THE REAL SPACE RACE
AP news release—Oct. 17, 1959
Both Soviet and American scientists are investigating a meteor shower off of Alaska’s coast which covers an area from Alaska’s Seward Peninsula to Poluostrov, USSR. No details are known at this time, but the material is thought to be a man-made alloy.
PASSING THE TORCH
Washington D.C.—June 12, 1961
This was GEN Colson’s first trip to Washington since Ike had left office. He was unsure of his mission now. The disc they’d been studying for almost two years had yielded many technological secrets, but there was no material to construct a new engine core. The hull and engine core were made of an alloy of unknown composition. The alloy had an element not in their elemental charts, something they referred to as element x. The computers revealed a wealth of information, including the construction plans for a new engine core, but they had none of the alloy with which to build it. Ike was gone, and supposedly the test center had been a secret.
The young new president from Massachusetts had summoned him. He was picked up at the airport by presidential limousine and driven straight to the White House. Upon arrival, the president’s aide escorted him to the Oval Office. The young president greeted the older general and warmly shook his hand, motioning to the general to sit down and to his aide to close the door. After the formalities were over, the general spoke.
“Mr. President, how may I be of service to you?”
“Good, straight to the point. I like it,” he said, smiling the broad, warm smile that got him elected. “GEN Colson, recent events have unfolded that the cold war with the Soviets may be heating up soon. Vice-President Johnson just returned from his fact-finding tour to Vietnam. His findings were clear. If we do not intervene in Vietnam, communism will spread throughout Southeast Asia and then the nations of the earth will fall one by one, like dominoes. But, that’s not why I’ve called you here today. After I was sworn in, Ike came to my office. He handed over to me a top-secret file of an alien disc his people had recovered, but had kept secret from congress and the intelligence communities. It was code-named Desert Jewel. Ike advised me to contact you.”
The president showed GEN Colson the file marked DESERT JEWEL, proving the secret was also his. The general glanced at the file and waited for the young president to speak. The president continued. “A recent meteor shower in 1958 that fell on Alaskan and Soviet soils revealed a treasure beyond our wildest dreams. At first we didn’t pay it much attention. The material from meteor showers have always been studied by our scientists, but have never before been of any military importance—until now. Our scientists, as well as Soviet scientists, collected a few tons of meteorites and took them to study. Ike’s notes in this file indicated the composition of the disc. This appears to be the same material we’re studying from the meteor shower. It is now hoped that we may finally repair the alien spacecraft at your facility.
As you know, I’m not particularly popular with the CIA since the Bay of Pigs fiasco. Ike had already kept your program from the intelligence communities, and so have I. This was assumed to be a routine collection of rocks anyway, so neither agency should be suspicious. Since this was assumed to be a routine collection of rocks, no intelligence agency was alerted.
The reports from the scientific team confirmed that the metal was of the same composition as the disc in this report. Ike’s original report said that the disc might be reparable if they had more alloy-x. I want you to confiscate all the alloy-x being studied and shred all evidence of its existence. The only record of its existence will be yours alone. Please transport the alloy-x to the Alpha One Test Center to be stored there.
The Soviets have also salvaged alloy-x of their own. It is of the utmost importance that we act quickly, with as much secrecy as possible. Once you’ve accomplished this, I’ll give you further orders. This has to be kept secret from the American public. I don’t want to alarm them with the uncertainties of alien beings that are more advanced than we are. In our struggle with the Soviets, it is imperative that the American public believes that Americans are the most advanced race in the universe. If they believe that, we will prevail.” The young president awaited a response from the older man.
“I am your servant, Mr. President.”
“Good. Keep me informed. You don’t have to call or come to Washington. Ike used couriers, so will we. I have the locked attaché case you and Ike used, and the key.”
The two men finalized the details and GEN Colson returned back to Utah to begin work.
June 16, 1961
President Kennedy admitted the courier into his office. The president rose from the resolute desk and moved forward onto the Truman carpet. He had always admired how the presidential seal was represented monochromatically in the varying depths of cut pile. The young officer saluted the President. Kennedy said “at ease” and motioned for the attaché case. The young man waited without speaking until the president opened the locked bag and retrieved the letter. It read…
From GEN Carter F. Colson, Alpha One Test Center
To the President of the United States
Mr. President, I’ve transported all of the alloy-x to the secret test facility. We will attempt to repair the disc and conduct flight tests.
GEN Carter F. Colson,
Alpha One Test Center
The president sent a note back saying he’d received the letter, locked the attaché case and handed it back to the courier. The young man stood to attention, saluted the president, and after being dismissed, returned to Utah.
The president received another courier the following week.
