It was late.  2 a.m. in fact.  President Tyler was not used to 
being woke up at such an hour.  Here for the last 7 years there had 
been nothing but peace on the planet.  He had served as president 
for the last 2 years of Pax Americana.  As he walked downstairs in 
his bathrobe, he wondered what could be so important that his Chief 
of Staff would wake him at such an unholy hour.  
	As he entered the oval office, he got a cup of coffee from the 
assistant there.  Tyler dismissed the aide and took stock of who was 
in the room.  There was Max Schnieder, C.I.A.  Also inside were Jack 
Merideth his Chief of Staff, and Von Cliff his director of NASA.  Now 
why was a space-man involved in this, whatever it was?
	Tyler went to his desk and set down in his chair.  He took out a 
cigarette from the top drawer and lit it, one of has few vices.  He 
started smoking on the campaign trail because his political advisors 
thought it made him look more manly.  Now he was hooked, and 
enjoyed the few cigarettes his wife allowed him per day.  Looking at 
Merideth across the room he joked "Okay Jack, this had better be 
good.  The free world needs a clear head at the helm, and that head 
could use a few hours of sleep now and then."
	Merideth's expression remained stern and focused.  He stepped 
up the the massive oak desk saying "I apologize for waking you so 
early Mr. President.  I wish what I have to say could wait."  Tyler 
puffed his cigarette, sat down and said "Well, since we agree we are 
all short on Zz's, why don't you tell me what's on your mind?"  
Looking at the Nasa director he then asked "And how does the rocket 
scientist fit in?"
	Merideth paused for a second before continuing.  "Mr. 
President, have you thought about the afterlife?"
	Tyler stopped smoking and put the cigarette in the ashtray 
while he regarded his chief.  He was tired and in no mood for games.  
"Mr. Merideth, if you have suddenly discovered religion or joined 
some kind of cult, I would appreciate it if you waited till morning to 
save my soul."  Irritated, he stood back up.  "Now just what kind of 
an opening line is that?"
	"Mr President" Merideth began "it is my sad duty to inform you 
that all life on earth will be snuffed out in about 2 weeks time."  He 
hung his head low and stared at the floor.  "And as for your soul, I 
would start giving it some serious thought in the days ahead."
	Tyler just stood there.  He had played poker with his chief 
before, and he could tell that Merideth wasn't kidding.  It isn't 
everyday that you get told the world is doomed though.  Unless, of 
course, you watched certain religous channels on cable.  But then, 
Tyler knew his aide was prone to hyperbole as well as incapable of 
bluffing.  Probably could make a cold sound like an epidemic.  He 
sunk slowly back down in his chair.  "Okay then, lets have it.  The 
world is doomed.  Right?"
	All 3 in the room nodded.  
	"Is it the terrorists or communists this time?"
	All 3 in the room shook their heads.
	Tyler chewed on his lip for a moment.  "Is there any way to 
prevent this mass extinction?"
	All 3 in the room shook their heads.  The room was 
uncomfortably quiet for a moment.
	Then the NASA director stepped forward with a collection of 
photos in his hands.  "Mr. President," he began with a respectful tone, 
"we have found a very large asteroid in deep space, and the asteroid 
is on a collision course with the earth"  He set a blown-up photo on 
the president's desk.  The photo showed a blob of dark brown on a 
background of black.  It was blurry and without form.  There was 
nothing to give perspective to the oddly shaped mass.  It could have 
been any size at all.
	"Just how big is this... thing?" Tyler asked.  "I can't tell anything 
from the photo."
	"The asteroid is about 40 miles across." Von Cliff answered.  
"You won't believe this, but it weighs about as much as Conneticut.  
Someone in the agency has given it the nickname 'Lucifer'."
	Tyler studied the photo.  "And just how did we detect this?"
	"The asteroid was spotted by accident with the space 
telescope."  Von Cliff replied.  "We were trying to study a new 
supernova in the vicinity of Orion, and suddenly the light vanished."  
He then tapped at the photo.  "This is what we found blocking the 
image."
	"And just why the hell wasn't it spotted before?"  Tyler 
demanded of Von.
