Third-Person P.O.V

On the morning of the 24th of April, 2024, people witnessed exceptionally stormy weather and dark clouds looming over the skies of the cities of London and Paris. Unbeknownst to those who stumbled across this phenomenon, as unpretentious as it may have seemed, something had just set in motion as one of the most mysterious series of events the world had ever seen.

People had just been celebrating Saint George's Day the day before and therefore couldn't care less about the abrupt change in weather. Climatologists began questioning the lack of any prior indications or predictions about this sudden change leading to turmoil amongst the population.

Soon, a flash of light, bright enough to briefly create a second sun, lit up the dark stormy sky several hundred kilometres above the Franco-British Union. Simultaneously, a massive electromagnetic pulse swept across the union, crippling all of the union's power grids and leading to temporary power outrage in all its cities.

Although most of the radio and satellite communication equipment was destroyed by the EMP, a major portion of military equipment managed to survive.

The number of signals transmitted by or received from space-based satellites was suddenly reduced to zero, completely knocking out all the communication relay networks that connected both the union and the world.

The government, which was in the middle of its weekly meeting, witnessed the events unfold and suddenly, topics changed. The prime minister, Josué Garreau, and the rest of his cabinet present at the meeting were immediately escorted by the RaSP and moved to a safe location called the "Pindar".

(Author Note: "RaSP" stands for Royalty and Specialist Protection)

* * * * *

An hour later...

24th of April 2024, 9:00

In the emergency briefing room somewhere in the Pindar, London

Josué entered the briefing room after an initial briefing on the situation by his advisors, just as government ministers and military officers were discussing their next course of action. Although tensions within the room eased down after Josué's arrival, no one knows how long it will last.

Josué: "Do I have to remind all of you why we're here, ladies and gentlemen? Now's not the time to argue. That aside, what's the situation regarding the other superpowers?"

???: "Not looking good, sir. Other than their embassies, we've lost all sort of contact with the outside world. The American and the Chinese ambassadors have confirmed that they are also unable to communicate with their countries. They added that they didn't receive any reports before the incident."

The one who spoke up was none other than the Foreign Secretary, Brian Fallone, one of Josué's most trusted ministers in the cabinet.

Josué: "How about the Russians? Any words from them?"

Brian: "Unfortunately no, sir. We've been unsuccessful so far in our attempts to reach the Russian ambassador, but their diplomats have confirmed the same thing as the American and the Chinese ambassadors. They've also been unable to communicate with their own countries."

Josué: "Can our satellites confirm anything else?"

???: "No, Prime Minister. We lost contact with every single one of our satellites right after the explosion, our PNT services will be inoperative for quite some time. Not to mention that our communication services are also down."

(Author Note: "PNT" stands for Positioning, Navigation, and Timing)

This time, it was the Chief of the Defence Staff, Admiral Sir John Campbell himself, who spoke up.

Josué: "When is the next satellite being launched by the NSC, Preston?"

(Author Note: "NSC" stands for the National Space Centre; the fictional space agency of the FBU)

Josué immediately asked the question to Government Chief Scientific Adviser (GCSA), Preston Chambers, a man who is, in Garreau's opinion, an intellectual when it comes to science and technology-related matters.

Preston: "The NSC will be launching the first 36 satellites as part of the planned EarthWeb 700-satellite constellation tomorrow at Sutherland Space Hub, Prime Minister. It is safe to say that it will be able to restore our communication and PNT services within an hour of being launched into space."

Josué: "That's the first good news of the day. Give it my full backing and make sure everything goes according to the plan."

Preston: "Very well, Prime Minister."

Josué: "Admiral, what are the possibilities of World War III happening?"

Campbell: "You know the answer, Josué. Little to none. The Royal Air Force have already sent up every single Nimrod MRA4s and other patrol aircraft in its inventory, they will report back within an hour or two, well, hopefully."

Josué: "As expected of you, John. Continuing, Lyron, how much damage have our national grid received from the EMP pulse?"

The Business Secretary, Lyron Llewellyn, stood up and handed the Prime Minister a report on the damages done to the national grid so far.

Lyron: "We hope that we will be able to get the national grid back up and running by tomorrow, sir. But for now, the Union is back to the industrial era."

Josué: "At least that's better than nothing. Alright, you are all dismissed. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go prepare a speech."

Josué stood up and everyone followed suit. Just as Josué was about to walk out, he turned back and smiled.

