Reading: "cataclysmal" (A.Glass 2017)

 

“...How’s the new book sales going?”

“They're going well, sales are up, which would make sense, I've done a lot of promotion, University campus speeches, discussions, even a debate about the Fermi Paradox. Thank you again for your assistance in conceptualizing The Beacon Hypothesis, the art that you submitted, it looked amazing.”

“Well, you allowed me to utilized the artistic concepts, which I have done, my publishing company is about to release a hardcover book that will be the descriptive manifesto of Xeno-Structuralism. We're having it bound into an impressive presentation, it's going to be a piece of art in itself.”

She looks at Denlas, her expression is one of an assumptive demure. “I'll have my attorney contact you.”

Denlas chuckles, acknowledging Jansky's wry sense of humor. “Of course...In the meantime...” He tries to swivel the recliner chair around, but it seems affixed in place. “...I have something to show you later. I think you'll be very impressed.”

Jansky leans forward looking at the various buttons she sees a row of buttons that sit below a title that reads Launch Control and Monitor, she focuses on what looks like a key slot.

“A little bit over the lawyer thing at the moment,”

“That's understandable,” Denlas replies in a respectful manner, noting Jansky's divorce of her former husband. He then looks up at the wall clock that sits over the missile command desk, Denlas quickly checks his wristwatch at the same time unfastening the chair straps.

“We're about to receive a message...”

“From who?” Jansky asks.

“...A code from the President,” Denlas replies as suddenly from the overhead speakers above the control console an alarm rings out followed by the a voice that verbalizes a launch code. “JPP2NKF7”

“Buckle up Elly...We have the order. Write it down.”

Smiling, with what appears to be a mock war-game, she leans forward with a pen and pad that sit on the desk in-front of her. Jansky begins to write down the code. “War-games huh?”

“This is no game...quickly we need to verify and confirm the code, it reads Juliette, Pappa, Pappa, Two, November, Kilo, Foxtrot, Seven,” he replies in a serious manner.

Jansky raises her eyebrows and chuckles. “Yes sir we have confirmation of code.”

“Ok, unlock of launch keys,” He says promptly, at the same time quickly getting up from the missile command desk chair. Jansky playing along with this mock launch, does the same, standing next to Denlas. Staying in-character as the base's missile Commander, without looking at Jansky he holds out a key, in which she takes with her right hand.

“Proceed to unlock authenticator card safe.” He steps back in a military pose, as Jansky still smiling unlocks the combination lock.

Moving forward Denlas turns the combination lock of the numbers required to open the small safe that holds the authenticator cards. The padlock opens, he then opens up the small safe door taking out several red cards, handing them to Jansky. He promptly sits back down, strapping himself into his command chair, Jansky does the same. This time she also straps herself securely into the command console chair.

“Confirm code with the cards,” he orders, placing his key into the slot of his command console. She picks out a single red card that has the correct confirmation numbers of the code that was verbally received.

“Confirmed with the card,” Jansky replies holding up the red authenticator card.

“Place key into your slot and hold...turn key on my count.”

Jansky pushes the key into the designated slot.

“Three, two, one...Turn keys and hold in position for five seconds...” Both Denlas and Jansky turn their keys clockwise at the same time holding for the designated five second requirement to prime the missile systems.

“...and release.” Denlas looks over at where Jansky is sitting, on the console in front of her a button lights up.

“Launch Enable,” she says, looking at the green lit button with the command written in black against the clear plastic.

“Verify and confirm following prompts,” Denlas asks, still in character as the missile Commander.

“Batteries Activating...” Jansky reads as the buttons move horizontally from left to right across her console, each one begins to light up as the command prompts for the missile launch. “...next button says APS.” She looks at Denlas

“Auto Power Supply. The missile is now full charged. Look up at the monitor above the console,” he says, as Jansky looks up at a flat screen display which shows footage of a Titan II missile silo door sliding open.
She then looks at the next button which has just lit up. “Silo soft,” she continues reading out the illuminated command prompts at the same time an alarm is sounded. Now in quick succession another button lights up, it reads Guidance Go, which indicates the missile guidance systems are now ready to take control of the Titan II, Jansky looks down as her console as each button begins to illuminate. The computer system has now fully automated its self from the first human command prompt, in all its simplicity, to initiate World War Three. Main Engine Start button lights up at the same time on the monitor above, footage shows an underground missile silo exhaust vents billow out the thrust from the rocket engines. Another alarm sounds. Denlas sits back into his chair looking at the screens.

“Fire warning in the silo, it's the engines. There it goes...” The footage then shows the sleek long missile moving out of its underground protective sheath on its way to Russia.

Jansky looks at the footage of the missile as it builds thrust moving further up into the cloud cover.

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Reading:  "CATACLYSMAL"  (A.Glass 2017)