John Ringo: Into the Looking Glass

“Now that’s a very big thought,” the President said, sitting back. “We can go looking for the Dreen. But…”

“There’s a billion ‘buts,’ Mr. President,” Bill said, nodding. “But the major truth is that, yes, we can try to find the Dreen before they find us. And we’ve got a technology we might be able to bootstrap for more ships. I don’t think we can replicate that device but we can start working on something similar.”

“I’m thinking of the international implications,” the President said, frowning. “Everyone is going to want in on this. And, frankly, I don’t know what I want everyone in on it.”

“And a real space ship is not going to be easy,” the secretary of defense said. “I took a look at some of the space stuff for space defense. And I remember there are lot of problems with space ships.”

“Nothing we can’t overcome,” Bill said. “I’ve got the basics in my head. We can get into space, find the Dreen before they find us, fight back. And… heck, explore. We can get into space Mr. President! Not go to the Moon and never go back. Go to other stars !”

“To go where no man has gone before?” the national security advisor asked, smiling.

“If you want to put it that way, ma’am,” Bill replied. “But for science, for safety, we need to try .”

“How much?” the President asked.

“A lot,” Bill admitted. “And if you want to keep it secret, more. But… the basic ship can be built around a submarine design. I think we could even let Groton or BAE build it. They don’t talk. It will have to be big , though, and a big new sub class…”

“Twenty, thirty billion,” the secretary of defense said, wincing. “Getting that through Congress will be hell.”

Bill turned to the President with a look of pleading on his face. “Mr. President?”

The President looked at him for a moment, then looked away in thought. Everyone was silent as he considered the question. Finally he looked at the physicist again.

“Nobody is going to say I sat on my ass when there was a chance to find the Dreen,” the President said, nodding. “Approved. We’ll find the money somehow. It looks like the U.S. is going to get a new class of nuclear submarine. And Dr. Weaver gets to go see his stars.”