"Pandora" - Political Asteroid Story

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

Oh man this is pretty intense! I can't wait for the next update.

[Reaganfan]

"A global awareness continues to dominate the mind of every person on Earth this evening, as we are in the final hours of determination as to whether or not the asteroid will be destroyed. President Brooks has been in constant with World Leaders and has readied the Minuteman III missiles that are in their silos in Wyoming and North Dakota. We have also learned that nuclear tipped missiles have been ready to launch towards the asteroid by China, Great Britain and Russia in the event that the weapon implanted in the asteroid fails to destroy it. We will stay on the air with around the clock continuous coverage of this global emergency."

PRESIDENT BROOKS ROCKS BABY NEWTON BACK AND FORTH IN HIS ARMS AS HE STANDS IN MISSION CONTROL WATCHING A COMPUTER ANIMATION OF PANDORA CREEPING CLOSER TO THE DETONATION ZONE.

BROOKS: It's gettin' closer, Rybeck.
RYBECK: Yes sir, less than seven hours left.
BROOKS: (turns to General Huntington) General?
HUNTINGTON: Yes, Mr. President?
BROOKS: Tell the 91st Missile Wing to be ready to launch the instant the order comes from me. If Pure Zero doesn't do it, we won't have a minute to waste.
HUNTINGTON: Yes, sir. I can assure you though, Mr. President, the Pure Zero bomb will succeed.
BROOKS: Well, I am pleased with your confidence but nevertheless, I want to be ready.
MOLLY: Austin? Where do we go if the asteroid hits?
BROOKS: Well, we could go to an underground facility.
RYBECK: Underground might be the best option when the fire and rocks begin to shower down from the sky. Of course, it wouldn't really matter at that point.
BROOKS: I think I should address the nation, again.
RYBECK: Not much to report, yet.
BROOKS: I know...but it will help calm those who are gripped with panic. You know...like everybody.
RYBECK: (chuckles) Yeah, perhaps that would be a good idea, sir.
MOLLY: Do you have any remarks written down?
BROOKS: Nope. I think I'll just go off the cuff.

PRESIDENT BROOKS, NASA WINDBREAKER ON, WALKS INTO A PRESS ROOM AT THE NASA SPACE CENTER, AND LOOKS STRAIGHT INTO THE CAMERAS.

My fellow Americans,

As we are now in the final hours before detonation of the asteroid, I want to impress upon you this moment in the context of history. In just a few hours, for better or worse, mankind will face eye to eye with it's gravest threat. It's in times like this where we can put aside all out insignificant differences and come together as one. In a little over a week, it will be Christmas. Like many of you, I intend to spend Christmas with my family and loved ones. Let it ring true on this Christmas Day that the world stood up to a threat, and conquered it. Let it ring true that never again will we be divided. Never again will we consider any man's worth less than the another. For being human is something each and everyone of us share. A common bond. One that can never be broken. So once again, we wait. Once again, we say a prayer for this great mission. Thank you, and God Bless You all.

         

COUNTDOWN TO DETONATION

5 hours, 27 minutes, 14 seconds

IT'S 3:05AM EASTERN TIME. THE CLOCK IS FAST APPROACHING DETONATION TIME. AT MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON, GENERAL JIM HUNTINGTON CARRIES A LARGE BLACK LEATHER BRIEFCASE AND SETS IT ON A LARGE TABLE. HE OPENS IT. INSIDE, IS A KEYHOLE AND A SINGLE SILVER KEY.

HUNTINGTON: Mr. President?
BROOKS: Yes, General?
HUNTINGTON: The detonation codes have been entered and the bomb is armed. When the asteroid is within the detonation range in a few minutes, all you have to do is insert that key and turn it.
RYBECK: Wow. This is intense. (Sarcastically) I can't believe the table where I had an extra large pizza a few days ago now has the button for the most powerful bomb in history sitting on it.
BROOKS: How long between detonation and confirmation that the asteroid has been destroyed?
HUNTINGTON: Dr. Rybeck might be able to answer that better than I could.
RYBECK: Um...I'd say...within one minute or so of detonation.
BROOKS: Alright then.

GENERAL HUNTINGTON, DR. RYBECK, THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY ALONG WITH STAN LINCOLN AND OTHER NASA PERSONNEL STAND IN MISSION CONTROL WAITING. THEY WATCH THE CLOCK.

         

COUNTDOWN TO DETONATION

4 minutes, 14 seconds

[Reaganfan]

BROOKS: Before we proceed, I want to tell each and every one of you what a pleasure it has been working with you. I can't say it was under good circumstances, but you all did a magnificent job through all of this. I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart.
RYBECK: It's been an honor, Mr. President.
LINCOLN: Pleasures been all mine, sir.

THE CLOCK COUNTS DOWN TO ZERO. IT'S NOW 3:12AM EASTERN TIME, DECEMBER 14TH.

HUNTINGTON: It's time, sir.
RYBECK: Confirming that the pure zero weapon is now within the remote detonation range, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BROOKS INSERTS THE KEY.