	Von stood his ground.  "The stone is dark, just like any other 
asteroid.  The only way to detect something black against a black sky 
is to illuminate it with something.  And as you recall", he said sternly, 
"you canceled the Firefly project, which could have given us some 
warning."
	"Well, that's easy for you to say." Tyler said gruffly.  "But it is 
much harder to explain to the American people, the U.N., and to the 
leaders of nuclear capable countries everywhere that we are 
detonating hydrogen bombs on the far side of the moon like giant 
flashbulbs in order to find some possible alien spacecraft in our 
system.  We may be in a period of peace people, but you know damn 
well that some countries still hate our guts, and would love some 
pretense to cause trouble."
	"Mr. President, you were told that it would detect asteroids and 
comets.  The alien slant was cooked up by your staff members and 
political oponents."	
	"Well," Tyler said picking up his cigarette again, "water under 
the bridge now."  He puffed on it for a few seconds then asked "Can 
we destroy it with nuclear bombs?  And yes, Mr. Cliff, I mean the 
same kind of nukes that I denied you access to before.  Only bigger if 
you wish."
	Von shook his head.  "Mr. President, unless we could hit it with 
every nuke on earth at the same time, we would not destroy it."
	"How about nudging it onto a different course?" Tyler asked.  
"You know, detonate a bomb on one side to push it out of the way?"
	Von shook his head again.  "The asteroid is too large and too 
close now to affect it enough to be useful.  And as things stand now, 
we would be very hard pressed to create a single missle to reach this 
kind of distance even if we had a year to build it.  We don't have 
ANY kind of space transportation system set up with anything close 
to that kind of range, and we don't have the time to create one 
either."
	"What if we nuked it upon entry into the atmosphere?"
	"And which of the 2 seconds it will be in the air would you like 
to hit it sir?"  Von asked.  He collected the fuzzy photos from the 
desk and started rolling them up.  "Mr. President, all those options 
have been explored, and many others.  Orbital interception, Long 
range course modification, Simultaneous multi-detonation 
destruction of the asteroid, hard impact at a near-orbit, and more.  
There is nothing we can do to alter it's course or destroy it.  It is 
going to hit North America in about 2 weeks, no matter what we do.  
We just don't have the technology."
	Tyler finished his cigarette and stubbed the butt out.  "So, what 
kind of damage will this do?"
	"Sir, about 65 million years ago, a similar asteroid hit the 
northern part of South America." Von said.  "It is now an ocean.  And 
oddly enough, that's about the same time the dinosaurs vanished, 
instantly.  When the asteroid struck Mexico, it created the Gulf of 
Mexico."  Von tapped at a map of the USA.  "This thing is going to 
create the Gulf of Kansas.  Not that any of us will care."
	Merideth, who had been quietly listening then chimed in.  "I 
thought all the dinosaurs died from climate change and all the plants 
dying out."
	"Whether they died from the change of climate or from some 
other side-effect from the collision is not important to them, now is 
it?" Von replied testily.  "Rock fell, dinosaurs became extinct.  The 
exact mechanism matters little."
	"Well now, we are certainly more intelligent than the dinosaurs 
aren't we?" Merideth said, perking up.  "We can build some kind of 
shelter to protect a number of people from the disaster.  It would not 
even need to be a large number of people.  Say, 1000 or so."
	"So you are telling me" Von exclaimed "that you are going to 
create something that can feed, power, support, and protect about 
1000 people for a period of 100 years or so?  With no support from 
the outside?  With no new raw materials or fuel?  With no 
replacement parts or equipment?  And do it all in 2 weeks?  Do you 
know how hard it is and how long we work just to keep 10 people 
alive in space for only a few weeks?"  He sat down opposite the 
president's desk.  "Hell, even Nuclear power plants have to be 
refueled every 10 years or so."
	Merideth's sudden excitement became subdued again as he 
contemplated the problems such a task would have to overcome.  
	Tyler considered, then took out another cigarette.  Lighting it 
he said "Well, if I only have 2 weeks left, Cancer is hardly something 
to worry about."  He took a deep puff and let it out slowly.  "Well, 
then," Tyler asked all three men in the room.  Just what should we 
do?"
	Max, who until then had been silent spoke up.  "There is 
nothing any of us can do Mr. President..." he said "except you."
