- Brad Stamp: We need to get better informed. I want a direct feed from every observatory that you can get a hold of and I want them patched in here as soon as possible.
- Patel: Anchorage, Norikura, Las Campanas.
- Brad Stamp: I don't care if it's my nephew who's back there with a pair of binoculars. I want them all online. I want to know if so much as a bottle rocket goes off.
- Lucas Foster: I'm certain these CMEs will breach our ozone.
- President Ryan Gordon: And the after effects, how disastrous?
- Lucas Foster: Far worse than disastrous, sir. The burning methane fires in the stratosphere will increase in intensity and magnitude until they reach a point of flashover. We'll have complete and total oxygen depletion. As we scientists call it sir, an ELE.
- President Ryan Gordon: An Extinction Level Event.
- Lucas Foster: That's the bad news, sir. The good news is, we believe there's a way out. Jim.
- Jim Leeburg: Well sir, Mr. President, if we're facing the world's biggest fire than what we need the world's biggest fire extinguisher. Uh, the most probable point of penetration is wherever the ozone's the weakest, and that would be over the poles. Now this is a good thing. We've calculated that a 20 megaton nuclear device detonated closest to the entry point of the CME will bring enough water vapor into the atmosphere to extinguish the flames.
- President Ryan Gordon: Wait a minute, are you serious? You want... you're asking me to nuke the North Pole? Are you out of your mind?