BROOKS: GOD BLESS US.

HE TURNS THE KEY. A BEEPING SOUND COMES FROM THE BLACK NUCLEAR BRIEFCASE. PRESIDENT BROOKS LOOKS DOWN AT IT. A SCREEN PANEL READS: "ERROR. ERROR. ERROR."

BROOKS: What the hell?
RYBECK: No detonation, sir!
HUNTINGTON: I don't understand, Mr. President. The weapon should have detonated. (General Huntington picks up a secure phone)

THE ROOM BECOMES EVEN MORE TENSE. RYBECK SPINS AROUND IN HIS CHAIR AND BEGINS TYPING.

RYBECK: Oh my God.
BROOKS: What is it, Rybeck?

RYBECK CONTINUES FEVERISHLY TYPING.

BROOKS: RYBECK!? What is it?!?
RYBECK: The remote, sir! The remote detonation won't work!
BROOKS: Why the hell not!?
HUNTINGTON: Sir, we have to alert our missile silos to prepare for a minuteman launch!
BROOKS: Hold on just a minute, Huntington. Rybeck, what the hell is going on?
RYBECK: I DON'T KNOW, SIR!
BROOKS: Dammit Rybeck we have to blow this bomb, NOW!
RYBECK: The remote detonation won't work, sir!
BROOKS: Well then we have to fire our ICBMs!
HUNTINGTON: We have to do it now, Mr. President!

BROOKS AND RYBECK LOCK EYES.

RYBECK: Fire them, sir.
BROOKS: Fine. General, alert the forces, a massive missile attack at Asteroid Pandora.
HUNTINGTON: Yes, Mr. President.

GENERAL HUNTINGTON GRABS A SECURE TELEPHONE. MOLLY CALLOW-BROOKS STANDS NEARBY, AS STAN LINCOLN, DR. RYBECK AND PRESIDENT BROOKS PACE AROUND MISSION CONTROL DEEP IN THOUGHT. THEY LOOK UP AT THE CLOCK.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

4 hours, 46 minutes, 37 seconds

BY 3:30AM EASTERN TIME, MISSILES FROM THE U.S., U.K., CHINA AND RUSSIA ARE MAKING THERE WAY TOWARDS THE ASTEROID. PRESIDENT BROOKS IS HOLDING TWO PIECES OF PAPER.

RYBECK: What are you holding there, Mr. President?
BROOKS: Speeches. One says we're going to be alright, the other is...
RYBECK: I see.
BROOKS: General, what's the status?
HUNTINGTON: The missiles are three minutes away, sir.

PRESIDENT BROOKS AND FIRST LADY MOLLY-CALLOW BROOKS GLANCE AT EACH OTHER. THE SITUATION HAS NEVER BEEN SO TENSE. GENERAL HUNTINGTON HOLDS A SECURE PHONE LINE, AWAITING CONFIRMATION.

BROOKS: How far out, General?
HUNTINGTON: The Russian ICBMs are thirty seconds away, sir.
BROOKS: Rybeck, I want confirmation when the asteroid is destroyed.
RYBECK: Yes, sir.
HUNTINGTON: We have detonation, Mr. President!
BROOKS: Rybeck, get me status!
HUNTINGTON: All Russian ICBMs are detonating, sir....now the American missiles....
BROOKS: Let's pray this worked.
HUNTINGTON: Great Britain and China warheads have reached the target as well, Mr. President!
BROOKS: Okay Rybeck, I need confirmation.

DR. NELSON RYBECK IS FEVERISHLY LOOKING AT NEW IMAGES OF THE ASTEROID, TYPING COORDINATES ON THE COMPUTER AND TRYING TO DETERMINE THE RESULTS OF THE DETONATIONS.

BROOKS: RYBECK! IS IT DESTROYED?

DR. RYBECK GLANCES AT BROOKS AND SHAKES HIS HEAD.

RYBECK: No, sir. The asteroid is still intact, and headed for Earth.

STUNNED SILENCE FALLS OVER MISSION CONTROL IN HOUSTON. DR. NELSON RYBECK RECLINES BACK IN HIS CHAIR, PRESIDENT BROOKS PUTS HIS HANDS AROUND FIRST LADY MOLLY CALLOW-BROOKS AND EMBRACES HER. GENERAL JIM HUNTINGTON WHISPERS INTO A SECURE PHONE. STAN LINCOLN BEGINS PACING AROUND DEEP IN THOUGHT.

BROOKS: Well, I um...I want to thank all of you for what you've done. You're all heroes. I...um....I'm going to go address the nation. I...

PRESIDENT BROOKS KISSES HIS WIFE ON THE CHEEK AND WALKS OUT OF MISSION CONTROL. THERE IS NOT MUCH THAT CAN BE SAID. PRESIDENT BROOKS WALKS INTO A MEDIA ROOM SETUP WITHIN THE NASA SPACE CENTER. HE LOOKS AT CAMERAS SETUP, AND MEDIA PERSONNEL.

