2010 - Unusual Cosmic Phenomenon Detected Near Io
Victor Milson: [Floyd is silent]
You've double-checked this? Please say you haven't. You aren't saying anything, Floyd.
Dr. Floyd:
Something incredible's happening up there. Discovery is being pulled towards Io, or pushed away from Jupiter, whichever. Sometimes it seems to be accelerating, and other times, it just seems to stop. I've never seen anything like it.
Victor Milson:
How long before it impacts on Io?
Dr. Floyd:
Two, two and a half years.
Victor Milson:
How could we be so goddamn wrong about the orbit?
Dr. Floyd:
Because we weren't wrong.
Victor Milson:
Well, if we weren't wrong, well then, terrific! Why the hell is it gonna crash?
Dr. Floyd:
I don't know. It's bizarre. Unless it's got something to do with that Monolith up there.
Victor Milson: [points to the [[w:White House|White House]
You see that building behind us? I'm supposed to go in there and have lunch in half an hour. Course, there's one good thing about a reactionary President, he's not into health foods. Last one, we didn't lunch, we grazed. Wanna know what lunch is about? I'll tell you. We've got two more aircraft carriers off the coast of Honduras. The Russians are moving some of their big stuff. Now you've got the Joint Chiefs screaming about Russian satellites with anti-missile lasers on em, so we gotta send up our laser satellites to counteract theirs. So the President has come to the conclusion that the NCA should be placed under the jurisdiction of the Defense Department. Enough with the crazy scientists spending all this money trying to talk to Martians. So, here we are on your actual brink, my agency's going to become a part of the military, I've got a President with his finger poised on the button, and you want me to walk across the park and tell him we want to hitch a ride with those very same Russians. Have I missed anything?
Dr. Floyd:
That's about it.
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2010 - Urgent Request for Information Amidst Crisis
Victor Milson:
Milson to Floyd: It's been 12 hours since my request for information. I need a reply. All hell is breaking loose down here; I have enough problems without you people pulling some kind of a stunt. I only hope that there's a world left for you to return to. Report to ground as to what is going on and make that report immediately! And while you're at it, could you please check out a black spot on Jupiter that has been detected by satellite telescope? It is on the dark side, and should be coming around your way in about 4 hours. End transmission, Milson, 2780.
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2010 - Announcement of Escalating Global Tensions
Victor Milson: [[w:USS Alfred A. Cunningham|''USS Cunningham''; [w:Sergei Kirov|''Sergei Kirov'']
This is the most difficult announcement. As you know, things have not been going well back home. Well, it's gotten worse-a lot worse. Yesterday, a Soviet destroyer challenged the blockade. Several warning shots were fired across her bow; she did not respond. A second volley was fired; there still was no response. None. The nuclear destroyer ] launched two of her falcon missiles. Both struck the Soviet vessel amidship. She broke in two and sunk. 800 of her crew were lost. This morning, an American surveillance satellite was struck by a Soviet laser, fired from the ] space station. The American satellite was destroyed. The United States has broken off diplomatic relations with Russia. All ambassadors have been recalled. The Soviet ambassador has been expelled along with the entire staff. All American air defense and satellite defense forces are on full alert. Premier Ulanov made a televised address and said that technically, a state of war exists between our two countries. All American personnel are ordered to leave Soviet territory immediately or they will be placed under arrest. All Russian personnel are similarly ordered to evacuate American territory. As a result, by direct Presidential order, the three of you must leave the Leonov. No Russian citizen is allowed to remain on or is allowed to enter the Discovery. This order is effective immediately. The launch window for reentry is 28 days. The Discovery has enough fuel for low consumption trajectory. HAL appears to be reactivated and is functioning well enough to operate the onboard systems. The Leonov has enough fuel for low consumption trajectory that will arrive 12 months earlier. The launch windows are critical for both the spacecraft. Only communications of emergency distress nature are allowed between the Leonov and Discovery. I know you people are caught in the middle of this — in a sense, we all are. I wish there was something I could do to help. The only thing left for us is to pray...pray for the safety of our families, for our countries, for our planet. May God forgive us and protect us.
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2010 - Uncertainty Amidst Rising Tensions and Fear
Victor Milson: [[Abraham Lincoln|Lincoln]
This is Milson, switching over to KE2 in 5 seconds. Mark. I wish I could bring you better news. It's getting worse. The President addressed a joint session of Congress yesterday. He said he wasn't gonna back down on the blockade. I don't know which was scarier, the speech or the Congress cheering it. He evoked ]. Whenever a president is gonna get us into serious trouble, they always use Lincoln. I honestly don't know if we're gonna be at war or not — it's terrifying to hope that the Russians are less crazy than we are, when they are clearly crazy. Right now, I think you're in a safer place than we are. I just hope that there is an Earth to return to. I heard about the spoiled food in the Discovery{{'}}s galley. I'm glad that's all it was. I'm also glad that you got the ship under control. Curnow is a capable man. No one knows those systems better than he does. It's a good sign that there was some reserve power. Maybe the rest of the circuitry will work. We have nothing new here on the Monolith. Our data confirms yours. It's not moving.
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