fifth book(finished version)
Annihilated Contact
A Novel by Dan Bellows
October 12, 2005
“...Houston, we've got a four-twenty-one on the landing zone.”
“Roger, transferring communication data.”
“Ten—four Houston. Commencing landing in 10 seconds. Five hundred feet. Four hundred and twenty-five feet. Three hundred and fifty feet. Two hundred and seventy-five feet. T-minus two seconds. T-minus one.”
“.....Landing stage complete. Houston, Shuttle Ariel 71 is now aboard the International Space Station.”
Ariel 71 Supervise Commander and Flight Operator, also Commander of all Ariel Shuttles, Robert Herdman exits the ship, now among thousands on the ISS.
“Welcome, Mr. Herdman. I'm Professor Copy Russell of the department of Near Earth Object Collisions. I've called you aboard today because there seems to be a situation-------”
“--------I know the situation, Professor. If you can fill me in on how I might be able to help you, I would be happy to.”
“Well, certainly, Mr. Herdman. I contacted Mr. Donald Shanley.”
“The Defense Secretary for NASA?”
“That's correct. We think there might be something bigger out there than the next 'Haley's Comet'. Mr. Donald Shanley told me you're the best man for the job.”
“How much information do we have on it?”
“We know that it's at least five miles wide, and it's no damn Marvin the Martian.”
“Where's it headed?”
“Somewhere between Earth and the moon, and it's coming at 1,530 miles an hour.”
“Jesus. Direct me to the observatory... I want to see this thing up close.”
------57 Miles Outside Tucson, Arizona-------
“Honey, bring me out the other potting soil! This stuffs' a piece of shit!”
“Coming, honey. --------------AHH! Were under attack! It's World War 3! There dropping the nukes!”
She throws the potting soil in the air and runs back in the house. The man, gardening, looks around in astonishment. He sees particles of something crashing into Earth, creating huge dust and flame clouds as far as he could see. He runs into the house and calls the Operator.
“Good Afternoon, this is your Operator. Can I help you?”
“Yes..., this is Jack Smith down here in Relinton. I just witnessed some kind of explosion in my front yard”, the guy said out of breathe.
“OK...calm down....what kind of object made the explosion?”
“I think it came from the sky.... about 15 – 25 feet long.”
“Alright, I'm going to put you through to the Space Administration.”
------International Space Station----------
“Hey! Watch It!”
“Watch where you're going, buddy!”
“Slow down!”, people yell as a man runs down the halls. The man opens the door the Observatory, where Mr. Cody Russell and Mr. Robert Herdman are still observing the object.
“Mr. Herdman”, the man says out of breathe. “I really need to talk to you. It's an emergency.”
The guy takes him across the hall to and empty office. He pulls out photos.
“These are helicopter views of a supposedly meteoroid crashed and hit an oil tank, near Relinton, Arizona. Reports came in that an operator connected a local witness to the Space Administration. They took it into their hands to check out the situation. They claim it wasn't a meteoroid that hit. There saying it's a broken off piece of asteroid. The thing is, they think the asteroid it broke off is big, and I put emphasis on big. Were talking five or six miles wide. Now, the reason I brought this to your attention today is because the asteroid I'm talking about is the same asteroid your tracking.”
“OK. Do you have any more information on it than we do?”
The guy pulls out a long sheet of laminated paper. It shows a large object on a grid with numbers. It's an overview of an asteroid.
“We've got five days.”
There's a silence in the room.
“...Dear God...” Rob finally says softly. “Who else knows?”
“Nobody else knows. I was up all night observing the asteroid. I named it 'Leroy – 10-H05' the man said while giggling.
“I could care less what you call it. This is no laughing matter. This is an emergency situation”, Rob said, not realizing the guy was high on coffee. “Listen, just run down to Administration. Let them know about the situation. I'll get in connect with U.S. Defense.
“Moments later, Rob is on the phone with a White House Operator.
“White House Operator. Can I help you”, a woman says politely.