	Tyler looked at Max.  "Me?"  he said increduously.  "Just me?  
What can I do?"
	"You must decide sir," he said slowly and deliberately, 
"whether or not to tell the American people,and the world, of their 
fate."


	"Is everything okay dear?" his wife asked as he got undressed.  
Tyler had left the meeting and retired back to bed.  He was still 
numb from the shock of the certainty of the future, and just how 
short a time there was left to him.  And now he had to decide how or 
if he should tell the American people.  Would it be better to leave 
this a secret, and let everyone live the last days of their lives as if 
nothing was wrong, or should he invite panic and hysteria by telling 
them.  And if so, how to tell them without scaring the piss out of 
everyone.  
	Then he looked at his wife holding the covers open for him, 
inviting him back in to share the warmth of the bed.  He used to feel 
safe in the bed, protected in his wife's arms.  How could he tell the 
world of the future, when he didn't even know how to tell his wife?  
This would not be an easy duty.


	"Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States!"
	The congress was on its feet and applauding as Tyler walked 
down the aisle toward the podium.  He wasn't smiling.  About half of 
them didn't like him one bit, and would rather see him dipped in 
gravy and thrown to a pack of wild chihuahuas than be president.  
Ah, politics, he thought.  As he stepped up to the dais, he considered 
that in about a week there would be no more politics.  Well, every 
cloud has its silver lining, he thought.  As the applause ended he 
began his speech.
	"My American people, friends, family, and everyone on planet 
Earth:  I would like to be able to give you some good news this night.  
I would like to be able to tell you that this speech would go down in 
history, and be repeated long after my days.  Sadly, what I say here 
tonight will not be remembered long.  
	"It has come to the attention of scientists and experts across 
the nation, that a massive asteroid is on an unalterable course with 
the earth.  All the math has been checked and triple checked.  There 
is no mistake.  The asteroid will strike the U.S. and create such 
destruction that all life on Earth will likely be wiped out. 
	"We launched a massive yet silent effort to find some way, any 
way, to alter the course of the asteroid, or destroy it.  I regret to 
inform you that in spite of the dedicated work of our best minds, the 
asteroid will still strike North America in 1 week.  There is nothing 
any human can do.  
	"I ask all of you to stay calm, and to try not to panic.  Panic 
cannot change anything, and will do no-one any good at all.  I ask all 
of you to pray, and to live out these days as if they were your last.  "  
And they are, he thought silently to himself.  "May God have mercy 
on us all, and may God bless the United States of America."


	President Tyler waited for the Japanese Ambassador in the 
Oval Office.  As Secretary Tojo came in, he rose from his chair and 
went and shook his old friend's hand.  "I am glad to see you today 
To." he said using the familiar nickname.  "I wish it was under better 
circumstances though."  Tojo bowed and smiled.  "It was brave of you 
to tell the world as you did."  he said.  "A lesser man would have 
waited and let the world learn of its fate the hard way."
	They both sat down in the plush chairs by the fireplace.  "Well, 
To.  I didn't ask you over to banter." Tyler said seriously.  "I have 
determined that you make your cars too well, so I am outlawing 
them.  Besides, you don't trade fair."  
	Tojo's face suddenly became stern.   "That's okay Mr. President.  
I have decided that your computers have too many bugs and crash 
too often, so I am outlawing them on Japanese soil."
	Both sides glared at each other like stone figures.  Several 
uncomfortable moments went by.
	Finally, both men burst out laughing.  Tyler handed Tojo a glass 
of Brandy, his favorite Tyler knew.  "You know," Tyler chuckled, 
"anyone who didn't know us would have shit if they overheard that 
little scene."  Tojo graciously accepted the drink, and said "Yes, we 
have been friends for too long." 
	Both men took a long drink.  Both men knew that this meeting 
would probably be their last.  Both had responsibilities, and would 
have little time for personal trips in the days ahead.  Tojo asked the 
inevitable question first. "And how are matters going in your 
country?"  Tyler looked up and smiled.  "Better than I expected 
actually.  There have been small riots and some looting, but for the 
most part people have been well behaved.  And how are things in 
Japan?"
	"I do not think that my people believe in it yet."  Tojo replied.  
