THREAT
by
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The small space station orbited the earth once more. Its occupant a look-a-like human, but an android prepared to observe the planet Mercury. Android 47 reached out and pressed a switch on its instruments. At once the screen illuminated, showing the planet far off to the left of the Sun. 47 then enhanced the planet using the photo zoom equipment. Then 47 noticed a blip on the screen. It was a large asteroid about to collide with Mercury. 47 rechecked the instruments. They were all in order. The readings showed the asteroid to be a half a cubic mile in size. 47 contacted its controller, six hundred miles below in Denver, Colorado. Within minutes it’s was in contact. "What is it 47?" enquired the controller. 47 replied and relayed its findings. "A large asteroid is about to collide with Mercury". Jim Redway the controller wrote the message on his notepad. He had been a controller now for two years and this was sensational. He was excited for he had nearly finished his shift, and he had a dinner date. "Please repeat 47". He requested. "How long before impact?" "Seven minutes controller." "Right 47. Keep radio silence till I contact you again. Then he switched his own screen on and observed the same picture that 47 could see. Then he checked his instrument panel. The make-up of the asteroid showing on the scan was unusual, as well as Nickel, Iron there appeared to be Uranium present on the Asteroid and in large quantities. This was a different ball game. The very presence of Uranium meant there could be an explosion of great proportions about to occur on Mercury. He pressed more switches and watched the screen. A flash occurred obscuring the planet Mercury for a while, then a dust cloud. Then after a few more minutes. He checked his instruments again and pressed for a read out. The printer clicked out its paper copy. He gasped, according to the printout; Mercury had suffered an explosion of four thousand megatons. Larger than any explosion ever experienced in living memory on earth. Some of the other information did not make very good reading either. He rang his superior at home. After several seconds he was answered. "Yes, Jim. What can I do for you?" "An asteroid has just impacted on Mercury Mr. Edelson and it was a nuclear impact of some four thousand megatons." "Has it now Jim what are its implications with regard to us?" "According to the instrument’s printout. It will probably have an effect on Mercury’s’ orbit, Mr. Edelson." "The hell you say. What is happening right this minute on Mercury?" Mr Edleson replied. "It’s obscured by a large dust cloud sir." Jim Redway rubbed his hand through his thick black hair. It was the most exciting thing in his twenty-year-old life. He loved this work, but it could be quite boring sometimes. He had worked in the space lab since leaving C.A.L. Tech and he had very little leisure time. "Jim" Said Mr Edelson "You are sure of your facts?" "Yes Sir, I have the printout and 47 has the same data." "Right, I’ll be right over. How long are you there for?" "Another ninety minutes sir." There was a pause, then Mr Edelsons voice said. "Say nothing to no-one. Keep this to yourself. I’ll contact N.A.S.A. in Houston and see what they think." "Right Sir" and Jim put the phone down. Then spoke to 47. "Observe silence 47 unless an emergency occurs." "Will do" Replied 47. Then resumed watching Mercury.
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About the Book
An android observer monitoring the planets in the solar system from its satellite orbiting the earth, observes an asteroid impact on Mercury. After checking its instruments it concludes the impact will cause Mercury to fall into the Sun in about 11.5 years as its orbit decays. The resulting explosion will cause the solar system to be wiped out. The race then begins to evacuate the planet, only no space vehicle exists to do it. It seems we are doomed, and Armageddon is slowly approaching.
About the Author
John Seymour has had a grammar school education. He has attended Cambridge in search of information in the field of genetics. John is divorced, has five adult children, and has cousins living in Pharr, Texas and Denver, Colorado. Mr. Seymour began writing after his retirement from work as a civil engineer and surveyor six years ago. The books he has written in those years are Search and Mystery; The Deveraux Trilogy, Books I-II & III; The Yellow Box; and Threat. John’s hobbies include gardening and doing research for his writings. He has served in H.M. Forces.