“Yes...., this Supervise Commander for Ariel 71 Shuttle for NASA, Robert Herdman. I need to talk to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfield. This is an emergency.”
“Mr. Rumsfield is in a meeting at this time. Can I take a message?”
“Listen lady, your going to die in a few days if you don't connect me to Donald Rumsfield.
There's a silence before the operator slams the phone down. He waits by the phone while he thinks of what to do. The phone rings. Rob picks up the phone.
“Hello?”
“How are you doing? Is this Supervise Commander Robert Herdman?”
“Yes. Who is this? Can I help you?”
“This is the Washington, D.C. Police Department. We got a call from a White House Operator that claimed she received a threat. Now, Mr Herdman, this is a serious offense. Do you understand the consequences that come with making threats like this?”
“Listen.....Mr......?”
“Officer Beers”, the cops says.
“Well, Mr. Beers......Do you understand the consequences that come with the facts? Listen, I'm sorry for making threats. I was just angry.”
“Alright, I don't want to hear your name and threats in the same sentence again.”
“Alright, bye now...”
“C-ya later”, the cop says as he hangs up.
Cody Russell walks in the room.
“What was that all about?”
“Well, I just called the White House, and an operator called the cops on me for making threats. I didn't want to argue with the police, so I just told him a lie and hung up.”
“God Damn it! Let me see that phone.”
He pulls out a small piece of paper with a number on it.
“This is Donald Rumsfield's personal cell phone number.”
Cody and Rob share a look and Cody dials the number. It rings a few times before someone finally picks up.
“Rumsfield here.”
“This is Professor Cody Russell of the Department of NEO's. There is an emergency situation.”
“Professor Russell, I haven't seen you in years. Where have you been?”
“There is no time for chit-chat, Don. There is a world wide emergency situation.”
“Oh...you're....serious?”
“Ok, I'll give it to you flat out. there is an asteroid headed straight for Earth, probably somewhere in America. It's 5.7 miles wide, and it's expected to hit within the next five days.”
There's a silence.
“What kind of.....destruction....are we talking about?”
Cody lets out a sigh.
“Complete....sir. The destruction of an entire planet. Nothing can hide from it, not even bacteria.”
Jesus Mary Mother of God......I'll contact the President. I want you to keep feeding me information on this.”
“Will do.”
They both hang up at the same time.
------NASA; Houston, Texas – Flight Training Room------
“That's the way to do it! Come on, a few seconds longer! ------Go! Go! Go! You can do it!”
“Pppphhhhhuuuuu!”
The man lets out a deep, heavy, breath after a lung capacity test.
“Tim----- That's the way to motivate those astronauts of yours! By the way, you have a phone call on line 3”, a voice says over a loud speaker.
“Hello, this is Tim Sapin.”
“Tim, do you have fourteen astronauts ready for a mission?”
“I certainly do.”
“Do any of them have education in asteroids?”
“A few, yes.”
“Suit them up, and prepare a launch.”
“Is this some kind of joke?”
“Tim, this is no joke. This is an emergency. Listen, just ask Administration for PLAN – A150 – DASH 5. They'll set it up.”
He hangs up the phone. Time hangs up the phone and runs down the hall.
October 14, 2005
Days, 5 Hours, 32 Minutes to Impact)
------NASA; Houston, Texas – Launch ------
The podium is the only thing that stands out amongst thousands of people in the audience. An announcer speakers up. Everyone gets quiet.
“Ladies and gentleman, the President of the United States.”
Loud cheering and clapping is heard as the President walks up to the podium.
“Good Afternoon.”
The audience gets apprehensive. The cheering gets louder. Most people in the audience hold up signs saying 'It's the end of the world!', 'Armageddon, here we are!' and 'Were all going to die!'. The crowd looks like New York City at New Years Eve 1999. Police move in to prevent riots.
“Welcome.”
He waits a second while people calm down.