Josué: "Keep up the good work, we will get past this crisis together, eventually."

Josué exited the room after finishing his sentence. Even though everyone was used to his calm and charismatic leadership, they were still left impressed.

Campbell: "How can you be calm like that all the time, Josué? Only if there were more lads like you here in the army."

Then everyone prepared to leave the emergency briefing room just as an army lieutenant rushed into the room, panting heavily, with worrying news.

Campbell: "Calm down, Lieutenant. The prime minister just left, what's it about?"

Lieutenant: "S-sir! The situation at the border..."

Campbell: "Hand me that file and calm down, Lieutenant."

Lieutenant: "...Yes, sir."

The lieutenant said in a low voice as he handed Campbell the file. Once Campbell saw the contents of the file, he was both shocked and confused at what he had just seen.

Campbell: "Bloody hell..."

Campbell ran out of the room as fast as he could, trying to reach Josué in the broadcast studio room.

Campbell: "Josué! You have to see this. NOW!"

* * * * *

At the same time...

To the north of the former Gibraltar-Spain border

Four men lie hidden in a bush, scouting the new scenery ahead of the border, and right in front of them was an unknown village that replaced the Spanish town of La Línea de la Concepción. They're part of Delta Fire Team, 1 Section, 2 Platoon of G Company, Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RGR).

???: "Sunray, this is F21D, message, over."

(Author Note: "F21D" is read as "Foxtrot Two One Delta" and you might be wondering why is it not "G21D" despite F21D being part of G Company. That is because the letter part is not the always company's letter but, instead, it's designated randomly using the "BATCO" sheet.)

Sunray: "F21D, this is Sunray, send, over."

(Author Note: "Sunray" is the callsign for the commander of the unit, whether it be a battalion, a company, or a platoon.)

F21D: "Sunray, this is F21D, we are at the location and we have set up a perimeter, roger so far, over."

Sunray: "Roger, out."

Lance Corporal Ralph Harvey, in charge of the group, was a bit anxious. After all, they had no idea of what was happening, and more importantly, they couldn't even contact London.

???: "Lance Corporal! Look!"

One of the privates, Hanns Anthony, pointed at the black dots rising over the horizon. It was a large group of knights wearing full plate armour and great helms while also equipped with medieval weapons like swords, pikes, axes, and maces all while riding their horses.

Ralph: "You've gotta be kidding me, Hanns."

Hanns: "Come on, Lance Corporal. They could be a group of re-enactors."

Ralph: "I don't think so."

F21D: "Sunray, this is F21D, message, over."

Sunray: "F21D, this is Sunray, send, over."

F21D: "Sunray, this is F21D, multiple mounted unidentified armed soldiers spotted, roger so far, over."

Sunray: "F21D, this is Sunray, can you identify them? Over."

F21D: "Negative, though they appear to be wearing full plate armour and great helms on horses, roger so far, over."

Sunray: "Roger, out."

As if the situation wasn't perplexing enough, the medieval knights abruptly began chanting "Long live the Emperor!", leaving Ralph and his men no closer to an explanation.

F21C: "F21D, this is F21C, message, over."

F21D: "F21C, this is F21D, send, over."

F21C: "We will be moving to the hill to the left of your position, over."

F21D: "Roger, out."

Then, the medieval knights slowly made their way towards the village with unknown intentions. Whatever they were trying to do, Ralph felt as if it wasn't going to be good.

F21D: "Sunray, this is F21D, the unidentified force is marching over to the village, over."

Sunray: "F21D, this is Sunray, are there any indications of hostile behaviour? Over."

F21D: "None for now, over."

Sunray: "Roger. Keep monitoring the situation, over."

F21D: "Roger, out."

Ralph looked at his men and all of them nodded. It was time for them to regroup with the Charlie fire team and their section commander. All of them quietly stood up and walked over to the hill to their left.

There, they met Corporal Theo O'Lombardi, the section commander. Then, they formed a defensive perimeter on the hill overlooking the village. As each second passes, the section grows increasingly confused.

Ralph: "Do you have any idea on what is going on, Corporal?"

Theo: "No idea, Ralph. But we wouldn't want to involve ourselves in complicated matters, would we?"

Ralph: "Perhaps, you're right, Corporal."

Then, they spread around the hill in a single extended line formation, waiting patiently for what was going to happen next.

Although everyone has yet to realise it, this was only the beginning of a new chapter that would change history and the Franco-British Union forever...