Accepted Practices

In the year 2060, global wars and economic instability are on the mend. The last multi-national war in Africa and the Middle East has subsided. However, the outcry over the total number of civilian casualties has countries questioning external security policies and solutions. In response to this challenge, the US government has commissioned innovative US Offshore Floating Cities (OFC) to roam the Pacific and Atlantic coastlines over the years to aid the discussion and implementation of proactive measures for emerging nations.The most prominent and veteran of the US-flagged OFCs, the USS Liberty, three-quarters of a mile long and three-eighths of a mile wide, is staffed with US government offices, including State Department 'Desks,' and most federal security and support agencies. Also, numerous international ligations and private and public business representation maintain a permanent presence. US military personnel control access to the OFC, and the US Navy maintains a small military and private airport. While some still question the practicality of OFCs, international acceptance of them continues to grow. Meanwhile, during a recent security assessment, the US Defense Intelligence Agency identified a series of unexplained Signal anomalies along the coast of El Salvador, especially while the OFC is nearby. The perplexing findings led the International Directorate of the White House’s National Security Council (NSC) to request a more in-depth probe.After an exhausting search of historical documents, investigators find that these signals are exchanges between members of a heretofore unknown, rogue paramilitary group known as the Jaguares operating in the vicinity of El Salvador. Research indicates that the group has been terrorizing its people for generations. And now, indicators suggest that the Jaguares are targeting the USS Liberty. The NSC organizes an intrepid military and law enforcement group to counter the time-sensitive threat. When notified of these alarming developments, US President M. Lorraine Martin is forced to face the broader implications: Unchecked aggression against innocent people has become an accepted practice in many countries. It must now become her mission to end these ignorant practices.