Trueman guided Aaron Eckler to speak.
“Look, guys, we ain’t really disputing your research. But the way we are lookin’ at it is that, until Schenkler makes that pass on Jupiter, we reckon that there is still a chance of a near miss –“
Ewan was getting irritated, forgetting the company he was keeping.
“Now just wait a minute! I know my own research and the probability of a near miss is as low as 1 in 10,000. We will be deceiving the human race by giving them false hope –“
Josh Trueman came back on using mediatory tones.
“Look, Ewan, we know exactly what your research says. But here is the problem. If we announce right away that the Earth is going to be destroyed and everyone and everything is going to be blown into oblivion – then what’s going to happen? Ah’ll tell you what – there will be chaos, anarchy and disorder. All human systems, such as industry, production and economies, will just totally disintegrate. Guys, what we need right now is to buy some time in order to put a plan in motion that’ll give the human race a fighting chance of survival. As a result, ah propose that the next part of that plan is Stage two. That is how we get as many people off Earth before 2084 and colonise Mars. It is our only hope of survival and, in hindsight - we should have pushed it harder and faster in the late 20th century. So for now we need those industries and economies to carry on as normal. So again ah ask – are we all agreed on Stage one?”
This time everyone realising the enormity of the situation agreed with Trueman.
“Okay, so just to confirm - ah will speak to the American people at 5pm Washington time, that’ll be 10pm with you John and midnight for you Moshi? Ravinder – you’ll need to be ready to have a press briefing in NY following our televised statements?”
Ralston, Shalomon and Gupta-Chaudry all agreed. Trueman carried on.
“Ah will also call key heads of state personally before the announcement to let them know what is going on. For instance, Presidents Lechnikov in Russia, Jeng-Li Pan in China and ah’ll also speak with Mullah Suleiman of the LOIN. Right, guys, Stage two – there is a helluva lot of planning going to be required. It is going to need a lot of international co-operation, but ah’m suggesting the key planning decisions are centered with NASA at Houston and Cape Canaveral. Is everyone agreed on that?”
No-one disputed what Trueman was saying and he carried on speaking.
“Good – now look here, we are going to have to bring all the top guys from around the world in on this. Mr Sinclair and Mr Schenkler – ah want you to come over and join a new astrophysics team to be headed up by Aaron Eckler. Mr Mackintosh – ah hear that you are the joker in the pack – but ah’m asking you to join the E2MSN computing redevelopment team to be headed up by Beth O’Donnell. What say you guys?”
Gary was first to reply in his usual comedic style.
“You’re a guy who knows how to lay his cards on the table, Mr President – ye can deal me in!”
Ewan and Ari could hardly believe they had been elevated to the ranks of astrophysics superstardom but they had both only slightly hesitated before agreeing and Trueman carried on talking.
“Okay, ah have also agreed in advance with Prime Ministers Ralston and Shalomon that the – what d’ya call them, Aaron.....oh yeah, the CORSAIR observatory in Scotland and the Nimrod SH2 telescope under the auspices of the INSACC in Tel Aviv will be put at the disposal of Mr Sinclair and Mr Schenkler. Mr Goldenheim will continue to be INSACC Project Director for the newly revised Nimrod program. Again – is everyone still in accord?”
Once again the conference concurred with President Trueman.
“Right, guys, we need to start wrapping this up as we have all got a lotta work to do. Stage three then – once we have agreed plans and put into motion the attempt to mass-colonise Mars and basically at the point when Schenkler makes its pass by Jupiter – when is that again guys?”
Ewan jumped in.
“Mr President, my calculations show that Schenkler passes Jupiter at the end of September next year in 2082.”
Trueman looked at Eckler who nodded.
“Yeah, that’s correct, Ewan – okay, at that point we are gonna to have to announce to the world that the Day of Judgment is on its way. Jeez, guys, ah tell ya all ah ain’t looking forward to that day – and ah mean the day we gotta announce it! We will also be setting up an international UN team headed up by Ravinder to plan for the likelihood that there could be a complete breakdown of law and order. In fact, ah’m actually hoping for a joint UN / LOIN task force but ah gotta speak with Suleiman about that. Okay, that’s Stage three – is everyone on board?”
