After a week or so of chaos, the various governments finally stepped in. They ordered their police forces into action and constantly urged the citizens to return home. They argued that nothing could be done if the population didn’t remain calm and allow them to work, and pointed out that aimless protests and riots did nothing but waste time that should be spent on preparations. Together with Panoptes guiding social media and the GAIA OS AI assistants discreetly acting to calm their users, cooler heads finally prevailed and things started returning to normal.
......
“Are all of our preparations complete?” Trump asked the secretary of defense.
“Yes, sir. We’re ready to proceed,” the SecDef replied as he handed the folders in his hands to the president.
Trump said nothing, but briefly scanned through the contents of each folder. After closing the last one, he nodded in satisfaction and said, “We can move forward with this.”
“When will you do the press briefing?” the Secretary of State asked.
“Call for a press conference in the Rose Garden today. We need to calm the public and regain their support as soon as possible,” Trump said, opening the folder on top of the stack on his desk to read the contents in more detail.
......
Later that day, the White House Rose Garden, which was usually used for happier announcements, was filled with reporters from every news agency that had a White House Correspondent Press Pass. Despite the short notice, white house correspondents were available at any time for situations just like this one. This time, though, the press conference had been opened to everyone who wanted to attend, white house correspondent or not.
It was being held in the Rose Garden for that specific reason, as they wanted as many reporters to attend as possible and space in the briefing room was naturally limited. Today’s press conference would be the first one held by the president after the mess caused by the UNSC special emergency session, where the UN had decided to do basically nothing.
When the conference was scheduled to begin, President Trump followed a few of his cabinet members out of the white house, then took to the podium after they had lined up at the back of the stage the podium was set up on. The podium was decorated with the presidential seal, and the US flag was proudly flying from every conceivable surface of the stage setup. It was tacky, gaudy, and looked like the stage at a campaign rally; it was uniquely Donald H. Trump’s style. He had personally taken over decorating the venue, as he knew the speech he had his press secretary prepare was bound to go directly into the history books.
He straightened the red trucker hat on his head and his long tie, then began speaking. “My fellow Americans, when our forefathers dreamed of a new nation, one founded on freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, they looked to the vast horizon of the great unknown. Today, we, too, gaze into an unknown, but our eyes lay above the horizon and our gaze stretches into the vastness of space.
“Unfortunately, when you stare into the void, the void stares back at you.
“Just a short while ago, our great nation and the rest of the world received and was startled by the discovery of an approaching extraterrestrial object. I remember the phone calls, the briefings, and the weight of the decisions that lay ahead of me at that time. But more than anything, I remember the palpable fear.”
He said the last words slowly, as if he was reliving the experience.
“I remember the uncertainty that gripped our citizens and the questions on everyone’s mind: are we ready? Are we prepared? Are we capable of facing them...?
“For too long, space has been the final frontier, a domain of mystery and wonder—so much wonder—but also of vulnerability. And in the face of this new challenge, it isn’t enough to offer hopes and prayers. We must be prepared. And as your president, while the world is dragging its feet, I have an obligation and a duty to ensure the safety and security of every American.”
He stared directly into the camera in front of him.
“And when it comes to defending America and its citizens, it isn’t enough to just have an American presence in space. We must dominate space! We must lead others and act as a beacon for humanity to learn from and follow, just like we did when we landed on the moon in 1969!
"In order for that to happen, I hereby direct the Department of Defense and the Pentagon to immediately begin the process of establishing a Space Force as the sixth branch of our armed forces.
“Our Space Force isn’t just another branch of our armed forces, but a testament to American ingenuity, determination, and our unwavering spirit. As we’ve done throughout history when faced with new challenges, we’ll adapt, we’ll innovate, and we will overcome!” he said in an enthusiastic tone designed to raise the morale of the American citizens.
“Together with the formation of the Space Force, we’re going to subsidize and offer tax credits and deductions to all companies that are willing to focus on space and help the American military to rapidly develop the necessary technology.”
“To those who wonder about the cost or necessity of such a force, first of all, shame on you. The safety of our citizens and the security of our nation are paramount. There is no price too high.
“Secondly, the Space Force will not only defend against the incoming extraterrestrial threats, but will also secure America’s domination in space exploration, research, and development.
“I call upon every citizen to support this new endeavor. And to the men and women who will join the ranks of the Space Force, I salute you. You’re the pioneers of a new age, the guardians of the final frontier.
“Together, as one united nation, we’ll face the challenges of tomorrow. We will rise, we will thrive, and as always, America will prevail.
“God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America. Thank you,” he finished as the reporters in the audience and his cabinet members standing behind him in solidarity burst into applause. His speech had given everyone who’d watched it a newfound sense of hope.
