Jeremy reported to Colonel Seth Upjohn when he arrived at Texarkana. The colonel invited him to sit down, saying that he wanted an informal chat.
“Your reputation precedes you,” the colonel started. “First you escaped from Virginia. Then you were acquitted in a murder trial that got publicity clear across the RSNA. Your kidnapping and rescue exposed a corrupt governor whose removal from office led to his state rejoining the union. Now you come to us with some of the highest recommendations we have ever received about a new officer. You took on some heavy responsibilities, including providing for a wife and baby, and you not only performed well, but you shined. I feel honored to have such greatness under my command.”
“Thank you,” replied Jeremy, at a loss for words over the praise. “I only did what I needed to do. Now I will do what I need to do here.”
“That is the kind of attitude we want,” stated the colonel. “You are probably aware of the challenges we have here. In Louisiana, the corrupt leadership has caused instability. In Oklahoma, they have the issue about Native Americans wanting to form sovereign nations. Trouble could break out in either state. But our biggest issue is Texas. If the World Court rules in our favor, Mexico will probably resist. There have been frequent riots in Texas since the Mexican takeover. Those will certainly get worse if that scenario happens.”
Jeremy was assigned a house near the edge of the base. It was not a particularly large house, but it comfortably accommodated a family of three. Jeremy’s work mostly consisted of drilling troops in his platoon. He also taught classes and led field exercises to help prepare for combat situations. While military life at the base had its rigors, life there was generally easy. Jeremy was glad he could spend his nights with Alicia and Brenda.
Alicia enjoyed living at the base too. Her favorite activity was going to the spouses of officers’ club. She liked socializing with the women there. Brenda was a big hit with the women there. They all enjoyed holding Brenda and playing with her. They also held a big birthday party when Brenda turned two.
Naturally, Jeremy followed baseball closely. In college baseball, he was happy with Creighton’s success. His alma mater even made it to the College World Series. While Creighton played well there, they eventually lost out to University of Pennsylvania.
Jeremy was pleased that Dean Fisher was playing for Detroit in the major leagues. Once again, Detroit ran away with the American League lead. In the National League, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Atlanta were battling it out. While Jeremy wanted to see a different team win the World Series, he also wanted Dean Fisher to play for a World Series winner.
In late September, the World Court issued its ruling. It ruled that Texas did win its independence from Mexico fairly. Texas therefore had to right to join the United States if it wanted to. Furthermore, the value of the land in Texas had greatly increased since it had left Mexico. This growth was caused by improvements while Texas was in the United States. Therefore, Mexico must relinquish its claim to Texas.
While the RSNA rejoiced at the decision, tension escalated at the base. Mexico would probably not relinquish its claim to Texas. That would cause more riots in Texas. More riots would likely force military intervention, with the first wave coming from Texarkana.
Jeremy, along with the other officers at the base, carefully watched the situation in Texas. As expected, Mexico did not relinquish Texas. Riots broke out in many Texas cities. El Paso. Amarillo. Houston. Brownsville. San Antonio. Dallas. Odessa. So far, none of these riots had occurred close enough to the RSNA for it to act.
When Detroit won the World Series against Atlanta, the personnel at the base hardly noticed it. When Jeremy mentioned it to a fellow officer, the officer replied that the pro baseball playoffs had always been the main topic at the base in prior years. This year, the base was much too focused on Texas for the baseball playoffs to get as much attention.
The midterm elections brought several changes. Kevin Jacobs decided not to seek reelection as Arkansas governor. Instead, he ran for the US Senate and won. In Iowa, Governor Ohrt retired from politics. In Nebraska, Governor Willkie left office to take a consulting job in Omaha.
Neither Creighton nor Iowa State performed well in football that fall. Nebraska won the conference, advancing to the playoffs. But Nebraska lost to Arkansas in the opening round of the playoffs. Arkansas then advanced to the championship round by defeating Michigan State. Then it defeated Central Florida to win the national championship. At least college football had parity. In eight years, eight different teams had won the national championship.
At Christmas, Jeremy was not allowed to go on furlough because of heightened security at the base. Jeremy told Alicia she could take Brenda and go to Des Moines for Christmas if she wanted. But Alicia said she would rather spend Christmas with him.
