by Parker James
“Let them know that they can look forward to a home cooked meal,” she said as she quietly began to prepare dinner. It took almost two hours when suddenly the smell of the food cooking woke her husband, who startled her as he was suddenly at her side. He looked like a new man; the full eight hours of sleep had done him well.
“Where is everyone?” he asked.
“Don’t worry, the kids are with Margaret and they’ll be back shortly. Are you hungry?”
“Famished,” he said.
“Good. Why don’t you jump in the shower and get dressed. I’ll have dinner ready by the time you’re done and we’ll sit down and eat as a family before you have to go back.”
“Has General McCreary called at all?”
“About an hour ago,” she replied. “He just wanted to see how you were doing and let you know everything was fine. They don’t expect the drone from NORAD for at least two more hours. He also said to let you know that the Vice Chairman and Chiefs of Staff Rodriguez, Pichton, and Walsh are almost done with their inspection.”
“Good,” he said heading for the shower. “I won’t be long. Then I’ll get the kids and we’ll eat before I have to get back. I almost feel guilty.”
“Don’t,” Linda replied. “You’re only human. Don’t be too long; twenty minutes and everything will be ready. I’ll have Margaret bring the kids back, that way you’ll have time to get dressed.”
“Okay,” he replied noticing it was 1600 hours. There would be much to do when he returned to the control room. Once that drone arrived some serious decisions would have to be made. The President, refreshed as he was would have to ponder their options with a clear head to determine their next course of action. For now he would trust McCreary. After calling over to Margaret’s office, the First Family sat down together and had a quiet and enjoyable meal by themselves. Having lived in the White House for the past three years Linda discovered that she hadn’t lost her cooking skills. For that brief period of time all was well, any thoughts of a serious nature temporarily put aside. Yet dinner was over all too soon and the President said his goodbyes, arriving at the control room by 1720 hours. He was 100%. Entering he could see that all of the Joint Chiefs were in full attendance; the tour of Bunker Site 1 complete. Immediately he directed his attention to General McCreary, who was glad to see his old friend so refreshed.
“General, your report if you please.”
“Sir, the drone hasn’t yet arrived from NORAD, however, we anticipate its arrival within the next two hours. Professor Enghult and Veronica; pardon me he said correcting himself, Miss McCreary, continued to monitor proper operation of the power generation unit for four hours following transition and have since retired. All systems are functioning properly, and Dr. Lazzario and his staff have taken over on Level 15 from this point forward. The Joint Chiefs designated to tour Bunker Site 1 have completed their task and tunneling operations to bunker 5 have begun. The dozers outside of the bunkers are functioning properly and all waste materials from tunneling operations are being dispersed with no difficulties encountered. Level 20 has been removed from lockdown per your instructions and there have been no reports of any security issues within any of the bunkers. The reports from Dr. Wilkins, the Conyers’, and Professor Enghult detailing our operational modifications have been prepared and are ready to be uploaded to the drone once it arrives. The military technicians have begun modifying our own drone fleet within the complex and anticipate that they’ll be fully able to withstand the radiation levels on the surface within 24 hours. In effect, Mr. President, all is well and we simply await the arrival of the drone.”
“And the 1400 conference with the Bunker Site Commanders?”
“Completed and uneventful, Mr. President.”
“How are the preparations proceeding in anticipation of restart of the power generation unit in bunker 5?”
“I’m informed that we again have green lights across the board diagnostically and visually and we’re only waiting to proceed once 48 hours have passed. It will be accomplished well before interconnection so we’ll be fully protected should anything go wrong.”
“Very well, General,” President Andrews replied as he turned to the Joint Chiefs. “Ladies and Gentleman, you are temporarily relieved and will be informed immediately upon the arrival of the drone from NORAD. You are to return forthwith upon its arrival. If you feel the need to eat, relax, or visit the Commissary, please feel free to do so. Temporarily dismissed,” Andrews concluded.
The President knew they were also human and a brief respite would do them well. He’d take over from here, at least for the time being. After saluting, the Joint Chiefs filed out of the conference room one by one, even including General McCreary, but their absence would be a brief one. During that time awaiting the drone’s arrival, President Andrews reviewed the reports to be included in their response to Meehan. It wasn’t quite two hours before the drone arrived. The Corporal manning the communications console looked over and informed the President.
“Sir, I have indications of a drone just having arrived on landing pad 1.”
President Andrews responded without showing any emotion whatsoever; he was again all business.
“Very well, Corporal. Advise the Joint Chiefs and Professor Enghult to return to the conference room immediately and then begin transmitting the confirmation codes on a duplicate basis.”
“Affirmative, Sir.”
Within five minutes Professor Enghult and the Joint Chiefs were in the control room, overly relieved at the second drone’s arrival. It was 2000 hours; not quite four days since the war had begun.
