EXCERPT FROM ERPETORS - "THE RISE OF KEKROPIA"
The time is 7:35 a.m.. There is movement in Washington D.C., specifically at the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon building, as a result of a complete communication breakdown with New York City. Major General Harold Robinson, Air Force General Jacob Brooks, and Marine Corps Colonel Robert Wright wait for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Fleet Admiral William Cook, and the principal military adviser to the President of the United States to arrive at the Command Center.
‘What’s going on here gentlemen? The entire Command Center resembles a nuthouse. To what do we owe this panic?’ the Chairman demands as soon as he steps foot inside the main command room. He is escorted by his advisor.
‘I think it would be best if we were to give you the news after you take a seat,’ the General suggests.
‘Cut the nonsense, Jacob,’ the Chairman demands. ‘Just give me the scoop.’
‘We have lost communication with New York,’ General Brooks reports.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘Although we have no official confirmation yet, we have reason to believe that neutron weapons or phosphorus bombs have been used on the city,’ Brooks says.
‘What leads you to believe such a terrible thing?’
‘I just got off the phone with Professor Holden, and he said the atmospheric measurement shows extremely high radiation levels above New York. The Professor strongly believes that no human being can survive such high levels,’ Brooks explains. ‘Now, if this measurement is correct, I regret to say that the number of casualties will be close to 20 million people.’
‘Just hold on Gentlemen.’ The Chairman says. ‘Don’t you think that it’s way too early to reach such a conclusion?’
‘Nothing is impossible Sir,’ General Brooks tells the Chairman.
‘Why must you keep insisting?’ the Chairman asks.
‘China has hundreds of neutron bombs stockpiled!’ the General says. ‘We are to blame because we have been helping them acquire the technology to build such weapons for the last twenty or so years. Am I wrong?’
‘No Jacob,’ the Chairman admits. ‘Unfortunately for us everything you say is true. Plus, the Russians and various terrorist groups have large quantities of similar weapons in their possession.’
The General chimes in: ‘It has been well over half an hour from the time we lost complete communication with the main Command Center of the New York National Guard, the Police Department building, airports, communication centers, radio and television networks! But the problems don’t stop here—We have received word that the Vice President was scheduled to remain in New York until tomorrow afternoon.’
‘Holy Mother of God,’ the troubled Chairman remarks as he listens carefully to the negative and shocking first-hand report.
‘Therefore Mr. Chairman, I believe it would be wise if we were to move our security status to Red.’
‘Gentlemen and General Brooks I cannot make that decision without consulting the President.’
‘We have no time Mr. Chairman! What assurances do we have that terrorists didn’t destroy the greater part of New York or that the Chinese didn’t launch a missile attack on the city? I strongly suggest we go to condition Red,’ Brooks demands.
‘I can’t do this,’ the pacing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff says.
‘You must proceed to status Red, Sir,’ General Robinson repeats.
‘God damn it, Harold. You know damn well that our hands are tied and that we have no operational command of U.S. military forces. The responsibility and authorization for conducting military operations of this nature lies in the hands of the President!’ the Chairman yells.
‘Oh come on, William.’ Brooks blurts. ‘You know damn well the President won’t do shit! By the way, now that I think of it, has anyone seen him? Does anyone have the faintest idea where he might be?’
‘Enough!’ the Chairman shouts.
‘He’s incompetent,’ Brooks calmly expresses himself.
‘I said that’s enough. What in God’s name has gotten into you? Do you have any idea what you’re saying?’ the Chairman cannot believe what he’s hearing.
‘I know perfectly well what I’m talking about!’
‘Are you aware that your words could be considered an act of treason if someone beyond this group heard you? Gentlemen, we all go back a long way. That is why I will pretend that I didn’t hear any of these words of madness,’ the Chairman says.
‘Sir you may want to know that Montgomery and Hutchins will be joining us soon,’ General Robinson says.
‘I certainly hope so. In the meantime, I require a squadron of G-23 fighters to be fully armed and airborne in five minutes. Their mission is to fly above New York. All pilots must maintain communications with the main control center so we can get a clear picture of what has taken place over there. In the meantime, stop wasting valuable time and get me the Secretary of Defense.’
‘Yes, Mr. Chairman,’ the General replies.
Forty minutes have gone by, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff continue to wait with their hands crossed at the National Military Command Center for the arrival of the Defense Secretary. It is 8:15 a.m. Washington time when Air Force General Jacob Brooks picks up the phone. He informs both the Chairman and the Joint Chiefs that a few moments before the Defense Secretary entered the Pentagon. Two of his bodyguards hurried him towards the main command center. His young female assistant breathes heavily as she tries to keep up with her boss.