In basketball, Indiana continued with its success. Granted, they were not as dominant as they had been, but if they did not have the best team in college basketball, they were always awfully close. Meanwhile, there was talk of restarting the National Basketball Association the next winter.
The cooler weather during the winter led to less rioting in Texas. Most of the protests happened in the southern part of the state. But everyone knew that contempt was still simmering. Warmer weather would likely lead to more violence.
The new year brought some good news to the reuniting nation. Minnesota decided to approve the new constitution. President Marshall, along with some of the state leaders, had finally convinced the other leaders that the separation of church and state in the RSNA worked better than Minnesota’s partially theocratic model. Now the RSNA had twenty-six states, a clear majority.
Jeremy got more good news from Alicia. She was pregnant with their second child. Jeremy could tell how overjoyed Alicia was to be having another baby. He was quite happy himself. But he was concerned about what might happen if he got involved in a combat situation.
Jeremy and the other officers at the camp spent most of the winter instructing the privates and NCOs about what to do in case they needed to help Texas. They also carefully studied maps of Texas, familiarizing themselves with the state, particularly in the areas closest to Texarkana.
Winter gradually gave way to spring. That meant more outdoor drills at the base and keeping a closer watch on events in Texas.
College basketball finished its playoffs in March. Chalk up another national title for Indiana. The college sports association began carefully looking at recruiting practices. It wanted more parity in basketball than it had so far.
Major League Baseball had its own issues about parity. A magazine published an article claiming players for Detroit were getting paid significantly more than players for the other teams. It suggested that Detroit, now the nation’s leading money center, had the money to buy the best talent. The Major League Baseball leaders took notice.
Major League Baseball started the season by renewing an old tradition. President Marshall traveled to Kansas City. He threw the season’s ceremonial first pitch. To the people who remembered pro baseball before the dissolution, it was another sign that things were continuing to get better.
This baseball season became more interesting than the recent ones had been. Both New York and Baltimore gave Detroit chase in the American League. In the National League, St. Louis, Atlanta, and Philadelphia were toughing it out for first place. Jeremy started following both races closely.
Jeremy’s interest in baseball was soon disrupted by other events. A heat wave seared its way across Texas. The hot weather spawned more riots. One night, just after Jeremy had settled down with Alicia and Brenda after dinner, the phone rang. Jeremy answered. The voice on the other end of the line ordered Jeremy to get to the base right away. He just gave short kisses to his wife and daughter before charging out the door.
As Jeremy arrived at the base, he noticed an orange glow to the west. He then knew what was happening. Colonel Upjohn informed Jeremy that a large riot had erupted on the Texas side of Texarkana. Troops at this base were ordered to stop the riot.
Many of the troops were already in formation by the time Jeremy arrived. He quickly took charge of his unit. Shortly afterward, Colonel Upjohn gave the order to move forward. The RSNA troops quickly took down the barriers that Mexico had erected at the border and plunged into Texas. Not far across the border, buildings blazed. Shots were fired, though nobody in the RSNA troops could tell who was shooting at who.
Mexicans started firing at the RSNA troops when they reached the scene. The local fire department was trying to put out the fires, but they were overwhelmed. The RSNA troops called for the fire brigade at the base to come and help. The Texarkana, Arkansas, fire department started coming over too.
While the Mexicans tried to fend off the RSNA troops, local citizens began taking sniper shots at the Mexicans. As more RSNA troops arrived, the Mexicans realized they were vastly outnumbered. They quickly retreated. But enough people siding with the RSNA in this conflict understood Spanish well enough to know that the Mexicans were going to call for backup. Jeremy overheard someone say, “The second Texas Revolution has begun.”
By the time the skirmish ended, the RSNA held Texarkana with some of the surrounding area. Knowing that the Mexicans were sending reinforcements, the RSNA high command had arranged to send reinforcements likewise. At least the RSNA had only lost two men, who were wounded. It was not known what the Mexican and civilian casualties were.
It was after midnight by the time Jeremy could contact Alicia. She felt relieved to hear Jeremy’s voice and to know that he was OK. But she did not like hearing that the fighting was far from over. This was going to be the RSNA’s biggest fight since it had been established. Jeremy was not sure he would ever see Alicia and Brenda again, or if he would ever meet his unborn baby.
