"What the hell..." Blakers thought, opening the message, which the computer had already verified as authentic.
It was a short message, but the first thing Blakers noticed was the line at the bottom: "Signed, President Nancy Pelosi" followed by a long string of numbers: the authorization code of the president himself --- err, herself.
President Pelosi was ordering their mission aborted. Apparently, it had taken them some time to sort through the chaos at the Pentagon following the Change. Most of the staff had turned into teeny boppers and the records of the Protagoras and its mission had been lost for a while.
Of course, the previous president and vice president had known all about it, but they were both wearing diapers at the moment. Or so Blakers figured out by reading between the lines of the new president's short missive. The message also claimed that the Protagoras' mission posed a threat to national security, and that, in any event, it was no longer necessary. "World leaders cooperating with each other," it read. "There is no need to shatter this fragile peace and break international law by proceeding to activate your payload. Return to base immediately."
"Damn her," Blakers exclaimed, punching Luke's console. "It's worse than I thought. Pelosi is president? That old witch?"
"I'm suited up, sir," Luke's voice broke through the sudden silence.
"Good." Blakers quickly deleted the president's message. "I'll open the external doors to release the first satellite. We're almost in position. Hit the switch to activate it on my mark."
"Um, sir, what about Captain Armstrong? He's in the bay right now."
"Is he awake yet?"
"No, sir."
"Drag his body into the corridor and leave it there. I'll start depressurizing the bay."
Armstrong would have to be dealt with. If he saw the message from the president, or any other sent from GC, he'd become even more of a hassle.
Turning back to his console, Blakers began the complicated sequence of events that would put the first satellite into orbit.