Who's Running the Show?

(Source)

After being handed the written report, the President placed it on his desk then said two words, "Everybody out."

The Secret Service detail escorted everyone from the room, the senior agent hesitated at the door a moment before looking at the President, who said, "You too."

As the door closed, the President turned his chair to look out the window. It was dark outside, the newly fallen snow on the trees outside the office would have cheered him up in normal times, these were far from normal times. He sighed, turned back to his desk and picked up the report.

Apparently a "rogue unit" from the New York Army National Guard had attacked a UN Peacekeeper compound and killed the entire garrison. The President shook his head at the term "rogue unit." "Who wrote this shit?" he muttered aloud.

After an hour away from the building, SFC Joe Levine decided to look in on Colonel Tanaka, the man was exhausted and badly needed sleep. Levine shook his head, tired leaders get people killed. As he cracked the door open, there was the colonel head down, fast asleep. Levine hesitated, the man should at the very least stretch out on the sofa in the office, sleeping like that wasn't good for you. But hey, it was better than no sleep at all he figured. There was no way he was going to wake him up at this point.

Stepping out into the outer office, where in normal times the administrative assistant would sit, he gestured to the woman on duty, he noted that she was a sailor. He hadn't noticed that before when he had gone in. Everybody's cammies looked alike these days, one thing DoD had finally gotten right.

"Has it been quiet, sailor?" he asked her.

"Yes, it has been, soldier." she answered.

Levine cocked an eyebrow, the sailor said, "Look Sarge, I know Navy ranks and ratings are a little confusing for you Army types. I do know that you are a Sergeant First Class, paygrade of E-7. I am a Master-At-Arms Senior Chief Petty Officer, or MACS if you like. Master-at-arms is my rating, Senior Chief Petty Officer is my rank, my paygrade is E-8. Questions?"

"Sorry Senior Chief, it's been a long f**king day."

"I get you, I'm not usually this crabby. But they pulled me out of a sweet billet over at the Boat School to come here and play with you rebels, so I'm kinda all at sea for the moment."

"The Boat School?" Levine felt a headache coming on.

"The Naval Academy, up the road in Annapolis?"

Levine grinned, then said, "Heh, Boat School, nice. Anyway, the Colonel finally put his head down, please don't let anyone bother him for a couple of hours. Okay?"

MACS Janet Sorge sighed and shook her head, "Sorry Sarge, this just came in over the encrypted line. From the White House." She handed Levine a message form.

One glance and Levine said, "Holy shit. You're right, the boss needs to see this, now."

Colonel Jeff Tanaka read the message, then looked at MACS Sorge, "You got this from the White House?"

"Roger that Sir. See that code at the bottom, that's the man himself, the President."

Turning to SFC Levine he asked, "Joe, did any of the people from the Guard Bureau join us?"

"Not a one Sir."

Tanaka ran a hand over his face, "We need to find out what's going on in upstate New York. Sergeant Levine, any ideas? Senior Chief Sorge?"

"Admiral Fairchild still in the building?" Sorge asked.

"Yeah, he's downstairs, why?"

"He's a nuke, went through school up in Ballston Spa¹. He still has contacts up there. Maybe...?"

"Come on Senior Chief, let's go see the Admiral."

The phone on the President's desk rang, it surprised him, he was used to his secretary taking all calls, then buzzing his phone if it was something he needed to deal with personally. This was unusual, then he realized, these were unusual times. Not to mention which, the White House communication system had been down for a few days now.

"This is the President. To whom am I speaking?"

"Uh, sorry sir, this is Bill Waterston, I'm a comms tech here in the White House. We're trying to get the circuits back up. My computer is showing a message from your office going out an hour ago, do you know anything about that?"

The President had no idea what this Waterston character was talking about, but he answered anyway, "Nope, wasn't me, this is the first time my phone has worked since Tuesday. What's going on here anyway?"

The line went dead.

"He actually answered the phone." Bill Waterston said to his colleague, Dean McBride.

"No shit?"

"Yeah, I get the feeling that the President is in over his head. What time did the Chief of Staff leave?"

McBride checked his watch, "About two hours ago."

"So the so-called leader of the Free World has just been sitting in his office for two hours, all by himself. Real man of action that one is." Waterston scoffed. "I suppose if you elect a figurehead, you get just that."

McBride nodded, "Chief of Staff is actually running the show, isn't he?"

"Sure looks like it."

"Damn."

"Okay, this guy is a retired admiral, two star. I met him at nuke school. Good guy, I'm pretty sure he's friends with the New York State Adjutant General, black guy named Jones. A real straight shooter, left active duty after the debacle in Afghanistan..." Admiral Fairchild explained.²

"Which one?" Tanaka asked.

"Yeah, pick one, this was the one in '21. Anyway he's pissed, resigns his commission. Later on decides to go the Guard route. He knows politicians on both sides of the aisle. Call this guy, name's Ted Bertram, he can put you in touch with this guy."

"Can't we just call the Guard office in Albany?" Major Alan Pike asked.

"They're not with us, Alan." Colonel Tanaka said

"Damn."

¹ The Navy has a Nuclear Power Training Unit at Ballston Spa, New York, not far from Saratoga Springs.

² Though in an earlier episode Admiral Fairchild demoted himself, something he actually can't do legally, Colonel Tanaka insisted he stay on as an Admiral, but only in an advisory capacity. No one at the Pentagon is trusting anyone wearing stars at this point. Yes, I'm leaving lots of details out in order to push the main story forward. Gomen nasai.