From GEN Carter F. Colson, Alpha One Test Center
To the President of the United States
July 25, 1961
Mr. President, we’ve been able to fix the disc and have conducted flight tests with it. In our first test flight, the disc’s antigravity drive worked flawlessly. The antigravity drive is too large to be used for smaller fighting craft. A smaller scale of the antigravity device along with some conventional fuels can power hovercraft vehicles for exploration and combat on Luna or Mars. We found that small hovercraft ships made of the alloy-x run very well with a scaled down antigravity unit and a carbon based liquid fuel. However, it is limited to maximum speeds of thirty-five meters per second, with limited lift from jump jets. We were also able to manufacture amazing weapons for these small vessels out of the alien technology and alloy-x. We will have transport vessels with troops and supplies ready to launch for the moon soon.
GEN Carter F. Colson,
Alpha One Test Center
The president asked the courier to remain at the white House in one of the guest bedrooms until the next morning while he wrote an answer. Before lunch the next day the president had crafted his response and sent for the courier. He placed the letter in the attaché case and locked it securely. The courier left Washington that afternoon post-haste to return the message. Upon arriving at Alpha One Test Center in Utah, he was ushered into GEN Colson’s office. The courier surrendered the attaché case and the general unlocked it. The letter read as follows…
From the President of the United States
To GEN Carter F. Colson, Alpha One Test Center
July 28, 1961
I’m commissioning the creation of a secret agency known as the American Space Defense Corps, which will be responsible for building posts on Earth’s moon and anywhere in our solar system alloy-x may be found. I’m shifting enough funds from NASA, the CIA, and other government agencies to your new organization, which is enough to get you started. I advise you to develop a network of operatives within other agencies to be able to share intelligence and resources without undue scrutiny of future government investigators. You will need to develop an independent financial structure to safeguard the ASDC from undue government interference.
For security reasons, you should seek to have staff members who’re willing to make long-term commitments. Only those who are working
on the disc project should ever see it. This must be kept strictly on a need-to-know basis. All personnel including you, who’ve seen the disc or have knowledge of the center’s true purpose should leave the army to join your new organization. Upon your retirement, you’ll head the military and research part of the organization as the ASDC’s first commanding officer. You’ll need to recruit ex-military personnel to fill the vacancies with men whom you can trust. Ike had Nuclear Command Center Four decommissioned and records of its existence destroyed. The post has existed as private property on former public lands in southern Utah. That property will be deeded over to you to ensure the organization’s full independence. You will also be responsible to provide checks and balances within your organization to prevent it from becoming a monster more hideous than communism.
As for the citizenry, my greatest concern is that traitors to our country, and those with less wisdom who do not see the need to win this conflict in the solar system. And then, of course, every war produces conscientious objectors, who believe they’re doing our country a service by opposing any armed struggle. You’re well aware the space race with the Soviets has become very competitive, and the nation’s eyes are on its every development. We’re engaged in a public space race to the moon with a goal of having a man there by the end of the decade. I want you to use the alien technology and the alloy-x to land an exploratory team on the moon to search for alloy-x. If you find any, build an American post there and begin salvage operations for the material. This is very important. It is imperative that if any alloy-x exists, the Soviets get none of it.
Future presidents and government officials will know nothing of the existence of the ASDC. You’ll be on your own. May God be with you.
President John Fitzgerald Kennedy
The general digested the order, took the letter and locked it in his safe. His orders were clear. This would be the beginning of a new military organization.
The Kremlin: Moscow, Russia USSR
In a meeting between GEN Mikhail Andropov, Army of the USSR and Nikita Khrushchev, First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.
“Comrade General, please sit down.” The general complied, removing his fur hat and holding it in his hands. “Would you like some tea?”
“Yes, Comrade First Secretary, thank you.” The first secretary’s aide poured the general a hot cup of tea spiced with oranges, cinnamon and cloves. The general blew the hot tea to cool it, and inhaled the fragrance from the citrus and spices. He took a sip of the hot liquid and held the cup in his hands to chase Moscow’s winter from his cold fingers.
“We have good news,” the first secretary began, “our infiltration of the secret American facility where the disc is being studied is complete. An American scientist on their research team is willing to sell us information. He’ll give the information in the form of microdots to a security guard at the facility. The guard will smuggle the information off of the post and to our agents. The Americans are using the public space race as a ruse to build on the alien technology for the real race. Their goal is to be the first to harvest the precious alloy-x in the solar system. This must not be allowed to happen. We have enough alloy-x to build what we need to compete with the Americans once we have the technology to do it.”
“Excellent! I have always believed greed is the weakness at the very core of capitalism. We can buy anything we want for a price.”
