He hadn’t had a decent night’s sleep in days. Entering the warmth of his bed each night long after Jackie and the children had fallen asleep, he tossed and turned more than slept. He had been sucking down his stash of Cubans as if they were going out of style. Exhaustion conquered his body and panicked anxiety dominated his mind beyond the reach of the rich inhalation’s calming power. Jackie had begged him to stop smoking and he shook off a guilt he couldn’t bear on top of everything else. 


The mighty arm of the United States military machine had been systematically dismantled over the course of a couple of days. It was unimaginable. No one claimed credit and, when he finally agreed to a call, Nikita Khrushchev adamantly denied any involvement or knowledge of Soviet action against U.S. assets or forces. As hard as it was for him to believe the man, Kennedy did.


“If it isn’t the Soviets, why target NASA, too?”


A logical question from the president, yet no one had a reply at the ready. After the smoke-filled room’s dead quiet gave the men time to ponder, McNamara said, “Conceivably, they consider it a branch of our military, like some sort of… Space Force.”


“That’s got to be one of the stupidest things I’ve ever heard, and I’ve got a three-year-old kid.”


Arguments ensued and hit every dead end imaginable. Days into this and no one had an answer. Salvaging what resources he could, JFK recalled all remaining deployed troops and military advisors from overseas. In a time of war—as invisible and unfathomable as the enemy was, it was war—and unprecedented national threat, considering those resources as the lives of patriotic young Americans serving their country would have to come later.


Who were they fighting? No, Kennedy thought, this wasn’t even a fight. The United States military was being picked off by an aggressor they could not identify to defend themselves or retaliate. They were being exterminated. Red-faced and ready to erupt, he retired to the Oval Office for a break.


Alone with his thoughts and a Cuban cigar, Asian nations flashed by as possible culprits of this dastardly deed. He shook his head. Forget those other countries, this could be Japanese retribution. Yes, they had plenty of time to plot their revenge. After that ridiculous notion, Germany came to mind. No, he saw no possibilities for this on his recent trip to Berlin. In honest mental clarity, he still saw no feasible means for any nation to have done this to America. No one in his government knew what the enemy were even doing or how.


All the lights switched off and, in total darkness beside a window, Kennedy realized the sun had gone out, too.