

Bennet pushed the gate open, as his boots stepped into the gravel pathway. His steps rubbed against the gravel, making a crunching noise. Bennet took 6 steps before he already found himself at the door. Bennet reached into his pocket, reaching for the key as he pulled it out. It was small in his palm, about as big as his pinky finger. He placed his sack of items on the ground, moving his other hand to grab the key, moving it into the keyhole. Bennet was already sweating from anxiety. He had to be very careful as to not accidentally snap the key. He finally managed to turn the key, unlocking the door as he pushed it open, revealing the interior.

Bennet sighed as he took a step in, dumping the key onto a table that had been left behind by the previous owner, before he turned his waist to grab the bag. He pulled it in, before he pushed the door behind him to close. Bennet looked around. The home was big enough as for him to not his head against the roof. Bennet removed his shoes, before he began to explore the house as he looked around to find the bedroom.

After 20 minutes of exploring, he finally found the bedroom. The only piece of furniture in it was a queen-sized bed. To him it may as well have been a normal sized bed. Bennet sighed as he let the bag fall and grabbed out his clothes. He hanged the clothes into the empty wardrobe before he threw the bag into the wardrobe. That was all he had for now.

At that moment, Bennet’s stomach groaned. Bennet placed a hand on his stomach before he sighed. He went downstairs and went to the entrance door. The kitchen was empty so he would eat out at a restaurant or a bar and then buy some food from the retail store. He fitted his boots, tied the laces and walked out of the house, back on the street.

14:10 Hours

Russian Expeditionary Authority Territory

Altytown

Colonel Talkov was getting bored. Another shot rang out from his pistol as another pony dropped to the grass below. Talkov took another step forward, his breathing heaviy from the gas mask. Another shot and another heretical animal brought dead.

Talkov had been killing these talking ponies that were taking prisoner for hours now. He had killed them in all the ways the man knew how: first he fed them to the combatages, then he dumped them into a crate of livewire, after he got bored of that, the ponies were made to drink acid.

Either way, in his eyes and in the eyes of what remained of Russia, these things were abominations against God’s nature. They had the capability to think as man did and that was enough to result in the Church declaring these ponies as creations of the Devil against the natural order of the Lord. Man was made in His Image and Man was to inherit the Earth as the Christian churches often declared. Besides, they had proof through the God Engine that the LORD still communicated with the Church and kept the original teachings of Man. (see image below)

He finished the last shot, as the pony fell dead. The colonel then holstered his pistol and looked behind him. The engineers were reloading the rockets into the mobile rocket launchers as to appropiately bomarde another acursed city until it resembled more of a crater. They were also filling it with gas. Again? Not that Talkov had a problem with it. The engineers were the more liberal when using such things and they had a tendency to effectively use every last canister until there were none in reserve.

Talkov sighed as he adjusted his gas mask. He walked to the command tent. It’s been a few days since this expedition began and it was the easiest any Russian had ever done. Even Alaska was harder than this. The flat terrain contributed to that and the lack of readiness, adding with the utter fear and the fact that most of the ponies surrendered rather than gave a fight. Obviously most of the ponies were shot on the spot, but those that were taken prisoner were interrogated and then shot. The very few that survived were to be transfered back to St. Petersburg to be locked in the Zoo and, if more prisoners survived, were to be sold as livestock and pets both. That will make an interesting picture when the Blessed Imperial Family took their next potrait with a pet pegasus or something.

His thoughts were interrupted by two sounds. First was the sound of the artilery barrage that any Teuton would fear, the sound of the rocket artilery barrage. And the sound of his field phone ringing. He removed his gas mask, exposing his rough skin to be exposed to the cool air. He inhaled before he grabbed the handset and brought it to his ear. “Da?”

A beep was heard on the other side of the phone. The sound of an automated message that was designated for the entire frontline.

“ATTENTION! AN IMMEDIATE CEASE FIRE HAS BEEN ORDERED BY THE GENERAL STAFF! ALL FORCES ARE TO CEASE ALL OPERATIONS AND REMAIN ON THE DEFENSIVE UNTIL FURTHER ORDERS! ANY WHO DO NOT COMPLY WILL BE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION. REPEAT..”

The automated voice continued to repeat the order over and over. But Talkov was not listening. A cease fire? This contradicted the General Staff’s previous orders to show no mercy. This simply doesn’t make any sense. However, Talkov was a soldier and a good soldier follows order. He sighs as he puts the handset back down and got up, putting his gas mask on before getting up and walking outside.

Talkov walked over to the engineers as they were making jokes and laughing while the rockets were still firing. “Aye! You lot! Halt your fire!” he shouted as he waved at the engineers, who looked at their commander confused. “What?” one of them shouted over the noise.

