Alternative to Diplomacy - Eureka Moment

Ivan (DM): When we last left him, he was dealing with a diplomatic situation concerning the fate of Mars.

You type the last few words in your quantum entanglement message. Your two man cruiser matches the speed and rotation of the asteroid as you fly into it. You think about how mankind has been diminished to such square footage. A committee is waiting for you in a surprisingly small hangar. You greet them with a bow.

"What news of Mars? Any news of Earth?" they ask.

You head straight for central command, leaving the subordinates behind you, accompanied by a woman with bobbed black hair.

You enter the central command area, which has a feeling of the old UN - a several-tiered amphitheatre with an old chalk board. You see the high commander approach you, meeting you almost half way.

"I'm almost afraid to ask - what happened?"

Hector (Santiago): "Much, but not in the way we hoped."

Ivan: "Were you able to buy us some time?"

Hector: "Yes, but not much - a few months at most."

Ivan: "You may have just saved us. I'm happy to report that the project is moving faster than anticipated.  When they're inside the simulation we can speed up the processor speed.  What will be days to them will be minutes to us.  Good job.  But what do we do until then?"

Hector: "Until then, I can only report that diplomacy is failing - we have to look for some sort of alternate to diplomacy."

Ivan: "What do you recommend."

Hector: "I think you know - strike forces."

Ivan: "As you know, Earth's military is depleted.  This is pretty much all we have.  B12 has to be protected at all costs, and they are getting closer. They drones are passing and will eventually intercept B12."

Hector: "Not good."

Ivan: "I worry that even if we get our team in as soon as possible, they may only have days left to find the simulation and implement it immediately.  They may only have two days in the simulation.  For every day here, we can have 30 days in the simulation in which to find the answer to DEATH ITSELF.  That may be a tall call - sixty days."

Hector: "I have made a decision - perhaps it would be best if I volunteered myself!"

Ivan: "No! Why would you put yourself in such a position?"

Hector: "I couldn't ask someone else to do this."

Ivan: The bob-cut woman says, "That's an incredibly noble thing."

Hector: "I don't care about nobility - I just need to do everything in my power to make it a success."

Ivan: "For a man who spat at the name of the human race, you're doing quite a bit now to prove me wrong."

Hector: "I was misinformed."

Ivan: "You know most of them are prepared for a combat situation," says the high commander.

Hector: "I understand - put in my application as soon as possible."

Ivan: "If your application is approved, I'll have a shuttle take you to B12 as soon as possible.  Dismissed."