The Twins Paradox by Alan Gasparutti (best contemporary novels txt) 📖

be travelling at is very, very peculiar, especially for something that far out,” Steve replied.
“If these details are correct the asteroid is travelling many times faster than a comet at the centre of the solar system,” said Professor Marshall. “I make it that thing's moving at over a million miles an hour. Nothing's supposed to travel at that speed.”
“Except light,” said Robert.
“The thing is, we have the Secretary for Defence and some of his top military men here,” replied Professor Marshall. “We can't just tell them the asteroid has suddenly been deflected, and that we'll call them back when the next alert comes along. They probably won't take the matter seriously next time, and then what will happen?”
“Why don't we just go along with the original plan,” Robert suggested. “At this stage perhaps it's better we don't tell them anything about these latest events.”
“That's exactly what I was thinking,” Steve added, looking at the Professor. “We've been trying to call the military here for something like this for a long time. If we can get some proper training scheme and agree to the appropriate weapon designs, we'll hopefully have something in place next time an asteroid comes along.”
“This isn't something that can be rushed through in a few months,” added Robert.
“I couldn't agree more, but there may not be another asteroid heading for Earth for centuries, or more probably millennia,” replied Professor Marshall.
“But we can't take that risk, Frank,” Steve insisted. “Minor meteors are always smashing into the planet. Next time, though, it may be the big one.”
“I know, I know,” agreed Professor Marshall. “But if we are to deceive Mr Luddolmans, we'd also be deceiving the President.”
“We haven't yet started to assess the new course of the asteroid yet,” said Robert.
“Nor, for that matter, the course of the deflected comet,” added Steve. “We won't be deceiving anyone, because we don't yet know that either the asteroid or the comet are not heading for Earth.”
“Even in the last century, there was at least one medium-sized asteroid that smashed into the planet,” Robert pointed out. “And next time, it may be not be destined for outer Siberia, but for New York or LA.”
“If you're talking about the Tunguska asteriod, it was actually a meteorite, and it blew up in the atmosphere,” replied the Professor. “Records suggest that was the first significant meteorite for a long, long time.”
“What records?” asked Steve. “For how long have we been recording meteor smashes?”
“Meteor showers have been recorded for many years,” replied Professor Marshall.
“And how large are meteor showers?” asked Steve. “How can we be sure something like the Tunguska meteor didn't hit Australia three hundred years ago? Australia wasn't discovered then.”
“I note your concern, guys,” said Professor Marshall.
”For that matter, we can't be sure something similar didn't smash into the USA five-hundred years ago,” Robert emphasised. “There were no records at that time. People thought the Earth was at the centre of the universe.”
“We may today detect something smashing into Antarctica, but even 50 years ago we probably wouldn't have detected that until the actual event,” emphasised Steve.
“Okay,” said the Professor. “We'll go along with the original plans, but I want the shuttle crew to continue to monitor the asteroid, and for you to maintain the data.”
“Fine,” replied Steve. “How about the deflected comet?”
“Tell the 'space station crew to monitor that too,” Professor Marshall instructed. “Keep me informed of the situation.”
Professor Marshall then picked up his folder and pad.
“I'm going to see Mr Luddolmans,” he said. “We can't keep him waiting.”
“What do you want us to do in the meantime?” asked Robert.
“Just stay here for now, and wait for the new report,” ordered the Professor. “I'll tell Mr Luddolmans and his staff that the report has been delayed due to some malfunction on the space station. If you have any messages for me, just text them. I don't want to be disturbed for the next few hours.”
“What about when we receive the new report?” asked Steve.
“I'll come and see you when they go to lunch,” replied the Professor.
Professor Marshall went back into his office, where he apologised to Fred Luddolmans and his team for being away, and that there had been a malfunction on the space station. He then showed them the previous mappings for the asteroid. He explained that on the asteroid's ‘current’ course and speed it was projected to come close to Earth. He also explained the speed at which the asteroid was travelling at and that any collision could annihilate the human race.
Later, as he had indicated, Professor Marshall went to see Steve and Robert at lunchtime, by which time the report had been checked by the crew of the space station. They confirmed that the pictures from the latest report were indeed correct, as were all previous images. This in turn confirmed Steve and Robert’s view that the asteroid had changed course. They debated what to do next, afterwhich, it was decided not to inform Fred Luddolmans and his team of this. It was also agreed that further reports and pictures should be analysed before informing Mr Luddolmans of any developments.

Fred was called away by the President the next day, and left Air Commander Clint Williams and Major-General Cornelius Smith to work with NASA. Professor Marshall arranged further meetings over the next few days for Clint and Cornelius with a team of NASA engineers and designers. This was to examine what would make the best missile. Professor Marshall also explained that there were different types of asteroids, and that what may be the best type of missile for one asteroid may not be ideal for another type. Amongst other arrangements, engineers showed Clint and Cornelius a model of the space shuttle, and how it could be used in such an event.