PROGRAMMER: Ten seconds, Mr. President.
BROOKS: Thanks, Phil.
PROGRAMMER: Mr. President, in 5, 4, 3....

My fellow citizens, it is with the utmost regret that I have to report to you that our mission to stop the asteroid, Pandora, has failed. The pure zero weapon implanted within the asteroid failed to remote detonate, and the subsequent attempts to destroy or deflect the asteroid using the world's vast nuclear arsenal have also failed.

It is now obvious that the asteroid will indeed strike the Earth. We have determined the exact location of impact, and the effects of the impact both short-term and long-term.

The asteroid will strike land near the small village of San Pedrito about 154 miles north-northeast of Santa Cruz in Northern Bolivia. It will strike at 8:12am Eastern Time, moving at 41 miles per second. It will create a crater roughly 265 miles wide, and one mile deep. From the city of Santa Cruz, a fireball 444 times larger than the sun will occur within 11 seconds. Everything within this fireball will die. Plants, animals, people.

Here within the United States, some 4000 miles away from the impact, an earthquake measuring magnitude 11 on the richer scale will be felt first in our Gulf Coast states 21 minutes after the asteroid strikes. Then, the ejecta from the impact will begin falling around 34 minutes after the impact. Small, hot fragments and a fine dusting will begin impacting the Gulf Coast states, and a few hours after impact, the air-burst anywhere from 50 to over 100 mph will be felt across the country and the planet.

In the weeks following the impact, life in South America will be destroyed. Over 400 million people will be dead. All animal and plant life will be gone. As the dust from the impact settles across the planet, the skies will be dark from soot and the temperatures across the planet will decline. The dark skies and cold temperatures will encompass the earth and plunge earth into darkness for about 1,400 days or so. That's a time span of four years. After that, those will may have survived will have the inconceivable task of trying to carry on with what our planet has left for us.

I believe deep in my heart that life will prevail, but it's clear now that we're in a titanic struggle for our very survival. May God be with us all.

PRESIDENT BROOKS WALKS OUT OF THE MEDIA ROOM. DR. RYBECK AND STAN LINCOLN STAND IN SILENCE TRYING TO TAKE IN WHAT IS OBVIOUS NOW. THE WORST IMPACT EVENT EVER WITNESSED BY MANKIND.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

4 hours, 5 minutes, 54 seconds

[Person Man]

Is this like the dramatization of the background story of Rage?

[Reaganfan]

PRESIDENT BROOKS WALKS UP TO THE FIRST LADY IN A PRIVATE ROOM OUTSIDE OF MISSION CONTROL.

BROOKS: Molly.
MOLLY: Yes, Austin?
BROOKS: I...I wanted to say that I'm sorry. Sorry about not spending the time with you and Newton that I should have. I should've spent more time with you before we got married, I should've resigned and spent all my time with you.
MOLLY: Austin, you're the President of the United States. I knew what I was getting when you asked me to marry you. That's why I said yes.
BROOKS: I love you, Molly.
MOLLY: I love you, too.

THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY EMBRACE. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE PRESIDENT WALKS INTO A QUIET MISSION CONTROL. HE SEES STAN LINCOLN IN A ROOM WITH WINDOWS SITTING DOWN SPEAKING ON THE PHONE, CRYING. HE THEN SEES DR. NELSON RYBECK SITTING AT A COMPUTER LOOKING AT AN IMAGE OF THE ASTEROID. HE WALKS UP TO RYBECK.

BROOKS: Hey Rybeck.
RYBECK: Hey, Mr. President.
BROOKS: Look...I just...
RYBECK: I know, sir.... I know.
BROOKS: There's an underground facility in the mountains of Virginia. It has a natural water supply, is several miles underground, and can support life until the dust settles. I want you to come with me.
RYBECK: (laughs) Why me, Mr. President?
BROOKS: I need your expertise down there, Rybeck. Our planet will be plunged into darkness. When the dust clears, we need people like you to help us start again, or at the very least try to start.
RYBECK: Mr. President...hundreds of millions of people are about to die...and billions more in the next four years. Why should I be any different?
BROOKS: Because you are, Rybeck. This is the situation. If you don't do it, who else will? Come on, pal...I need you.

DR. RYBECK HESITATES.

RYBECK: Okay, Mr. President. Okay.
BROOKS: Alright then. Agent Jensen! Get in here!
JENSEN: Yes Mr. President.
BROOKS: I want my wife and our son immediately on Air Force One, we have to get to Mount Weather before fire starts falling from the sky!
JENSEN: Yes sir.
BROOKS: Lincoln!
LINCOLN: Yes, sir?
BROOKS: Where's your family?
LINCOLN: My wife and two daughters are at home, sir.
BROOKS: I'm sending a helicopter to your home right now, do you understand?
LINCOLN: Uh...yes sir, but why?
BROOKS: Because Lincoln, you're coming too and I don't think it's right to leave a man's family behind.

