Von Neumann’s War полностью

Hiowa Lend: Well Ret, it means that whatever happened to Mars, is now happening to the Moon.

Megiddo: If I may, Hiowa?

Hiowa Lend: Feel free, Professor… uh… Megiddo. Are you sure that your communications are secure, my old friend?

Megiddo: I assure you that the government is quite unable to trace my call. I helped design the original Bell system and I know all the tricks.

Ret Ball: Very well, my friend, go ahead.

Megiddo: I’ve made similar measurements of the lunar surface color and reflectance albedo as well as its absorption spectra. It’s being mechanized, Ret. Something is indeed terraforming the Moon. This is way too close to home and I suggest it’s time we all take to remote underground locations. Had the CIA not covered this up for so long we might have been more prepared for it. Ret, you must move immediately to your secure bunker. Time is of the essence.

“Mr. President, ten minutes ago we lost all contact with the Transmission and Data Relay Satellite System in geosynchronous orbit. We’re getting communications from multiple government and commercial sources worldwide that satellites in GEO are failing,” the NSA briefed the President via phone from the Pentagon.

“Vicki, does this means it’s starting?” The President sat up in his chair in the Oval Office. “Just a minute, Vicki.” He pressed the blinking light on his phone, “Yes, Judy?”

“Mr. President, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs is here and says it’s urgent.”

“Send him in.”

“Mr. President, the Neighborhood Watch has informed us that most of our high altitude space assets have been lost and our lower orbit platforms are starting to fail,” newly promoted five star General Kevin Mitchell warned as he marched into the Oval Office.

“I think it’s time to move you to the predetermined safe location.” Besides the over forty divisions that had been called up Mitchell was also in charge of the “organized militias.” Most of them were more militia than organized, but they gave the vast number of armed citizens in the U.S. something to center around, and while training had been spotty the response had been enthusiastic. Enthusiastic enough that despite increases in production, there was a nationwide shortage of ammunition, which was one of many “survival” items that, as predicated, had been heating up the inflationary indexes.

“Hold on, General, I’m putting Vicki on the speaker. Okay, go ahead, Vicki. General Mitchell is here and has just suggested that I be moved to a safe location.”

“Hello, Kevin,” the NSA’s voice said over the phone. “I agree. Mr. President. We do not know where these things will come down and what they will do, but it looks like it’s happening now.”

“Mr. President,” Kevin interjected. “I think it’s time to alert the Emergency Broadcast System while there still is one and we should try to get some recon somehow on where these things are coming down, assuming they plan to hit like they did on the Moon.”

“Mr. President, I was just handed a projection from Ronny Guerrero’s group at Neighborhood Watch,” Vicki said. “At the rate of loss of satellites, they predict that all satellites will be lost within the next hour. And that means all manmade satellites, not just U.S. assets.”

“There goes CNN,” the President said with a faint, grim smile.

“Mr. President, your orders, sir?” The general stood at ease in front of his desk. He seemed calm. But, then, he’d probably mentally prepared for this moment for a long time.

“What was it the man said? ‘I knew this would come, but not so soon’? Whew.” The President looked around the Oval Office and sighed. He picked up a small metal picture frame containing a photo of his wife, son, and daughter and placed it in his coat pocket. “Okay. Evacuate the White House and have the civil defense plans put into place. Vicki, we’ll meet you at Air Force One.”

“Yes, sir, Mr. President. I’m leaving now.”

Kevin led the President to the door and informed the Secret Service guards there, “Evacuate the White House. We’re moving the President to the safe location.” The Secret Service bodyguards went into immediate action.