Operation GTFO

While most of the 1337 Speak Reality regarded Operation GTFO as a somewhat-batty religious sect, perhaps even a cult, it was significantly more complicated in its structure. The "Deadworlders" involved in the Operation were united by a belief that their reality was soon to be destroyed, but there was a means of escape. While most came to the Operation by means of the Voidborn Prophecies, a collection of myths from around the world that foretold of their reality's destruction and how to avoid being destroyed with it, some came for other reasons. For example, there was evidence of disturbing astrophysical phenomena that drove several members of the United States Space Force to lend their skills to the effort.   In the wake of the destruction of the 1337 Speak Reality, it is only possible to estimate its membership. Significant groups that were involved included a number of religious groups with a belief in the apocalyptic Voidborn Prophecies, a secret cell within the Space Force, the 82nd Airborne of the United States Army, and a number of technomancers. A small community associated with Grace Miller was also involved which mostly consisted of her friends, neighbours, and adult foster children.  

Listen, I don't want to believe this shit either. It's scary stuff. But Tempest believes it. And I believe in Tempest. If they say the end is coming, you better believe it. So I'm gonna do whatever I can to get ready for it. Are you coming or not?

— Mama Grace to a skeptical neighbour

  Grace Miller was one of several members of what she and other civilians in the movement called "the council," and what the military members called "the command staff" or just "the brass." Other members included:

Col. John Fenwick, Commander, 82nd Airborne

Lt. Skyla Greyson of the US Space Force

Jason Buchard, a.k.a. Duke Olaf Strongarm of the Society for Creative Anachronism

Mary Tortuga, an elder of the Cahuilla Tribe in the Coachella Valley, which is where the Graceful G Ranch was located

Elder Paul Bradshaw, one of the leaders in the local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons)

Chelsie Savel, a.k.a. Starborn, who was a respected voice in the local Reclaiming witch community

Jamie Ratcliffe, organizer in the California Preppers Alliance

Tanika Smythe of the Parable of the Sower Cooperative

Ambassador Alex "Buddha" Kwake, originally from the local area, but now Duke Sacramento in the Tomeverse, sent as an ambassador and coordinator from the Lapin Protectorate under the authority of Queen Sable Aradia

Once they were on "the 1337 Speak side" of the reality divide, Col. Geoffrey Constantine Nadeau, Commander, Princess Rowean's Royal Light Infantry, Lapin Armed Forces, was also consulted as part of "the brass"

RSM Elaine Murphy, who was attached to Col. Nadeau, was also consulted in council discussions

Suborned NSA agent, Spec-4 Ian McVey, an astrophysicist and nuclear physicist attached to the NSA to study the Bunnykin "extraterrestrials," joined the movement and was incorporated into the council to control the flow of information to the NSA

Essentially, a representative of any large involved group, or a group with essential skills to the operation, were invited to take part in the leadership council.   Not every member of Operation GTFO was evacuated. Some specifically stayed behind, either because their skillset was necessary on the 1337 Speak side for the execution of the operation, or because they knew space was limited and opted to see that other people escaped, especially any children that came forward.   All told, if all 1337 Speak refugees could be said to be members of the Operation, then it likely involved about 3 million people. If not, the organization itself probably numbered somewhere between 300-500 thousand members. It is likely that by the time of The Great Migration, almost all "Deadworlders" were also involved with Operation GTFO.

The members of Operation GTFO worked under a rare combination of practicality and inclusivity. This is likely due to the early military involvement, and Grace Miller's aversion to, as she put it, "the loonies and wackos." While the Operation would have met all the definitions of a religious apocalyptic cult movement, they tended to approach challenges with pragmatism, a belief in science, and a problem-solving approach.  

Yeah, okay, Voidborn Prophecies, sure. Yes, I'm sure Tempest is the Voidborn, and yes, I know they have some pretty impressive powers. But they're not a god or an angel. They're a human being and they have limits. You ever hear that old story about the people praying on a rooftop for God to save them from a flood, and then they drowned because they kept refusing rescue because God was going to save them, and they got to Heaven and God said, "I sent you two boats and a helicopter, what more did you want?" The gods help those that help themselves, and we're going to do everything we can on our end to be ready when Tempest opens the door.

— Mama Grace

Operation GTFO made no secret of their intentions. They believed their world was soon to be destroyed in a fiery apocalypse, and that one or more people, "the Voidborn," would come from another reality to try to help as many escape as they could. They intended to join this exodus, and/or aid as many other people as they could to do so. Grace Miller believed that Prinx Tempest of House Lapin, whom she had raised as a foster child, was the Voidborn spoken of in the prophecies. She believed this because of a combination of how Tempest ended up in her care, and the nature of Tempest's Literomantic powers, along with what Tempest eventually told her about The Overflow of The Void. Presented with her evidence, the other members of Operation GTFO came to the same conclusion.