LINCOLN EMBRACES PRESIDENT BROOKS.

LINCOLN: God Bless You, sir.
BROOKS: Later, Stan. Get your stuff together, now!

AS THEY ALL SCRAMBLE TO GET WHATEVER NECESSITIES THEY CAN FROM THE NASA SPACE CENTER, DR. RYBECK GRABS HIS CUSTOM MADE LAPTOP. THE SCREEN SHOWS THE MASSIVE ASTEROID HEADED FOR EARTH.

"As the planet braces for the impact of the ten-mile wide asteroid Pandora, we've learned that President Brooks is boarding Air Force One in Houston, Texas headed for an undisclosed location."

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE, PRESIDENT AUSTIN BROOKS CALLS OUT FOR THE PILOT, TIM HELLER.

BROOKS: Heller, I want this plane in the air NOW, understood?
HELLER: Yes, sir.
BROOKS: Alright, Molly...you take Newton and I'll be there in just a minute, okay?
MOLLY: Alright Austin. (She kisses the President on the cheek)

THE PRESIDENT WALKS OVER TO HIS SEAT AND BUCKLES HIMSELF IN NEXT TO GENERAL JIM HUNTINGTON. DR. RYBECK BOARDS AIR FORCE ONE AND SECRET SERVICE AGENT GRANT FOLLOWS CLOSELY BEHIND. THE TWO OF THEM FIND SEATS NEAR WINDOWS. THE PLANE IMMEDIATELY BEGINS MOVING DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE MOOD AROUND EVERYONE IN THE PLANE IS PART TENSION, PART TERROR AND PART SADNESS.

THE PLANE TAKES OFF. TWO HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT, DR. RYBECK IS NERVOUSLY BITING HIS FINGER NAILS. AGENT GRANT SITS NEXT TO HIM. THE SUN IS RISING OUTSIDE THE WINDOW.

GRANT: Look at that sunrise...
RYBECK: Yeah. It's beautiful.
GRANT: Dr. Rybeck, do you want me to move and give you the window seat?
RYBECK: No it doesn't matter, Grant.
GRANT: Yes, sir.
RYBECK: Grant, how many times do I have to tell you not to call me sir?
GRANT: I'm sorry, Dr. Rybeck. If I'm blocking your view of the window just let me know. Would you like some water?
RYBECK: (long pause and his eyes grow wide) GRANT! What did you just say!?
GRANT: Would you like some water?
RYBECK: NO! Before that?
GRANT: Oh...the uh...window...if I'm blocking your view just let me know and I-
RYBECK: JESUS CHRIST! THAT'S IT!

RYBECK GRABS HIS LAPTOP OUT OF IT'S CASE. HE OPENS IT AND BEGINS TYPING.

RYBECK: The signal! The remote signal is blocked!! Oh my God that's it!! MR. PRESIDENT!!!

DR. RYBECK TAKES FLIGHT RUNNING DOWN THE CORRIDOR OF AIR FORCE ONE, AND FINDS THE PRESIDENT SITTING NEXT TO GENERAL JIM HUNTINGTON.

RYBECK: MR. PRESIDENT!
BROOKS: Jesus, Rybeck! What is it?
RYBECK: SIR...I know why the bomb wouldn't detonate!!
BROOKS: What?! Why!?
RYBECK: (turns his laptop to a screen showing the asteroid and the remote detonation range) The signal from Earth to the pure zero weapon inside the asteroid is being blocked by something. It's this Global Positioning Satellite.
BROOKS: A satellite?
RYBECK: Yes, sir. It's an American satellite...launched around the turn of the century. It's 40 years old...it's obsolete but it's blocking the signal to the weapon!
BROOKS: How long until the signal returns?
RYBECK: Two minutes prior to impact, sir.
BROOKS: That's not enough time, Rybeck!
RYBECK: I know, sir! But if we could somehow get that GPS satellite out of the way, the signal will reach the bomb and we can detonate it!
BROOKS: General?
HUNTINGTON: Yes, sir.
BROOKS: Advise our missile bases...a massive ICBM launch at that satellite. Let's blast that sucker outta the sky.
HUNTINGTON: Yes, sir!

PRESIDENT BROOKS STANDS UP AND WALKS OVER TO SECRET SERVICE AGENT JENSEN.

BROOKS: Jensen! Tell them to land us, now!

AGENT JENSEN RUNS TO THE COCKPIT. HE TELLS THE PILOT TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PLANE IMMEDIATELY BEGINS DESCENDING TOWARDS ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE.

BROOKS: We need to blow this bomb.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

1 hour, 35 minutes, 43 seconds

[America™]

Very underrated. Best TL I've seen in awhile. Please continue.

[Reaganfan]

Very underrated. Best TL I've seen in awhile. Please continue.

