John Ringo - Von Neumann’s War

“And culture,” the secretary of the interior said, firmly. “If we lose everything else, let’s keep the knowledge of how to rebuild it alive.”

“Food,” the secretary of agriculture said, frowning. “And storage facilities. Even if these things get a piece of us and we win, food will be at a premium.”

“Distribution,” the secretary of transportation said, nodding. “That’s going to be all screwed up. That was a problem for the Russians, right after independence. They had plenty of food, but the distribution was all screwed up.”

“Refugee housing,” the director of Homeland Security said, nodding. “And supply… On the largest scale ever considered… There are never enough tents…”

Roger looked over at Ronny and nodded faintly. It was late, but the “government” seemed to finally understand how deep a crack they were in. Maybe, if the probes gave them enough time, there might be a chance.

Ret Ball: Tonight we have a very special program with both Hiowa Lend and Megiddo on the line. Hiowa, you first.

Hiowa Lend: Right, Ret. Jumping right into it. My astronomer friends have been doing an analysis of the Moon for me and they tell me that the surface albedo has changed ever so slightly and that it’s now brighter by what appears to be a couple of percentage points.

Ret Ball: Really? What does that mean, Hiowa?

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.

Tina and Charlotte were watching television from their apartment just outside the Army base in Huntsville. Alice and John were on base, where they had been assigned since the President’s speech that warned the world of the alien threat. Tina’s brother Carl had decided to move in with their dad.

Since the President’s speech Tina and Charlotte had been glued to the television — as had most of the world — trying to learn any and everything they could about the alien threat. The news media had used military analysts, scientists, and, most effectively, science fiction writers for possible speculation about the aliens.

The program Tina and Charlotte were watching was nothing more than the millionth reiteration of things that had already been discussed to death. But then—

“We interrupt this program to issue the following warning from the Emergency Broadcast System. The Emergency Broadcast System has been authorized by the President of the United States of America to issue the Emergency Evacuation and Shelter Plan as designated for the pending alien threat. Please respond in accordance with your predetermined evacuation protocol and report to your designated shelter area. We’ll continue this broadcast and issue more information as—”

The screen abruptly went black. A few moments later a local news anchorwoman, looking flustered, sat down at a desk.

“We seem to be having technical difficulties with our satellite system,” the woman said, blinking rapidly and then looking off to the side. “We’ll be using the ground links to the Emergency Broadcast System to update you. Stay tuned to this station for further word on the alien invasion…”

“Let’s go, girls,” Alice yelled at the two teenagers to hurry into the Humvee.

“Ma’am, we really need to get back to the base ASAP,” Master Sergeant Cady urged her.

“Roger that, Thomas. Girls! Now!” she yelled as Tina and Charlotte rushed out the door of the apartment and Tina started back up the stairs as if she had forgotten something but then she thought better of it, adjusted her backpack, and continued into the vehicle.