The Great War ------------- story by Skrubly General Forsyth sat on the bridge of the command room, resting his hands on the polished banister that ran around the length of the window that looked down on the Comms Center. He turned to look at the man standing before his desk. "Now we have no choice!" he said with his fist clenched. "The earthlings have flanked us on the Roeil range, and now we risk incurring heavy losses from artillery and air attacks. Our only option is to pull back and regroup." said the man. The General considered this for a moment, and then spoke. "I don't believe that is an option at this point." ------------------------------------ "Mr. President! Mr. President!" the messenger ran down the brown carpeted hall. He breathlessly handed the President the message. 'Martians have charged - attempt to overrun our position. We hold the range, but supplies are low. This could be the turning point. Enemy has commited almost all of their forces in an attempt to penetrate. We shall fight to the last! Glory to Earth! - Captain Richardson' The President turned and entered the War Room. "Get me THORP - I need warhead confirmation." he yelled. General Scott stepped up to him. "I believe that only I am able to authorize any form of atomic action, and quite frankly President, this is my show and you have no business here." He stared at him straight on. "Go back to your office and wait out this battle like a good sport, eh?" The President didn't move. "It's not your show anymore. Sorry, but all the shots are going to be called by me from now on. Sit down." "You understand that is patently impossible. You turned over all military control to me when this entire thing started. It can't be taken back now or at any time." the General smiled. The President shrugged and fiddled in his pocket for a moment. He brought up a small box with a red button on it and pressed it. Instantly, the doors burst open and over a dozen men with polished black bullpups stepped into the room, managing to cover the fifteen or so people in the warroom with sweeping IR sight beams. "What in the hell is going on here!" shouted the General, turning to survey the room. At that point the President removed the nickel plated revolver from his pocket, placed it on the neck of the General, and evacuated the majority of his brainpan onto one of the consoles three yards away. "Now the rest of you" he looked across the room at the rest of the military brass, "realize the gravity of this situation. The General did not. If you move you will be shot. If you speak you will be shot. If you do not follow our orders you will be shot." Nobody said a word. Eventually the President said, "Now get me THORP on the line and hurry the fuck up about it." --------------- Private Seibald Orthan crouched behind his bunker at the foot of the Roeil mountain range and started to scribble a letter to his mother back in Meridian City. He glanced up at the morning sunrise, the sky glowing a brilliant purple-maroon. Pen had barely touched paper again when he heard over his communicator "incoming heavy artillery - take cover" in the flat monotone voice they used from a vocsynth for such announcements. He rolled down into the trench, turning upwards to glance at the sky above the mountains. There was a light that glowed bright, and it got bigger and bigger. And then he was blinded, the noise came, and everything stopped. --------------- Flashbulbs popped and the President smiled as he shuffled the papers on the podium. Clearing his throat, the room began to fall quiet, and he began. "Citizens of Earth. On this day I bear both good news and bad. Sadly, General Scott had a heart attack a mere two hours ago. He has lapsed into a coma and is being monitored by top specialists as I speak. My prayers are with him in this time of crisis." He cleared his throat once more. "Early today, the war on Mars came to a head when the Martian government chose to employ nuclear weapons in a suicide action. All major Martian cities and military installations were almost instantly destroyed by the previously unknown quantities of nuclear arms. Nearly all of our soldiers were within the blast radius of these weapons. It is with a heavy heart that I bring you this news, and may the Lord have mercy on our souls. Thank you and goodnight." He left the podium in silence. "They just eat this stuff up." he thought, as the brown double doors closed behind him.