Red Scare

[plummeting_sloth]

Sen. Hawk
Mr. Ames
Mr. Goddard

In a standard conference room, Ames waits at the door while Goddard mans a projector.

Hawk: *enters*

Ames: *guiding him to a chair* Thank you very much Senator for meeting with us on such short notice.

Hawk: *sits begrudgedly* Now gentlemen please… I was dragged from a very important meeting with my done…er constituents to be here. What on earth has got you boys so flustered?

Ames: *remains standing behind Hawk* What on earth indeed, Senator. Goddard… show him

Goddard: *pulls out first slide* Senator, can you identify what you see here?

Hawk: Looks like some sort of colored speck on the night sky… Mars, maybe?

Goddard: You've got a sharp eye, Senator… that's why we approached you first. Yes, it is indeed Mars… 4th planet from our sun, the last stop before the Asteroid Belt, the Red planet and… potential save haven for terrorists.

Hawk: What… terrorists?

Ames: That's correct sir. The war on terror has no boundaries… neither earthly nor galactic.

Hawk: I guess I can understand that… but, why Mars?

Ames: Goddard

Goddard: If you'll look here, Senator *pulls up a series of quick slides* This a picture of a terrorist base camp taken in Afghanistan, here's a similar shot of one in Iraq… now here's a picture from the last Mars rover. See anything interesting?

Hawk: Well… they all look kinda brown, and sandy, and remote and, um…

Ames: Inhospitable? Precisely sir… extremists seem to thrive in these kind of environments.

Hawk: But, I mean… even if they were there, what danger could they pose. Is it possible for them to strike us from all that way?

Ames: Possible? Possible, sir? It's already happened! Goddard?

Goddard: *pulls up next slide* March 30th, 1954. Sylacauga, Alabama. One Hulitt Hodges is struck in the stomach by a space rock. Mrs. Hodges survives, though the meteorite, believed to be of Martian origin, did her and her home serious damage.

Ames: 3/30… never forget.

Hawk: This is incredible! We must warn the people! I've gotta get on the line to my leading donors… and constituents. Donor/constituents.

Ames: Oh no Senator… we mustn't do that! Our radio and TV waves are constantly broadcasting out into space… if we tell the world they'll know we're coming!

Hawk: Then what the hell do we do?

Goddard: We've already taken the liberty of drawing up a plan *cues next slide* As you can see here, we can secretly divert Defense department funds to the project and have a full preemptive strike ready inside of 10 years.

Hawk: Do we really need a manned landing force though? Can't we just use drones like we do now?

Ames: Oh no sir… a surge of boots on the ground is the only language those Martian bastards will understand.

Hawk: Alright gentlemen… I'll see what I can do. *starts to leave, then turns around* Thiiiisss… wouldn't have anything to do with the big NASA cuts in the budget right

Ames: *shares quick look with Goddard* What?!, No! No,no,no!

Goddard: Absolutely not… if anything the cuts focused our attention on how serious this problem was!

Hawk: Well boys… I trust ya. Those damn Red sonsofbitches won't know what hit em!

Ames: No sir... I can almost guarantee that they will not.

-stinger-

Ames and Goddard in the conference room, kicking back with some beer

Hawk: *reentering* Now boys, I was looking over this proposal again and there seems to be quite a bit of money towards climate chang-

Ames: Martian terrorists using our weather against us

Goddard: Hole in the Ozone was totally them

Hawk: Ah… I knew it wasn't our fault! Carry on

Ames: *fistpounds Goddard* Boom

[waZelda]

I think the stinger is a bit long. I'd say it would be better to have that as the ending, then come up with a different stinger. For instance a terrorist doing something very non-green and laughing mainiacally.

[Master Gunner]

That sounds like a job for The Head of Evil Inc!

[plummeting_sloth]

I still like it as a stinger, but you're right it's a bit long. Shortened it up a bit, thanks.

[plummeting_sloth]

I also want to add, in light of current circumstances, while this would only require three actors, one location and not a lot of fancy camera work. And it's already done... ya know... in light of circumstances.

*cough*

Plus it'd be a great welcome present when you arrive for MAGfest