“We are under a severe world wide emergency situation. We need everyone's cooperation under these kinds of circumstances. As humans, we must face certain inalienable truths. The species will rise, and fall...and it's our job as human beings to protect those of which are significant to the species of the human race. I'm not speaking to you, today, as the President of the United States of America. Not as the leader of our country, but as a citizen of humanity. We are faced with the very gravest of challenges. The challenges must be comprehensible and we the people must overcome them. Our Holy Bible calls the day of the great destruction 'Armageddon', the end of all things. Yet, for the first time in the history of the nation, the species has the technology to prevent any extinction. Through all of our hatred defiance and struggles, there is only one thing that reaches high above and out of its origin...and that is our courage... The courage to dream...the courage to hope, and wish...the courage to face the very thing we are fighting! We must overcome this.....We will overcome this....and the species will live on! The hopes and dreams of an entire planet are focused today, on those fourteen brave souls, traveling into the heavens. The events will take place in God's willing hands. Our responsibility as human beings are to prevent these events.....and prevent these events, WE WILL! We will not fail, we will not falter, and we will not fail! Astronauts, Earth is depending on your hope and courage. God speed and good luck to you.”
The entire audience rises to their feet and praises the President. Confetti and banners are thrown in the air. The announcer speaks up.
“Beginning launch sequence of USAF 'Earth Grasp 2005'”
“Rodger Houston...Commencing in 25 seconds.”
The audience becomes silent. People are taken pictures, and some have video cameras.
“Houston, releasing safety hatches from bay pad.... 6 seconds and counting...T-minus 5, T-minus 4, T-minus 3 seconds.....initiating hyper drive oxygen supply hose.... T-minus 1 second..... Liftoff Earth Grasp. Liftoff, we have liftoff of the International USAF Earth Grasp. We have your transmission.”
“10-4...ETA 39 minutes to Leroy-H05 Asteroid.”
“10-4”
-------International Space Station--------
“Mr. Herdman, you have a phone call on line 4....Mr. Herdman, phone call on line 4”, comes over the intercom.
Rob picks up the phone.
“Hello? This is Robert Herdman.”
“Rob, baby, this is Brit. Listen, I really want you to come home... I just saw the launch on TV about them blowing up the asteroid or something. Something might go wrong...Would you please come home to me?”
“Honey, I've got work to do. I can't come home right now. I am head over heels in paper work about our shuttle transmissions.”
“Baby, care a little about your girlfriend and come see me. I hate having to talk to you on the phone all the time, and the satellites can be interfered anytime, and then I won't even have that.”
“Alright, Brittany, I promise I'll be home soon. I'll catch one of the next flights down to Earth.”
“Are you making fun of me, Rob?”
“I'll talk to you later, Hun. C-ya later.”
“Alright, Good-bye babe.”
“Bye.”
They both hang up the phone. Rob heads back to his office.
“Rob Herdman, you have a phone call on line 3. Mr Herdman, phone call on line 3”, Rob hears come over the intercom. He heads back to the phone he was at and picks it up.”
“Honey, I said I'll be home soon...How about you put on something sexy for me when I get there?”
“Umm... Robert Herdman, this is Alicia Youngston from the Tree-County Memorial National Hospital, and...umm...I'm not a stripper, and I'm not going to have on something sexy.”
Oh, umm...I thought you were somebody else. Please excuse that. But, umm... can I help you with something?”
“Yes, I have some information to pass on from Doctor Ginrey. It seems there's a problem with your grandmother.”
“My Grandma Susie? What? What has happened to her? What's wrong?”
“Well, Susie Herdman called an ambulance this morning for help. She had a heart malfunction.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Umm...I'm afraid to say, she didn't make it.”
“What? Dear God.... Jesus....oh god...”
“We did everything we could. I'm afraid it was just her time. Is there anything I can do for you, Mr. Herdman?”
“If you could, would you please contact my brother, David? I know he would really like to know about this. And I'll.....I'll be on the next flight home.”
