and was halfway through the news, when the general finished his meeting.
“So how was that for fun, Captain?”
“I had more fun on the enemy ship,” I answered.
“Just remember, this is Washington and very rarely do things go the way you want them to.”
“General, I don’t think the course of action you are heading towards is the correct one.”
“Well, son, I have an entire staff of generals who believe otherwise.”
“Sir, and just how many of those generals have even seen our enemy?”
“I see where you’re going, Captain,” the general said sternly. “But we made up our minds a long time ago on this matter and we are not about to change course now.”
“Sort of like the Titanic?” I muttered. The general chose to ignore my bait.
“Captain, I need you to get on a plane in two hours.”
“To where, sir?”
“Colorado, Captain. I need you to look in on a side project of mine.” Ah! So my hunch had been right.
“And what about my Hummer, sir? I was beginning to grow very attached to it.”
“Don’t worry about that, Captain; you’ll be flying on a Galaxy C-42. You can take it with you.”
“Rank has its privileges. Are you coming, sir?”
“No, I’ve got to play the political game for a few more days, and then we have to start the evacuation of some of our major cities.”
“You’re going to tell them the truth?”
“Not exactly; we’re going to blame it on terrorists and backpack nukes. As long as the civilians get out, that’s all we’re trying to do. Well, that and we’re going to house our military in the cities, so when they come, we’ll be ready and waiting.”
“Sir, I just don’t think that is such a good idea.”
“Captain, the matter is closed. Let’s go get some lunch and then we can get you and your Hummer on that plane.”
The lunch itself was fairly uneventful but surprisingly edible. I was under the impression that we would be served “shit on a shingle” as my father used to affectionately call the slop he was served during his time in the corps. The general came with me to the military airport but said very little beyond the pleasantries. He appeared deep in thought and would only speak to tell me left or right as the case may be.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“What? I’m sorry did you say something?” I guess the general hadn’t finished with his thoughts yet.
“I asked if you were alright, sir.”
“I’m fine,” the general replied. He looked like he had something more on his mind. And I was right. “I hope that we have made the right decision,” he continued. “I just don’t know if there is a correct one to make.” I had no answers for him, but I don’t think that he was looking for one anyway. He seemed to be voicing his concerns more than anything. For everything I thought was right, there was the equal wrong.
“What do you think, Captain?” He turned, finally focusing on me instead of that thousand-yard stare he had going on.
“Sir, you know where I stand on this.”
“I know, I know. I want to hear it again.”
“Sir, the Progerians’ standard operating procedure is to come down here with guns a-blazing. They will want to crush our military and a few major cities just to prove who is in control. They want to sap the will out of us before they move in for the occupation and eventual colonization. We will basically be their cattle, their dogs and their slaves.”
“That will only happen if they break through our lines of defense,” the general interjected. He seemed a little perturbed. I don’t think that he was used to being contradicted by someone of such junior rank.
“General, you asked me for my opinion.” That seemed to ease him down a bit.
“Continue, Captain,” he said as he settled back in his seat.
“With all due respect, sir, we got extremely lucky by being able to get that nuclear weapon aboard their mother ship. And I agree it did some serious damage. But the fact remains, and so does the
“So how was that for fun, Captain?”
“I had more fun on the enemy ship,” I answered.
“Just remember, this is Washington and very rarely do things go the way you want them to.”
“General, I don’t think the course of action you are heading towards is the correct one.”
“Well, son, I have an entire staff of generals who believe otherwise.”
“Sir, and just how many of those generals have even seen our enemy?”
“I see where you’re going, Captain,” the general said sternly. “But we made up our minds a long time ago on this matter and we are not about to change course now.”
“Sort of like the Titanic?” I muttered. The general chose to ignore my bait.
“Captain, I need you to get on a plane in two hours.”
“To where, sir?”
“Colorado, Captain. I need you to look in on a side project of mine.” Ah! So my hunch had been right.
“And what about my Hummer, sir? I was beginning to grow very attached to it.”
“Don’t worry about that, Captain; you’ll be flying on a Galaxy C-42. You can take it with you.”
“Rank has its privileges. Are you coming, sir?”
“No, I’ve got to play the political game for a few more days, and then we have to start the evacuation of some of our major cities.”
“You’re going to tell them the truth?”
“Not exactly; we’re going to blame it on terrorists and backpack nukes. As long as the civilians get out, that’s all we’re trying to do. Well, that and we’re going to house our military in the cities, so when they come, we’ll be ready and waiting.”
“Sir, I just don’t think that is such a good idea.”
“Captain, the matter is closed. Let’s go get some lunch and then we can get you and your Hummer on that plane.”
The lunch itself was fairly uneventful but surprisingly edible. I was under the impression that we would be served “shit on a shingle” as my father used to affectionately call the slop he was served during his time in the corps. The general came with me to the military airport but said very little beyond the pleasantries. He appeared deep in thought and would only speak to tell me left or right as the case may be.
“Are you alright, sir?”
“What? I’m sorry did you say something?” I guess the general hadn’t finished with his thoughts yet.
“I asked if you were alright, sir.”
“I’m fine,” the general replied. He looked like he had something more on his mind. And I was right. “I hope that we have made the right decision,” he continued. “I just don’t know if there is a correct one to make.” I had no answers for him, but I don’t think that he was looking for one anyway. He seemed to be voicing his concerns more than anything. For everything I thought was right, there was the equal wrong.
“What do you think, Captain?” He turned, finally focusing on me instead of that thousand-yard stare he had going on.
“Sir, you know where I stand on this.”
“I know, I know. I want to hear it again.”
“Sir, the Progerians’ standard operating procedure is to come down here with guns a-blazing. They will want to crush our military and a few major cities just to prove who is in control. They want to sap the will out of us before they move in for the occupation and eventual colonization. We will basically be their cattle, their dogs and their slaves.”
“That will only happen if they break through our lines of defense,” the general interjected. He seemed a little perturbed. I don’t think that he was used to being contradicted by someone of such junior rank.
“General, you asked me for my opinion.” That seemed to ease him down a bit.
“Continue, Captain,” he said as he settled back in his seat.
“With all due respect, sir, we got extremely lucky by being able to get that nuclear weapon aboard their mother ship. And I agree it did some serious damage. But the fact remains, and so does the
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