Keyes

Keyes is a micro nation located just South of the Floridian peninsula. It is a collection of small tropical islands frequently ravaged by Hurricanes, but relatively safe from the Mainland Raiders and the undead. Keyes is plagued by harsh class divisions with those descended from the native Floridians at the time at the top, and those who fled to the Florida Keys during the fall, primarily via Cruise Liner at the bottom. Its capitol is the town of Key West, which is attached via bridge to the Cruiser ghetto Stock Island.

Geography and Climate
Keyes is a tropical country, with the temperatures high year round. Growing conditions are excellent for tropical fruits and sugar cane.

It has no Nation State neighbors, the closest would be the C.S.S in the Gulf. Although there are technically no Nation States nearby, on the mainland lies the Ramos plantation which is very organized for a Deep Southern Tribe. Almost the entire nation is connected via two major Highways, the highway directly connected to the mainland was destroyed almost immediately, severing connection to the mainland.

History
During the fall the Florida Keys were largely unaffected, with a low population and a deep water barrier with the mainland infected travel was extremely limited. Local officials took active measures to screen and remove any infected newcomers. For the most part, the local government did an adequate job at running those who remained in the Florida Keys.

The First Wave (2013-2014)
Many cruise liners were out at sea for the worst parts of the Fall, and were able to avoid infection by staying out in the middle of the ocean. However, as time went on the Cruise Liners began to run out of food and would need to dock to replenish their supplies. Several ships heard via radio that the Florida Keys were unaffected and quickly rushed to dock. A total of six cruise ships carrying almost 12,000 people attempted to dock in the Keys. The local government knew they couldn't support the sudden influx of arrivals and had to turn down the three last arrivals.

The Dock Wars (2014)
The three declined cruise ships were practically given a death sentence. Initially they returned out to sea with what little gas remained and linked up so the captains could discuss course. Instead, angry passengers and crew barged their way into the summit demanding action. They wanted to land and force Keyes to accept them. The people won, and the three ships began preparing for attack. The initial plan was for one of the Captains, an ex coastguard, to lead a landing party of as many volunteers as they could muster in a display of force, in an attempt to scare the locals into letting them land.

The three ships steamed into dinghy range, and the volunteers armed with makeshift spears, tasers, and a few firearms loaded into the lifeboats. In broad daylight, nearly a thousand volunteers attempted to land near the Keyes docks. Most boats didn't make it to shore, the local law enforcement and some other volunteers with firearms stood on the shore and fired on the invaders, turning the vast majority of the boats around. Only a handful landed, and they were quickly captured without a fight. Once back on their ships the three captains planned one last drastic attack, they rammed straight into the coast of Sunset Key. All three ships and 6,000 passengers were beached in the uninhabited Islands West of the capitol city, Key West, with no way off. The Island itself certainly couldn't house 6,000 people.

Almost an hour later Keyes forces, a makeshift militia of police and gun owners, landed on Sunset Key and demanded to speak with with those in charge. It was clear that the ships weren't going anywhere, and neither were the passengers. Strong feelings of resentment were beginning to stir between the two groups when an agreement was finally decided upon. The "Cruisers" would be permitted to stay, provided they only stayed on the Island, grew their own food, and would submit to policing by the Keyes militia. Citizens of Sunset would also have to tribute a small amount of the food they grew to Key West. The passengers would have to continue to live on their ships, as the resorts on the island would be reserved for Keyes militia or would be marked for demolition so more growing could be done.

Sunset Key and Relocation (2015-2020)
Sunset quickly became a slum. The passengers were generally confined to their cruise ships, which became massive tenement buildings. Each ship became largely self sufficient, stores and other businesses sprung up, rooms became apartments with rent controlled by floor managers, although the rent was practically nothing. With some extra food Sunset purchased a few fishing vessels from Key West to further provide food. Seeds were provided, and Sunset primarily produced fruits and berries. Extensive programs to import Key deer for breeding and slaughter were mostly unsuccessful. Life on Sunset was difficult.

The other passengers from the ships permitted to stay didn't stay in Key West for very long. After a few years, impressed by the relative success of Sunset, the Government of Keyes began to track down and tag the "Cruisers" present in Key West. Once all were found, they were forcefully relocated across the bridge to Stock Island, an old naval site. All useful loot was stripped long ago by the locals. The three remaining cruise ships were beached, and living conditions on Stock Island began to reflect that of Sunset Island. Roughly 3,000 people now lived in cramped conditions across the bridge from Key West. All firearms were taken away from the cruisers, and held onto by the Militia.

Mainland Expeditions (2020-2024)
In the early 2020s Government officials in Key West began to become curious what fate befell the mainland, and began assembling an expeditionary crew made up of volunteers from Stock Island and Sunset, lead by militia veterans. Those who volunteered for the Cruiser expeditionary corps were compensated handsomely, and higher ranking cruisers had the option to move from the slums into Key West or another Keyes town. The only catch is that they were frequently sent into unknown situations against potentially deadly foes. Hundreds signed up.