‘Is something bothering you, Sue?’ the Secretary asks in a sarcastic tone.
‘No Sir.’
‘Then what are all the aching sounds I hear coming from you?’
‘It’s just that my feet are killing me, Sir.’
‘How many times must I tell you not to wear those high heel shoes?’ he reminds her.
His two bulky escorts snicker.
‘Come along, we don’t have all day,’ he tells her.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff welcome him.
‘Good morning, Mr. Secretary.’
‘What’s going on Allan?’ he asks the Chairman as his bodyguard pulls out a chair for him.
‘I regret to inform you, Mr. Secretary, the situation is not good.’
‘Talk to me.’
‘The radiation levels in New York are high, and we fear a nuclear attack.’
‘Are you sure?’
‘Absolutely,’ the Chairman says.
‘Have we at least managed to make contact with New York?’
‘None whatsoever, Sir.’
‘Holy shit! How can that be?’ the troubled Secretary of Defense exclaims.
‘We will soon discover the cause of all of this, Mr. Secretary. A fully armed squadron of our best G-23 fighters is currently airborne and on their way to New York. If my calculations are correct the G-23s will have visual contact with the target very soon.’
‘Excellent,’ the Secretary replies.
‘We will soon have communication, through an open frequency, between Beehive, the main controller of the Washington Air National Guard and Icarus-1, the lead pilot,’ the Chairman explains.
‘I just received word that our fighters are 50 miles away and closing in on target!’ Air Force General Jacob Brooks announces.
Beehive: ‘What is your position Icarus-1?’
Icarus-1: ‘We are 40 miles away and closing in on target.’
Beehive: ‘Altitude?’
Icarus-1: ‘5,000 feet.’
Beehive: ‘Do you have visual contact?’
Icarus-1: ‘Negative!’
Beehive: ‘Report.’
Icarus-1: ‘Poor visibility – confirming extremely high reading of radiation level.’
Beehive: ‘Drop to an altitude of 1,000 feet.’
Icarus-1: ‘Roger.’
Beehive: ‘Visual status?’
Icarus-1: ‘We have some visual contact.’
Beehive: ‘Report.’
Icarus-1: ‘We are currently flying over Jersey. Target is 22 miles ahead and closing—confirmation of no movement as we fly through a dense radiation cloud!’
Beehive: ‘Proceed.’
Icarus-1: ‘We have visual contact. I repeat we have visual contact.’
Beehive; ‘Request for further details.’
Icarus-1: ‘We have reached target. I repeat we have reached target.’
Beehive; ‘Report.’
Icarus-1; ‘All buildings, bridges, even vehicles on the roads appear to be intact, but nothing seems to be moving. Several hundred, perhaps even thousands, of vehicles and buses appear to have stopped on every street, road, intersection and bridge. Continue to confirm extremely high radiation level.’
Beehive: ‘Do you see…?’
Icarus-1: ‘Holy Mother of God! What are those things?’
‘What the hell is the pilot referring to?’ the Secretary of Defense wonders aloud as he listens in on the open frequency.
Beehive: ‘What do you see Icarus-1?’
Icarus-1: ‘They’re everywhere.’
Beehive: ‘Again, what are you talking about?’
‘Do we have anything on radar?’ the Secretary inquires.
‘Negative Sir, the radar only shows the movement of our fighters,’ the Air Force General says.
‘What the hell have they spotted? The radar shows there is nothing out there?’ the Chairman asks.
‘Ghosts perhaps?’ Major General Robinson jokes.
‘Cut the crap Harold,’ the Admiral says.
All eyes in the room focus upon him. Suddenly, communication between the pilots becomes alarming and extremely intense.
Icarus-1: ‘Move away from it, Iceman.’
Iceman: ‘I can’t. It’s way too fast.’
Icarus-1: ‘I need Tomboy to assist, Iceman.’
Tomboy: ‘I can’t. Get it off my tail.’
Goose: ‘Denver has gone down. I repeat Denver has gone down.’
Beehive: ‘Come in Icarus-1.’
Icarus-1: ‘The situation is not good. We’ve lost Denver and Bones in ten seconds.’
Beehive; ‘How can this be? There is absolutely nothing on radar. Tell me what you see?’
Iceman: ‘I took a direct shot at it. It didn’t go down. Now I’ve got one on my tail. I can’t break free. Assist me! Assist me!’
Icarus-1: ‘We’ve lost Steelman. His plane just crashed on Central Park.’
Iceman: ‘Need assistance.’
Donkey: ‘Rod has also gone down.’
