One of the biggest setbacks had been the progress with linking up with NEO satellites. Randy had been able to get the necessary equipment Dr. Sullivan requested but progress was still slow. Much of each of the antenna had to be repaired and that took an inordinate amount of time. The projected date of completion was moved back at least a year and Randy now found himself a regular member of the governing body.
One of the most discussed issues was how the actual structure of the government should unfold. Was an elected President and Cabinet the right direction? Should there be three branches of Government as in the past? Who would determine what the laws should be and how they were enforced?
Was a new Constitution necessary or should the old one just be revised and adapted? Does America even exist and what are its boundaries? There were no easy answers to any of these questions and at each meeting they struggled to consider the best course of action.
****
“Listen folks, I want to stick with just one thing at a time. I know many are interrelated but we will never get anyplace trying to solve them all at once. Let’s discuss the formation of the government first. How the country will be led,” Colonel Webber said.
“But Colonel, that is assuming that America is still united. Don’t we have to determine what the country is before we determine who presides?”
“I was assuming we were going to use the same boundaries we had before this happened.”
“And other groups? Like the ones in Utah. They have been growing in number as well according to the latest reports. What if they want to carve out a section for themselves? Do we go to war over it?” one of the men asked.
Webber rubbed his face with his hands. Where the hell was the starting point? One of the other members spoke up.
“We can’t write a Constitution anyway. We’re not authorized or qualified in my opinion.”
Everyone was silent for a few seconds before Randy said, “Do you suppose that’s what they said when they were writing the original Constitution? The extent of the country wasn’t determined then either. Essentially we have a clean slate to start with. We can take the best parts and make them better and get rid of the ones that no longer apply.”
“And who would decide which should stay and which should go?”
“Those who write it. Look, we all have to come to the realization that the United States of the past no longer exists. We are essentially just territories like we once were. For all we know there could be other places just as big or bigger. Maybe they will want to merge with us or maybe not. I don’t think we can assume anything at this point,” Randy pointed out.
“I agree. The boundaries for us are essentially the areas we know we have access and control over. We know we are pretty much the only survivors from New Mexico in the west, with the exception of Utah, to Pennsylvania in the east and from Indiana north to Kentucky in the south. We have been concentrating on those areas and are finding groups of five to ten from time to time but no large groups have been located. We will continue to find a few at a time I expect but for the most part we know of no big groups of people in these areas. That is our America for now. It may grow as we reach out further and further. We may find that we come up against a militant group that is determined to stake a claim on another area. Then we will have to decide what course of action to take,” Randy said.
“You mean go to war over territory.”
“No, I mean look at all of our options. Going to war should be our very last resort and then only if we are attacked. But speaking of war, I would be in favor of sending everyone to war if one happens. Everyone from eighteen to age fifty should be required to fight. That is one sure way to deter wars.”
“You have to be joking.”
“No, I’m not,” Randy said.
“Yes, well that’s for another time. Right now we need to determine our present course of action.”
They talked and debated for the next two hours but in the end they decided that determining the structure of the new government should come first. The borders would be pretty much as defined by the search areas as time went on. No attempt would be made to expand into Utah at present.
****
“So now what?” Rachel asked as Randy explained what they had been discussing at the meeting.
She had just come from the shower when he showed up at her front door. They had been seeing each other but not living together. Her hair was still wet; she had on a big robe but no makeup. She looked stunning to Randy.
“Well, we need to determine who will be in charge. By that I mean who will make the final decision and how the checks and balances will be put into place.”
“I thought Colonel Webber was acting in that capacity.”
“For now, but what would happen if he got seriously hurt or even died? Then who would take over? Do we want the military to always have control over the country? That doesn’t sound too promising to me.”
“I see your point. We could end up with a dictatorship.”
“Absolutely. If we aren’t careful we could have different groups trying to vie for power, leading to bloodshed. We need to have something better in place. A chain of command based on majority rule.”
“Majority rule? Randy, America hasn’t had that since special interest groups started greasing the palms of elected officials.”
“That’s another thing we will have to address. The new Constitution will have to be very clear on equal treatment for all, no special circumstances or provisions for small special interest groups.”
“Good luck with that one.”
“Yeah, it’s not going to be easy.”
“Who is going to actually write this Constitution?”
“Another little detail that we haven’t actually come to grips with yet.”
“Boy, I don’t envy you. You have a hard job ahead of you. All of you do.”
“I just hope we’re up to the task,” Randy said.
“What about the other task?” she asked.
He frowned. “What other task?” She dropped her robe on the floor, standing in front of him.
“Ah...that I am up to,” he said, pulling her down on the couch.
****
The polar ice cap melting seemed to have stabilized and the rivers receded some but still not to their former levels. The weather began to have more of a pattern as well. Snow fell only in Canada and the very tip of Michigan and Maine. It was cool but nothing like in the past.