There was agreement by all at the meeting and Trueman began winding the conference up.
“Right, all you guys, that’s the three stages that we need to put in motion at present. So before ah tell ya all ta knuckle down and get ta work on this thing – are there any last questions?”
There was a moment’s hesitation between Washington, London and Tel Aviv, which was broken by Gary with uncharacteristic solemnity.
“Mr President, Gary Mackintosh here – ye talked about the attempt to mass-colonise Mars, yeah? Well there are seven and a half billion human beings on this planet. Realistically, how many humans are we going to be able to transport to Mars by 2084?”
Trueman gulped and realised that the elephant in the room had just revealed itself.
“Gary, that is one helluva question, son. Ah’m gonna put Aaron Eckler on to answer that one – Aaron?”
Eckler came over the monitors with some hesitation in his voice.
“A-a-ah, w-well we are still at the very early stages on this one. But given the timescales and the logistics – ah mean to say this is the most complex undertaking that mankind has ever taken on – ah –eh –“
Trueman barked an order.
“Jesus Christ, Aaron, give them the damn figure!”
Aaron Eckler swallowed hard.
“Realistically, we have estimated a maximum of forty five to fifty thousand humans –“
There was complete silence.
*
Earthdate: 16:50 Monday February 24, 2081 EST
Josh Trueman sat at his desk in the Oval Office running over his speech for the final time as the TV crew also made their final preparations for his broadcast. The TV director bent over towards Trueman.
“Ten minutes, Mr President!”
Trueman nodded and he thought back on the last few hours since the conference call and he felt that they had probably been some of the fastest in his lifetime. Following the agenda item on Schenkler and after all the astrophysics / computer guys had departed the meeting, Trueman had another issue to discuss. The US President had turned to a separate agenda item with only himself, Ralston, Gupta-Chaudry and Shalomon present. Trueman again took the lead.
“John that was fuckin’ good work your guys did on bringing in the terrorists that assassinated poor Prince Eddie and the others. Not only that but also identifying that Suleiman and the LOIN were the paymasters.”
“Thank you, Josh, based on the info that Al Ahmed gave us before he died we have all but smashed the UK ring which called itself the Group. Unfortunately, two of them still elude our police and security forces for the moment. The ringleader named Mahmoud El Kharroubi and the one who killed Al Ahmed, who the Group only knew as the Palestinian. It means, Josh, that the operation to attack the planned centres for the super-storage of DNA may still be live.”
Shalomon growled angrily over the monitors.
“Gentlemen, let me send a crack Mossad team into Tehran and I promise you I will take that bastard Suleiman down!”
Gupta-Chaudry intervened in more conciliatory tones.
“Moshi, what Suleiman has put in motion are certainly terrible acts of aggression. But given what is going to happen to this planet in 2084 what we can ill afford at this time is to
reply with more aggression.”
Trueman came back on.
“Moshi, what Ravinder says is very true. Ah have already said that ah would be speaking to Suleiman later today about 2084. Ah am going to be up front with him on Schenkler. Ah am also going to tell him that on the basis of what we know about the comet that ah will be cutting through all the crap. That we know exactly what he had planned and what he is planning – an’ that he had better get it called off immediately. Ah think even Suleiman will realise that the collection and storage of human DNA to be transported to Mars before 2084 may be a major building block in the reconstruction - and ultimately - the continued survival of the human race!”
Gupta-Chaudry agreed.
“I completely concur with you, Josh. This is now the time for the peoples of the world to pull together in unity. Perhaps it has taken Judgment Day to finally bring about the hope of world peace.”
One hour later Trueman managed to get Suleiman on his monitor. The Iranian President was his usual congenial viper-like self.
“Mr President, it is so good of you to call me again so soon. What can I do for you this evening, my brother?”
Trueman was in no mood for pleasantries.
