sharkbites
Loki the Liar
Simple Unicycle
rocketrobie2
Vampiretwilight
Red Helix
ThatOneNewGuy1932, Port Harcourt
It seemed almost ironic, that the horror of the Great War was followed by more war - Civil Wars urged on by Anarchists, Republicans, Nationalists, Communists and...even traitors. At the moment, he was likely the only high-ranking officer that the Loyalist faction had - as many of the other officers were fighting with the Rebels. Namely men whom rather would support the false-Kaiser Paul von Letow-Vorbeck, than their actual Emperor. He would make sure, every such traitor hung - not bothering to check, if they had rank or title back home. A traitor deserved no mercy.
He recalled that moment, almost two years ago. Governor Ebermaier had shown him, the Commanding Officer of the Schutztruppe the telegram. Then he was just an Oberst - he had heard about the traitor Letow-Vorbeck, whom had taken control of German East Africa and renounced his duty to Germany and its people. He had to admit, he wasn't the most die-hard tradionalist. He thought that the Empire could do with some changes. He didn't always like the certain customs, of his homeland - and did prefer British tea to German coffee. His own political ideals were rather...liberal - if one could call it that. Although, he was a true monarchist and a Loyalist. He'd have fought into the heart of the Siberia tundra, within Imperial Russia - if asked by the Kaiser. As thus - his choice had been rather surprising to the Governor.
"What are you doing? We could rule these lands! The Kaiser, the Fatherland. It has grown weak. We've bled here and for what?! A pad on the back, and a comfortable living back in some dusty old mansion in Bavaria?"
"Your mistaken Governor. Once I would have called you a hero. You held on, even when the Entente kept smashing against the walls. But now? As it was with Benedict Arnold - 'once you deserved a hero' funeral. But now, all you deserve is a bullet'."
It had been his first kill - after serving in the Imperial Army. It wouldn't be the last time, he had to execute one of his own countrymen. Imperial officers, whom had chosen to support Paul von Letow-Vorbeck. There had been some Loyalist officers, but overall - most of the Officer' Corps seemed to support Paul von Letow-Vorbeck.
He had been lucky, namely - he had gotten a larger portion of the Askari, local enlistees in the Colonial Troops to support him instead of Letow-Vorbeck. They were brave men. Brave men, whose names he wrote down and made sure to remember. Once this war was over - they and their families would be rewarded handsomely. Never, since in the Great War - had he fought alongside great men like these.
"Quickly! Quickly! Set up a defensive perimeter. All men loaded, chamber round, shoot anything in gray!" yelled Jaegar Hurst, current Governor-General - Oberst of the Schutztruppe. Although, he wasn't much of a leader of a unified 'protection force' at this moment - as the entire West Afrikan colony was in flames.
Namely, he had gathered as many men as he could - and set up a perimeter to defend a single Telegraph Station. It had been set up after the Great War - to namely keep in contact, between the homeland and the other colonies. Hurst found it hilarious - that the telegram that started the Civil War had come from here. As he now had one of his men, quickly get behind it. The man was a local, from the Duala tribe - so he was more literate and understood German better than the others.
"Start writing everything I say. Word by word," he ordered - as the man, soon connected everything up - just as artillery shells landed nearby. "Ignore it. Start typing."
THIS IS OBERST HURST, COMMANDING OFFICER OF THE SCHUTZTRUPPE. LOYALIST FORCES STILL REMAIN FIGHTING. REBELS SUPPORTED BY MAJORITY OF OFFICERS. REQUEST ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT.
After that was written, he soon dug in for a long siege. He and his men needed to hold out long enough for an answer to come - the Fatherland needed to know, that not all of the colonies had turned rebels and some were still loyal to the Kaiser and needed aid.
It had been three weeks of fighting around the Port Harcourt - at least, there had been some good news. The Loyalists had managed to take control of the entire city - driving the Rebels completely out. It seemed, that the Rebels had assumed, they might win sooner and lacked the numbers the Loyalists had. Hurst had made it a personal game almost - that every shot, Imperial Officer - their killer would get a bonus of several Goldmarks as a reward.
The Rebels relied too much on their better training - that they forgot the most important factor of any war. Men in trenches were the most crucial to winning a war - not the Officers behind them. Plus, unlike the Rebels - Hurst had no bias against promoting from among the local forces. He had no choice and some of the Askari Officers were as good as Imperial ones.
In the early night, did the reply come from Berlin and it wasn't what he had hoped.
HOMELAND IN TURMOIL. UNABLE TO REPLY WITH REQUEST. KEEP FIGHTING ON.
That reply had complicated things further - it meant, that whatever it was - it seemed serious enough, to even abandon a colony for. It complicated things - cause in essence, they were still a colony. If things were bad enough - then either the British or French could march in and seize the lands - if Hurst managed to defeat the Rebels. No doubt, either one would be waiting for the chance to get back at the Germans after the end of the Great War.
For West Afrika to survive and remain in German hands - Hurst decided on a plan, in the late night - a plan, that was almost unknown as it was bold and insane. If it succeeded, then he might just save West Afrika and make sure - no traitor and no other Empire, would seize the lands of the Kaiser.
The reply, he typed out himself - since it was personal and he needed it dictated by himself.
REQUEST PERMISSION TO TRANSFORM COLONY INTO A DUCHY. REQUEST PERMISSION FOR TITLE OF DUKE - TO RULE IN ABSENCE UNTIL FURTHER ORDERS FROM THE KAISER.
He thought about such a request - it felt almost like blackmail, to demand a title and land - in exchange for continuing to fight for the land, belonging to the German Empire. Plus it came out so randomly and directly - likely to the opposite operator - it wasn't everyday, that the Kaiser established or allowed the establishment of new land and titles. Although, he saw no alternative - he had learned, how Dukes in older times used to rule the numerous provinces that made up the Empire now. It would also prevent - the other colonial Empires, from walking in to 'install order' in absence of it. If the land, was ownership of a Duke of Imperial Authority - then the threat of retaliation from the homeland, might be just enough to stall their hand.
He quickly wrote out another addendum to his previously send telegram.
WEST AFRIKA WILL REMAIN IN GERMAN HANDS. I, SWEAR - TO UPHOLD THE RULE AND AUTHORITY OF THE KAISER AND THE GERMAN EMPIRE. AS LONG AS I LIVE - NO TRAITOR, NO COLONIAL, NO OTHER EMPIRE - EXCEPT THE KAISERREICH, WILL BE ALLOWED OWNERSHIP OF GERMAN WEST AFRIKA. THUS, SWEARS JAEGER HURST VON BADEN.
The reply came sooner than he would have expected - but it was something to fight for. To rally the other Loyalists behind - to remain, to keep on fighting. Then, when the traitors had been dealt with - to rebuild the colony into a Duchy.
A Duchy, that one day might host the Kaiser himself - streets cleaned, paved a good enough - that a man such as himself, could enjoy a shoe shine at.
THE EMPIRE HEREBY GRANTS THE TITLE OF HERZOG TO OBERST JAEGAR HURST. HEREBY GRANTS AUTHORITY FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DUCHY IN WEST AFRIKA. GOOD LUCK.
After the reply, Herzog Jaegar Hurst von Deutsche Westafrika - had gone on the offensive. He had a mission to complete and the sooner, this Civil War ended - the sooner they could start rebuilding and start sending help back to the Fatherland. Although - after the Civil War - the new Herzog of Westafrika would find this, duty would demand almost a lifetime of service from him.