One startling discovery was that the day was no longer twenty-four hours long. The realization came not from the scientists but from women who weighed themselves regularly. They were the first to notice that they were showing a gain in weight but didn’t appear to be getting significantly larger in body size. Looking into it further it was determined that the day was shorter. This could only mean one thing when put together with the weight gain. Somehow the world was rotating faster, increasing the gravitational pull.
A new time system and date system would have to be considered at some point. Concern started to develop about what this meant to the earth in relation to the gravitational pull on the Moon and other planets. Could it throw everything out of balance to the point of having a devastating effect on the inhabitants of earth? It was also noted that there were only three really defined seasons.
Crops were starting to grow again but at a different time of the year and yields were considerably lower. Of course fresh meat was a thing of the past. They had found elk, mountain lion and cougars besides the original moose they had come across in northern Canada. The moose was still a mystery. Bats could be seen occasionally but no one seemed to know what they were eating to stay alive.
In spite of all of the progress, living was still pretty basic. No television, no internet, and no flying except for what was determined as government business. A single radio station was now operating and that helped to get news out faster which improved morale significantly.
Still, for the most part, people were still adapting. T
hey had housing, food, and protection. The essential needs were being met. Crime was virtually non-existent. When it was encountered, it was dealt with quickly and harshly. There would be no coddling or rehabilitation programs.
The need for determining the structure of the future government became the fundamental concern of every weekly meeting.
When Colonel Webber became ill, it punctuated the need for a workable chain of command. The only time they deviated from this goal was when Dr. Sullivan’s team discovered a major breakthrough that would cut the time to rewire and reconfigure the VLA. Dr. Sullivan assured them that within the year, they would be able to do the first series of tests.
The diversion was short lived however and soon the core issue of the function and formation of the government took precedence over all other items.
****
Randy proposed to Rachel and she immediately said yes. They had a small ceremony in the Air Force Academy chapel that was presided over by Colonel Webber. Their honeymoon was spent exploring the region around Colorado Springs and having picnics in the woods where they first discovered each other intimately. Life would go on and those who survived those initial months set the foundation for much that was to follow.
After almost a full year, a Constitution was presented to the entire population and a democratic vote was held to ratify it. A three-fourths majority vote was necessary but it passed by ninety-three percent. The new Constitution was put into effect exactly one year after ‘The Event.’
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
This is the first, day of the rest of your life
'Cause even in the dark you can still see the light
It's gonna be alright, s'gonna’ be alright
And love, will, hold us together
Make us a shelter
To weather the storm
And I'll, be, my brother’s keeper
So the whole world will know
That we're not alone
- Holds us Together by Matt Maher
THE BEGINNING – BOOK II of THE EVENT TRILOGY
THE REVELATION – BOOK III of THE EVENT TRILOGY
Marshall W. Huffman did not begin writing until after he retired from teaching. He decided to start with a trilogy based on a cataclysmic event. Marshall’s first trilogy is THE EVENT and consists of THE END, THE BEGINNING, and THE REVELATION. With THE EVENTS success he decided to write a second trilogy that is a frightening look at the events that could lead to THE SECOND CIVIL WAR. It is made up of: Book I – A NATION DIVIDED; BOOK II – A NATION AT WAR; BOOK III – A NATION HEALING.
He has also published a series of books entitled: the ANGIE BARTONI CASE FILES with a central cast of characters. In addition, he has two another series entitled: THE NORRIS FILES with its own set of central characters and THE LOGAN FILES. He enjoys writing mysteries, techno-thrillers, and Sci-Fi. His other Sci-Fi books THE BRINK – DEEP FLIGHT and CLOSE PROXIMITY are intense techno-thrillers with Sci-Fi intertwined. He finished BLACKSTAR and it just went on sale. His latest addition CHIMERA is a look at what could well happen if we don’t stop twisting science in perverted way.
Marshall was born in Bainbridge, Georgia and grew up in Indiana. After spending eight years in the Navy, he attended Ball State University, earning a B.S. degree in Business.
During and after college, he was involved in the restaurant business and spent the next twenty-five years in all types of venues, eventually owing his own fine dining restaurant. After years of long hours, he decided on a career change. He attended Eastern Illinois University earning a MBA. Because of his business background, Eastern Illinois University asked him to teach in the hospitality management program. He was recruited from Eastern to Parkland College and soon took over as the Program Director for the Hospitality Program. During his tenure there, he became a chef and had a television show called Cooking around the World with Chef Marshall and taught a series of Gourmet cooking classes for Continuing Education as well.
Professor Huffman retired from teaching along with his wife, Dr. Susan Huffman, to the Tampa Bay Florida area.
You can find his books under: MARSHALL HUFFMAN at Amazon.com.
THE END - Book I - Of THE EVENT SERIES Page 41
