APOCALYPSE 2073 Omnibus

by Parker James

  All rose as General McCreary informed Hastings of his orders, each retiring to their quarters knowing what was soon to come. All knew the devastation that had been wrought upon the planet, put in perspective on the part of the President who shortly was in his own quarters where Linda was waiting. He was still somber but completely composed, ready for the difficult decisions that would have to be made.

  “Where is everyone?” he asked.

  “You know where they are.”

  “Let me guess, the Oval Office?”

  “Yup. With Margaret.”

  “Is she ok with that?”

  “Perfectly fine and glad for the company.”

  “Sweetheart, I have to get some sleep. I’ll been in the Control Room with the Joint Chiefs all night. Longer in fact. We expect the drone from NORAD at 2200 with the satellite imagery Meehan promised.”

  “I already let Margaret know; she’s in babysitting mode for the long-haul. Are you hungry?”

  “No, I think I’ll eat when I wake up. I’m just gonna hit the sack for now.”

  “Wait up there, Mr. President,” she said. “I’m coming with you.”

  Both the President and his wife slept soundly, holding onto each other tightly dreaming of times past when the alarm clock suddenly went off. As they woke there was a knock at the door; it was Margaret with the kids and she’d also brought meals down from the Commissary.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you, Sir.”

  “No, no, Margaret. Care to join us for dinner?”

  “I wouldn’t want to impose, Mr. President,” she said.

  “Nonsense, you’re family now. That’s a Presidential order.”

  That meant a lot to Margaret, who with the loss of her husband enjoyed the company more than she could express. When they finished the President jumped in the shower, quickly said his goodbyes, and headed straight for the Control Room. It was 1950 hours, and if Meehan was correct in his assumption that the drones could do a complete reconnaissance of the U.S. it wouldn’t be more than two hours until the drone arrived. At a minimum they could expect all downloaded satellite imagery. The Joint Chiefs and Professor Enghult were already waiting and the final meeting with the Bunker Site Commanders conducted immediately. It was brief with no issues reported; following which all proceeded to the conference room to get the other Joint Chiefs up-to-speed on the meeting that occurred earlier so that they too would have a starting point complimented by the information Meehan would add. Various scenarios were being discussed when Hastings entered.

  “Pardon the interruption, Mr. President. The drone from NORAD has just arrived on schedule. As a matter of fact, there are over twenty of them.”

  President Andrews wasn’t surprised and showed absolutely no emotion.

  “Are they all on landing pads?”

  “They are, Sir, but only one is transmitting recognition codes.”

  “Very well. Confirm the codes and begin downloading all data immediately on a live stream to the conference room and then confirm the data secondarily as well as recognition codes from the other drones sent.”

  “Yes, Mr. President,” Hastings replied as he exited.

  It would only take a few minutes for confirmation and live stream to begin as General McCreary turned to the President.

  “Any idea why he sent so many drones, Sir?”

  “Speculative. Let’s listen to what Meehan has to say first,” Andrews replied while the others remained silent, waiting in anticipation.

  Meehan’s face appeared upon the monitor in short order. Again in the Command Center behind him clearly could be seen a large amount of activity, but it wasn’t frantic as it had been during the initial attack. Meehan was also composed, resigned to the new reality and began his presentation.

  “Mr. President and members of the Joint Chiefs, where to begin? There is good news and bad news, but we all know that. There are many reports contained within the transmission from this drone and I shall attempt to summarize what we’ve learned as concisely as possible in order of priority. You are very well aware of our satellite capabilities. We have confirmed the survival of Area 51, and they have indicated that modifications to their fleet have been undertaken and based upon their significant amount of manpower will be able to field over 300 drones if not more by the time you receive this transmission. We have no further indications of any offensive moves via satellite imagery, however, our satellites detected over 5000 nuclear detonations worldwide with immediate anticipated losses in the global population estimated beyond 6 billion with more to come. Over 72% of our Dakota based ICBM silos remain intact, and cross-referenced with detonations in relation to our remote silos those offensive weapons likely remain intact. We therefore singularly retain satellite communications, significant offensive capabilities, and defensive capabilities as well. Drones have been sent to the allied nations indicated, and although we haven’t as of yet had any response we expect so shortly. Mobile sonar buoys have been deployed in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and are transmitting the encoded messages to both the submarine fleet as well as our surface vessels instructing them to rendezvous at the points indicated. Of the four food convoys, one was completely lost in the vicinity of the port of Los Angeles. The other three have been located and we can only hope that they receive our encoded message indicating that they head toward Australia. Now for the more unfortunate aspects of what we have learned.”