"My people have not flocked to the shrines or spent their fortunes as 
we expected them to.  They still go to their jobs for 16 hours a day as 
if nothing was wrong."
	"I always said your people were going to work themselves into 
the grave."  Tyler groused.
	"It is not my people's fault that your people came to view work 
as a disease instead of an honorable interprise." Tojo replied, all 
joking now gone from his voice.  "I don't know what happened to 
your society, but only 60 years ago, your people worked hard and 
defeated not one, but two world conquerers.  Were I an American, I 
would be embarassed."
	"And some of us are."  Tyler replied quietly.  "But in a week, 
that won't matter."
	"...If we last even that long" Tojo said sadly.  "The situation in 
Korea really is upsetting.  The North Koreans have decided that they 
are going to conquer the south before the end comes.  What possible 
good it is to them I don't know."  Tojo took another drink.  "Maybe 
they think God will make a note of who was in power when the big 
one comes.  It is as if the end of the world has freed people to do as 
they like and to hell with the costs."
	Tyler nodded.  "Yeah, everyone took the rulebook and tossed it 
out the window.  The same thing is happening in the Middle East."  
Tyler shook his head.  "The Arabs have decided they are going to 
retake Israel before doomsday.  The Israelis have sworn to use 
nukes on any Arab country that invades its soil.  It is turning into a 
free-for-all.  And as you said before, what good it does them I don't 
understand."
	"But what about the Peace treaties?"  Tojo asked.  Tyler shook 
his head.  "Thousands of years of hatred will always trump a sheet of 
paper.  These people have enjoyed killing each other before history 
was invented."  He shook his head.  "This is just another convenient 
excuse for them to murder each other."
	"Are you going to intervene?"  Tojo asked.
	"You have to be kidding!"  Tyler replied.  "No way.  If the 
crazies over there want to kill each other, it is their problem.  I am 
not going to put U.S. soldiers in the way of both sets of guns."  
	Tojo nodded.  It would be futile, and a no-win situation.  "I 
have been noticing sudden civil wars across Africa as well.  Quite 
brutal ones may I add.  Apparently such a short future has given 
excuse for total disregard for civilized conduct."
	Tyler smiled.  "Well, not everyone has abandoned civilization."  
and clinked glasses with his friend in a toast.

	ŒWhy can't there be a moment of peace, even at the end of the 
world?' Tyler thought to himself.  He had wished to dismiss all but 
skeleton crews within the government and military.  He wanted to 
allow most people to be with their families at the end.  But things 
didn't turn out that way.
	The Russians were embroiled in a civil war pitting democrats 
against neo-communists.  Terrorists were assassinating teachers and 
leaders in North Africa.  The Middle East was now a radioactive 
wasteland that no religion could claim.  India and Pakistan both 
nuked each others capitals and were pouring people into the battle 
over Kashmir.  North Korea invaded about 10 miles into South Korean 
territory before collapsing into chaos.  Europe had shattered into 
anarchy and lawlessness.  South America had stayed calm, but 
Central America had erupted into a killing field, the poor murdering 
the rich and the rich murdering everyone.  
	And now, China had demanded the unconditional surrender of 
the United States.  Why he couldn't say, but he suspected it was 
because China and the U.S. were the only remaining Superpowers.  
Someone had to be on top.  And how it all would end?  Well, he was 
certain that the asteroid would put an end to all the combat and 
strife in 2 days.  He just wondered if he would be alive to see it.


	Two days later the asteroid nicknamed Lucifer approached the 
Earth.  A very different earth than only a week earlier.  It was 
radioactive and quiet.  Gamma radiation poured off the globe.  The 
radio traffic that once screamed out had been silenced.  No more 
aircraft leapt from the surface to cross the sky in an instant.  Very 
few machines on the surface still moved.  The oceans had been 
poisoned and were now dead as stone.  The world was deceased 
before Lucifer even came...
	but failed to arrive.  No-one took the time to consider the 
position of the moon.  The asteroid plowed into the far side of the 
moon, making a massive crater and a halo of debris that would circle 
the moon for weeks.  But only a few humans remained to see it.  
	And in a distant dimension, a higher being shook his head in 
disbelief while another laughed uproariously.