The Phoenix Project by Kris Powers

guess I can see that. Would
anything convince you to take a promotion?” Maria asked.
         “The end of the world.”
         “The Moon’s not enough?”

 
 
 
         “Orbital Base Two has
signalled and said that they have the components of a new planet—side base
ready to move whenever you give the signal,” Madison reported. She handed a link to Elliot.
         “How soon can they get it up
and working?”
         “They said about a month,” Madison replied.
         “What about the particle
warhead, Josh?”
         “They’re already building it
off world,” Joshua replied.
         “Where?”
         “At the science station in
orbit around Venus. Once the different components are ready, they’ll ship it to
wherever on Earth you need it to go,” Joshua replied.
         “Good.”
         “That brings me to another
question, Eli. If Phoenix
goes ahead, where will we ship the warhead?”
         “We’ll decide on that only if Phoenix goes ahead,”
Elliot replied.
         “Is that it?” Madison asked.
         “That’s the last of it. Phoenix is as ready as we
can make it.”
         “You mean before the weapon
hits us.”
         “The evacuation is as far as
it can go as well. Every ship is working overtime and it looks like things will
get done in time,” Elliot said.
         With the groundwork for their
project finished, Elliot let out a long breath on the bridge of Joshua’s
ship. They had been aboard for many hours now making the final preparations for
Phoenix while
junior officers had done their best to forward reports. With the last of their
work done, they were able to monitor the evacuation.
         The Moon was now as lifeless
as it had been a few centuries ago. The Central States were much the same with
the exception of a few stubborn elderly people refusing to leave. As far as
those last holdouts were concerned the government was trying to convince them
that the sky was falling. Even now several choppers were stationed near their
farms and houses. Representatives of the military were trying to remove them,
by force if necessary, but they had barricaded themselves in their homes.
         The rest of the populations
across the eighteen colonies seemed to be on the edge of one collective
inhalation as the weapon closed in on the moon.
         Elliot left the couple at the
captain’s chair and took up his accustomed position in the northwest corner of
the battle—grey coloured bridge. Madison
retained her place standing at Joshua’s left hand position as his first
officer.
         “Sir,” a male officer said from
the science station.
         “Yes Ensign,” Joshua replied.
         “The particle beam is now passing
Mars. I estimate four minutes until it reaches the Moon.”
         Every person on the bridge
stiffened at the statement. The entire atmosphere of the bridge had been tense for
nearly fifty—two hours, but now the stress seemed to have become tangible.
         “Put it on the main monitor.”
         The large primary screen on
the front wall of the bridge switched from a view of a star field interrupted
by the distant sight of the moon to one with a long, thin emerald streak.
         “Magnify to maximum,” Madison commanded.
         The line of green became a
blast of energy against the night sky of space. If not for the emerald hue, the
weapon would’ve looked like a comet speeding into the solar system.
         “Four minutes,” Elliot said.
Joshua turned his seat around to address the Admiral.
         “ We got everyone out?”
         “ There’s no one left on the Moon. The prairies are another story.”
         “ We haven’t finished the evacuation?” Madison asked.
         “ A few people are still in the target zone. They refuse to leave.”
         “ Are they drunk?” Joshua asked.
         “ No, they believe the angel of death will pass them