NationStates Jolt Archive


Strategic Air Command on War Alert

New York and Jersey
09-01-2004, 07:51
Strategic Air Command Center-Huntington, Long Island
At the massive Airbase, one of many under the SAC Command, the alert status went from DefCon 4 to 2 in a split second. Lights flashed inside of the command center as the computer registered the orders which came directly from the Command Football which was in possession of the President. The Command Football was a multipurpose device, it could authorize the use of nuclear weapons, and their immediate deployment from anywhere in the world. It could also authorize the immediate deployment and use of forces, and call up forces to alert status. The head of the Strategic Air Command, General Coffers had been sitting in his office drinking coffee when the sudden change in alert came in. Quickly dropping his cup he moved from his office out into the command center. "God damnit what the hell is going on?!"

"General, we've gotten orders from the Command Football. No text, just generic orders. We're to put as many bombers in the air as possible, fueled and ready for combat. "

"Is the country under attack?"

"No sir, I've contacted the other SAC bases. They have all recieved the same orders. All bombers are to be fueled and scrambled as soon as possible. "

"Well, we've got our orders....lets just hope this isnt some damn glitch in the system like last time."

It was no glitch though, President de los Santos was rather bored and alone sitting in the hospital. Not to mention on painkilling drugs, and while he wasnt disoriented enough to actually give the nuclear launch codes, he did find it funny to scramble the bombers. At the Strategic Air Command Bases across the nation hundreds upon hundreds of bombers were fueled and readied. Air raid sirens went off across the nation to signal the launch of the bombers which normally meant war. Everyone knew about what occured in New Hampshire, and people knew that the invasion was a joke that didnt require the SAC to be used. This sent a wave of panic across the entire nation and buisness closed early.

It took nearly 3 hours before the last bombers rolled down the runway, hundreds of tanker aircraft were scrambled as well to keep the bombers fueled and in the air. It was the largest single fielding of aircraft since the Diwaniyah Campaign. Schools let out early and children stared at the skies in awe. Over the Federal Republic's skies 4,104 bombers flew with their respective bomber groups. At the hospital President de los Santos realized what he did and decided to change the status once more, going from alert scramble, to alert pre-scramble. Confusion spread around the various SAC bases, which now began to recall the bombers from the skies. Of course instead of crews standing down, the bombers were refueled and kept on standby.

No one, except President de los Santos, knew if the nation was going to war or not. And what President de los Santos knew was that he was bored, had command of the nations military, and was on painkillers.
Lavenrunz
09-01-2004, 11:18
General Franze was just about to leave and get some much needed sleep--he was off to Hofburg the following day to face the Inquiry commission--when he saw the switchboards light up, as it were, in the Command and Control room.
"Now what?" he asked rhetorically.
"Strategic launch, Excellency--" the young operator flushed, she'd forgotten that Franze hated being called that while on serious duty. "--Sir, from New York and Jersey."
"Again?" Franze shook his head. "Put our strategic forces on await orders."
His brain froze when he went to pick up the Readiness phone--for a moment he didn't know who he'd be calling, but then, grimly, he did know.
In New York and Jersey the commander in chief was on medication in hospital. In Lavenrunz, she was a fourteen year old girl.
When he found that the planes had been recalled, Franze quietly informed the Empress, received orders to stand down the alert, went to his private washroom and vomited.