“Recognition codes confirmed on a duplicate basis, Mr. President,” the Corporal said. “What are your orders, Sir?”
“Download the transmission and have it stream live, Corporal.”
“Beginning live transmission stream, Sir.”
As with the previous drone, Meehan’s face appeared clear as a bell. President Andrews knew the integrity of the data transfer the prior day had been completely accurate and that duplicate confirmation of the data could be completed following the live stream. Everyone in the room was completely riveted in anticipation of what Meehan had to say. During his first transmission he seemed somewhat dejected, not knowing whether Bunker Site 1 survived the attack, yet now appeared relieved and it showed on both his face and in his voice. He must have been in the control room at NORAD as they could all see a large amount of activity behind him. And so he began his response to the President’s directives that had been included in the first drone’s return.
“Mr. President and Members of the Joint Chiefs. The return drone sent from your location has arrived safely. Immediately upon its arrival the data included in your transmission was downloaded and reviewed. Its arrival confirming the survival of Bunker Site 1 was immediately announced throughout NORAD, and I cannot express to you the extent that it has increased our moral throughout the complex. Your survival was a Godsend and has given all of us the hope so desperately needed. That being said, I shall now advise you of our actions according to your directives.”
“During the time between the drone’s initial dispatch and its return, modifications to the fleet at NORAD has continued around the clock. We now have over 300 drones operational and in all likelihood modifications to the remainder of the fleet will have been completed, bringing us back to full capacity. As we speak we’ve already begun triple tiered flyover of the entire continental United States utilizing 200 drones accompanied by refueling tankers. Once collated, the information will provide us with three-dimensional imaging of the surface, radioactivity levels, weather pattern analysis, and a fairly good idea of those bunkers which survived the attack. Despite multiple warheads having hit the United States, I am informed by our scientific teams that undoubtedly there will be areas where our cameras will be able to get a visual. The drones will be running continuously throughout the evening using infrared and thermal imaging technology at approximately Mach Six. Once returning to our
location the data will be downloaded using multiple landing platforms and collated by our computers within the complex. All data retrieved will be included in the following drone dispatched to your site. An additional 20 drones have been allocated in order to accomplish your secondary directives, leaving NORAD with over 150 drones ready at a moment’s notice to become airborne for defensive measures should we again be attacked.”
“In regards to your secondary directives, drones have been dispatched to the primary bunker sites in The United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, advising them of our situation and that they hold off on any offensive actions unless otherwise advised. Drones have also been dispatched to Area 51 and the bunker complex in Virginia. An additional drone has been dedicated to a low flyover of the missile fields in the Dakotas, but this only represents 50% of our overall land based nuclear capabilities. Twelve drones have been dispatched to both the Atlantic and Pacific and mobile sonar buoys have been dropped advising our two dozen submarines to hold their current positions 100 miles off the coast and await further orders. Once accomplished those sonar buoys will head out to sea and advise the remainder of the Naval Fleet to rendezvous at the locations previously designated. Should the four missing food convoys pick-up the encrypted directives, they are advised to take as many vessels under tow as possible and head toward southern Australia; the remainder of the fleet to be scuttled after rescuing all personnel to the best of their ability.”
“We are continuing to jam all satellite communications other than our own, however, know that at a moment’s notice with the satellites having been grouped in sets of three that our signal strength is now strong enough to both send and receive transmissions to all bunkers, allied nations, our entire Naval Fleet, and our missile fields throughout the Nation. Even going under the worst-case-scenario that only our submarine fleet survived, that alone leaves us with over 1,300 nuclear warheads at our disposal. That is unlikely; undoubtedly a large majority of our widely dispersed land based missile silos have also survived intact.”
“With the realignment of our satellites through our clandestine laser transmission system, global reconnaissance has already begun and those satellites are also attempting to locate our Naval Fleet as well as the food convoys. We’ve had a bit of contention here amongst our scientific teams as to whether our adversaries have the ability to pick-up those laser transmissions and what risk that might pose as an instigation to a further attack. Risk analysis seems to think that our adversaries have very few if any land based missiles left in their arsenals, but then again those subs are still out there and capable of doing a tremendous amount of damage. Our environmental team believes that should any more weapons in significant numbers be deployed based upon what we already know, that we are truly looking at an extinction level event. Believe me, Sir, in all my years I have never been involved in such a heated discussion and had to make a determination based upon those possibilities. I have no wish to disregard, countermand, or supersede your directives. By the same token I had to make a decision. When we initially signaled our satellites using laser transmission technology, we were uncertain as to whether or not Bunker Site 1 had survived. Despite sending that transmission up until this point no further attacks have occurred, but that doesn’t mean that our adversaries are incapable of picking-up on our transmission. Our science teams assure me that they are unable to do so, and believe me, Mr. President, they were grilled. A decision had to be made, and that decision rests fully on my shoulders. The decision I made is the following.”