Rob hangs up the phone. Professor Cody Russell comes up to Rob.
“Is everything okay, Rob? You seem a little upset.”
“I just got some bad news from a local hospital. My grandma passed away this morning.”
“Oh....I'm sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“If you could, would you please book me the next flight to Detroit?”
“Well, there's a shuttle leaving for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 1:20. From there, you could probably catch a plane to your house.”
“Thanks, Cody. I don't know what I would do without you.”
“Sure thing, Rob.”
------Shuttle USAF, Earth Grasp 2005; Main Deck------
“Houston, we are ETA 2 minutes from Leroy-H05..., but there seems to be some paranormal activity here.”
“Rodger Earth Grasp. What seems to be the disturbance?”
“Well, all backup engines have shut down, and we are now running on Second Support.”
“Second Support? How come that isn't showing up on our screens?”
“I don't know, but we are now ETA 1 minute, and the nuke planter isn't responding.”
“What is your 20 by the asteroid?”
“We are approximately 78° Southeast, and 103.5° Northwest angle on side C-7.”
“Alright, switch to Manual Constrain Drive on Switch 89-P.”
“Rodge... Converting......Umm...Houston, we have a slight problem. Manual Constrain Drive isn't responding to any orders.”
“Earth Grasp, I'm going to try to switch you over to our control.”
“Houston, we are now ETA 5 seconds to target. If we are going to drop the nuke, this is the time to do it.”
“Rodge. We are having technical difficulties at this time, Earth Grasp.”
Earth Grasp's transmission goes blank. Their contact screen is scrambled. Houston is not responding.
“Houston, we are going down. I repeat, we are going down. MADE-A. MADE-A... we are going down.”
The ship crashes into the asteroid, and a giant fire ball rises. Pieces of ship fly out in space.
------NASA; Houston, Texas; Earth Grasp 2005 Control Room------
“Do we still have contact? What's happening?” a professor says.
“Sir, I'm afraid we lost contact.”
“Lost contact? What the hell do you mean, you lost contact?”
“Our screens went blank, and we didn't get responses.”
“Well, hook up with another satellite....we have to get this ship back.”
“Umm... I'm afraid they're already gone. They must have crashed into the asteroid by now. The ship was stuck on auto drive, as it went toward the rock.”
“Jesus.... What back up plans do we have?”
“....There is no back up plan. Just hope.”
------Detroit, Michigan; Brittany's Residence------
“Thanks, man.”
“That comes to $40.55”, the taxi driver says as Rob gives him a wad of cash.”
Rob walks up yo Brittany's house and rings the doorbell. Brittany comes out and gives Rob a hug.
“Ooooohhhh, Rob, baby..... I missed you so much! I didn't think you were coming home until tomorrow!”
“Hey, babe.... What's going on?”
“Nothin'. You?”
“Not much... Except for the fact that I have to get back to work before tomorrow, so I won't have much time with you.”
“Ah, babe. That sucks.”
“I'm sorry, it's my boss...he works me overtime.”
“Then tell him you're going to quit. You don't need that job.”
“Honey, I can't quit now, especially when I'm into a big research project like this.”
“What project?”
“The Leroy – H05 Asteroid Project.”
“Leroy – H05? My god, that reminds me...did you hear about what happened?”
“Huh, what....what are you talking about? What happened?”
“I can't believe you didn't hear. The Shuttle Earth Grasp 2005, sent to intervene the asteroid, crashed into the rock, and now NASA is trying to cover it up.”
“What? That's crazy. Where did you hear that?”
“It's all over the news. Come here.”
Brittany leads Rob to the television and turns it to the Fox News Channel. A man starts to speak.
“...'and what we had was a slight malfunction in the ship. We couldn't do anything about it. It wasn't properly maintained. I feel the maintenance department should be under investigation'...... Well, there you go folks. That was Mr. Donald Shanley, the Defense Secretary for NASA. We'll have more top breaking news about the death rock, after these messages.”
Brittany turns off the television.
