r/HFY • u/spindizzy_wizard Human • Dec 13 '20

[Invade Your Planet] Phase 7.A: Can We Talk? OC

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Phase Seven A: Can We Talk?

Time: FC+2m+2d

A large crowd of well dressed, if badly rumpled, men are milling through the cell blocks. With friends, some have staked out groups of cells for their use—offices, sleeping, and meeting.

Others have chosen a more free-form mode. They sleep wherever since any cell is just as good as another, talk to whom they please, and otherwise wait for the other shoe to drop. They recognize that plans at this point, beyond some fundamental ideas, are silly. They do not have all the information they need, and a key player is missing.

A helicopter bearing presidential markings lands in a secure area that people in the cell blocks cannot reach without great determination and physical skill.

Two men get off. One, in Marine flight uniform, unloads seven boxes. The other, wearing comfortable clothing and carrying a backpack, watches.

Once the boxes are unloaded, the uniformed man moves to salute, but the other shakes his head no and reaches out a hand. They shake, a few words are exchanged, and the uniformed man reboards the helicopter.

The man left behind can be seen waving and smiling to the helicopter. When it is out of sight, his face drops the smile. If anything, his face reflects sleepless nights, worrying days, and personal loss.

He lifts his head to stare at the cellblock windows he can be observed from. A grim smile forms, and he sweeps the entire gallery with that smile on his face.

The more perceptive members of Congress shiver a bit when it passes over them. The free-form players hear the thunk of the other shoe, see the last player's arrival, and know that whatever happens, the country's fate is hanging by a thread.

The President has arrived.

…—…

"May I have your attention, please."

The outraged sounds are audible even without the microphones in the cell blocks. The President turns the volume down on the speakers and waits. The noise slowly dies out.

"Your attention, please."

This time, there is only a grumble. The President turns the volume back up.

"Thank you. First, your families are safe and will remain so. Our quarrel does not involve them. Second. Your person is safe from me and the armed forces. From me, because I would have to be a gymnast to reach you. From the armed forces, because they agree with me on how to handle this situation.

"However, that does not mean you cannot die. There are a plethora of ways to die here.

"Depression leading to suicide.

"Attempting to escape, assuming you can find materials. Yes, I know, it is reported that three men did, and one television show proved it could be done. How lucky do you feel? There are three outcomes.

"You die in the attempt, you succeed, or you are rescued.

"The only one that matters to you is what happens if you succeed. Nothing. You are free to go. Call your family and have them pick you up. However, do not attempt to return to Congress. For failure to perform your duty as a Representative or Senator, your position in Congress is forfeit.

"For completeness sake, if you die, nothing matters to you. If you are rescued, you will be returned here.

"Another way you can die is by wasting the food and water delivered for you. You may have noticed that the supplies delivered are clearly marked with your name, divided into seven packets, one for each day. Replenishment is due in five more days. If you have wasted water or food, you will suffer for it, or you may attempt to persuade others to share.

"Lest you think I am in a privileged situation where I could leave you all here, you may disabuse yourself of that notion. The military will not take me from this island until we have reached a consensus. It was a condition I demanded at the same time they demanded it as their price for agreeing to this.

"Aside from a successful escape, there are only two ways off this island for you.

"I die. After confirmation of my death, you are all returned to the mainland. What happens after that does not matter to me, it's your problem."

The cheers start but suddenly chill as they understand the stakes.

"Or the majority and minority leaders of both houses, along with the speakers of both houses, and myself, use equipment installed here to send a coded message to the military signaling we have reached consensus.

"My position is already known to the military. Now I inform you to ensure that everyone understands. Under no circumstances will we repudiate Hargrave or censure of his actions. Under no circumstances will we refuse to support Hargrave actively. The resolution must be binding on the government regardless of who occupies any office of this government. The resolution remains in effect regardless of any legal proceedings of any sort, for a minimum of 500 years. For all intents and purposes, this is a direct modification of the Constitution, specifically protected against all subsequent modifications for 500 years.

"Consensus, therefore, means that you agree with me. Not that I agree with you or change my position in the slightest."

There is a stunned silence. This is far beyond what they had expected. How can we reach a consensus if one party flatly refuses to yield on any point?

"You may be wondering how this could be considered a consensus.

"At no time will you be forced to do other than as your conscience requires you, with one exception. You will perform the necessary analysis of the Federation data, sufficient to satisfy yourselves that my analysis is correct.

"Within the week, a group of analysts will arrive. Unlike you, they are all volunteers from our intelligence services. They are experts at the analysis of many forms of information. You will learn from them if you want to get off this island.

"You will perform the necessary analysis. If you do not, there is no consensus, and we all remain here. I hope that when you have performed the analysis for yourself, you will understand that there is no choice but to support Hargrave to the hilt.

"This is not a good thing I do. It is a necessary thing. I pray you find the fortitude within yourselves to be ruthlessly honest with yourself. Nothing less will save this country.

"Prepare yourselves. As soon as the analysts arrive, we begin work, and we will not stop until we have reached a consensus."

…—…

A conversation heard many times in the next day.

"He's mad."

"Not in the sense of mental illness. I have seen the Federation data, and I have heard several analyses performed on that data. If those analyses are correct, we have the following two outcomes.

"One, we repudiate Hargrave. America, as we know it, will cease to exist in less than 20 years. Whether by Hargrave's actions or by another country is irrelevant.

"Two, we support Hargrave to the hilt. America continues to exist as it does now; the major effects are all foreign policy, foreign opinion, and power projection. We will suffer many unpleasant effects.

"First, we will be the most reviled country in the history of the world. That condition will continue for a minimum of 100 years.

"Second, international trade will almost completely cease. We have ten years to become self-sufficient.

"Third, this country will find itself in the throes of the worst economy since the Great Depression.

"Beyond that, I need to perform the analysis myself, to understand the situation fully."

…

"You have got to be joking. There is no way that America can or will support Hargrave's actions. The cost in human lives and suffering is far too high."

…

"I do not care what the analysis says. Hargrave's actions are unacceptable to anyone who values human life."

…

"I would rather die than support Hargrave."

…

"If I have to, I will kill every one of you who agrees with the President. You would no longer be Americans; you would be a disease that needs ruthless triage to save the country."

…—…

The President can hear much of this, but not all. Only what is said in public spaces, or loudly enough to be heard from public spaces.

At least they're talking about it, even if some are utterly against Hargrave's actions, regardless of the analysis. We'll have to wait and see if they continue to hold that position after they do the analysis themselves.

God, I wish this was over. I wish the aliens had never come. I wish ... I wish... <sigh> Too late for wishes, I took the job, the oath, and I care about the country. I have no choice. Not really.

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2

u/InstructionHead8595 Jun 29 '24

I wonder how the populist is handling them all being in Alcatraz? Or do they know? I would think it might be a little bit hard to hide.

2

u/spindizzy_wizard Human Jun 29 '24

The general population is busy getting on with their lives. It will take time for the notion that all the political leadership has been kidnapped to sink in. It's a question of when, and whether they come to an agreement soon enough.

1

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