Steve continued to monitor reports of the asteroid and comet. He asked Robert Langman to double-check each days records, and together they developed a picture of the new movements. At the end of the next week, they had a brief meeting with Professor Marshall.
“Thanks for keeping me informed about the daily movements, but what about their general courses,” asked the Professor.
“Well, though the asteroid is no longer on a collision course with Earth, if it continues on it's current trajectory, it will still pass relatively close,” said Steve, as he turned to his monitor and opened the spreadsheet.
“How close?” asked the Professor.
“About 12 million miles,” Steve told him. “That's about half the distance to Venus. I would say it should still be carefully monitored, especially an asteroid of that size.”
“Do you think it may still pose a danger to Earth?” queried the Professor.
“This asteroid isn't ordinary,” said Steve. “The weird thing is that though it's slowed significantly, it's still moving faster than we'd expect. If it were to move within the speed expected, it could still hit Earth.”
“Why should it slow down as it nears the sun?” the Professor asked.
“We don't know if it's travelling faster because it's below the solar plain,” said Steve. “As it 'rises' to the solar plain it may pick up the drag from other planets and satellites. It's course will take it near Saturn.”
“Hhhmmmm,” muttered Professor Marshall. “I don't like that asteroid. There's something strange about it. How long do we have before it approaches Earth?”
“Six months,” Steve told him.
Professor Marshall then asked about the comet.
“I've been monitoring this for Steve,” said Robert, “as this is now out of range of the asteroid.”
Robert then showed the Professor a similar spreadsheet, recording the comet's movements.
“It doesn't look like it will come anywhere near Earth, thank goodness,” he told the Professor. “However, there is one very interesting thing about it's course.”
“What's that?” asked the Professor.
“It looks as if it may collide with Mars,” explained Robert.
“Let me see that,” asked Professor Marshall as he went to look at Robert's monitor in more detail.
“The comet seems to be travelling at the sort of speed we'd expect it to,” added Robert. “It won't hit Mars for almost a year, but my records suggest the comet is heading directly for it.”
Professor Marshall looked at the spreadsheet carefully.
“It's not due to approach any other planet on it's course, though it may smash into the asteroid belt before it reaches Mars,” added Robert.
Professor Marshall then turned back to Steve.
“By how much did you say the asteroid should miss Earth?” he queried.
“By about 12 million miles,” Steve replied.
“How much room for error do we have?” the Professor asked.
“Not much,” replied Steve. “I'd say less than one per cent. At the current distance of the asteroid, there's plenty of room for error, but it's course only has to be out by a couple of degrees to have our name on it. I can do a quick calculation on screen.”
He then made a projection for the asteroid to hit Earth, to equate a true estimate.
”In actual fact, Frank, according to my calculations, we have less than one per cent room for error,” said Steve.
This gave them all much concern.
“Print me the asteroid's current course and a projected course to hit Earth,” the Professor instructed. “I'll send a copy to the President.”
“Shall I leave out it's earlier course, before it was deflected near the Kuiper belt?” Steve queried.

“Yes,” replied Professor Marshall. “We don't want to confuse the President, do we! I'll send another copy to Mr Luddolmans, too. They're flying to Moscow next Wednesday and this is on the agenda.”
“When was that arranged?” asked Robert. “I didn't think there were any summits just now.”
“This is top secret, so don't say anything about it,” ordered the Professor.
“How come you knew about it?” asked Steve.
“Because I've been invited along,” said Professor Marshall.


It Happened Tomorrow

It was Tuesday September 25th 2008. Professor Marshall was due to fly to Washington that afternoon. While he was preparing documents and data in his office, to take with him to Moscow, the phone rang.
“Hello Frank,” said an old friend of his from the European Space Agency. “Dermot O'Hagan here, I just wanted to pick your brains for few moments.”
“Hi Dermot, I'd love to talk to you but I have a very important meeting to go to,” Professor Marshall replied.
“Oh don't worry, this won't take long,” said Dermot.
“How can I help?” asked the Professor.
“It's probably more how I can help you,” Dermot replied.
“Well now, I can't refuse that, can I,” laughed Professor Marshall.
“I've noticed a rather strange object in the solar system just at the moment,” Dermot told him. “It's currently approaching the orbit of Neptune, and I thought you may want to know about it.”
Professor Marshall went quiet for a moment.
“Hello Frank, are you still there?” asked Dermot on the other end of the line, as though the call had been cut off.
“Oh, erhh, I'm still here Dermot,” said the Professor. “I think I'd better put you through to one of my staff. He said he's seen something strange in the solar system, too.”
Professor Marshall then transferred the call to Steve.
“Good morning, NASA HQ,” Steve said at the other end of the line.
“Steve, it's me, Frank Marshall,” said the Professor. “I've got Dermot O'Hagan from the European Space Agency on the line. It sounds as if he's spotted that asteroid, so can you take this call.”
“What shall I tell him, Frank?” asked Steve.
“As little as possible. Try and find out how much he knows, and whether the ESA have anything planned,” ordered the Professor, before putting his phone down.
After brief greetings, Dermot introduced himself to Steve and described the strange