Warzone: Nemesis: A Novel of Mars (8 page)

Dr. Jan Eichmann

Dept. of Research and Development,

Alpha One Test Center

Arriving at the white house, the courier checked his locked attaché case again. Even though silence was considered golden, after his many trips to the White House, he was on a first name basis with the president’s secretary. Janet smiled at him. “Dan, the president will see you now.”

He smiled a shy smile. “Thank you, Janet.”

The young courier saluted, relinquished the case to the president, and waited for a response.

From GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC

To the President of the United States

October 12, 1963

Mr. President, we landed the expedition team this morning and found the moon is indeed rich in alloy-x. We will have a secure post constructed and a reclamation facility and begin salvage operations within two months. Our team reported the Soviet team also arrived mid-afternoon. I assume they’re planning the same thing we are. We’re also making the building of post defenses and offensive hoverships a high priority as soon as we have our post built.

GEN Carter F. Colson,

Commander, American Space Defense Corps

The young president wrote a quick response of
message received
, placed it in the case, and handed it back to the courier.

“Lieutenant, there’s no rush in sending this response back. I think you should stay in Washington tonight. I have it under good authority Janet doesn’t have any dinner plans,” he confided, flashing his trademark smile.

“Yes, sir. I’ll look into it.”

Phone call to Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the CPSU, from GEN Mikhail Andropov, SCA

“Comrade First Secretary, Our expedition team landed on the moon this afternoon and found the American team was already there, by about eight hours. We’re quickly moving to build a post and alloy-x reclamation facility. Our plan is to construct adequate defenses and offenses out of the alloy-x. Then we will begin our war with the Americans in an attempt to destroy them quickly before they can establish a dominant position here.”

“Dah, very good.”

AP news release, November 22, 1963

In Dallas, Texas, three shots were fired at President Kennedy’s motorcade in downtown Dallas. President Kennedy died at 1:00 P.M. Central Standard Time, two o’clock Eastern Standard Time.

The young Soviet courier delivered his message to the general. The general opened the case and retrieved the letter.

To GEN Mikhail Andropov, SCA

From Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the CPSU

Comrade General, the timing of President Kennedy’s demise would have been better had it occurred before the American post’s construction. However, it will still serve our purpose. We have sent inquiries though all of our operatives within the CIA, the State Department and other agencies. We concluded this is a secret operation their congress and military are not aware. Our listening device planted within President Johnson’s office monitored his calls and visitors after Kennedy’s demise. We are convinced he knows nothing of the ASDC. With Kennedy dead, all government support should dissolve, and the ASDC will not be able to function.

Nikita Khrushchev,

First Secretary of the CPSU

General Andropov crafted his response, placed it into the locked case, and dispatched the courier back to the First Secretary. The courier dispatched to the Kremlin delivered his locked case to the First Secretary. The First Secretary unlocked the case, and read the letter.

From GEN Mikhail Andropov, SCA

To Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the CPSU

Comrade First Secretary, concerning the American president’s demise, our agent within the CIA black operations has conveniently died of a heart attack this morning. Ironically, the CIA is trying to blame the assassination on us by using an unstable former US Marine. They claim he had ties to Cuba and to us. We stopping using him because we discovered he was a double agent and untrustworthy a few months ago. Meanwhile, we will continue to fight with the Americans on the moon until we’ve vanquished them. I trust we have the resources within the American press and government to blame this on the CIA.

GEN Mikhail Andropov, SCA

The courier was admitted to the office of Perry Dubois, the chairman of the Investco Corp. The chairman opened the locked case, and read the letter.

To: Chairman Perry Dubois, Investco Corp.

From GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC

November 23, 1963

As you know, the president, our chief benefactor was killed yesterday. Please convene a board meeting of Investco to determine our financial status and structural independence. Our post on the moon is complete and we’ve begun salvaging alloy-x and fighting openly with the Soviets. Fighting there is fierce, to say the least, and we need to know if we can operate as the president wished. A member of our staff who worked for the president obtained access and destroyed the only copy of project code name Desert Jewel the president possessed.

GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC

The chairman dismissed the courier, and called his secretary to contact the board members to convene a meeting.

The courier was received from the Investgo Corp by the general at his post in Utah. He received the case and read the letter.

To GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC

From Perry Dubois, Investco Corp

November 26, 1963

GEN Colson, after examining the books and the infrastructure of the Investco Corporation, the board has concluded we’re well able to stand-alone as you instructed. The recent
reverse engineering
will be extremely useful to expand our financial base and secure more inroads into other businesses and corporations.

Perry Dubois, Investco Corp

Rotten business, the president getting himself killed
thought the general.
At least we can operate as the president wished
.

Secure radio transmission to Luna—July 12, 1969

Memorandum from GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC

To COL Darrel Cavender, Black Dogs Battalion, Luna

Colonel, I’m pleased to hear the American position on Luna is strong. Soon the American space program under NASA will be putting on a “dog and pony show” for the world to see. I want you to coordinate the cleanup of alloy-x in the area surrounding the Eagle Lander’s landing site. The priority is to make sure there’s no alloy-x anywhere near the site. Our people on NASA’s team will let you know the exact lunar landing site in advance. Make absolutely certain the only
moon rocks
the astronauts find aren’t alloy-x. Also brush out any footprints we may have left near the landing site.

GEN Carter F. Colson

LOG ENTRY:

June 16, 1969

2LT Paul Smith, ASDC

After leaving the Naval Aviator Academy, I served my four years as a cold war fighter pilot. My father served as a naval aviator in the Korean War, and never returned. I’d have liked to have known more about his death than
missing in action
. I was young when I last saw my father, but my memory of him has been a guiding light. I followed in his footsteps.

For four uneventful years, I served. We came close to a conflict with some Soviet fighters once or twice over the Sea of Japan, but we never had an incident. I had a bright future after the Navy as a commercial airline pilot. My tour of duty drew to a close and I started the paperwork of processing out. We all felt as though the clash between the superpowers would happen during our tour. I felt as though what I’d been trained for was being wasted. Soon the only wings I’d be wearing were of an American Airlines pilot.