“One additional drone was dispatched to the remote transmission point enabling download of all data contained within our active satellites, allowing for a complete picture of how many nuclear weapons actually detonated planet-wide. Without that knowledge, should you and the Joint Chiefs decide that retaliatory action is in our best interest in order to ensure our survival, then those orders will be carried out. But also please be aware of this; I had to take our environmental team seriously, that quite possibly should we retaliate we’d effectively be committing mutual suicide. Downloading the data if picked up by our adversaries could quite possibly be an instigator to a further attack, but without this information we’ll only be able to provide you with half a picture. As we speak the drone is already on-site at the remote location and will begin downloading the data contained within the satellites at 0200 tomorrow and immediately return to our location. Combined with the information obtained through drone reconnaissance we’ll be able to provide you with a full and complete picture enabling you to make an informed decision as to your next course of action. Allowing for the flyover time and collation of data from both sources, you can anticipate the follow-up drone at approximately 2200 hours tomorrow evening. Should you decide to override the satellite system and initiate a retaliatory or pre-emptive strike, you currently have that ability from your location.”
General Meehan’s face suddenly became even more serious. Although over 1,000 miles away from the primary bunker site, he may just have well been in the same room with the President and face to face as he spoke.
“Mr. President. I have taken it upon myself to send that drone in order to download the information from our satellite system. That is directly in conflict with your prior orders. I will not make any excuses. Should you decide to relieve me of my command, it would be right and proper. Should that not be the case, we stand ready here at NORAD to follow through with your following directives no matter what they be. Your humble servant. End transmission.”
As the screen went blank everyone in the control room remained completely silent, wondering what the President’s actions would be. They didn’t need to wait long as he didn’t even consider consulting with the Joint Chiefs; his decision would be his and his alone. Even General Meehan was surprised. President Andrews addressed the Corporal at the communications console.
“Corporal, begin recording return transmission.”
“Affirmative, Sir,” the Corporal replied, his voice wavering slightly. “Recording return transmission now, Mr. President.”
The President likewise responded to General Meehan as if they were in the same room, his face as serious as had been Meehan’s.
“General Meehan. We have received your follow-up drone and the Joint Chiefs and I have reviewed the information contained within your report. I thank you for carrying out our directives as indicated. Very often once elected, a President thinks about his legacy and how he will be remembered. What we are currently faced with I have to wonder whether there will be anyone left to remember us at all. A pre-emptive or retaliatory strike is always an option, yet toward what end if it does not assist in our continued survival? No Sir, General Meehan, you are not relieved of command. You are to continue with our directives and are also to download the data from the satellites from the remote location only. You are not to do so from NORAD itself, putting the complex at risk. Its existence is critical to our survival. We shall include in our return transmission the reports outlining the modifications instituted in the primary bunker site and look forward to the following drone at 2200 hours tomorrow. At that point the Joint Chiefs and I shall make a definitive decision as to our following course of action based upon a complete picture. We thank you for your efforts, and I wish you to personally express to all of those at NORAD our undying gratitude that is felt by myself, the Joint Chiefs, and those within Bunker Site 1. We look forward to your following transmission. Carry on. President Andrews out.”
Again speaking to the Corporal, the President ordered him to upload the three reports under Professor Enghult’s supervision and once confirmed immediately send the drone on its return trip. He then turned to General McCreary and the Joint Chiefs, mapping out their evening.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. The members of the Joint Chiefs who have not completed the inspection of Bunker Site 1 will do so tomorrow as scheduled. We shall now adjourn to the conference room prior to the final group meeting of the day with the Bunker Site Commanders, at which point excluding Admiral Pi
chton you will all be relieved until 0600 tomorrow. Once Professor Enghult oversees data upload and dispatch of the drone back to NORAD, he will then join us and provide a full briefing on our ongoing efforts regarding tunneling operations and restart of the power generation unit within bunker 5. I would ask you to please proceed to the conference room; General McCreary and I shall join you momentarily.”
McCreary hung back as the Joint Chiefs took their seats at the conference table, knowing that the President wanted to speak to McCreary privately as the General remained silent until Andrews spoke.
“Did we do the right thing, Phil?”
“Sir, if those environmental teams are correct in their assessment and we do decide to pre-emptively launch our own missiles, we might as well aim them at ourselves. Are you concerned about General Meehan?”
“I think I would have done the same thing in his position with the information he had, so no, I’m not. You know the phrase, ‘everyone’s dispensable’. I’ve learned of late that it’s not quite true.”
“I’ve known him most of my life, Mr. President, and there’s not a better man to be found.”
“General, let’s hit the conference room and concern ourselves with the ensured survival of Bunker Site 1; beyond that tomorrow decides everything.”