While the purpose of Operation GTFO was entirely transparent, its methods were less so. In the face of potential extinction, the members of the Operation were absolutely committed to their purpose, and their plans included illicit, and potentially violent, activities:  

Stage 1: Prepare a base of operations for the process of the exodus

Stage 2: Ensure that skilled, trustworthy people were in place to execute their plan on the day of the exodus

Stage 3: Conceal their activities until action was needed, in order to avoid potential interference, especially from authorities

Stage 4: Convince as many as possible to join them in the exodus

Stage 5: Coordinate with the Voidborn and the people of the other reality to try to make the transition as smooth as possible, and support them in this effort

Stage 6: Ensure the security and safety of anyone joining the exodus

Stage 7: Prepare to defend the portal created by the Voidborn by sabotage and armed force if necessary

Initially, the Operation didn't know exactly what they were preparing for, so their plans were somewhat nebulous. Most of the early stages involved ensuring through military personnel and technomantic hackers that government authorities, particularly the United States Military, remained oblivious to the true scope of their plans. They concealed their true numbers, and hijacked military and civilian satellites that observed the Coachella Valley, so that if they were required to move suborned military troops into the area, they would be able to do so without it being immediately noticed.   This effort was also intended to conceal the arrival of Prinx Tempest's Tang Portal, which they were aware was conspicuous. However, they were unaware that the portal created spot intense radiation readings that immediately vanished, so this attempt was not entirely successful.   Once Queen Sable made contact with them through Buddha Kwake, however, plans solidified. The Bunny Queen presented them with a detailed operational outline for the exodus, and asked them to make decisions on how they would proceed from a number of options.   One of the options they were presented with was to either keep things low key, or go as public as possible in an attempt to convince others to join them. They chose to go public, and released the address to the 1337 Speak Reality that Queen Sable had sent with Buddha Kwake to the WYSIWYG News & Entertainment Network for public tri-vee broadcast.   While Ambassador Kwake spent much of his time speaking to various governments, with limited success, Operation GTFO coordinated with the The March Hares Company of the Princess Rowean's Royal Light Infantry to both train people to march through the future portal at a steady, rapid pace in rows, and to prepare for worst case scenarios.   Thousands were convinced by the presence of the Bunnykin troops, with their obvious non-human physiology, or by the Mother of Bunnies herself, and many more potential refugees than had been anticipated flocked to their base of operations, Grace Miller's Graceful G Ranch.   The second option presented to them by the Lapin Crown was whether or not they would accept anyone other than registered refugees. It was suggested that if they chose to do so, the only way to ensure that things would not degenerate into violence and chaos was to accept only children.   Operation GTFO agreed to this, and so as the last couple of weeks to the scheduled date of the exodus arrived, children began to flood in en masse. Some came with parents who clearly did not take the situation seriously, dropping them off for "a free summer camp." This taxed their resources, but "Mama Grace" took charge of organizing their supervision, and coordinated older children to assist in looking after younger ones, to maximize the efficiency of available adults.   A non-negotiable operational parameter presented by the Lapin Protectorate included building a structure that was intended to bridge a similar structure on the Tomeverse side of the Tang portal, once it had been created. This multi-level metal project would serve to create separate "feeder lanes" to regulate passage through the portal and separate queues, and it required exacting measurements, so that it could be clamped to the Tomeverse structure for stability. This presented a significant challenge to Operation GTFO, but through a combination of resourcefulness, scrounging, top-tier engineering, and a few large donations from supportive internet influencers, they were able to accomplish this goal.   Although Operation GTFO had high hopes of winning cooperation from the United States government, and made efforts to do so, they were unsuccessful. Therefore, they decided to launch their contingency plans, including concealing their activities from the US government, and preparing for an armed defense of the Graceful G Ranch. It should be noted, however, that they were not involved with the kidnapping of the President's son, and the Lapin Crown has accepted full responsibility for that action.

The Operation disbanded once its purpose had been accomplished, although the former leadership still stays in contact with one another, many of whom are now concerned with resettlement and integration of the 1337 Speak refugees.

Operation GTFO's success was likely attributable, in no small part, to a strong military involvement. Their military assets included:

Approximately 60-100 members of the United States Space Force, most of whom stayed behind

The full compliment of the 82nd Airborne Regiment of the United States Army

The full compliment of the Princess Rowean's Royal Light Infantry Regiment of the Lapin Armed Forces

The SOCAL Militia, an informal militia organized by the California Preppers Alliance, served as a paramilitary adjunct to the other military assets