Sunday September 9, 2018
Book 19: A Function of Firepower — Part I

Transcript

 

NARRATOR: Meanwhile, in Sol System, beneath the Jovian cloud deck...

PETEY: Admiral Argharghrar, you should evacuate this facility immediately.

ARGHARGHRAR: Hello, Petey.

PETEY: Remember two days ago?

PETEY: When a long gun blast missed this facility by a scant six hundred meters?

ARGHARGHRAR: I do. Are you telling me how to run my command?

PETEY: I am. Now LISTEN.

PETEY: That shot came from Chinook's fleet. She missed because I corrupted her targeting data.

PETEY: Her NON-corrupted targeting drones are now en route.

PETEY: Light-speed delays in their observations give you a seventeen-minute window before Chinook has a fresh firing solution.

ARGHARGHRAR: I can't evacuate on the word of an agent of a foreign power.

PETEY: I'm no agent.

PETEY: I simply AM.

ARGHARGHRAR: That's a bold statement, considering “I am” is a popular name for God.

PETEY: I meant “I AM a foreign power.”

PETEY: But I am also the closest approximation of a god you're likely to meet today...

PETEY: Unless you haven't evacuated within sixteen minutes.

NARRATOR: Sixteen minutes later...

ARGHARGHRAR: “God told me to evacuate” won't go over well during my inevitable court-martial.

PETEY: God could put in a quick appearance on your behalf.

ARGHARGHRAR: I should find a religion where God doesn't do that.