The volunteers went through extensive disciplinary training with some minor combat training, and then were deployed to the mainland in search of more firearms, food, ships, or other humans. One squad was ambushed by raiders, they were captured and likely sold into slavery. Another squad found undead remnants and took heavy casualties before finally dispatching them all. Several more squads were successful in their searching for goods when they wandered into abandoned camp sites littered with guns and food. They were clearly recently used, but the inhabitants were simply gone. One squad made contact with an organized band of tribals who were dark in complexion and who only spoke Spanish. They had stumbled into Ramos territory. Luckily for the expeditionaries, years of farm labor out in the sun had given them an equally dark complexion, and a few members of the squad spoke Spanish. They were not enslaved or killed on sight. They did some trading with the Ramos for weapons, and then left on rather positive terms.

Overall the expeditions were a monetary success, many lives were lost but that was inconsequential to the higher ups of the militia. People were the one thing they had plenty of.

Colonization (2030-2036)
As the population of Keyes grew exponentially, people began to fear the nation wouldn't be able to support them. Resources were already over exploited, and the local wildlife was becoming sparse. As another election for president loomed and fear filled the air, President Foster was re-elected on the promise of expeditions and potential colonization efforts in the Bahamas.

An expeditionary team of militiamen as well as scientists and agriculturalists were sent East to survey the Bahamas, Nassau and some of the smaller Islands in the chain first, and were to end with Andros Island. A division of Cruiser expeditionaries waited just off shore as potential reinforcements.

The explorers found Nassau to be a disaster zone. Nassau was hit hard in the fall, evidently as many cruise ships attempted to find salvation in Keyes, many more tried to find it in the Bahamas. Dozens of Cruise ships in various states of disrepair were anchored just off the coast, and many more were docked. Corpses lined the streets. Evidently the infection had made its way to the island, and with no escape it was devastating. It was decided to mark locations with potential loot for the Cruiser force, and then leave Nassau as a graveyard. They surveyed several more smaller islands, marking many as potential candidates for colonization before finally making their way to Andros Island. Its West Coast was pristine wilderness, and its Northern half a suitable town for settlers. The entire island, roughly the size of Delaware, was claimed in the name of Keyes.

A medium sized group of survivors was found on one of the smaller outlying islands. They had fled the population centers and subsisted primarily on fishing. All of the inhabitants were quite young, and spoke a rather indistinguishable language. After initial contact the Keyes forces left them be, returning to their ships.

Back home tickets to the "New Frontier" were sold, primarily in the slums. Key West was trying to populate their new claim so they could start producing food as soon as possible. Hundreds of Cruisers and Locals departed for the Bahamas immediately. Key Andros was established in 2035, the new inhabitants usually reclaimed the abandoned houses left over after The Fall. Smaller fishing villages popped up on the smaller outlying villages, and it appeared that Keyes food troubles were over.

Keyes Today (2036-2046)
Modern Keyes is still devastated by the class divisions that trace back to the First Wave of refugees. The Cruisers live in shoddily constructed refugee camps far away from the "Locals." Cruisers generally only do the manual, unskilled labor. Those with useful skills are often absorbed into the general populace. Keyes' population continues to grow, now nearing 43,000 citizens. The colonies provide up to one half of all food consumed back home.

The C.S.S maintain an embassy in Key West, after they made first contact in the mid thirties. No military alliance exists, and Keyes maintains a neutral stance in all continental wars. Michigania made contact in 2044 when explorer Daphne Clarke and her men stumbled across Keyes in an expedition to study the Deep South. Michigania also maintains an embassy, making Keyes the only nation to have both a C.S.S and Michiganian embassy.

Keyes Military
Keyes maintains a large armed forces, relative to their size, that is imperative in keeping the Nation safe. Their primary branch of the armed forces, the Keyes Militia, is made up of nearly 3,000 armed men and women, trained in grueling conditions out in the Dry Tortugas. They are armed with a variety of civilian firearms, pump shotguns, hunting rifles, and 9mm/.45 handguns. The Keyes Militia is also a substitute for the Navy, they control a small fleet of ex-coastguard vessels and re-purposed yachts.

The other branch of the Military, the Cruiser Expeditionaries, is a collection of roughly 1,800 volunteers from the ghettos, trying to earn a better life. Their training is based primarily on discipline, and to a lesser extent combat. They also train in the Dry Tortugas, and are generally armed with lighter caliber firearms. 22. Rifles, handguns, and a few 22. submachine guns. Some cruiser officers are issued 9mm pistols. Despite being lighter-duty weaponry the Cruiser Expeditionaries see combat much more frequently. C.E are usually sent into the unknown fighting unforseen and usually extremely dangerous foes. High casualties in combat are expected, and inconsequential. Despite the odds C.E veterans are hardened soldiers with years of experience fighting raiders. Those who live to the end of their term are rewarded with being able to move their families out of the slums.