“Abdullah, ah’m gonna cut straight to the chase here. In a minute ah’m gonna talk to you about the Group that you have been fundin’ in the UK –“
Suleiman barked back angrily.
“Trueman, I hope by Allah that you are not going to start accusing the LOIN of acts of terrorism –“
The American President raised his voice in controlled anger.
“Abdullah shut the fuck up! We’ll get to the Group later - but first ah have to tell you that ah’m announcing some terrible news tonight to the American people. News about an event so grave that will affect the whole fuckin’ world!”
Suleiman listened, at first sceptically, at Trueman’s account of the devastating comet heading towards Earth. But as Trueman detailed the data that had been researched and the three stage plan that he had already agreed with the UN, Britain and Israel, Suleiman had that growing feeling of dread in his stomach that told him that the US President was telling the truth. Trueman agreed to provide all the data to the LOIN to back up his statements about Schenkler HMM2 and Suleiman agreed to follow the three stage plan in principle. Suleiman agreed that he would make his own announcement to the LOIN states.
“Abdullah – what the world is gonna need in the next three years is full co-operation of all the nations. An’ that means that the UN and the LOIN need to truly co-operate – truly have peace. What do ya say, President Suleiman?”
Suleiman was punch drunk with all the information from Trueman and he sat like a beaten fighter boxed in the corner of the ring. He was almost in tears as he spoke.
“Josh, my friend and my brother, I-I can hardly take in all that you have said – but it is indeed written in Allah’s own words in the Qu’ran. The Yawm ad-Din – the Day of Judgment – which brings about the annihilation of all creatures on Earth followed by the Resurrection and the last judgment of God. It h-has finally come. We are all subject to that same judgment. Of course, Josh, I agree to a peace accord of all the nations. I will come to Washington and stand by your side on the steps of your White House and sign a treaty between the UN and the LOIN.”
Trueman breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s great, Abdullah, that’s just great. Now look, Mr President, ah don’t have time for all the whys and wherefores regarding the Prince of Wales assassination and the current plot to blow up targeted Western hospitals –“
Suleiman interrupted.
“President Trueman, I have made a grave error in my own judgment and I have been ill-advised by certain partners within the LOIN. I now see that Allah has chosen a different path of martyrdom for all Muslims and I am sure that you will have similar beliefs within your own Christian faith. Please accept that I will do everything in my power to ensure that the attempt to bomb any Western hospitals is immediately called off.”
Josh glanced down again at his speech as the TV director brought him back from his reflective thoughts.
“Ten seconds, Mr President.”
Trueman looked up at the camera facing him and as he watched the countdown his last thoughts before speaking were – my Fellow Americans, it’s only a little white lie. The ‘On Air’ red light flicked alive and the auto-cue began to roll before him.
“My fellow Americans – I have come before you tonight to advise you all that a new astral body has been recently discovered on the outer edges of our own solar system. It is a large comet, probably a fragment of an exploded planet, hurled towards the Sun from another nearby star system. It has been named Schenkler HMM2 after the Israeli astrophysicist who first photographed it as it passed through the Kuiper Belt in the same quadrant as Pluto. The reason I am talking to you tonight is to tell you all that the expectation is the Schenkler comet is on a trajectory which will bring it on a near by-pass of planet Earth – current estimates are that it will pass within half a million miles of our planet in May 2084. The comet has a very large tail of rock, ice and debris. International scientists estimate that Earth will suffer multiple meteor showers in late 2083 and possibly right through to May 2084. Our planet will sustain severe collateral damage. We are still working to determine those locations on Earth which will be most affected - and we will be working with the governments of all nations to minimise that damage. However, my key message to you all is not to panic. Government and production and economies and public order should carry on in a stable and responsible manner. You should all carry on with your own lives in the sure knowledge that I and my Government will be working night and day to plan for all eventualities as the comet nears planet Earth. I can assure you I will personally keep you informed of any and all developments as they are reported to me by the teams that I have today set up under the auspices of NASA. The world is facing a great challenge – possibly its greatest challenge - and it requires all nations and all peoples to pull together in the same direction. To this end I have invited President Mullah Abdullah Suleiman to come to Washington in April to discuss a peace accord between the UN and the LOIN. I can advise you all that President Suleiman has agreed to this historic meeting and I believe this to be a major step forward in world peace. It is not the first time in human history that an astral body has heralded peace for all mankind. It is my greatest hope that this comet may also bring that same promise. I thank you all for listening and I wish you all a peaceful good evening.”