The next day brought more skirmishes. The RSNA only gained a few square miles of land, still not suffering any deaths. Meanwhile, reinforcements arrived from the RSNA base in Little Rock. Men from the base in Fort Smith were expected to arrive that night. About fifty men from Louisiana came to Texarkana, offering their services.
The RSNA started pushing forward harder. Even when Mexican reinforcements arrived, the RSNA still had superior numbers. Because the Mexican government had neglected the infrastructure in Texas, it was more difficult to transport troops. But the biggest advantage the RSNA had was that the people living in Texas wanted them to win. In many cities, there were reports of civilians sabotaging the Mexican effort.
The conflict between the RSNA and Mexico soon opened on other fronts. Troops from bases in Nebraska moved southward to occupy land in Kansas, Colorado, and Oklahoma that was held by the Mexicans. The RSNA navy transported troops to the Texas Gulf Coast. Even RSNA troops from Idaho invaded Utah.
The Arkansas units continued to forge their way south and west. Several counties were soon liberated. Finally, Jeremy and his men reached a point a few miles west of Mount Pleasant, Texas. In the distance was a small town called Winfield. Jeremy figured they would liberate Winfield the next day as they continued their push toward Dallas. Meanwhile, it promised to be another hot night, with a hot wind blowing in from the west.
Suddenly, an orange glow caught Jeremy’s attention. Using binoculars, he saw that it was a large fire somewhere west of Winfield. The hot winds were blowing this fire straight toward the town. Jeremy took several men in a jeep to Winfield. Meanwhile, he ordered some men back to Mount Pleasant to bring firefighters to Winfield.
Jeremy sped the jeep into Winfield, right into the path of the approaching fire. He and his men quickly alerted the populace, telling them to evacuate. As more local citizens became aware of their plight, more citizens were alerted. Soon people were evacuated back toward Mount Pleasant. By the time the last citizens had left, the fire had started torching the west edge of the town. Sweating profusely, Jeremy quickly got his men into the jeep to go back to Mount Pleasant.
Before he had driven one mile out of Winfield, Jeremy passed by the fire brigade as it headed into the danger in Winfield. Jeremy prayed that nobody would get hurt.
The next morning, the damage was ascertained. The entire town of Winfield had burned to the ground. But at least nobody was killed or even hurt. The townspeople thanked Jeremy and the men who came with him. At least they were all still alive. Jeremy noticed one woman with a baby among those who had escaped. It made him think about his own family back in Texarkana.
It was soon discovered that the fire was deliberately set by Mexican troops. Now sentiment turned against the Mexicans more than ever. Riots started happening in nearly every major city in the state. Even smaller cities experienced violence. Jeremy read about a town called Mineral Wells, west of Fort Worth. Violence had broken out that only ended when the few Mexican authorities there were driven out of town.
The Arkansas units continued their advance, aided by citizens from the areas they had already liberated. It was obvious that Sulphur Springs, Commerce, and Greenville had suffered damages, but the people there were uninjured. They were glad the RSNA forces had arrived. Jeremy speculated about what conditions would be like in Dallas, which was now within striking distance.
While the RSNA continued its bout with Mexico, General Krakowski tried to take advantage of the situation. Figuring the RSNA was too occupied with liberating Texas to pay attention to him, he ordered his troops to retake Bristol.
This time, the general’s reasoning backfired. Not only were the RSNA troops ready to fend off the attack, but they also pushed past Bristol further into Virginia. Moving in a generally northeasterly direction, they advanced all the way to Marion, about forty miles from Bristol. Marion was finally connected to areas held by the RSNA.
For President Marshall, this achievement made him feel like he had evened the score with General Krakowski. He was fully determined not to let General Krakowski win any more bouts with the RSNA. President Marshall commended the people of Marion for putting up resistance to General Krakowski’s tyranny. Now they were connected to the free world.
Once the action in Virginia was completed, attention turned back to Texas. Colonel Upjohn’s forces quickly reached the suburbs of Dallas. The Mexicans fought more fiercely to defend the large city. But fighting against both the RSNA troops and the local populace proved too much. The outcome for control of Dallas was never in doubt.