“You see, they think it's too late to send up another ship.”
Rob looks stunned.
“Jesus”, Rob finally says. “We have to get the hell out of here....now! Let's go!”
Rob pulls Brittany's arm and drags her along.
“Rob, where are we going? What's going on? I have to grab my stuff!”
“There's no time, we have to get up to the ISS.”
------International Space Station-------
“Professor Cody Russell, you have a phone call on line 3. Professor Cody Russell, phone call on line 3”, comes over the intercom.
Cody Russell picks up the phone in his office.
“This is Professor Cody Russell of the Near Earth Asteroid Collision Project. Can I help you?”
“Cody...this is Robert Herdman...”
“Mr. Herdman, how are you?”
“There's no time to chat....didn't you hear the news?”
“Well, yes... I heard that Earth Grasp 2005 crashed. So?”
“Don't you realize? There saying they can't send up another ship. Don't you get the damn point? Were all going to fucking die! We have to go to Emergency Switch 89!”
“Emergency Switch 89? Have you lost your mind? That would call for the entire evacuation of the station!”
“Listen, I've been looking it over. In 37 hours, the asteroid will be in line with the station, and they'll be a possible collision before hitting Earth.”
“How the hell could you find out a collision plan that accurate?”
“Leroy Jackson.”
“Leroy Jackson? The guy that named the asteroid?”
“Exactly. He lent me some paper work. I didn't know what it was until I got to my girlfriend's house, and after I heard the news about Earth Grasp. I looked over the paper work, and to my surprise it had information about the asteroid's gravitational pull. This thing's hitting somewhere in the eastern time zone of the United States, probably more north, around Chicago.”
“My God... well, I'll get the phone with---------”
The phone scrambles and the connection is gone.
------Brittany's house in Detroit, Michigan-------
“Hello? Cody? Hello?”
He hangs up the phone.
The lights go out. Rob starts to hear sirens and sees all kinds of flashing lights.
“Rob, what's going on outside?” asks Brittany.
Rob walks over to the window and opens the curtains.
“Holy shit! Lock the windows and doors! Hurry! Their coming over here!”
All of a sudden, a kid shoots a gun, and a bullet just misses Rob, and shatters the window.
“Fuck! Brittany... GET DOWN!”
Rob hears police shouting over a loud speaker.
“This is the Michigan National Guardsmen, and the Detroit Riot Police. STOP you acts at once or we will be forced to use lethal force!”
The crowd gets more energetic. People are tipping over cars, throwing rocks, and some even shooting guns at everything. All of a sudden, someone drives a truck into the crowd, and runs over and kills at least 15 people. People start breaking into people's houses and smashing everything.
“Brittany, come with me!”
Rob takes Brittany out the back door, and crawls under some bushes to a back road. Rob finds a parked car, and smashes the window with a rock.
“Hurry, get in the car!”
He pulls out a bunch of wires under the dash board and snips at least ten of them. Then he puts two of the wires together and the car starts.
“Rob, where the heck did you learn to do that?”
“You don't become a NASA Flight Operator without skills.”
Rob zooms down the street, and gets on the highway. There is nobody driving on the road, and the sign that says 'Interstate Route 94' is knocked down.
“Rob, where are we going?”
“The Detroit City Airport. We have to get to the John F' Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida.
------International Space Station------
“This is an emergency evacuation of the International Space Station. We are on center course of mass destruction. This is not a test. I repeat, this is an emergency evacuation of the International Space Station. Everyone please go to the nearest Earth Bound shuttle to transfer to the Russian Space Station for holding. Thank You”, comes over the intercom.
Flashing lights and loud intercoms are all that people can see and hear, as they run to the Earth Bound Shuttle Station for transferring.
Something comes over the intercom again... “All outgoing flights will be going to the Russian Space Station for an emergency holding.”
Professor Cody Russell is one of the first ones on one of the ship's control desk.