‘You’ve got to get them out of there, Mr. Secretary,” the Chairman shouts.
“No. They must hold their positions and fight whatever the hell is out there.’
Iceman: ‘We’ve lost two more fighters. I repeat we’ve lost two more fighters.’
‘We’ve lost six planes within three minutes. Give the order for them to abandon,’ the Chairman demands.
‘I will do no such thing,’ the Secretary says.
‘At this rate it won’t be long before we lose an entire squadron of G-23s,’ General Brooks admonishes.
‘Enough! I don’t want to hear another word,’ the Secretary of Defense shouts back.
He throws his fist on the table before he bends forward to listen in on the conversation between the main controller and pilots.
Beehive: ‘Come in Icarus-1.’
Icarus-1: ‘Hillbilly, Hawk 3 and Tomboy have also gone down! Only three of us are left.’
Callahan: ‘I hit it dead center and it continues to fly. How can this be?’
Python: ‘I also hit two of them but nothing happened. These flying creatures must have some kind of protective shield.’
Callahan: ‘Move away from it.’
Python: ‘I can’t break free.’
Beehive: ‘What are you up against?’
Icarus-1: ‘Dragons.’
Beehive: ‘Say what?’
Icarus-1: ‘We are pursued by some kind of dragon-type creature. I repeat we continue to be pursued by some kind of dragon-type creature! The sky over Manhattan is full of them. Our firepower isn’t stopping them.’
‘Holy Mother of God. You must get them out of there,’ the Air Force General pleads with the Secretary.
Icarus-1: ‘Holy shit, we’ve lost Callahan. I repeat we have lost Callahan. He could not regain control of his plane before he crashed into the Statue of Liberty in an attempt to break free from one of these monsters.’
‘Is the Statue of Liberty intact?’ the Secretary asks.
‘God damn it, Stuart. Why are you so concerned about the Statue of Liberty when our pilots are falling like flies?’ the Air Force General asks.
Icarus-1: ‘The statue is now without a head.’
Beehive: ‘Repeat.’
Icarus-1: ‘I repeat the Statue of Liberty is now headless. This is a hopeless situation. I’m left without pilots. Permission to retreat.’
‘Permission denied,’ the Secretary replies.
Beehive: ‘Permission denied!’
Icarus-1: ‘There’s really nothing I can do here.’
Beehive: ‘Engage.’
Icarus-1: ‘I’m flying in circles all alone, and I’m surrounded by approximately two hundred flying dragons. I can’t hold them for much longer. Oh shit! It won’t be long before I…’
Beehive: ‘Please repeat Icarus-1. Come in Icarus-1. We have lost radio contact with Icarus-1. I repeat we have lost radio contact with Icarus-1.’
‘Are you satisfied now?’ General Robinson asks the Secretary.
‘Are you implying that I am to blame for all this mess?’
‘You’re damn right I am.’
‘Who the hell are you to talk to me this way?’
‘You incompetent fool! I am obliged to remind you that your commanding methods are that of an amateur,’ the General screams.
‘I’ll deal with you later you son of a bitch.’
The Secretary warns the General of the consequences he will face for his subordination.
‘Send in more pilots,’ he demands of the Chairman.
‘I’m afraid I can’t do that Mr. Secretary!’
‘How dare you disobey my orders?’
‘Let me remind you that we just lost twelve of our finest pilots.’
‘Oh come on, Allan. Do you really believe that the G-23s were attacked and destroyed by flying dragons? Chances are that the pilots were hallucinating! Who knows what they were taking?’
‘What are you trying to say?’ the Air Force General inquires.
‘There are chemicals and substances that make people see all kinds of unimaginable things,’ the Secretary replies.
‘You should be ashamed of yourself, Mr. Secretary. These men were not just pilots! I knew each and every one of them personally. They were all good men with families and loved ones. They were all well aware that every time they flew they were putting their lives at risk. Yet they continued to risk their lives for freedom, their country and everything this great Nation represents. Then a leader of this great Nation lets them down by demanding a suicide mission. What am I to say to their families? These men died because their fate was in the hands of incompetent, arrogant and close-minded fools like you. Therefore, Mr. Secretary I cannot afford to put the lives of more American fighter pilots at risk until we know with certainty what we are up against.’
‘Your career has come to an end!’ the Secretary tells the Chairman.
‘Why you ungrateful bastard,’ the Chairman yells.
The main command center is suddenly transformed into a wrestling ring…
U.S. Copyrights Office
Registration Numbers / Date:
TXu001570209 / 2007-08-01
TXu001611739 / 2008-07-03