Jeremy found what he had anticipated in Dallas. Destroyed buildings, sabotaged railroads, broken bridges, cracked roads. This would take considerable effort to repair. At least this pivotal metropolitan city was liberated.
Elsewhere, the situation also worsened for the Mexicans. RSNA forces in the Gulf of Mexico liberated Corpus Christi. The troops from Nebraska, aided by volunteers from Kansas and Colorado, swept Mexican forces out of southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, and Oklahoma. From there, the forces pushed into the Texas Panhandle toward Amarillo. The forces from the Idaho bases, facing little resistance, had advanced as far as Ogden, with plans for taking Salt Lake City.
Mexican leadership finally decided that they could not hold Texas. They requested a cease-fire, which the RSNA granted. Arrangements were then made for the Mexican president and the governor of Texas, named Manuel Mesta, to meet with President Marshall in Dallas. President Marshall said that Secretary of State Stevenson would also attend.
The foursome worked out an arrangement. Mexico would relinquish all land that had comprised the Republic of Texas except for the land located in present-day New Mexico. This would accommodate residents in New Mexico who, for the most part, had not resisted Mexican occupation. In return, Mexico would relinquish all land in Utah north of forty degrees north latitude. This would include over half the population of Utah. While Marshall and Stevenson did not like the idea of leaving part of the original Republic of Texas in Mexican hands, they were happy about the relinquishment of northern Utah.
Mexico did ask for one more concession. That was that Manuel Mesta be allowed to stay on as Texas governor. Though Hispanic, he was originally from Texas. He had cooperated with Mexico during the occupation but was well-liked by his constituents. He would continue to work for the best interests of Texas. Marshall and Stevenson had no issue with allowing Governor Mesta to remain as governor if that was what the people of Texas wanted.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Hector Stevenson emphasized that the RSNA wanted to cultivate good relations with Mexico and that there would be cooperation between the two nations going forward. The Mexican president acknowledged this but pointed out that another big dispute existed between them. The World Court had not decided the status of the territory that the United States had taken from Mexico after the Mexican War. Both sides agreed that they would await the ruling from the World Court.
Finally, the Mexicans and the RSNA signed a treaty affirming their agreement. The treaty became known as the Treaty of Dallas.
The Treaty of Dallas changed the situation in several states. Texas, which had been entirely controlled by Mexico, was now entirely free to determine its own future. Kansas was whole again. It likewise could determine its own fate. In Oklahoma, the Mexicans were simply removed from the picture. But who was really in charge? Was it the state government in Oklahoma City? Or were the Native Americans masters of their own segments of the state?
Colorado had gained some land relinquished by Mexico. More than half of the state’s people were outside Mexican control. But the entire state west of the Continental Divide was still occupied by Mexico. The state was not whole. In order to join the RSNA, it would have to become whole again.
The situation was similar in Utah. More than half of the state’s population was free from Mexican occupation. But the state was not whole. Both Utah and Colorado eagerly awaited the World Court’s decision on the remainder of the Southwestern United States, as did the rest of the world.
Jeremy eagerly notified Alicia that he was on his way back to Texarkana. Alicia was relieved to hear that Jeremy was unhurt. Jeremy replied that for the most part, the fighting was light. In fact, only two of his men had been injured. Those were both minor injuries. They would recover quickly.
The RSNA troops were weary but happy as they headed back to their bases. Jeremy could hardly wait to see his wife and daughter again. The journey was slower than he was used to, but at least it was not long. The troops piled out of their vehicles when they reached the Texarkana base. Hugs and kisses were exchanged by the dozens, with joyful reunions among the returning soldiers and their loved ones.
Jeremy quickly spotted Alicia with Brenda. Jeremy could tell his little girl was growing. The three of them shared hugs and kisses, happily reunited. As they made their way back home, Brenda seemed like she could not let go of her daddy. Jeremy carried her all the way back home.
Nationwide, President Marshall gained accolades for his leadership during the Texas crisis. His approval ratings soared. People eagerly waited to see how many states would join the RSNA now that Texas was liberated. Confidence that the United States would be reunited was higher than ever before.