“Starting engines....We will commence liftoff in 7 seconds. Engaging safety controls...Liftoff in 5, 4, 3, 2, T-minus 1 second...Liftoff, we have liftoff of the ISS Emergency Shuttle “Inyin 74” to arrive at the Russian Space Station ETA 20 minutes”, says Cody Russell over the ships' loud speaker.
------John F. Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida------
“Brittany, wake up...were here”, Rob whispers.
“Where are we?”
“Were in Florida, at the Kennedy Space Center.”
“Oh, oh...ok...”
They exit the plane and run into the Outgoing Shuttle Station.
“Hi...I'm Flight Operator and Supervise Commander, Robert Herdman. I need an Ariel Shuttle ASAP”, Rob says out of breath.
“Please hold.....” the secretary says while typing.
“Ok, may I please see your NASA ID?”
“Here you go”, Rob says as he hands her is ID.
“Ok, we have an Ariel 64-B Ship available in a building marked A--#34 in section H-8.”
“Thank you...” Rob says while he runs off.”
A few minutes later, Rob and Brittany are in the building marked A-#34.
“Ok, Brittany, get the keys to an Ariel 64—B Ship in that office over there.”
“Got them, here they are.”
“Alright, hop in...Let's rock and roll!”
They both get in the ship, that looks more like an airplane than a space shuttle, with “Ariel 64-B -- -- -- N A S A” written in big letters across the side of it. Rob starts up the ship, and enters the destination in the computer.
“Destination – International Space Station. Estimated Time to Arrival – 15 minutes on Hyper-Drive Switch 5”, comes over the computer. After Rob puts the ship on Auto, he pulls out his cell phone and calls his brother David. It rings a few times before someone picks up.
“Hello? This is David.”
“Dave, this is your brother Rob...how are you doing?”
“Robert, I can't believe you're actually calling me. I'm surprised!”
“Ha ha... Listen, where are you right now?”
“Why, is there some kind of prank your planning again?”
“No, I'm serious...where are you right now?”
“I'm at my house in Albany, New York....where I've lived for fifteen years, Rob!”
“How fast can you get to the ISS?”
“Funny. Ok, ok, where are the party balloons, huh? Where is the candid camera? The jokes' over.”
“I'm serious, David! Listen... there is an asteroid coming right at us. You have two choices. You can answer the question, and survive, or you can sit there and die for no reason at all!”
“Why the hell shouldn't I stand here and die for no reason?!? Grandma Susie died for no reason at all! No reason at all! You tell me that's right?!?”
“David...., Grandma had her time...We all die eventually...its part of the human cycle!”
“I don't want your stupid ass scientific theories on the human cycle! Grandma was only 73 years old! She could have lasted 30 more years!”
“We all have our time. You could die tomorrow for God's sake!”
“Well, holy shit! What do you know?!? I AM going to die tomorrow! That asteroid will kill everything and anything in its path!”
“But I need you to come up to the ISS with me...to survive!”
“My soul will still survive...and besides, then I'll be able to see Grandma again!”
David hangs up, and the connection is terminated.
“David! David? Are you still there? Shit... He hung up!”
“It will be okay, Rob, honey. David didn't understand. You tried to explain it to him. You tried, and that's what counts”, Brittany says to Rob.
“I just wish David would understand that it hurts me too, that Grandma died. But that has nothing to do with surviving the end of civilization.”
“I know. I know”, Brittany says as she tries to comfort him. “But hey, look, we're at the ISS already.”
“Okay... I'll park this ship and get in there.”
Rob enters the landing zone, and commences the landing sequence. They land successfully and they exit the ship.
“What the hell? Where the hell is everyone? Wait...Wait a minute... let me call Cody Russell.”
Rob calls Professor Cody Russell on his cell phone.
“This is Mr. Russell, can I help you?”
“I'm at the ISS. The question is, 'Where are you?'”
“I'm at the Russian Space Station. I took your advice and evacuated.”
“And you didn't inform me?”
“I didn't feel the need to. Besides, I don't even know your cell phone number.”
