Chaos reigned supreme in Maryland in the first few minutes after the ISOT. The internet was cut, all connections to the "outside" were gone. Several planes entering Maryland airspace were cut in half, along with automobiles and any other vehicle trying to enter Maryland. A fishing vessel from Virginia entering Maryland's waters in the Chesapeake was cut in two with losing the stern and quickly plunging to the bottom before the coast guard could respond.
Commuters trying to enter Washington DC were met with a primitive 1800s town that was actively being built. Timber was being hauled by horse and carriage to different areas to construct the town. Bewildered citizens on the Washington DC side looked in awe at the city scape on the Maryland side, and the Marylanders looked in horror at the other side with no civilization. Sirens wailed as first responders tried to assist the wounded along Maryland Route 201 at the DC border.
Washington DC, May 30th 1812
Washington City
A group of men on horseback coming from the Marine Barracks in the city of Washington alerted by what was transpiring came to see what was going on. Along with a rag tag militia of Washington citizens armed with muskets they all looked at the scene before them. No one said a word in the first few minutes.
"I am Franklin Wharton, commandant of the United States Marine Corps. My men and I have assembled here under these extraordinary circumstances along with militia men of the city of Washington. If it is possible, we would like to speak to governor Bowie of Maryland. Such a learned man as himself possibly could explain what divine providence had brought upon the state of Maryland . . ."
One of the Police officers at the scene stood there and shook his head.
"Look buddy, I don't know what's going on but your reenactment bit isn't helping. Go back to wherever you came from."
More police came to the scene where the ground appeared to have sear marks in it. The pavement had turned into molten asphalt where the road was in-between it and the dirt road into what people began to say was Washington. Some said they could see the White House in the distance. It looked quite different from the White house people were familiar with.
Baltimore, May 30th 1812
Governor's Mansion
A few hours into the Wharton standoff
Governor O'Malley was having a bad day. Phones were ringing off the hook, cars were piled up outside as people demanded to know what in god's name was going on. Maryland's National Guard was on high alert. So far the governor had grounded all planes in Maryland's airspace and was considering triggering continuity of government since all contact with the outside had been lost.
Or had it been lost? Old timey sailing ships had been seen attempting to dock in Maryland ports flying a 15 star flag. The coast guard had even intercepted a British vessel. The vessel futilely attempted firing on the coast guard frigate flying the stars and stripes but failed after the cannonball slipped off the side of the ship.
All British sailors on the ship were captured and the vessel was brought ashore. Appearently the British were continuing the policy of impressment which had been going on for quite some time now. The governor had also been officially informed of the time and date along with a standoff at the DC border. Cops were pointing their guns at the Marine commander Wharton and riot police from Bladensburg were on the move into DC along Route 1 Alternate.
As governor you are presented with the following choices to calm the situation. What do you do?
[] Make contact with President Madison and explain the situation peacefully. Begin the proper chain of command for continuity of government while working with the downtimers to secure resources for Maryland in the long term.
[] Do not make contact with President Madison yet, deal with the immediate situation at hand and shut the borders down. Forcefully close the borders for the time being while stabilizing Maryland.
[] Have a full on panic attack, do nothing and let the situation unfold. Doing so will cause violence with the downtimers and cause distrust with these future Marylanders.
[] Something else? If you have an idea comment it and others can reply to it with a +1 if they want that idea.