A few days after arriving back in Texarkana, Jeremy was told that he was supposed to attend a ceremony on the base. He could bring Alicia and Brenda. Wondering what this ceremony was about, Jeremy took his family to the base. They sat in the middle of the audience. Up on stage were Colonel Upjohn; his commander, General Armstrong; and the Secretary of the Army, Trevor Bliss. One other man was seated with them, but Jeremy did not know who.
Trevor Bliss opened the ceremony with a prayer. Then he began his speech. “Today we are gathered to pay tribute to the brave men and women who fought bravely for the liberation of Texas. Every one of them risked their lives to achieve justice and freedom for their fellow Americans. Sadly, thirty-eight of our soldiers died in this liberation. They gave their lives so the millions of people living in Texas could have the freedom to determine their own destinies. In addition, 204 more were wounded or otherwise injured. They are all expected to recover. While the loss of even one life is too many, we must be thankful, considering the scope of the operation, that our losses were not higher.”
Then Mr. Bliss continued, “We are also gathered today to pay tribute to six soldiers who risked their lives to save hundreds of people. We would like for these men to join us on the stage. Their names are Lieutenant Jeremy Voorhies, Sergeant Leonard Hackwell, Sergeant Jeffrey Barber, Corporal Walter Yang, Corporal Howard Skinner, and Private James Ackerman. Will these gentlemen please come forward?”
Jeremy got up from his seat and walked up to the stage while also watching the five brave soldiers who had accompanied him to Winfield, who were also making the walk up. He could not help but feel regard for these five soldiers, who had risked their lives on his order.
Upon reaching the stage, Jeremy called the men to attention. Mr. Bliss then calmly spoke. “At ease.” The six soldiers relaxed. Then Mr. Bliss walked up to each soldier and pinned a medal on his chest. Then he asked the men to turn around. Standing next to them, he announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, these are the brave soldiers who risked their lives to rescue the people of Winfield, Texas.”
Jeremy looked out at the audience. He saw Alicia beaming at him with pride. Brenda also seemed happy, although she could not comprehend the situation. Then he looked at the men with him. He was proud of these men for what they had achieved.
Next, the six men shook hands with the other men on the stage. When Colonel Upjohn shook Jeremy’s hand, he asked Jeremy, “Is there anything you can’t do?”
Jeremy replied, “It wasn’t me, sir. It was all of us.”
The man whom Jeremy did not recognize was the last one to shake hands. He seemed like he was about to cry as he told the six men that he was the mayor of Winfield. He gave a heartfelt thank you to all six of them, both from him and on the behalf of the people of Winfield.
When Jeremy, Alicia, and Brenda got home, Alicia wrapped both arms around Jeremy and gave him a huge kiss. “I am so proud of you, Jeremy,” she commented, smiling upon the completion of the kiss. “How did I get so lucky to be the first girl to meet you at Lincoln High?”
“How did I get so lucky that you were the first student I met at Lincoln High?” Jeremy responded. “Not many men end up married to the first one they meet.”
Life at the base quickly calmed down. The soldiers settled back into their old routine of drills, military maneuvers, and classes. Sergeant Hackwell became Jeremy’s right-hand man. Together, they worked effectively as a team.
One day, Sergeant Hackwell approached Jeremy with a request. He wanted to apply for officer camp. Jeremy assured him that he would support his effort. Sergeant Hackwell’s performance had well proved that he would make an effective officer. That night, Jeremy typed up a recommendation letter for Sergeant Hackwell. He gave it to Colonel Upjohn the next day.
Colonel Upjohn took the recommendation letter and thanked Jeremy. He then commented, “You are the one whose star is rising. You are really going to go places in life.” Pleased by the compliment, Jeremy thanked Colonel Upjohn and went back home.
While he was busy with his duties in Texas, Jeremy had not checked on the baseball standings since the liberation started. He was surprised to see that New York had overtaken Detroit in the American League, though Detroit still had a chance. In the National League, St. Louis was safely out in front.
The officers’ wives held a big party for Brenda’s third birthday. She reveled in the attention, not to mention the cake and presents. Alicia mostly sat and remained quiet. She thought about how much her expanding tummy would soon affect Brenda’s life.
