Part 18 (1/2)

Of the UNPROFOR troops who were arrested during the summer of victory, there were a few suicides by known rapists and ”liquidators” who feared being brought to justice. After some debate, the Restoration of the Const.i.tution Government (RCG) issued a general amnesty to UNPROFOR troops for embezzlement, theft, possession of stolen goods, and possession of stolen military property, but for no other crimes. The logic was that even some ostensibly good officers and NCOs had been given a share of loot. The prevailing culture in the New Army, it was argued, was to accept a share of loot, or else be suspected of disloyalty.

27.

Anthem

”Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the Principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Const.i.tution is pure Virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our People in a greater Measure than they have it now, They may change their Rulers and the forms of Government, but they will not obtain a lasting Liberty. They will only exchange Tyrants and Tyrannies.”

-John Adams, Letter to Zabdiel Adams, June 21, 1776, in Letters of Delegates to Congress: Volume 4, May 16, 1776August 15, 1776 At just before noon on July Fourth, everyone congregated at the Brooks Field parade ground. They quietly lowered the UN flag and raised Old Glory without much fanfare. Resistance soldiers cut up the UN banner into small swatches for souvenirs.

A mobile PA system was set up, with a pair of speakers and a microphone stand. There was no time to arrange for a band to play or for an artillery salute, but a bespectacled former Marine with a double chin and an amazing singing voice gave an a cappella rendition of all four verses of ”The Star-Spangled Banner”: Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?

Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight, O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.

Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the sh.o.r.e, dimly seen through the mists of the deep, Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes, What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep, As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?

Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam, In full glory reflected now s.h.i.+nes in the stream: 'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion, A home and a country should leave us no more!

Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.

No refuge could save the hireling and slave From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave: And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand Between their loved home and the war's desolation!

Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.

Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto, ”In G.o.d is our trust.”

And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

This was the first time the Ben had ever heard the usually omitted later verses. Like many others who were gathered, the lyrics moved him to tears.

Then Andy Laine stepped up to the microphone and pulled a sheet of handwritten notes from his ACU s.h.i.+rt pocket. ”My only regret,” he began, ”is that I didn't join the Resistance sooner. I'm from New Mexico, and it took a long time for the ProvGov to become a threat to our liberty there. If I had only known the full depth of the ProvGov's crimes, I would have joined the fight sooner.”

Andy cleared his throat, and went on: I'm not an eloquent speaker, so I don't have the proper words for this sort of momentous occasion. I will just let the words of our Founding Fathers express my sentiments. First, I'd like to quote from George Was.h.i.+ngton, the man who could have been appointed our nation's king, but who humbly demurred. In his farewell address to his cabinet, Was.h.i.+ngton said: ”Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge in the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle. . . . Observe good faith and justice toward all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it?”

Next, a brief quote from Alexander Hamilton, from one of his many writings in The Federalist Papers: ”The fabric of American empire ought to rest on the solid basis of the consent of the people. The streams of national power ought to flow from that pure, original fountain of all legitimate authority.”

And finally, a quote from Thomas Jefferson: ”The people of every country are the only guardians of their own rights and are the only instruments which can be used for their destruction. It is an axiom in my mind that our liberty can never be safe but in the hands of people themselves, that, too, of the people with a certain degree of instruction.”

Andy bowed his head and prayed aloud solemnly, ”Almighty G.o.d, we beseech thee, oh Lord, to again extend thy covenantal blessings on America. We realize that we deserve only your righteous wrath. But we have repented and we beg ye, oh Lord, for thy mercies upon us. We pray for thy providence and protection, as well as that by thy Holy Spirit that thou would grant wisdom and restraint for the new Congress that we elect. We pray this in the name of Christ Jesus, Amen.”

Then Ed Olds stepped up onto the base of the flagpole. With many people recognizing him, the crowd began cheering. Like Andy, Ed's MultiCam uniform now had a full-color American flag patch on the right shoulder, and a ”U.S. ARMY” tape where the ”UNPROFOR” tape had been a day earlier. He raised his hand in a slow wave, and waited for the crowd to quiet down.

With the mobile PA system, Olds announced: ”Ladies and gentlemen, here we stand, on Independence Day, once again independent.”

This inspired a huge wave of applause and cheering that went on for nearly two minutes. Finally, Olds continued. ”The war of resistance was leaderless, so this puts us in an interesting position. Rather than have some individual declare, 'I'm in charge,' we are recognizing that we, the People, are in charge. As an active duty soldier, I recognize that you are our employers. I'm certainly not in charge, and I'm the officer who relieved the post commander. He was a quisling and a crony of Maynard Hutchings. The officer corps certainly isn't calling the shots. That's your job, ladies and gentlemen. I urge you to re-form a limited, and in fact minimalist Const.i.tutional government, from the gra.s.s roots up. The county governments are key to this.”

A woman in the crowd shouted loudly, ”That's right!”

Olds continued, ”We don't need a new Const.i.tution. The existing one-the one that was briefly discarded-can still work fine, if the separate powers can be kept in check, and the original intent of the Framers is heeded. So once again, as Ben Franklin said more than two centuries ago, I'm here to announce: 'It's a Republic, if you can keep it.'”

There was a huge round of applause.

The applause finally died down and Olds added, ”And beware. I'm glad Andy Laine quoted George Was.h.i.+ngton-because he was very prescient. Was.h.i.+ngton wisely advised us to beware. He once wrote: 'Government is not reason; it is not eloquence; it is force. Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master.'”

There was a cascade of applause, and a man in the crowd shouted, ”Veritas!”

Immediately after the anthem and speeches, Ed Olds and Andy Laine were introduced to some of the militia members, including Ben Fielding, Brent Danley, and the Old Man. It was not until they discussed where they had been operating that Andy recognized the men from the intelligence dispatches. He had an ”aha” moment when he realized that Ben was the resistance fighter known variously as ”Mister Green Jeans” and ”b.l.o.o.d.y Ben,” in reports.

Ben, Brent, and the Old Man had infiltrated into Fort Knox five days before on foot. But they departed in a liberated Ceradyne Bull mine protected vehicle, with Brent behind the wheel. There was heavy traffic in both directions on Bullion Boulevard-traffic like none of them had seen since before the Crunch. The traffic was slow, as revelers honked their horns and slowed to watch spontaneous celebrations and fireworks.

As they pa.s.sed the Chaffee Gate, Ben leaned forward from the rear seat and asked the Old Man, ”So now that we've won, how about you finally let us know your family name? I'd like to keep in touch.”

The Old Man made no reply. He dipped his head and looked deep in thought.

Brent turned the vehicle south onto the Dixie Highway, and glanced over at him. He continued to look contemplative. Finally, the Old Man shook his head and said with a laugh, ”I've told you before, Ben, you don't have a need to know. I think it's best that now we all just humbly fade back into the woodwork. Especially our recon team. After what we've done-I don't know about you-but I've got some mixed feelings. We killed almost as many men from Shreveport and San Antonio as we did from Stuttgart. So I'd rather just put it all behind me and make a fresh start.”

They drove on in silence for another minute, and then the Old Man asked, ”Say, can you drop me off down at the Cav Store?”

Brent answered, ”Sure, my pleasure.”

A few minutes later, they pulled into the U.S. Cavalry Store parking lot. A group of teenage boys and girls were there, setting off smoke grenades and launching military pop flares, with many hoots and hollers. The group was boisterous, with one of the boys shouting, ”A Fourth of July to remember!” In the distance, they could hear the sporadic detonations of artillery simulators and what they presumed were grenade simulators.