(no subject)
Some businesses stay open twenty-four hours a day, always on the alert for any messages that may come their direction. The munitions plants of the United States of America have not been on that status since the middle of the twentieth century.
That may be changing very soon. There are orders for high-temperature magnesium sabot rounds of many sizes and calibers being drawn up in the Pentagon at this very moment. They will be delivered to the people who operate munitions plants of the United States by military couriers at the first light of dawn, whether the plants are open yet or not. And while there will no doubt be some arguments over retooling and refitting and time frames and all of the usual things... well.
They are very big contracts. But then, they are meant to bring down very big targets.
---
United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC)
"Home of American Firepower"
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
"... I don't get it."
"What's to get? It's an order. Clear the lake."
"No, seriously. I don't get it. This is Picatinny Lake we're talking about. This is a pretty good-sized lake."
"I'm aware of that, Captain. So are our superiors. Get the lake cleared."
"The whole thing."
"Yes."
"Of all civilian vessels and traffic."
"Yes."
"For twenty-four to forty-eight hours until an unspecified person or persons of interest arrives."
"That's right."
"Do you have any idea how much of a fight the locals are going to put up?"
"All things considered I have a feeling that's going to be a really minor fight next to what's on its way. Clear the goddamn lake, Maxson."
"Yessir."
That may be changing very soon. There are orders for high-temperature magnesium sabot rounds of many sizes and calibers being drawn up in the Pentagon at this very moment. They will be delivered to the people who operate munitions plants of the United States by military couriers at the first light of dawn, whether the plants are open yet or not. And while there will no doubt be some arguments over retooling and refitting and time frames and all of the usual things... well.
They are very big contracts. But then, they are meant to bring down very big targets.
---
United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC)
"Home of American Firepower"
Picatinny Arsenal, NJ
"... I don't get it."
"What's to get? It's an order. Clear the lake."
"No, seriously. I don't get it. This is Picatinny Lake we're talking about. This is a pretty good-sized lake."
"I'm aware of that, Captain. So are our superiors. Get the lake cleared."
"The whole thing."
"Yes."
"Of all civilian vessels and traffic."
"Yes."
"For twenty-four to forty-eight hours until an unspecified person or persons of interest arrives."
"That's right."
"Do you have any idea how much of a fight the locals are going to put up?"
"All things considered I have a feeling that's going to be a really minor fight next to what's on its way. Clear the goddamn lake, Maxson."
"Yessir."