Scimitar SL-2

loudspeaker system came the unmistakably familiar tones of the band of the U.S. Marines playing “Hail to the Chief,” loudly, robustly, summoning that overwhelming sense of patriotism within the chest of every American in the room.

By now the White House phone lines were back on, and the place was connected to the outside world by a zillion kilowatts. The television cameras were rolling, commentators were speaking, the wire service reporters were filing copy from the back of the room. Everyone else, confined to their personal seats by both protocol and tradition, was scribbling.

And into this media feeding frenzy stepped the heavyset, balding Virginian Paul Bedford, making the short walk to the dais in time to the music.

He faced the gathering with outward calm, flanked by the High Command of the U.S. military standing behind the armed Marine guards. He stared at the phalanx of microphones arrayed before him, and then said firmly, “It is my honor to inform you that one hour ago, I became the 45th President of the United States of America. As I believe you have been told, President McBride was compelled to resign at short notice for reasons of health. It was both unexpected, and unfortunate, and we all wish him a swift and full recovery.

“Meanwhile, the business of government must continue, and it is my most unhappy duty to inform you that today we stand in perhaps the worst danger this nation has ever faced. I will not take questions, but I will endeavor to outline the scale of a forthcoming terrorist attack we believe will happen…”

“Any connection between the attack and the President’s resignation…?” someone yelled.

“I wonder if you’d be kind enough to let my secretary know your native tongue?” replied the President. He was reading off Arnold Morgan’s only offering of a riposte to unwanted questions.

The laughter subsided, and Paul Bedford never missed a beat. “Four months ago, we received a communique from the Middle East that the terrorist organization Hamas had been responsible for the eruption of Mount St. Helens in Washington State. Our investigations subsequently showed this was likely true.

“We were then informed that we had just a few weeks to completely remove our military presence in the Middle East and to force Israel to vacate the occupied territories on the West Bank. The Administration, needless to say, was skeptical about the validity of this demand, but cautious. We even moved some troops and ships around.

“However, we received another threatening communique, and this one contained a further detail — that if we did not comply, they would do the same to a volcano in the Canary Islands as they did to Mount St. Helens.”

A deathly hush had fallen over the Briefing Room, as the journalists waited for President Bedford’s next words.

He paused for a few moments longer, fervently wishing he had either Winston Churchill or Arnold Morgan passing him notes, never mind the one-side-one-sheet decree.

He soldiered on, outlining briefly the scientific predictions.

“Well, President McBride remained skeptical. He was quite worried, but the military was seriously worried. And then came the final communique, which said (a) ‘we will now show you what we can do, at midnight on Tuesday, September 29,’ and (b) ‘we will hit the volcano around October 9.’ ”

“DO YOU HAVE AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC OPINION ON THIS?”

“Of course not,” replied the President, trampling all over his “no questions” ultimatum. “We never thought of that.”

This time he reduced the Associated Press reporter to a figure of fun. And once more, he never missed a beat.

“And so, ladies and gentlemen, we are left with two tasks — to track down and kill the submarine, which we believe launched cruise missiles at Montserrat and Mount St. Helens, and to begin to evacuate the East Coast. Just in case we are unable to achieve our Naval objectives.”

“SONAR,” yelled a reporter, displaying a certain in-depth nautical knowledge. “CAN’T WE CATCH ’EM ON SONAR?”

“Well, we’d prefer trained dolphins, but we may not have enough,” shot back President Bedford. “I have asked you not to interrupt me, particularly if you can only shed a glaring light on the obvious.” This was the sharp, sardonic turn of mind that would make the press more wary of this new President than they had initially expected to be.

“In any event,” Paul Bedford continued, “this defensive operation is 100 percent military. And I have appointed the former National Security Adviser Admiral Arnold Morgan to head up both the search-and-kill submarine operation and the evacuation program. He has the total support of the most Senior Commanders in the U.S. Armed Forces, who are standing behind me.

“That’s all I have to say right now, but I hope you will urge your readers and viewers to cooperate fully at this most difficult time. There is enough time for everyone to leave, but we have to remain calm and organized. Naturally, you will be informed of the day-to-day operations in the cities, and everyone is advised to move west to higher ground, to camp out with relatives and friends. If this tidal wave, or tsunami, hits, there will be no survivors. Everyone must leave the East Coast, under the guidance of the military…Thank you.”

President Bedford turned and walked out of the room, accompanied by Generals Clark and Boyce. Admiral Dickson remained with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, who now stepped up to the dais.

“For anyone who does not know, I’m Gen. Tim Scannell, and I’m here to support the President. Right now I will be happy to answer five or six questions regarding the military, so make them pertinent, since we are very busy, as you may well imagine.”

“Sir, will there be wholesale changes in key White House positions, Secretary of State, et cetera…?”

“That’s not military, but I do understand President Bedford will appoint a new Secretary of Defense tomorrow.”

“Can you describe the scale of the search in the Atlantic for the submarine?”

“Not really. But we have decided that a wide search area of maybe a thousand miles out from the Canaries would be unlikely to succeed. Admiral Dickson, right here, believes a well-handled nuclear submarine might evade even a hundred U.S. pursuers on an indefinite basis.”

“How do you know it’s nuclear?”

“That’s our appreciation of the situation.”

“If so, how did the terrorists get it?”

“I cannot answer that. But I will say, if it’s not nuclear we would have caught it by now, and will almost certainly catch it in the next ten days.”

“Can’t the sonars pick it up? We’re always hearing how technically advanced the U.S. Navy thinks it is.”

“A modern nuclear submarine is just about silent under 8 knots. And if he’s running deep, over 500 feet below the surface, he’s dead silent…Anyone wants to ask more about the submarine, Admiral Dickson will answer.”

“Sir, how will this tsunami develop if the volcano erupts?”

“We’re looking at a rock face maybe six cubic miles in volume, crashing hundreds of feet down into the ocean. It will hit the floor, maybe 2,000 feet below the surface, and roll westerwards, building to speeds of over 400 mph, like the ripples on a pond if you drop a big rock into it.”

“How long to hit New York?”

“According to the scientists—all of the scientists, that is — around nine hours from impact.”

“Can the terrorists be stopped?”

“Maybe.”

“Can you outline your plan to find and destroy the submarine?”

“No.”

“Does that mean you do not have a plan yet?”

“No. It does not. But to tell you is to tell the submarine and its masters.”

“Will you be providing us with details of the evacuation plans?”

“Absolutely. We will be on air again shortly to inform the public of evacuation measures and procedures.