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PRESIDENTIAL ESTATE, BOGOTÁ, BOYACÁ DEPARTMENT, GRAN COLOMBIA
11:03 LOCAL TIME, JANUARY 11, 1861 AD
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"Then unfortunately Fillipe, I am afraid we must part ways," said Manuel with a cold edge of finality. With that, he reached to his side holster and withdrew his pistol, pointing it squarely at Fillipe. Fillipe was left with only a moment to blink as his eyes grew wide with shock, realizing what was happening: a
coup. He scarcely had time to think about the vast political and social ramifications of such a thing, however, before a vast pain scorched through his chest and a deafening roar swept over him. He toppled back across his desk, and everything quickly went to black.
Manuel slowly set his revolver back into its holster and stared at Fillipe's corpse as he bled out, before turning to the guards to either side of the door and gesturing at the body "Get this piece of trash out of here, it's bleeding all over
my desk."
The pair of soldiers looked at one another before slowly approaching the desk, hefting up the body of the former
Presidente and starting to haul him out of the room. There tended to be a high turnover rate amongst the upper echelons of government and this particular instance was little different. As they got to the door, Manuel called out "And tell them Manuel Suarez Vargas is in charge now, and things are going to change."
As they paused for a moment before exiting the door, he started to laugh.
***
"
El nuevo Presidente Vargas has today announced the dissolution of the government of Fillipe Sueñez and--" droned the receiver as he read out the telegraph message he had in his hands. José Caldron's ears perked up as he processed the words, and in a sudden spurt of energy, he tossed his newspaper aside and walked over to the tickertape machine "Hey, you, read that last part again!"
The receiver glanced at him wearily before repeating "Vargas issues speech promising restoration of basic services and quality of life to Gran Colombia, and also states the Army will be deployed nationally to ensure local stability and the maintenance of law and order."
No sooner than he said the words "law and order" when the
other telegraph machine suddenly came to life. The one that sent them their orders. The other officers in the room slowly looked up from their papers at it, as it began its stuttering morse code message. There was dead silence as they waited for the receiver to translate it. After some moments, he had finished, and promptly read it aloud, "22nd Battalion is to report immediately to the city of Cartagena and establish defensive perimeters and checkpoints, and to establish a state of Marshall Law within the city [...]"
Once he had finished, José was beaming. Finally they were going to get to
do something, even if it was to keep some civilians in line. "Eh, come on then you jerks; we've got work to do!"