  “We have a detailed list of all major cities hit. Most if not all of both the eastern and western seaboards have been obliterated. Although this is very difficult to say, the ten unit bunker complex in West Virginia where the Vice President and Secretaries were re-routed was targeted heavily by ground impact nukes and did not survive. There is a very remote chance that some survived in the lower levels of the bunkers, but we currently have no ability whatsoever to undertake any type of rescue operations. Area 51 has been notified and is attempting to come up with a solution. Most of our major inland population centers were also heavily targeted; our loss estimates exceed 400 million of our own citizens at a minimum. Radiation levels throughout the country are off the charts; I’m not quite sure how anyone can survive on the surface at this point. Nationwide we have a drop in temperatures averaging 10 degrees Fahrenheit.”

  “We still continue to jam all satellites other than our own, and you continue to have the ability to transmit worldwide. Our drone fleet at NORAD is now completely operational and it was recommended by many that we dispatch additional drones to your location in order to supplement your defenses should we once again be targeted. We anticipate over 90% survival rate of all bunkers within the Continental United States; the numbers likely similar in the allied nations. As expected the continents in the southern hemisphere were not heavily targeted as they posed a lesser threat.”

  “Pause transmission,” President Andrews said as he called out to Colonel Hastings.

  “Mr. President?” Hastings said.

  “Colonel. Have all of the additional drones sent from NORAD excluding the primary sent over to our automated refueling stations immediately upon acceptance of the confirmation codes. I want them topped off to the brim. Also have all drones within the complex brought to the outer section of the Domes and ready to go airborne at a moment’s notice. Keep five drones in reserve in five separate bunkers including this one.”

  “Immediately, Mr. President.”

  “Resume transmission,” Andrews said as Hastings departed.

  “A number of nuclear plants on the Asian Peninsula did not go into automatic shutdown mode and our satellites are detecting radiation from these nuclear plants leeching into the atmosphere, which will likely continue for years unless they go into meltdown or possibly even detonate, while our ozone layer remains intact yet has suffered severe damage. The effects of the electro-magnetic pulse are tapering off. Our environmental teams believe that the planet has the potential over a very long period of time to eventually recover, but should any more weapons be detonated in significant
numbers it undoubtedly will be an extinction level event. It could be one single weapon, one hundred, or a thousand. Frankly, Mr. President, we just don’t know.”

  “To summarize. Our adversaries and quite possibly our allies as well have depleted most if not all of their nuclear stockpiles excluding their submarine fleets. That is our true threat should this war continue. We retain vast nuclear and conventional offensive capabilities, satellite communications, and defensive measures. They do not. Obviously our allies in the United Kingdom didn’t attack us with their subs, which leaves only two other possible players who had that ability; China and Russia. Although our relationship with the Russians hasn’t been cordial, it’s never been overly adversarial, but we can’t rule out that possibility. Common sense dictates that it was the Chinese who targeted us off our coasts for whatever reasons, and those subs are in all likelihood still out there. Once our mobile sonar buoys were deployed, that also brought are underwater listening posts fully back on-line and we’ll be able to detect any sea based launches off our coast within seconds. Our strategy and tactics team came up with a solution that I have already implemented. We’ve retrofitted fifty drones with low-yield tactical nuclear weapons, and 25 on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts are continuously overflying these areas escorted by refueling tankers. They’ve been programmed not to attack; I do not wish to supersede your orders. But should this occur, should any more missiles be launched off of our coastlines, our drones can catch those missiles before they get two miles up and take them out before they have any chance of detonating with minimal damage to the atmosphere should you so decide. Again, this is now completely in your hands and the override codes are contained following this report. Mr. President, we await your further orders and shall follow them to the letter, no matter what they might be. General Meehan out; end transmission.”

  McCreary looked over at the President.

  “Are you pissed that he did that?”

  “To the contrary, General. I’m fairly impressed,” the President replied still completely composed. What he’d heard from General Meehan as to the extent of damage was what he’d expected. He wasn’t in shock as he rose from his chair and paced the room. The only one thing he hadn’t expected was the loss of the bunkers in West Virginia, but there was no time to mourn right now for his close friends; billions had already been lost. He turned to General Rodriguez.

  “General, please confirm with Colonel Hastings that we have full transmission download, and if so route the remaining reports to the conference room.”

  “Yes, Sir,” he replied rising from his chair. Andrews continued to pace the room as Rodriguez quickly returned confirming completion of the primary transmission with secondary confirmation currently underway.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen. Please remain seated and absolutely silent as we review all reports contained within General Meehan’s transmission. Upon completion of our review we shall briefly recess then determine our next course of action”

  It took nearly six hours to review all of the data. Satellite imagery, lists of cities hit, demographics, intelligence reports on nuclear capabilities possibly remaining in all nations cross-referenced with targets hit, offensive capabilities of the U.S., environmental analysis, real-time satellite imagery of the war as it occurred in its entirety, and a multitude of other information. Finally, when they’d completely reviewed all of the reports, President Andrews directed the computer via vocal command.

  “Computer. Triple split screen. Global overlay of nuclear detonations via satellite imagery on impact sites on freeze frame beginning on the night of September 18, 2073. Second split-screen to display Russian submarine numbers and weapons available; third screen to display Chinese submarine numbers and weapons available.”