“Cut!”
Trueman heard the young TV broadcast director Tony Coccio call the broadcast to an end.
“That’s a wrap, Mr President. Can I congratulate you on a superb speech?”
Trueman picked up the typed sheets of his speech, looked at them momentarily, and then scattered them all over the Seal of the President of the United States of America on the floor in front of his desk.
“Son - that was one steamin’ pile of bullshit!”
*
Earthdate: 22:22 Monday February 24, 2081 GMT
Jill sat at her workstation in the Times office. Buckley was in his own office awaiting her copy. They had both just finished listening to Prime Minister Ralston giving the pre-arranged announcement on the Schenkler comet. In fact, Jill had also tried to listen simultaneously to President Trueman’s speech from the White House and she had concurred that the two speeches were remarkably similar. The London Times and the Leak sites that Ewan and Gary had contacted had all been given the go-ahead to release the information they had been given. They could all publish material on Schenkler at 23:30 GMT as long as it did not go beyond Stage one of the Trueman plan. Buckley impressed upon Jill not to cross the Stage one boundary as Ralston had threatened to make life difficult for the Times if they went too far. Jill looked at her monitor and asked herself if she had the will to carry on with the job at the Times. She had
gone home to Glasgow on the Saturday night after Khan’s death and just cried for hours in her mother’s arms.
“Oh God mum – ah don’t know if ah can do all this any more?”
Her mother Jean hugged her tight and wiped away her tears. Her father Jock kept bringing in steaming hot mugs of strong tea. Jean looked into her daughter’s weeping eyes.
“Of course ye can, Jill. Ah know you have been through a heck of an ordeal lately – what with the baby coming. Then with Khan and you separating and now with Khan getting killed in this terrible stooshie that he got himself involved in –“
Jean wiped Jill’s running nose with a tissue then she continued to console her daughter.
“But you’re one hell of a journalist, Jill. There are goin’ to be some really big stories ahead and you’ve still got the guts to tell them. So you get a good night’s sleep in you’re old comfy bed and tomorrow you’ll be ready to take on the world again.”
Jill kissed her mother hard on the cheek.
“Thanks mum.”
With her new steely resolve Jill started to rattle together her article as she sat at her workstation, keeping one eye on the post-announcement media furore on the news.
TIMES EXCLUSIVE:
SCOTS SCIENTISTS DISCOVER NEW COMET:
METEOR SHOWERS AND MASS DEVASTATION PREDICTED
By Jill Geeson, Senior Investigative Reporter, London Times, Feb 24
Tonight the world has been dramatically informed by many of the nations’ leaders that a startling new comet has been discovered entering the solar system. Prime Minister John Ralston, US President Josh Trueman and Israeli Premier Moshi Shalomon have led the way in releasing details of the new astral discovery, which is predicted to cause devastation across the globe. Russian President Lechnikov and Chinese President Jeng-Li Pan are also expected to make similar announcements tomorrow morning. It is believed that the President of the LOIN states, Mullah Abdullah Suleiman, will quickly follow suit. The world’s leaders have revealed the comet will come startlingly close to Earth in May 2084, possibly as close as to within half a million miles. The leaders are reassuring the peoples of our tiny vulnerable planet that concerted plans will be put in place to deal with every eventuality concerning the bypass of the comet. It is fully expected that rock and debris being carried along in the tail of the comet will cause severe collateral damage to the planet some time between January and May of 2084 and contingency plans will be put in place by the various world agencies to deal with the outcome of this.
2084 The End of Days Page 22
