“Professor Conley,” the President asked. “How far out would we have to go to lay a minefield for this box you described?”
“At a minimum you would want to start at least a half a million miles from the moon, so around seven hundred fifty thousand to a million miles out.”
“Tom, can the shuttles go that far out into space and return safely?”
“Yes and no. We would have to place fuel depots along the path that far out. We would not return the shuttles to earth but keep them docked at the space station, which means outfitting the station with supplies and personnel to service the shuttles. We would have to start that almost immediately upon the shuttle’s readiness to fly. We have to get the ordinance up to a storage location near the space station and then, begin sorties to the box and deploy the bombs with remote detonation capability. That could be done, but, I can’t guarantee complete safety given the time frames we will be operating under.”
“Then so be it. Start getting the shuttles back to readiness and laying out what you need from DOD. Ted do the best you can with regards to security. I know there are other scenarios that could be considered, but time and technology are our constraints. As you work on this plan, think about a backup plan. Does everyone understand?”
All of them nodded.
“Then get to it and God help us all.”
While the rest filed out, Admiral Torrance stayed in his seat.
“Mr. President,” he said, “you know as well as I do that something on this scale has never been attempted before. It will not work. There are too many moving parts.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” President Betts got himself under control. There was no reason to get mad at Torrance over this. “We can’t possibly hope to deflect them all, that’s why you have to step up the redeployment and survival plans. But if we can stop some of them, it may make a difference. Where are you on planning?”
“Arlen and I are meeting Monday. We’ll be ready to kick it off when you give the go ahead.”
“Don’t wait for my go ahead, just get it done. We have a little less than eighteen months to get all our troops back here on American soil, devise and construct sufficient survival sites, all the while keeping it under wraps from the world until we are ready…Lord give us the strength!”
Alex was typing out detailed instructions for the data clerks on how to input the data into the format he wanted. Once he had that in place, the computers would take over and Alex could get some much needed sleep. It was going on a day and half without sleep. He had been moved to a more spacious office with windows and a couch that had been calling to him for hours.
Howard Carney, the Deputy Defense Secretary, knocked twice.
“General Hanken I see you have been busy for last few days, can I have a word with you.”
“Of course and call me Alex.”
Carney came in and dropped into Alex’s couch. “Alex, when you have finished with the redeployment plans, we need to get to work on the survival facilities and the post event preparedness plans. Our friends at Homeland Security have punch lists of things to consider in surviving a catastrophic event. There are also military considerations we must take into account, troop concentrations, equipment relocation, air and sea power restructuring, our nuclear forces disposition. They tell me that you are a genius at this. Well we’re going to need all the genius you can muster to prepare for the stateside influx of troops and equipment, while preparing suitable survival shelters nationwide. Now I know I’ve said a lot, but I wanted to put you on notice that Admiral Torrance and the President are going to put you in charge and I’m to be your liaison to the Admiral.”
“Howard you weren’t kidding…that is a lot.”
“We’d bring someone else in, but you can appreciate—“
“Yes, need-to-know. I’ll need funding and all military echelons have got to respect any requests I make of them.”
“Funding’s unlimited. You want it; just tell me when and where. As far as the echelons go, Admiral Torrance will be sending out a wire to all commands worldwide that you act and speak for the him and under no circumstances is anyone to question your authority.”
“That sounds perfect Howard. Now if you don’t mind I haven’t slept in thirty-six hours and you’re sitting on my bed. I have a long presentation to give tomorrow for the President, Admiral Torrance, and his Chiefs of Staff, and it would be a good idea not to nod off in the middle of it.”
Carney stood up and brushed off the cushion. “I will be there myself, so sleep well Alex.”
Alex had been asleep for about five hours when Howard Carney shook him awake.
“Alex, I’m sorry to wake you but we’ve got a problem. Your son Curt has put out an all points missing persons report on you. He thinks you’ve been kidnapped or something worse.”
Alex scrubbed his hands over his face and tried to think. “Jeez that’s my fault. He has called several times on my cell and left voicemails, I was just too busy to respond. How do you want to handle this?
“Call your son and tell him you are okay. You are in Washington D.C. doing some consulting work for a defense contractor.”
“That won’t fly. We always let each other know where we are at all times. But didn’t someone say at some point that our immediate families would be brought into the shelters?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, my son is a telecommunications and data transmission wizard. I am going to need an industry expert like him. Can we bring him on board early?”
“Sure, but he has to abide by the US Secrets Act.”
“Go get him Howard and bring him here. Be sure to tell the person that talks to him that I said ‘Now is not the time for questions, just get on the plane.’ He’ll know it’s me.”
“Okay Alex go back to sleep.”
Curt was talking on the phone with his fiancée, Cynthia, when a knock came at his condo’s door. “Call you back, love.”
When he opened the door there stood two extremely large men in Marine fatigues.
“Are you Curt Hanken?”
“Yes. What’s this about?”
“A message from your father. ‘Now is not the time for questions just get on the plane.’”
It took a moment to sink in. That was what his father said to him when they were leaving for a surprise trip to Disneyland when he was eight. It had become a running joke between them over the years. His father needed him, and needed him now.
“Let me get a few clothes and my laptop and I’ll be right with you.”
When Curt arrived at Andrews AFB a few hours later he was met by Howard Carney, who explained that his dad had been tapped to oversee a worldwide troop redeployment. Astonishing. But then, his dad had been a whiz at deployment.
Howard took Curt to the Pentagon’s dignitary guest quarters and told him to be patient that Alex was giving a very lengthy debrief to the President at this very moment, and he would tell Alex that he had arrived safely.
Fifteen minutes later, Carney arrived at the briefing and nodded briefly to Alex. Curt had arrived with no problems. Good. Alex nodded back without breaking stride.
“As you can see we don’t have sufficient naval transports to hit a twelve month timeframe for men and equipment, though we can get all of our Air Force planes back to the US. What I recommend is that we concentrate on the Korea’s, Japan, and the Philippines first, then start on the Middle East moving most of the