Stargazers

5. Way Ahead of Schedule

     When the President of the United States made his national address and confessed to the world the danger that approached, the world was stunned beyond belief. It had been over a year since Eric had joined the Stargazer project, and NASA estimates had asteroid impact scheduled less than five months away. This seemed like something out of a movie: an asteroid hurtling for the planet whose impact could possibly be an extinction level event. The President made it clear to the public listening that his government was using all its resources to stop it. The President also told everyone that many nations all had plans going forth. There were backups to their backups, and that humanity would hold nothing back in their attempts to stop the incoming disaster. The people's response was a lot lighter than earlier expected. Many of the people refused to believe it was true and thought it was a sick joke, while many others cried themselves to sleep that night as the feared that the world would be over in a matter of months. There were no major riots, but once it all sunk in police forces were expecting them. It seemed like the world was suffering from the first stage of grief; denial. They refused to think that the world was going to end, and chose to instead fight. The government opened a bond program, not much different from war bonds, offering the people a chance to donate money to the extreme budgets of the programs that were in place to stop the asteroid. Much to everyone's surprise, the money was flowing in as people wanted to save their nation, the world, and especially their own ass from being wiped from existence. People around the world were using up all their savings, hoping that it might be enough to save their children's future, but giving up their own.

     Eric Saunders wasn't with the national address, but he kept his thoughts to himself for the time being. At that moment, his goal was to get his house in order before Drummond returned a week after the address. He seemed happy when he walked in but that would soon change.

     "Is there something wrong, Dr. Saunders?" he quickly asked.

     "Just a bit," Eric replied, "There were a few things missing from that address. When does the President intend to reveal the Stargazer project?"

     "Later." Drummond answered.

     "Define later." Eric asked.

     "About two months from now," Drummond said with a sigh, "We're waiting until after the last ship leaves orbit."

     "The people will not take that well," Eric said, as he could hardly believe what he was hearing. "How do you think they're going to respond when they find out that the last ride to safety left without them? They're going to be pissed when they find out that they were never even considered to become a passenger."

     "I don't care what they think," Drummond honestly replied, "And at this point neither does the President."

     "I guess not," Eric said, resisting the urge to toss a chair at him. "I'm sure you both feel terrible when your rooms are already booked."

     "The President isn't going," Drummond replied, "And neither am I."

     "You're not?" Eric said, dumbfounded by the comment.

     "No," Drummond confirmed, "My Commander in Chief has chosen to remain with his sinking ship. As a member of the US Army, my place is by his side as he bravely faces the asteroid with the rest of the country."

     "I had no idea," Eric said, "Are you sure about that?"

     "Not really," Drummond confessed, "But the President is confident that our other plans to stop the asteroid will work. So much so that he's turned down his ticket for Mars. He's not the kind of guy to cut and run, and I admire him for it."