Thank you

AS THE MILITARY PREPARES A RAPID LAUNCH OF EIGHT MINUTEMAN MISSILES FROM THEIR WYOMING SILOS, ASTEROID PANDORA CONTINUES HER APPROACH. THE PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY, GENERAL HUNTINGTON, DR. RYBECK AND STAN LINCOLN ALL QUICKLY EXIT AIR FORCE ONE AND MARINE ONE MAKES A QUICK TRIP BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE. BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVE IN THE OVAL OFFICE, GENERAL HUNTINGTON ANNOUNCES THAT THE MISSILES ARE LAUNCHED.

HUNTINGTON: Missiles launched, Mr. President!
BROOKS: How long until they reach the satellite?
HUNTINGTON: (on phone) 15 minutes, sir.
BROOKS: Rybeck, I need confirmation when that satellite is destroyed, understand?
RYBECK: Yes, sir.
BROOKS: I just hope eight missiles are enough.
RYBECK: They should be sir, it's a 40 year old satellite. It's obsolete. Once it's gone, the sensor should be able to detonate the pure zero bomb.
HUNTINGTON: The minuteman missiles are en-route to the GPS Satellite, Mr. President.
BROOKS: Let's pray we get rid of that satellite! We don't have time to hold off the detonation of the bomb.

AS TENSIONS RISE, MEDIA OUTLETS BEGIN WONDERING WHY DETONATION HAS NOT OCCURRED. PRESIDENT BROOKS SPEAKS TO THE LEADERS OF RUSSIA, CHINA AND GREAT BRITAIN AND INFORMS THEM OF THE SITUATION. NEWS ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY PROVIDE VIEWERS WITH A COUNTDOWN CLOCK TO IMPACT. AT THAT TIME, WORD COMES IN THAT THE MISSILES HAVE FOUND THE TARGET.

HUNTINGTON: MISSILES APPROACHING TARGET, SIR!
BROOKS: Rybeck, if we don't get this satellite outta the way, is there anyway we can blow that bomb?
RYBECK: (long pause) No, sir. Not until three minutes prior to impact. By then, it would be too late to destroy Pandora.
BROOKS: General, what's the status?
HUNTINGTON: Nothing yet, sir.

PRESIDENT AUSTIN C. BROOKS GLANCES OVER A COUNTDOWN CLOCK ON ONE OF DR. RYBECK'S LAPTOPS.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

35 minutes and 17 seconds

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

When is the next update!? i am dying xD

[Reaganfan]

HUNTINGTON: WE HAVE DETONATION ON THE SATELLITE, SIR!
BROOKS: IS IT DESTROYED?!
HUNTINGTON: Awaiting confirmation, Mr. President.

BROOKS AND RYBECK GLANCE AT EACH OTHER. THE SITUATION IS DIRE AND TENSE.

HUNTINGTON: SATELLITE DESTROYED, SIR! I REPEAT, THE GLOBAL POSITIONING SATELLITE HAS BEEN DESTROYED!
BROOKS: THANK GOD!

PRESIDENT BROOKS WALKS OVER TO THE DESK WITH THE REMOTE DETONATOR.

BROOKS: Let's blow this sucker outta the sky.
RYBECK: WAIT!
BROOKS: What is it, Rybeck?
RYBECK: The shockwaves from the explosion...they could interfere with the remote detonation signal.

BROOKS REACHES FOR THE KEY, AGAIN.

RYBECK: Explosions fanning out....they're clearing...
BROOKS: Dammit Rybeck...we have to blow the bomb, NOW!

BROOKS INSERTS THE KEY.

RYBECK: NOW SIR! TURN THE KEY NOW!

PRESIDENT BROOKS TURNS THE KEY. ON THE SCREEN, IT READS: DETONATING...DETONATING.... SILENCE GRIPS THE OVAL OFFICE. YOU COULD HEAR A PIN DROP.

BROOKS: Did it work?!
RYBECK: Let's find out!

RYBECK RUNS TOWARDS THE DOOR, PRESIDENT BROOKS, THE FIRST LADY, GENERAL HUNTINGTON AND DIRECTOR LINCOLN FOLLOW. THEY GO OUTSIDE AND SEE THE MORNING SKY LIT UP WITH AN ENORMOUS EXPLOSION. THIS EXPLOSION CAN BE SEEN IN SKIES ALL OVER THE WORLD FROM EUROPE TO AFRICA AND THE AMERICAS. EUPHORIA AND JOY STRIKES EVERYONE.

BROOKS: YESS!!!!!!!
RYBECK: IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!
MOLLY: Austin! THANK GOD!

THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY EMBRACE. STAN LINCOLN SHAKES HANDS WITH DR. RYBECK AS THEY WATCH STARK BLUE SHOCKWAVES RADIATE THE CRISP, COOL NIGHT SKY. DR. RYBECK CHEERFULLY RUNS BACK INSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE. HE GOES TO A COMPUTER AND LOOKS AT A NASA IMAGE OF PANDORA. THE ASTEROID HAS BEEN DECIMATED. THEN SOMETHING CATCHES HIS EYE.

