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The seconds crawl by, seeming like hours and the silence builds towards a tense climax. With the clock still many seconds from the intercept times, everyone jumps when the communications officer unexpectedly speaks.
"Ma'am? Site 43 reports four of its missiles have been destroyed. They believe the target must be equipped with some complex counter-measures. Though one missile had a live video feed and the operator reported, and I quote Ma'am, it looked like a squirrel." Nervously reported the comms officer.
"Damn Site 43 geeks. No common sense at all." Snapped back the commander, dismissively, "Is the remaining missile still on track?"
"Yes, Ma'am. Though it's unclear if it has the range given the target's erratic path."
"Can they launch again?"
After a brief, staccato exchange, of which all that can be heard is something that sounds somewhat like "forget about the darned squirrels", the officer replies "Yes Ma'am. Only 50% probability. They are nervous about the countermeasures."
"Launch." Barked the commander, glancing at the clock, and shaking her head as if to say why can't we have proper military types handle these research areas, and that when she meets the occupants of Site 43 they will definitely consider several years of winter training in Northern Alaska as a summer holiday by comparison to what she'll mete out.
"Yes Ma'am. Also, the first CDC and EPA units are reporting in. They're setting up a base on the edge of the estimated launch and devastation zone, assisted by Rangers. Initial chemical analyses indicate levels of neuro-toxins, synapse inhibitors and psychotropic drugs. No indication yet of specifics."
"I only need useful information, sonny." Retorted the commander, attempting to disprove that 0 degrees Kelvin is the lowest temperature possible with her stare. "We're worried about an attack, not some traces of a hippy party in the woods. Someone warn Fred. Which is the nearest SM-Base?"
"Three." Replied the Space Marines liaison officer. "But the marines there are up for training and have only been there 2 weeks."
"Well they're about to get some real experience. Order them to move to defend Fred and intercept the target. Now get me F-22s flight commander; they must almost be in visual."
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