The Weekly Journal

Our Last Hope

Current Issues:

• Urban destruction
• Continued displacement of millions of people
• Government and military popularity – as the crisis continues, favorability ratings (which may already be at all-time-low figures) will in almost all cases trend downward.
• Rebuilding infrastructure (physical buildings/roads/etc.)
• Rebuilding economic infrastructure and the global economy
• The Great Revelation of vampires living among us
• The extinction of the human race? (Through predation, conversion, or the inability to compete with vampires, who are stronger, faster, and smarter than humans.)
• The redrawing of cultural and social structures to adapt to the Revelation
• The persistent worry (paranoia?) that vampires are merely the first to come out. What else is out there?

Objectives:

· Preservation of the human race

· Securing a safe haven in the Caribbean

· Transporting as many survivors as possible

· Placing a trade and travel embargo around our new federation

· Research ultraviolet ammunition and vampire anatomy

Our executives have asked us to welcome vampires into our communities, proposed little to help with the mass displacement, and the global economy is only going to continue to deteriorate. What I am about to propose is unorthodox and a last resort as it will end governments. The human race is about to become an endangered species, whether vampires look at mankind as a food source or not they are stronger, faster, and smarter than humans. This alone will make them difficult to compete with, let alone if we become their prey. Counterparts of mine have suggested that we incorporate them into our government and military. What do we have that they could possibly want? Is synthetic blood an answer? When a wolf, a deer, and a steak are placed in a room what do you think would happen? Would the wolf be content with the steak and leave the deer alone, I think not. Whether they are initially a threat or not, laws of nature will come into play and the lesser species, mankind, will suffer.

What I propose is a military coup of the United States of America. Once in power we take all of our assets and as many people as possible and move to the Caribbean. Initially to our protectorates Puerto Rico and Guam and through diplomacy or force take all of the Island states of the Caribbean. Strategically it will be easiest to defend ourselves and control population movements from Islands. With our new capital in Puerto Rico we can begin to set up defenses. Such as an integrated solar panel network, so that we may shine light on our borders at all hours of the day and night. This rests on the assumption that vampires are at least sensitive to light. Whether sunlight is just a nuisance to vampires or not solar power will come in handy in rebuilding our society.

In the event of an attack on our Islands the vampires will have to get there somehow. Unfortunately again not much is known about them, which is why capture and research is essential to our survival. However, I believe that we can assume that they will need some mode of transportation such as a ship or a plane. Whether our bullets and missiles hurt them or not if we sink the ships or shoot down the planes that they use this will at the very least slow they down if not kill them. Our new federation of island states will be haven for those who wish to remain human.

To accomplish this task the Pacific fleet will be sent to secure our haven while the Atlantic fleet starts evacuation measures. To prevent vampires from boarding we will set up UV checkpoints one has to pass through to board and to reach the bridge. This will hopefully prevent vampires from passage. Secondly security measures will include issuing wooden stakes to marines and army personnel, hanging garlic at ship entrances, and continue research on vampire mythology. Research into ultraviolet ammunition will be extremely useful. The Atlantic fleet will wait two weeks until setting route to the Caribbean, this should be sufficient time for people to reach one of the harbors on the east coast from anywhere in the country.

The thought that one can become stronger, faster, and smarter by simply enduring a brief moment of pain is disconcerting. It is possible that other states around the world my wish to convert to vampires. In all likelihood making us their enemies a conventional attack should be within our power repeal. Some have raised the question of a nuclear attack. Personally I feel this to be an unlikely scenario as they would probably want to take as many of us alive as possible. However, intercontinental ballistic missiles should be brought with us and a second strike capability enabled to ensure nuclear deterrence. The missiles we are unable to bring should be destroyed.