RYBECK: Oh my God.

PRESIDENT BROOKS WALKS BACK INSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE. HE SEES RYBECK LOOKING SERIOUS.

BROOKS: What is it, Rybeck?
RYBECK: We have trouble, sir.
BROOKS: What kind of trouble?

RYBECK CONTINUES TYPING IN COORDINATES INTO THE COMPUTER.

BROOKS: RYBECK! What kind of trouble?
RYBECK: Mr. President, the bomb destroyed most of the asteroid. See?
BROOKS: Good gracious, that's terrific!
RYBECK: Yes, sir...but there are still four huge chunks.
BROOKS: Are you serious?
RYBECK: One is two miles wide. The detonation blasted it away from us...it's headed directly away from Earth, it'll probably end up hitting the moon.
BROOKS: Okay?
RYBECK: Another small half mile wide chunk is also heading away from us and won't be a problem. But two more chunks...one a quarter mile wide and the other a mile wide are still headed for Earth.

THE FIRST LADY AND STAN LINCOLN WALK BACK INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE LAUGHING AND SMILING ONLY TO SEE PRESIDENT BROOKS AND DR. RYBECK LOOKING ANXIOUS AND SERIOUS.

MOLLY: Austin...what's the matter?
BROOKS: We have a problem.
LINCOLN: What's going on, Dr. Rybeck?
RYBECK: The explosion destroyed most of Pandora, but there are still two pieces left behind.
LINCOLN: That's to be expected though. I mean, the rocks will burn up in our atmosphere as they encounter-
RYBECK: No, no...look here. That one is a quarter mile wide...this one here...is one mile wide.
LINCOLN: Sh*t.
RYBECK: They're big enough to break through our atmosphere.
BROOKS: Should I launch the ICBMs?
RYBECK: To be honest sir, I don't know how much they can help.
HUNTINGTON: It's your call, Mr. President.
BROOKS: How much time do we have until impact?
RYBECK: I'm checking now, sir.
BROOKS: I mean, if we launch fifteen nuclear missiles at these two chunks of rock...we gotta be able to stop them.
RYBECK: Sir, the quarter mile wide rock has been pushed closer to Earth due to the detonation blast. That one looks like it will strike around 8:08am Eastern Time. The second one, the mile wide rock, has been delayed by the blast and looks like it will strike around 8:22am Eastern Time.
BROOKS: Can you figure out where?
RYBECK: The first one...the smallest...it looks like it will strike somewhere in Brazil. The second one...somewhere near Panama and the Caribbean Sea.
BROOKS: (turns to the General) General Huntington, inform our partners of the situation. Launch the missiles towards those rocks.
HUNTINGTON: Yes, Mr. President.

END SCENE

         

COUNTDOWN TO FIRST IMPACT

30 minutes and 14 seconds

         

COUNTDOWN TO SECOND IMPACT

44 minutes and 7 seconds

[Reaganfan]

PRESIDENT AUSTIN C. BROOKS PULLS DR. NELSON RYBECK ASIDE.

BROOKS: Rybeck, tell me what's going on. Layman's terms. No bulls*it.
RYBECK: (long sigh) The rocks themselves are not nearly as big as before we blew that bomb. I mean, Pandora was ten miles across, and now we only have two rocks. One is just a quarter of a mile, the other is one mile. But, one mile is enough to generate an unprecedented disaster. An epic disaster.
BROOKS: Well we have over a dozen nukes headed right up there to decimate them.
RYBECK: Yes but it's like a needle in a haystack. With the original asteroid, we were aiming missiles at a ten mile wide giant asteroid. Now, we have two fragments and the biggest is just a one mile wide chunk in vast space. Perhaps we can deflect but...
BROOKS: (leans to Rybeck's ear) Pray, Rybeck.
RYBECK: I'm way ahead of you, Mr. President.

AS THE SITUATION GROWS MORE DIRE, GENERAL HUNTINGTON INFORMS THE PRESIDENT THAT THE MISSILES HAVE FOUND THEIR TARGETS.

HUNTINGTON: Mr. President?
BROOKS: Yes, Jim.
HUNTINGTON: The bombs are approaching the rocks now, sir.
BROOKS: (closes his eyes) Dear Lord let this work.

AFTER A FEW MORE TENSE SILENT MOMENTS WITHIN THE OVAL OFFICE...

HUNTINGTON: The weapons are detonating, sir.
BROOKS: Rybeck, I need confirmation that the rocks are destroyed.

DR. RYBECK BEGINS ANALYZING THE DATA COMING IN FROM THE COMPUTER TRACKING SYSTEM.

RYBECK: The quarter mile rock has been destroyed!!!

CHEERS ERUPT IN THE ROOM.

BROOKS: All of it!?
RYBECK: Well there is a decent sized fragment, maybe 100 feet across, but it's been deflected away from us. It'll probably strike the moon and leave a large impact crater.
BROOKS: Oh well for the moon. What about the mile wide one?
RYBECK: I'm checking, sir.