  Looking at the display everyone understood not only the damage that had occurred globally, but the remaining threat to the planet clearly.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, we shall now recess for fifteen minutes,” Andrews said as he left the Control Room and paced the hallway on Level 20, considering his options. Those fifteen minutes felt like an eternity, but once passed again they were all in the conference room and devoted their full attention to the Commander-in-Chief. Their roundtable discussion would last another four hours, with President Andrews opening the discussion and setting boundaries.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen. This discussion is going to take as long as it takes. We know the remaining threats still out there. During the course of our discussion there will be no hierarchy and I wish all of you to express your opinions completely. If there are disagreements, push your opinions are far as you feel you need to, retaining a level of civility. I will be completely in listening mode and add nothing to the discussion. I believe that our goals are to one, end this war as quickly as possible without any further loss of life. We are on the brink. Secondly, if we are unable to end this war it is essential that we protect the United States and our allies to the best of our abilities with the remaining capabilities we have. A wise man told me recently that a carrot and stick approach should be used. I agree fully. Following our discussion and the actions we determine to take we shall collectively prepare an address for General Meehan first, and a second address to be transmitted worldwide. I shall personally draft my concluding remarks alone, and on this matter there will be no discussion.”

  “Are we in agreement?” Andrews asked, quizzing each and every one of the Joint Chiefs individually. All agreed to the boundaries set and goals of the discussion.

  “Very well then, please begin.”

  Four more hours passed in the conference room with opinions expressed by all members of the Joint Chiefs. Some advocated taking the risk of further damage to the planet by eliminating the remaining threats altogether through a pre-emptive strike, while others advocated that in so doing they risked their own demise and the absolute extinction of mankind. Yet in the end, despite some disagreements remaining, they collectively reached a concrete approach and all would stand behind the final decisions. It took almost another two hours for them to hammer out the address that President Andrews would transmit worldwide, and following that President Andrews asked that they all take a recess as he personally drafted his final remarks, taking another hour to do so. As in his previous addresses he would be in front of the monitor with General McCreary at his side; the other Joint Chiefs behind them as a show of solidarity. Once all were in position he began his initial address directed to General Meehan, which would be sent to him singly and not included in the worldwide address to the other nations.

  “Begin transmission,” Andrews said.

  “General Meehan, We have received your transmission and thank you for your insight in dispatching the drones not only to our own location but those overflying our coastal areas, posturing us in a defensive capacity. We were greatly disappointed to learn of the loss of the bunkers in West Virginia and hopefully at some future point rescue efforts can be undertaken, however, for the moment our efforts through necessity must be directed toward other endeavors. We realize the grave threat that the submarines adversarial to the United States pose. The Joint Chiefs and I have come to a number of conclusions and have collectively agreed that this war must end, and quickly so. The reports contained within your transmission regarding the environmental effects of further nuclear blasts occurring and the likelihood of turning this into an extinction level event have been taken to heart. Considering this we have made certain determinations and are in agreement on our following course of action. Please be advised that this initial transmission is directed to you and you alone; the following transmission will be broadcast worldwide two hours after this drone arrives at your location as we shall also be dispatching a second drone simultaneously to the remote location, which will begin transmitting to all nations worldwide two hours after you receive this transmission. Following the address we shall release our satellites in order to communicate amongst ourselves in encrypted form.”

  “Between those two events we would like you
to do the following. Immediately upon the arrival of this drone you are to field fifty more drones outfitted with low-yield nuclear weapons supplementing our airborne coastal defenses. The 24 submarines are to be ordered by you to close within five miles of our coastlines, with an additional 75 submarines directed to close within 25 miles supplementing our defensive capabilities through use of our mobile sonar buoys. They are to remain submerged but at a sufficient depth to raise their communications array in order to receive immediate satellite communications so that they will able to carry out any further orders immediately. Our remaining subs are to be equally directed toward the three remaining food convoys in an escort capacity. Again, this transmission is for you and you alone. Should we again be attacked and Bunker Site 1 not survive, the chain of command reverts to NORAD and following that Area 51. I need not say anymore. Upon hearing the worldwide address contained within this drone you will understand fully. We at Bunker Site 1 thank you for your efforts, and should our hopes not come to pass I say to you, General, God Bless America and we pray our efforts to end this war is heeded by all nations following our address. President Andrews out. End transmission.”

  President Andrews then turned to the Joint Chiefs.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, now we begin our worldwide address. I ask you to pray our words are taken to heart. Let us begin.”

  Turning to the wall monitor he spoke again.

  “Begin recording secondary transmission; worldwide address.”

  President Andrews spoke slowly and clearly without showing any emotion so that his words would ring true, reflecting the dire situation the world now found itself in. And by so doing hoped his determination would be unquestioned. All of the Joint Chiefs held their positions behind him, equally determined. He would keep the address concise, and what he said was the following.