“Ah, okay. Well then I'll be right over.”
“Okay, I see.....”
The phone reception scrambles. The lights go out. All of a sudden, Rob and Brittany fall to the floor right after a large piece of asteroid slams into the side of the Station, almost wiping out one of the 200 foot solar panels.
“Jesus! Brittany, are you alright?”
“I think so. I just bumped my head a little.”
“Thank God. That took me by surprise.....Oh, wait a minute...”
He runs down the hall to a door that says 'Department of Near Earth Object Collisions'. Brittany runs after him.
“Rob, where are you going?”
“I've got to check the asteroids trajectory plans. This thing might have switched positions on us.”
He goes into the office and gets on the computer. He types a few numbers in, and connects with a satellite.
“Damn! Just as I thought! The asteroid has changed positions. It's still on a collision course, but...it's... going to miss the ISS. It's now only 13 minutes until impact.”
“Then what just crashed into us, if the asteroid is supposed to miss us?”
“Oh, that was just small particles of rock that float in front of the asteroid. The asteroid itself is 5.7 miles wide. Hey, wait a second...it takes at least 10 minutes to get up to the Observatory Deck...and we'll have a front row seats to the end of the world.”
“Your looking forward to this, aren't you, Rob?”
“To tell you the truth, when I was a little kid, I always wondered how the world might end. I never thought I would live through it. I had ideas about Jesus coming down to save the hurt and poor and to sentence the bad to hell. I had ideas about aliens coming down to kill everyone, and taking over the planet. I even had ideas about a large asteroid, smashing into the side of the planet, and annihilating Earth. I never thought I would be this young to die... but of course, there's enough food and supplies here in the station to prevent us from dying for years! I just wish my family could be here with me.”
“It's ok...most of my family died years ago. You eventually get over it. Like you said, 'Everyone has their time.'”
“Yep. But I suppose we should get going up to the deck.”
“Yeah, let's go.”
They both run up the stairs to the main deck, and then go out the door to the Observatory Deck, a 50 foot wide, glass sphere, with a flat floor extending 25 feet in all directions. They wait a few minutes as they see the asteroid come just 200 yards from hitting the ISS. All of a sudden, the rock hits Earth and huge balls of flames and dust rise up out of the atmosphere. Within minutes, dust and dirt rises all the way up to the ISS, and Rob and Brittany's view is blocked. Suddenly, Rob is startled by his cell phone ringing.
“Hello?”
“Rob, can you believe this, this...this is astonishing...this is beyond belief.”
“Who is this?”
“It's Cody Russell.”
“Mr. Russell, I thought you didn't know my phone number.”
“Oh, my cell phone stores the name and number of the last person that calls you. Kind of like Caller ID.”
“Oh, I see...”
“But isn't this amazing? I never thought I would see something so spectacular as this. All my days researching Asteroids, I never thought I would be this close to one. I never thought I would witness the------------wait a minute, what the hell?”
“What?”
“Well, there's some kind of rock coming in this direction. But it's coming up from Earth. What the hell could that--------”
The phone connection goes blank.
“Cody? Cody! Mr. Russell?!?”
He hangs up the phone.
“What's wrong?” Brittany asks.
“I think the Russian Space Station just got wiped out.”
“We...we might be the only surviving people in the entire race of humans.”
------International Space Station; August 18, 2009-------
“Come on, honey...breathe! Breathe in and out! Come on, honey! You can do it! It's almost there! Push! Push! You can do it! Ooooohhhhh...... It's.... it's a baby girl! Oh, congratulations Brittany...honey. It's a baby girl.
And that is the story of a struggle for survival. The human race lasted through wars, fights, fires, and any imaginable natural force. But the human race had never experienced such a great catastrophe. They had given up on hope. They had given up on wishes. They have given up on survival. And in the end, only two overcame the greatest disaster in human history – The end of the world.
TO BE CONTINUED: The Milky Way: Journey Through Space