An (insane) alternate ending of Into Darkness, with a more militaristic, cynical Earth. The speaker was originally going to be an unnamed, generic Starfleet admiral, but one of my friends suggested I make him a her and I decided to give her a name. Yes, I know I wrote a story that's almost entirely a speech, and I suck at speeches. Call it practice. Some spoilers for Into Darkness.
Para Bellum
Regally, gracefully, a figure strode out onto the podium. She wore a uniform in a darker grey than the rest, adorned with four stars on each shoulder and a cluster of ribbons and medals on her chest, underneath a nametag that read Whitcomb. Her uniform was immaculate, her jacket free of lint or wrinkles, trousers pressed with razor-sharp creases, and shoes polished to a mirror shine. On her cap was an insignia never seen before- a field of stars with a sword through it. Slowly, she raised her right arm to her brow in a classic salute, reciprocating the gesture of the assembled masses.
"Parade, slope arms!" She snapped down her arm. "Stand at ease."
They visibly relaxed after changing position, several of them shifting and fidgeting in formation. Their drill was sloppy, she remarked to herself. Keeping her face neutral, she began her speech. "One year ago, we were attacked. We were attacked at home by a threat we could neither predict nor counter. We were attacked and we were completely unprepared.
"Make no mistake, the galaxy is a dangerous place. For too long, we have remained complacent to that danger. The destruction of Vulcan and the recent attacks on Earth have proven that we cannot ignore those dangers any longer. We believe we are safe, but we are not. From the inside, the Federation seems secure. From the outside, it seems weak.
"We face threats known and unknown. War is on the horizon. Relations with the Romulan Star Empire are strained at best. The Klingon Empire is becoming increasingly aggressive and expansionist. Pirates, smugglers, and terrorists chip away at the edges of our civilization. And these are only the threats we know about.
"I'm going to be honest here. As a society, we are unprepared for the reality of our situation. Starfleet, the crown jewel of the Federation, is an organization completely unsuited for the reality of our situation. Analysts, officers, and politicians have come together. The decision has been made.
"I can safely confirm the rumours that have been spreading for months. Over the next several months, Starfleet will be merged into the United Federation of Planets Joint Military Command, forming the backbone of its naval element. Make no mistake- exploring the galaxy is a key part of who we are, and I do not wish to change that, nor does anyone else. But an exploratory agency cannot guarantee the safety of our union. We need a fleet, an army.
"One of my favourite proverbs is an old Latin one: Si vis pacem, para bellum. Ladies and gentlemen, we are all alike in that we wish for peace. In order to preserve our way of life, we must prepare for war."