People back on Earth were amazed when they could see live video updates of the what the astronauts were doing daily. They saw the construction of the biodomes, the movement of soil and the cultivation of the hydroponic gardens, chicken coops being built and then chickens being moved into them. They witnessed the beginning of the mining operation, though they were unaware of what specific material was being mined. Watching these awe-inspiring experiences unfold began to revitalize the Allies, and gave hope to a people who were becoming war-weary. It was also a sobering moment for the enemy, because it made the Axis powers realize that America no longer viewed itself as being on the verge of defeat. As big a boon as Operation Pegasus was for the Allies’ industrial centers and people, it was an equally potent propaganda tool against the Axis leadership, people and their military forces.
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A month after the colony had been established, SpaceX’s transport ship successfully left Earth and made the sixteen-hour flight to the base camp. The transport craft SpaceX had developed was faster than the DARPA-designed HULK; it was also much smaller and sleeker-looking in nature. The ship was designed with the pure intent of transporting cargo and material from Earth to the Moon and back. Upon landing at the colony, the smelted-down Tritium4 was loaded up for the return trip back to Earth.
The very first load of unrefined Tritium4 would produce more pure material than scientists had synthesized up to that point in the war. This first load would enable the US to build 200 new F41 Arch Angels and several thousand Pershing battle tanks. The era of limited production of mission critical aircraft and tanks was over. Now the US manufacturing capability would be running at full speed, producing the most advanced weapons ever developed. The tide of the war would now shift in favor of the Allies.
Back from Vacation
Michael Montgomery (“Monty,” the Presidents Chief of Staff) had been busier than usual. After a lot of persuasion and insistence by the President’s doctor, President Stein had agreed to take a short vacation. The President’s health was starting to become a genuine concern as his migraines continued to get worse, often forcing him to have to take time to sleep them off or take some heavy medication while sitting in a dark room with no noise or distractions. The doctors insisted they were stress-induced and not something more severe; it was determined that the President needed to take some down time for the sake of his health. Henry decided to head to his home in Florida, where he could lounge around the pool in his backyard and leisurely read a book. It was hard for President Stein to take time off; the war was still going, and he felt guilty taking a break while the country needed him.
Monty and the Vice President had been handling the day-to-day affairs of the country; the President only inserted himself if something major came up. Fortunately, the week had passed quietly, and now Stein had returned to the capitol. As Monty got everything ready for the afternoon briefing with the President, he couldn’t help but be excited. After years of war, the end was finally in sight.
Admiral Casey walked into the room and made a beeline towards the coffee, making sure to get his fill before the others got to it and drained its content. He was still not 100 % sure why the President had invited him and some of the other military leaders to what appeared to be a standard weekly cabinet update. However, like a true man of the military, he thought to himself, “Ours is not to reason why; ours is but to do or die.” He grabbed a seat along the back row of chairs and prepared to do his best to listen.
As Admiral Casey sat down in his chair, his mind wandered to the national security brief he would be giving following this meeting. There was a lot to discuss, particularly with the operations in the Northern Atlantic. Carrier Strike Group 13 (CSG13) had completed construction and a rushed sea trial, this newest American Carrier Strike group would soon be moving towards the North Atlantic. The Navy had also finished completion of 12 Submarine Unmanned Drones (SUDs). Eight of them had been unleashed in the Pacific, with the remaining four sent to operate in the Artic, hunting Russian submarines. The Chinese and Japanese navy had retreated to their coasts, abandoning those forces in Alaska that could not retreat. It was unfortunate that China and Russia had been able to execute a well-run evacuation of their forces from Alaska. The Allies had hoped to trap most of the enemy soldiers in the Kodiak and let them wither on the vine; now those fighters could be redeployed elsewhere.
Admiral Casey wanted to end the war quickly. To him, if winning meant plunging America’s enemies into complete darkness through his teams of hackers, then so be it. However, the President continued to insist that the war needed to be maintained against the enemy government, not its people. As far as Casey was concerned, they were one and the same. Casey was also aware of the Secretary of State’s ongoing efforts to bring the war to an end through a diplomatic process. Although the admiral acknowledged that an end to the fighting would be great news, he was not excited about any situation where the enemy could retain their ability to restart the fighting again in a few years. In his mind, the enemy needed to be defeated, not negotiated with.
Suddenly, the large double doors leading into the PEOC opened, and in walked President Stein with his Chief of Staff in toe. The President looked rested for a change, and he even had a slight tan from his vacation. He walked around the table, shaking a few hands as he worked his way to his seat. Once he sat down at the center of the table, the meeting began.
“Good morning, everyone. It’s good to be back. I’m glad to be here so that we can all discuss the status of the country.” Pausing for a minute, the President looked around at his cabinet members and zeroed in on DHS. “Secretary Perez, where do we stand with capturing the remaining Japanese and Chinese Special Forces units still running around the country right now?”
Perez straightened up in his chair as he responded, “Sir, I’ve had my department working feverously with the FBI and local law enforcement on tracking these individuals down. We believe we are down to just two teams left. One is the unit that landed in Charlotte, North Carolina and the second is the group that originally landed in Phoenix, Arizona. We still do not know their current exact locations.” He put his head down after he finished speaking, knowing that the President was not going to be happy with his response.