namethatstoryfilter: girl with nuclear launch codes in her chest
December 11, 2015 6:59 AM Subscribe
Looking for a short story about a young girl with nuclear launch codes implanted in her chest who accompanies POTUS; the president will have to kill her and remove them if he wants to launch.
Thanks to a thing I saw on twitter, I've been trying to remember the name and author of a short story I read back some time before 1996 - it's a first-person story from the point of view of a young girl who is tasked with accompanying the President of the US along with the nuclear launch "football", and who has the nuclear launch codes surgically inserted into her chest. If POTUS wants to launch missiles, he will have to kill the girl and cut out the container with the codes. The leader of the USSR also has a launch-code-containing child with him as part of some international nuclear agreement. At the end of the story, the girl mentions that some of the presidents advisors are looking at her sadly sometimes, implying that international tensions are rising and war is near. I think the story was part of some peace-themed anthology that may have been at least partly put together as a response to Pournelle's anthology "There Will Be War", but googling around isn't finding it.
Thanks to a thing I saw on twitter, I've been trying to remember the name and author of a short story I read back some time before 1996 - it's a first-person story from the point of view of a young girl who is tasked with accompanying the President of the US along with the nuclear launch "football", and who has the nuclear launch codes surgically inserted into her chest. If POTUS wants to launch missiles, he will have to kill the girl and cut out the container with the codes. The leader of the USSR also has a launch-code-containing child with him as part of some international nuclear agreement. At the end of the story, the girl mentions that some of the presidents advisors are looking at her sadly sometimes, implying that international tensions are rising and war is near. I think the story was part of some peace-themed anthology that may have been at least partly put together as a response to Pournelle's anthology "There Will Be War", but googling around isn't finding it.
Response by poster: Yeah - it's definitely built around that idea, taking it one step further so the sacrificial person is a young girl who was selected because the President is particularly empathic towards her. The tweet I saw yesterday was a pic of an excerpt from that, and it got me trying to remember the story I'd read.
I do not miss the cold war. Nope. Not at all.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:14 AM on December 11, 2015
I do not miss the cold war. Nope. Not at all.
posted by rmd1023 at 7:14 AM on December 11, 2015
Heh, neushoorn's link just got picked up by Cory at BoingBoing -- maybe worth keeping an eye on the comments there in case anyone gets a "hey that reminds me of a story" thought.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:01 AM on December 11, 2015
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 8:01 AM on December 11, 2015
Best answer: Is it in this book?
Following the Google hole makes me think it's the Nancy Collins story in this collection.
posted by Lemmy Caution at 9:54 AM on December 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Following the Google hole makes me think it's the Nancy Collins story in this collection.
posted by Lemmy Caution at 9:54 AM on December 11, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I believe you are correct! Thank you!
posted by rmd1023 at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2015
posted by rmd1023 at 10:34 AM on December 11, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by neushoorn at 7:11 AM on December 11, 2015 [1 favorite]