Talkov got closer as he shouted further. “SHUT. IT. DOWN!” he shouted as he looked at the engineers. The engineers, baffled but not wanting to disobey their superior, nodded and went ahead to deactivate the artilery pieces. Talkov knew that they were just going to wait until the rockets were fired and simply not re-load it. But he was too tired to force them to stop them midfire.

Talkov merely wondered as he had only one question in his head: Why?

16:50 Hours

Imperial Britain, New Liverpool (formerly Canmarea)

New Fairview Street

If one was to wonder why it took Bennet 6 hours or so to get back home, the answer is very simple: the ponies bought almost all of the food before they left and the stores were nearly empty in New Liverpool. Normally this wouldn’t be a problem as automation allowed for the stores to be restocked in a matter of minutes, however since this is the new world, such a thing had not been introduced and distributed throughout the land. Some of the food had to be bought from the local producers, such as pony farmers, who were more skeptical and frightful of him when they first saw him. So, Bennet had to get himself onto a train back to London in order to actually get some proper food. He also had to wait in line because of the government-imposed rations in order to get what he needed.

Now, 6 hours or so later, Bennet had arrived back home with a bag full of the food he would use to get by this evening. He had also cooked up himself something that was at least edible for him to consume before he moved to the nearly-empty living room except for the telescreen on the wall that had been mounted on the wall and an armchair that was waiting for him. Bennet figured he would be watching some news for now. He had heard the IBC was re-broadcasting their first pieces of news in this new world.

After making a bit of soup for himself, he sat down and grabbed the remote before turning the telescreen. The logo of the IBC was onfront as the narrator spoke.

”-is IBC Evening News with Walter Cronkite. “ before the screen switched to the man.

”Good evening. Our main story tonight: ‘League of Nations intervention’.

As all the nations of the League were re-establishing contact with the nations within this alliance alongside other nations such as the Princessdom of Equestria, which have expressed interest in the League, disturbing reports have come from the island which the Equestrians have called ‘Griffking Isles’, that the Russian Empire has, by some terrible miracle, got their hands on the technology that was used by the Imperial Confederation and her allies and have arrived to this new world.

The Russian government has already begun hostilities with its’ so called ‘Blessed Expedition Westward’. This expedition came to light after the Stalliongradian government had sent requests of assistance to any nation that might be willing to assist it. Based on reports from both the Russians and the Stalliongradians both, this Expediton appears to be an ongoing success.

British and American diplomatic intervention has been established after Princess Celestia herself has requested the help of the Imperial Confederation, while the German government has already pledged to lend-lease weapons and other forms of material to the Stalliongradians to aid in their effort against the Russians. The French have diplomatically condemed the Russians, however have not made any other pledges of support.

A diplomatic summit has been requested at Canterlot, to which the Germans, Americans and British have all agreed attendence. The Russians have also agreed to send a diplomatic envoy to discuss matters.

In another piece of news, the National People’s Party have begun harrasment of the ponies still living within Imperial Britain via the Blackshirts. One witness called it troubling, however one of our reporters managed to get a comment from one of the blackshirts. (Screen switches to the man in a black outfit and a cap) “Why should we welcome them? They are bloody animals! Since when do we welcome fucken animals?” (Screen switches back to Walter). Sources indicate that the government has begun drafting legislation to integrate the natives into British culture.

Onto other news, a new movement seems to have begun taking over Britain and Germany. ‘Unification’ as it is called, calls for the proposed plans for supernations to be created. In Britain’s case, the United Imperial Commonwealth, and in Germany’s case, the Federated States of Europa. These seperate movements have argued that unification of all the cultures under a single identity is the best way for survival in this world. Both governments have not made any comment regarding these movements.

One final piece of news hails from the Kingdom of Aquileia. The Imperial Security Service, following an Freedom of Information Act request, has released a paper relying worrying information regarding the Kingdom’s stability as the Republicans have increased their terrorist activities ever since the Kingdom of France’s intervention. Prime Minister Churchil has already pledged military support to Aquileia in the event of an armed rebellion by the Republicans.

That is all for this evening, ladies and gentlemen. We will continue to monitor and follow the events that occur in this brave new world. This has been Walter Cronkite from IBC Evening News.”

The screen switched to the IBC logo before it began to sing “Land of Hope and Glory”.

Bennet had already finished his soup, as he just stared at the screen. He grabbed the remote and shut it down before he looked at the clock. It was 18:30. He sighed as he got up and walked back to the kitchen. Bennet was thinking he was probabbly going to be deployed to the french birds if the situation got bad. Bennet rubbed his eyes as he threw the bowl in the sink before we walked to the staircase, went upstairs and threw himself in bed.

Tomorrow is another day.