“Yes, for a price, but his betrayal did not come cheap. However, combined with the equipment from the crash site in the Urals of the alien vessel, we should be able to get the disc flying again. Too bad the computer’s hard drive of the alien vessel was wiped clean in the crash. The aliens no doubt had the presence of mind before dying to format the hard drives of the ship’s computers.”
Conversation between COL Wilson Edwards, Chief of Security, and GEN Carter F. Colson, ASDC
“GEN Colson, we found a leak at the facility. Dr. Arlen Stafford and one of the security guards were working for the Soviets. We can only assume most of the technology we’ve gotten from the alien craft has been sold to the Soviets. We found the guard with a microdot containing information we got from the disc project and interrupted a meeting with his contact. Under interrogation, he implicated Dr. Stafford, and we found incriminating evidence in his quarters. Both of them have been discreetly removed from service here. I’m sorry to report Dr. Stafford had a heart attack and died this morning and is being replaced as department head by Dr. Jan Eichmann. The guard died in an accident while on patrol in the desert.”
The general’s eyes widened. “How much information was compromised?”
“We can only assume he’s been able to smuggle information out for the last two years. All of it, I assume.”
The general swore under his breath. Pandora’s Box had been opened wide.
To GEN Carter F. Colson, Commander
From Dr. Jan Eichmann
August 7, 1961
“GEN Colson, let NASA have their public space race. They offered me the position of chief aerospace engineer, but I turned them down when you made me a better offer. While the eyes of the world are focused on this charade, I’ll be coordinating the real space race. By the end of the decade, we will have an American post on every rock in the solar system. Before others go down in history as being the first to fly into space, I’ll be standing on Olympus Mons. Theirs is a “dog and pony show.” We will see about the real business of colonizing the solar system.”
Dr. Jan Eichmann
Dept. of Research and Development,
Alpha One Test Center
The president’s secretary buzzed the president, who was finishing up some notes for a speech. He was scheduled to meet this afternoon with a group of supporters.
“Yes, Janet.”
“A courier is waiting to see you with a message from GEN Colson, sir.”
“Send him in.”
“Yes, Mr. President.”
The young officer entered and, surrendering the case, assumed his waiting stance. The president unlocked the case, retrieved the letter, and started to read…
To the President of the United States
From GEN Carter F. Colson
Dear Mr. President, COL Edwards has discovered and removed a Soviet mole here. We can only assume the Soviets have all of the information we have. Until now, they were able to keep an eye on us the inside. Security has been increased significantly, and we shouldn’t have any more trouble. It was as you’ve said. We have sufficient enough technology to complete the assignment and also the means from the commercial development of the other technologies to fund our organization independently as you requested.
GEN Carter F. Colson,
Alpha One Test Center
The young president frowned and rubbed between his eyes to relieve the beginning of a headache. He sighed and shredded the paper. The space race was on, not just the public one, but the real one.
To GEN Carter F. Colson
From the accounting office of Newberg, Klein, and Hoffman
Mr. Colson, the corporation and its subsidiaries have been established under the name of the Investco Corp, as you requested. Your organization is in good condition, being in the black with no outstanding debt at start up. Since this is a privately owned company, I assume you’ll be appointing your own staff and board members.
Respectfully yours,
Joseph Klein
From Rear Admiral Perry Dubois, USN
To GEN Carter F. Colson
GEN Colson, I accept your offer to head the Investco Corporation. I also understand the importance of making this work for our country. I assure you that lower level management will know nothing of our true purpose. This corporation will essentially be run to make a profit like any other well-run business. My retirement from the Navy will be in effect at the end of the month. I’ll then be fully able to devote my time to the business at hand. I have many connections within the government to be able to get bids for us on defense contracts. If what y
ou’re telling me about having a steady stream of advanced technology to market is true, we should have no problem becoming very profitable to fund our war effort.
Respectfully,
Rear Admiral Perry Dubois, USN
The courier by now was getting accustomed to these trips to Washington. His main qualifications were that he didn’t talk unless he needed to and was very discreet in discussing his work. He also understood the contents of the case were above his pay grade. It was a need to know kind of thing, and he was satisfied he didn’t need to know. He once more stood before the most powerful man in the free world. It was getting pretty much routine by now: salute, hand him the case, and wait for an answer. The president unlocked the case and read the letter.
To the President of the United States
From GEN Carter F. Colson
Dear Mr. President, we’re on schedule with our project code name Desert Jewel. I’ve established a corporation which will provide independent finances. All the board members are good men who understand our cause and the cause of freedom. The corporation’s structure makes it impossible to turn it into a dictatorship. Power is shared among the board, which is comprised of career military officers, and legal and financial counselors. As we’re a capitalist country, you can see the irony in the checks and balances in our organization existing at the financial level. Lenin and Marx should roll over in their graves.
Warzone: Nemesis: A Novel of Mars Page 4