A few weeks later, Julie Susan Voorhies was born. Jeremy and Alicia were overjoyed at the birth of their second child. Brenda felt jealous over the attention that her little sister was getting. Jeremy and Alicia both assured Brenda that they both loved her just as much.
As football season started, Jeremy and Alicia cheered for their respective alma maters. Neither team provided much to cheer about that year, both sinking into the lower halves of their conferences. Nebraska and Drake were again looking like the two best teams in their conference, with Missouri also contending.
It was New York against St. Louis in the World Series. New York won it in six games. When Jeremy overheard someone at the base comment that it was good that a different team had won the series, an old man commented that this was not a different team winning the series. Instead, it showed that things were returning to how they were before the dissolution. Another person pointed out that in the new major leagues, American League teams had won seven of the eight championships. The only time a National League team had won was in the first season, when Pittsburgh won it.
Nothing of much consequence happened around the base during the fall. Most of the men talked about football. Whenever a football game was televised, the officers invited the spouses of female officers to attend showings in the officers’ club. While Arkansas had more backers than any other team, there were men from enough other parts of the RSNA that many teams had supporters there.
When it was time for the playoffs, Nebraska once again represented its conference. Arkansas failed to make the playoffs, losing out to Memphis. Nebraska trounced Memphis in the opening round of the playoffs, followed by a victory over Central Florida in the second round. Meanwhile, Pittsburgh won the other semifinal game against Georgia Tech. It would be Nebraska against Pittsburgh for the national championship.
The officers’ club was packed with spectators for the game. Officers’ spouses were invited. Alicia found a babysitter for Julie and Brenda so she could attend the game with Jeremy. Televisions all around the base were tuned into the game, each one drawing crowds of watchers. Bars in various locations around Texarkana also welcomed servicepeople. They got a good turnout.
Before the game started, broadcasters claimed that fifty-four thousand people were attending the game, by far the largest turnout for any sporting event since the dissolution. The broadcasting revenues for this game were also much higher than any other sporting event in that time period. It showed that the RSNA was becoming more prosperous.
Spectators were treated to an exciting game. At halftime, Nebraska held a slim 14–13 lead. The teams kept battling each other hard, neither one able to establish much of an advantage. The second half was much like the first. At the end of the fourth quarter, the score was all knotted up at 30. The Nebraska defense held Pittsburgh to a field goal on their overtime possession. On its possession, Nebraska seemed like it was headed to a game-winning touchdown. But then Pittsburgh intercepted a pass in the end zone. Pittsburgh won the game, 33–30.
With more people rooting for the Nebraska, the mood at the officers’ club was generally glum. Nonetheless, it was only a game. Both teams played well. The officials also did their jobs well.
After the game, one of the broadcasters commented that this was the ninth season of college football since the dissolution. Nine different teams had won the national championship. That was parity. They both speculated how long it would last. Nebraska was already drawing upon its success to recruit top prospects. They were unsure if the smaller schools could keep up.
Just before Thanksgiving, Kansas announced that it had approved the new Constitution. Now there were twenty-seven states in the reunion. Citizens around the RSNA began to eagerly anticipate when the entire union would be reunited. But they also realized that complete reunion could still take many years.
Before the end of the year, Colonel Upjohn told Jeremy that he would probably be restationed by the end of the next year. He told Jeremy that he was not sure where he would go, but that it would most likely be in Texas, Colorado, or Utah. He would not be sent anywhere close to Virginia.
Most of the soldiers at the base were granted furlough for Christmas. Jeremy and Alicia took their daughters to Iowa to see their relatives. Alicia’s parents were overjoyed to meet Julie. Naturally, they enjoyed quality time with Brenda too.
Next it was over to Grinnell. Jeremy’s grandparents were likewise happy to see them. To Brenda, they were like grandparents. Jeremy kept up his hopes that his daughters would someday meet their real paternal grandparents.
Jeremy also noticed that his grandfather was slowing down. He realized that his grandfather would not be able to work much longer. Then how would his grandparents support themselves?
Jeremy shared his concerns with Alicia on the way back to Texarkana. She agreed that after everything his grandparents had done for him, they should do something to help return the favor. But with two little daughters, they were not sure how much they could do. Perhaps Vickie and Cindy could provide some help.