DR. RYBECK CONTINUES TYPING.

BROOKS: Rybeck, I have to know now...what is the status of the other rock?

DR. RYBECK LOOKS AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN, CRINGES AND GLANCES AT PRESIDENT BROOKS.

RYBECK: No impact, sir. The mile wide rock is still heading for Earth.

THE PRESIDENT, FIRST LADY, DR. RYBECK, STAN LINCOLN AND GENERAL HUNTINGTON ALL LOOK DOWN IN SADNESS. THE PRESIDENT PUTS HIS HAND ON DR. RYBECK'S SHOULDER.

BROOKS: Rybeck. What should we do?
RYBECK: (long pause) Alert the public. I'll get you the specifics on impact.

THE WHITE HOUSE REMAINS VERY QUIET. FROM THE OVAL OFFICE TO THE HALLWAY CORRIDORS. GENERAL HUNTINGTON SPEAKS QUIETLY ON A SECURE PHONE. DR. RYBECK BEGINS TYPING INFORMATION AND PRINTING OUT PAGES. HE HANDS THEM TO A PRESIDENTIAL STAFFER.

A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE PRESIDENT WALKS INTO THE WHITE HOUSE LIBRARY, WHERE CAMERAS HAVE BEEN SETUP BUT REPORTERS ARE SCARCE.

My fellow citizens,

It is my sad duty to report to you this morning that while most of the asteroid was destroyed by the detonation of our weapon, a mile wide piece of rock remains on a track towards the Earth. Our international attempts at using missiles to deflect or destroy this rock fragment have failed. The one mile wide asteroid fragment will indeed strike the Earth later this morning.

We have determined that this asteroid will strike land near Panama near the South American coastline, likely just off shore in the Caribbean Sea. It will hit at 8:22am Eastern Time, a little over 25 minutes from now. Upon impact, a tidal wave nearly three thousand feet high will be created. This wave will travel at a thousand miles per hour, reaching the coastlines of Central America, Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and Haiti. All of these countries, along with numerous other Caribbean islands will feel the wrath of this catastrophic wave.  After washing over Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula, the wave will strike the Florida coastline and the Gulf Coast of the United States. While we feel confident that the size of the wave will have diminished somewhat by the time it reaches the United States, the coastal damage is still likely to be catastrophic.

If you are currently listening to my voice from the Florida coastline or the shores of the Gulf Coast, I ask that you please calmly but quickly evacuate this area immediately. Seek higher ground. Once the asteroid strikes the Earth, the wave will take about one hour to impact Florida, and an hour and twenty minutes to impact the U.S. Gulf Coast.

In this time of tragedy, I ask that all Americans say a prayer for the people in the path of this wave. May the Lord bless them and may God Bless you all.

PRESIDENT BROOKS LEAVES THE ROOM AND GLANCES AT RYBECK. THE TWO MEN LOCK EYES. THE PRESIDENT SOLEMNLY TIPS HIS HEAD TO RYBECK AND RYBECK NODS HIS HEAD BACK. BOTH MEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ALL THEY CAN DO NOW IS WAIT.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

21 minutes and 45 seconds

[sentinel]

I've read parts of it, skimmed others, and I like it --but this seems a lot like Deep Impact. Good timeline nonetheless. Have you seen Deep Impact?

[GLPman]

Keep it coming!

[SUSAN CRUSHBONE]

Keep it coming!

[Reaganfan]

I've read parts of it, skimmed others, and I like it --but this seems a lot like Deep Impact. Good timeline nonetheless. Have you seen Deep Impact?

Yes I have, although the notion of a National Lottery and saving 1 million out of 300 million seemed much more unrealistic than my story.

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

Bump


I love this story!

[Reaganfan]

Update with conclusion coming soon.

[Reaganfan]

SIPPING A CUP OF COFFEE, PRESIDENT BROOKS WATCHES AS DR. RYBECK VIEWS THE INCOMING FRAGMENT ON COMPUTER SCREENS.

BROOKS: You realize something, Rybeck?
RYBECK: (turns around in his chair) What's that, sir?
BROOKS: You're my best friend.
RYBECK: Ahh, Mr. President, I'm willing to bet you have lots of friends.
BROOKS: Oh sure, yeah when they need my support, or need me to voice my opinion. Take their side on an issue that will help to keep them in power. But as far as true, deep, meaningful friendship...you're it, Rybeck.
RYBECK: (smiles) I'm proud to be your friend, sir.

BEEPING BEGINS SOUNDING FROM THE COMPUTER. RYBECK AND BROOKS BOTH TURN AROUND AND SEE THE COUNTDOWN CLOCK.

         

COUNTDOWN TO IMPACT

1 minutes and 08 seconds

BROOKS: RYBECK! Tell me what's happening?
RYBECK: She's coming in! Fragments breaking through the atmosphere. 10.314 North -74.707 West and quickly descending in a west-southwest direction!
BROOKS: (closes eyes) Dear God...

