By All Means, Panic!
General Marshall Battle knew Jack Redstone never asked for a meeting unless it was absolutely necessary. Asking for a meeting in the middle of the night was unheard of.
Three AM and The Hub was bustling. Something was up.
No uniform for Battle, Shamata was still in her scrubs, Redstone clearly hadn't slept at all. There wasn't even coffee.
Battle sat down and looked from one to the other. "Ok, give me the short strokes."
Shamata & Redstone had clearly talked strategy. That pleased Battle immensely.
Dr. Shamata led the way.
"Very well, short it is. We have two airborne disease issues which will probably decrease our population by 30% within a month of PlanetFall."
She stopped dead.
Battle blinked once or twice. "That was succinct."
Redstone came in with the plea. "We need to go to Plan B and we need to do it now because we have enough provisions for three weeks. We need a quick planetfall, turn the robot diggers loose, get underground & put the Agrizones on the surface under domes."
Battle nodded. "My guess from the looks of things out there is you already figured my answer, both of you?"
Shamata managed a charming smile. "We brought you all the material you'll need for the President." She pulled out a terabyte cartridge and slid it across the table to Battle.
Battle noted the size of the cartridge. He raised his eyebrows & looked at Jack Redstone. "And you .. ?"
Redstone's nod was emphatic. "I have Chief O'Brien readying the diggers for deployment as we speak, and we need Commander Patrick & Commander Erhard to mobilize the USAF both for crowd control and logistics."
Battle took it all in for a moment. "I don't have any time, do I?"
Redstone and Shamata shook their heads in unison. "We need to make landfall in the next 168 hours. i.e., this week."
"Everything has already begun?"
Shamata said it softly. "We were out of options."
Battle slapped the table rather softly considering the circumstances. "Good."
He raised his voice a little, knowing Lt. Melanie Hinson would be just outside the door. "Melanie?"
Hinson had heard it all. She poked her head in. "Get Chuck out of bed?"
Battle smiled a grim little smile at Redstone & Shamata. "Thanks, Doctor, Jack." He leaned back in his chair and yawned. "Yeah, Mel, get Chuck out of bed."
Three AM and The Hub was bustling. Something was up.
No uniform for Battle, Shamata was still in her scrubs, Redstone clearly hadn't slept at all. There wasn't even coffee.
Battle sat down and looked from one to the other. "Ok, give me the short strokes."
Shamata & Redstone had clearly talked strategy. That pleased Battle immensely.
Dr. Shamata led the way.
"Very well, short it is. We have two airborne disease issues which will probably decrease our population by 30% within a month of PlanetFall."
She stopped dead.
Battle blinked once or twice. "That was succinct."
Redstone came in with the plea. "We need to go to Plan B and we need to do it now because we have enough provisions for three weeks. We need a quick planetfall, turn the robot diggers loose, get underground & put the Agrizones on the surface under domes."
Battle nodded. "My guess from the looks of things out there is you already figured my answer, both of you?"
Shamata managed a charming smile. "We brought you all the material you'll need for the President." She pulled out a terabyte cartridge and slid it across the table to Battle.
Battle noted the size of the cartridge. He raised his eyebrows & looked at Jack Redstone. "And you .. ?"
Redstone's nod was emphatic. "I have Chief O'Brien readying the diggers for deployment as we speak, and we need Commander Patrick & Commander Erhard to mobilize the USAF both for crowd control and logistics."
Battle took it all in for a moment. "I don't have any time, do I?"
Redstone and Shamata shook their heads in unison. "We need to make landfall in the next 168 hours. i.e., this week."
"Everything has already begun?"
Shamata said it softly. "We were out of options."
Battle slapped the table rather softly considering the circumstances. "Good."
He raised his voice a little, knowing Lt. Melanie Hinson would be just outside the door. "Melanie?"
Hinson had heard it all. She poked her head in. "Get Chuck out of bed?"
Battle smiled a grim little smile at Redstone & Shamata. "Thanks, Doctor, Jack." He leaned back in his chair and yawned. "Yeah, Mel, get Chuck out of bed."
