“My fellow Americans, good evening,” President Kevin Martindale began his televised address to the nation. “I have some important news of a serious disaster that may have potentially serious implications for Americans both at home and overseas.
“At approximately six forty-five p.m. East Coast time, two large-scale explosions were reported in the vicinity of the southern portion of the Formosa Strait, between mainland China and the island of Formosa, the home of the newly independent, democratic Republic of China. Unconfirmed reports indicate that both explosions were nuclear, with yields measuring somewhere between one and seven kilotons.
“I want to assure the American people that we are completely safe, and the situation is under control,” the President went on, deliberately slowing his delivery and speaking as sincerely and as firmly as he could. “First, no American military forces, except for some surveillance units, were in the area at the time of the blast, and the last reports I was given stated that there were no American casualties as a result of the explosions. Second, these explosions were not a prelude to a nuclear war between China and Taiwan or anyone else. It is not yet certain if the explosions were a result of an accident, a deliberate attack, or an act of terrorism. In fact, it is too early to tell precisely who launched the attack in the first place, although our suspicions rest with the naval forces of the People’s Republic of China’s Liberation Army, which have been threatening the Republic of China with attacks for many years. However, both sides in the conflict in the Formosa Strait suffered many casualties, and so we are still investigating. In any case, no one retaliated with similar weapons; no other attacks, nuclear or conventional, took place; and no nations have declared war upon anyone else. Third, there is no evidence so far of serious nuclear contamination or fallout. There are reports of Taiwanese and Japanese nationals fleeing their homes for fear of radioactive fallout, so as a precaution we are advising against travel into eastern China, Taiwan, or southern Japan until the panic has eased and we can assess the danger.
“Fourth, and most importantly, the United States is secure. The government is functioning, and we are carrying out the people’s business, right here in Washington, same as ever. As commander in chief of our nation’s military forces, I have not ordered any retaliatory strikes, and we have not mobilized any of our nuclear forces, nor do I intend to do so. I have ordered our overseas military bases around the world into a heightened state of alert, and I have ordered the Pentagon to hold meetings with high-ranking officers to determine the best course of action to take, but at this time none of our forces anywhere on earth are on a wartime footing. We are ready to respond if necessary, but so far all nations of the world are responding to this tragedy with patience and intelligent reasoning, and so I see no reason to elevate the level of tension by mobilizing any of our forces to a higher state.
“The United States stands ready to assist any countries who request aid, no matter who pushed the button. The nuclear genie has somehow sneaked out of the bottle after being safely sealed away for so many years, and the United States government pledges to do all it can to help see that the genie stays locked away again forever. I assure you, myself and all of my top advisors, civilian and military, are hard at work investigating this horrible tragedy. I will report back to you as soon as possible with more details.
“I’d like to leave you with one last thought, if I may,” the President said. “When I was a kid, I remember a gag poster of an old crusty Navy guy, had to be a hundred years old, at the helm of an old weather-beaten wooden rowboat, with about a dozen more old sailors crowded into the little boat manning the oars, all lit up by a single lantern, and the caption on the poster said, ‘Sleep tight tonight, the U.S. Navy is awake.’ All joking aside, my fellow Americans, I can tell you that a good portion of the United States Navy, along with their comrades in arms in the Air Force, Army, Marines, Coast Guard, and all of the other paramilitary, Guard, Reserves, and civilian members of the best fighting force in the world, the United States armed forces, are awake tonight, watching and ready to defend our homeland, our freedom, and our way of life. Give them your support and trust, and sleep tight — we are awake. Thank you, good night, and God bless America.”
The President knew enough to keep his eyes straight ahead, looking into the camera, until well after the red light was off and technicians started coming over to unplug the mikes from his suit jacket lapels. He shook hands and offered thanks to a few of the technicians, the director, and the all-important makeup person, then made his way to his private study while the cameras and sound equipment were removed from the Oval Office, where Chief of Staff Jerrod Hale had the bank of six regular- screen TVs and two big-screen TVs on in the President’s study. Already in the study with Hale was National Security Advisor Philip Freeman and Secretary of State Jeffrey Hartman; Communications Director Charles Ricardo followed the President.
The study was where Martindale did his real office work — the Oval Office was usually reserved for important meetings and “photo opportunity”-type office work, like signing important legislation. The study had two curtained bulletproof windows, but unlike the Oval Office, the Kevlar-reinforced curtains were always kept closed. Along with the bank of televisions, the study had two computer systems, with which the President was thoroughly educated; it had an exercise treadmill, plenty of seats for secretaries and staffers, and wall-size electronic monitors to display computerized charts, diagrams, or images. It was a good place to watch and listen to the media’s reaction to the President’s address. Afterward, the President’s “spin doctors” would prepare Q&A point papers for all of the top advisors, and within minutes of the address they would be sent out to talk with the press and put some finer finishing touches on the President’s remarks.
“Good speech tonight, Mr. President,” Ricardo offered.
“It sucked,” the President said grumpily, retrieving a can of Tab from the little refrigerator near his desk. “Too skimpy on details — the press will be clamoring for more from anyone they see. The rumors are going to start flying. Let’s get the point paper done and get the staff out there so we can head off the rumors as much as possible. First thing I want to know is, what about the screwup with the Democratic leadership getting on Air Force One? What in hell happened?”
“The Secret Service screwed up, Mr. President — there’s no polite way to put it,” White House Chief of Staff Jerrod Hale replied. “I’ll talk to the Presidential Protection Detail chief myself. The PPD got confused because they were still escorting the press out of the building when the choppers showed up and they got word of an ‘actual’ evacuation. Anyone they didn’t recognize or specifically not accompanying you were held back.”
“They didn’t recognize Finegold? She was on TV more than I was during the last five months of the campaign! ”
“When the Secret Service realized it was an ‘actual’ evacuation rather than an ‘exercise,’ ” Hale went on, “they went a little bonkers. They should have escorted everyone from the Cabinet Room into a chopper and taken them to Andrews with you. But once you were on board Marine One with an ‘actual’ evacuation warning order, they ordered all choppers to launch. If this continues to be an issue in the press, I’ll get the chief of the PPD on the morning talk shows to explain the mix-up.”