2041 Sanctuary (Let There Be Light) Read Free Page B

of opinion. What is more important, if our methods are successful, is that we divert the final two much larger asteroids due in 2045.’ James Jackson made a gesture with his hand. ‘Observe.’
    The auditorium darkened and a glowing orb appeared in the centre of the ceiling. The ball of energy expanded as if ignited by some unseen power and flowed outwards, its tendrils of light activating the giant ceiling screen like a cascade of sparkling jewels. The sumptuous 3D image mapped out the solar system in exquisite detail before its focus rotated to the Earth and Moon, with the Sun moving to the far horizon on the opposite side of the room. Traced onto this living display, six red lines depicted the incoming tracks of the rapidly closing asteroids, and projected onto the end of each of those were the forms of irregularly shaped rocks, each with a data tag attached in the form of a graphical box displaying its designation and forecasted impact date. Blossoming into being close to the slowly rotating image of Earth, four lines of silver arced out to meet four of their red counterparts. Where they met, a circular flash of light turned red lines to green which diverted the asteroids past Earth, leaving only two red lines to realise their original destination on the surface of our world.
    With the show over, the ceiling display faded and turned back to an opaque white, prompting the NASA administrator to continue speaking. ‘You do not need me to tell you that the closer the asteroids are, the greater our chances of success. The first of our manned missions will embark from the ISS in only a few weeks’ time, so let me and my colleagues introduce you to the brave men and women who are the tip of the spear.’
    The head of the CNSA, the Chinese National Space Administration, who stood next to the NASA administrator, moved to the fore and gave a perfunctory bow. ‘ Xing hui ,’ he said in greeting. ‘May I introduce Wang Bo Shi, commander and pilot of mission AG5–B Alpha Intercept and his science officer, Li Yǔ Háng Yuán.’
    At the front of the auditorium on the ISS, a man and a woman floated to their feet and turned to give a smile and a wave to Tyler and everyone else in the room. The Chinese CNSA administrator then gave introductions for two more pairs of mission specialists, after which his European counterpart introduced their six representatives, each of whom stood in turn to salute or wave to their fellow astronauts.
    After five more teams from the international contingent had been formally named, the NASA administrator took centre stage once more. ‘And heading the United States mission AG5–D Omega Intercept, Professor Andrea Brunel and co-pilot Trent Arnold Moss, Junior.’
    Tyler recognised the names well; years earlier he’d helped train them both when they’d been fresh-faced to the agency. A sense of pride and joy stole over him at seeing the two of them stand to receive their applause; such a moment would stay with him for the rest of his days. Clapping along with everyone else, his mind began to wander as the remaining U.S. teams were introduced and the address by his superiors, beamed up to them from Houston, wound down. His thoughts returned to the GMRC and to Project Ares.
    ‘—Commander?’
    Tyler blinked. ‘What? Sorry, I must have zoned out, what did you say?’
    ‘Are you joining us for the reception?’ Astrid said, the screen at the front of the auditorium now blank, the speeches and introductions complete.
    ‘Yes, of course. Forgive me.’ Tyler glanced out of the window again as one of the GMRC Sabre space-aircraft undocked from the International Space Station. He looked back to Astrid. ‘Lead on, Mademoiselle Pichon.’
    Astrid smiled and held out a hand to help him out of his seat. With the formalities behind them, everyone in the room made their way to the ISS living quarters where food and alcohol-free drinks awaited. The auditorium darkened and the sounds of laughter and optimism