THE CLOCK TICKS DOWN TO ZERO. IMPACT.

RYBECK: (Turns to Brooks) We have impact, sir.

SILENCE GRIPS THE ROOM. NOT A WORD IS SPOKEN. NOT A SOUND IS MADE. IT IS SILENT AND STILL.

RYBECK: We have impact just off the coastline of Panama. Wave formation occurring. Time on impact, Jamaica within five minutes. The Yucatan Peninsula within 10 minutes time, sir!

PRESIDENT BROOKS BEGINS WALKING AWAY.

RYBECK: Sir, the latest crater information...sir?

THE PRESIDENT CONTINUES WALKING AWAY FROM DR. RYBECK. RYBECK STANDS UP AND FOLLOWS THE PRESIDENT. THE PRESIDENT CLOSES HIS EYES, SIGHS AND SITS DOWN BESIDE A WINDOW. HE LOOKS OUTSIDE AT THE CRISP, DECEMBER MORNING SKY.

BROOKS: We're witnessing a cataclysm of biblical proportions, Rybeck.

DR. RYBECK SITS NEXT TO PRESIDENT BROOKS. HE SETS HIS HAND ON THE PRESIDENT'S SHOULDER.

BROOKS: What are we? I mean...what are we? We sit here, running a Government based on values, ideals...yet a piece of rock from Outer Space comes and can simply end it all?
RYBECK: But it didn't, sir. We stopped it. YOU stopped it.
BROOKS: I didn't stop the asteroid. Albert Einstein stopped the asteroid. Robert Oppenheimer stopped the asteroid. We built a bomb to incinerate hundreds of thousands of people, and in turn save humanity. Doesn't make sense does it?
RYBECK: Real life never does, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT BROOKS AND DR. NELSON RYBECK PUT ON OVERCOATS AND BEGIN WALKING OUTSIDE ONTO THE WHITE HOUSE GROUNDS. LIGHT SNOW COVERS THE GROUND AS THE CRISP MORNING SUN REFUSES TO PEAK THROUGH THE CLOUDS ON ONE OF THE DARKEST DAYS IN WORLD HISTORY.

BROOKS: I believed in God when I was a child. Growing up in Montana. Good honest American values. Went to church, every Sunday. Then, when my wife was killed...I lost my faith. I've tried to bring it back. My wife, my son...they give me hope and faith everyday. Then when something like this happens...I begin to doubt my God.

DR. RYBECK LISTENS AND REMAINS SILENT.

BROOKS: I read about you, Rybeck. When all of this began. I read that you are a non-religious man.
RYBECK: That's true, sir.
BROOKS: Rybeck...do you believe in God?
RYBECK: Mr. President, if there was no God, do you truly believe we could have built a weapon powerful enough to destroy a giant asteroid hurling towards Earth?
BROOKS: Well we built-
RYBECK: Do you believe that without God we would be able to manuever a spacecraft into a small crevice within an asteroid spiraling towards the planet at over 20,000 miles per hour? Do you believe that?
BROOKS: (pauses) No, I don't.
RYBECK: Neither do I. We're not alone. I don't know what I used to believe, Mr. President. But I know what I believe now.

BROOKS AND RYBECK SHARE A CONSOLATORY SMILE. SUDDENLY A GUST OF WIND, ABOUT 30 MPH BURSTS THROUGH THE CRISP AIR.

RYBECK: That's the shockwave. About 30 mph. It's going to be felt across the entire planet.
BROOKS: Incredible.
RYBECK: Mr. President, I didn't vote for you. I didn't know you. But now I do. I know you'll pull the nation through this. You'll pull the world through this.

DR. NELSON RYBECK TURNS AROUND AND BEGINS BACK TOWARDS THE OVAL OFFICE. AS THE TIDAL WAVE CRASHES THROUGH THE STRAITS OF FLORIDA AND EVERGLADES AND SLOSHES INTO THE GULF COAST FROM TEXAS TO THE PANHANDLE OF FLORIDA, THE WORLD AWAITS WORD ON THE MILLIONS FEARED LOST THROUGHOUT THE CARIBBEAN AND SOUTHERN UNITED STATES.

PRESIDENT AUSTIN COLTON BROOKS, OVERCOAT ON, HANDS IN HIS POCKETS, LOOKS UP IN THE SKY AS SNOW BEGINS TO FALL.

BROOKS: Lord...give me strength.

PRESIDENT BROOKS STANDS ALONE, OUTSIDE THE OVAL OFFICE, A SOLITARY FIGURE IN THE SOMBER MORNING SNOW.

THE END

[Pingvin]

SEND. IT. TO. SPIELBERG. RIGHT. NOW.

[Pingvin]

Bump.

[Reaganfan]

I am considering writing a sequel. Any comments, thoughts or ideas?

[Joe Biden is your president. Deal with it.]

I am considering writing a sequel. Any comments, thoughts or ideas?

One of the best underrated timelines on here.