President Powell Febuary 3rd 2004

The power, the sheer power on display is awesome to behold. I watch as Mars grows, watch as the very land itself is changed, as oceans and continents switch and form a land created by our blood, sweat and tears. Project Phoenix's master piece, with this every voice against NASA is firmly silenced. It's going to hurt us in the Senate, hurt us in Congress. I'm a lame duck president in the last year of his turn. As I watch a new planet be born I feel... satisfied. First black president, the man who oversaw our first victories against the Endbringers, oversaw the colonization of the solar system, the creation of a new world. It's not the legacy I was necessarily chasing, but I'm ok with it.

I'm ok with this, if this is my finale then I've had a good run.

"Get the speech ready, we will hold a press conference on the 7th."

I wanted to give it some time, let the changes sink in, and... is that a heart?

"What is that?"

"What, sir?"

"On Mars, through the satellite feed."

I peered at it... that was a heart, letters started forming under it, an 'I', more letters rose from the ocean, I watched the word 'love' form, and finally a 'U'. An island chain.

"How big is that island."

"Um... checking, roughly the size of California."

The other islands were smaller.

"And who approved this?"

"According to our records, you did."

I massaged my temples. I was busy, it might have gotten sneaked through the paperwork.

"The Valentines."

"What?"

"The name for the island chain, the Valentines, I'm the president so I'm invoking my right to name various things."

"I'm not sure you have that right, sir."

I shrugged.

"I'ts my last year in office, let me have this."

"And you're not..."

"Angry? I'm just glad we don't have giant dick shaped continents, something was bound to go screwy, and honestly the public will get over it."

Febuary 7th 2004

I feel good about myself as I step up to the podium, this is going to be the defining moment of my presidency, and though I had reservations about a lot of things, I feel good, historic.

"On the 3rd day of the year 2004 mankind claimed its' place in the universe. We have gone from tribes of hunter-gatherers to city states, from city states to nations, bit by bit we have built the modern world."

I paused.

"An old era has ended, humanity is no longer alone. We now know that there are other worlds and other lifeforms. The universe is a cold, uncaring place, filled with danger but there are also friends amongst the stars, and I hope we find more. The path ahead will not be easy, the war against the Endbringers will continue, but we will win. This war marks the end of our species childhood, from now on we will no longer be limited to a single world. The stars becon and we will answer that call."

I end my speech, and listen to the clapping. I think the world needed this, I needed this. I look around at the crowd, George is asleep again... seriously it's a five minute speech couldn't he have had a cup of coffee or something? His wife elbows him awake and he joins in the clapping, I pray to god that he doesn't run for the presidency.

May 10th 2004

God DAMN IT! I smile politely at George and hold his hand.

"I present George W Bush and I endorse him for president."

Fucking hell, I kind of don't have a choice in the matter, he's my vice president, and his father lobbied hard for him to get here but still, as I watch him painfully fuck up his speech I think of the mess the democrats are in. 13 people are running, including Hhoward fucking Stern, the primaries are disaster but the democrats aren't idiots, they're going to nominate someone competant.

June 2nd 2004

"I'm Howard Stern and I'm going to be your next president."

I watch TV and just stare at it, he didn't win a majority, but he did somehow win the most votes. I just stare at the screen in horror, our choices are between the idiot and buttman. George looks at me, he's closed his coloring book and he's smiling.

"You think I can win cho..."

I'm glaring at him, don't use the nickname, we have talked about this.

"It's Howard Stern, it's buttman, you can win this one."

"But wasn't he mayor of New York for awhile."

"Buttman... just listen to your advisors and you will win..."

He smiles.

"Thanks Chocolate bear."

"George what have I said about that?"

"Not to call you that? Sorry."

Ugh...we're fucked, we're so so fucked.

November...2004

I watch the results and pour out some whisky, no I'm not with George, I have a country to run.

"HOWARD STERN WINS, HOWARD STERN WINS."

I look at the map, it wasn't much of a win but the results are clear..

"Fucking hell."