Lillyloude

This is a full redo of the prologue thats currently at the start of the book, I wanted to do something that let it flow with the rest of the story.

2030 March 28th - Siding Spring Observatory, Sydney, Australia.

“Raj mate! Did you see the scores for the game? Getting thrashed!” leaning back in the leather seat, my co-worker James throws down their jacket onto their chair at their station. 10 minutes late as usual, better have my bribe ready.

“Well that's what happens yeah, when Mike whatsername can’t bowl for shit you get knocked out of the running hah'' James puts a coffee on my desk and gives me a wink, cheeky bugger, good thing I like him so much.

“Mike Dustin” he smirks..

I know what is coming but I open my mouth anyway. “ Dustins?..”

The biggest shit eating grin of his life “Yeah dustin deez n-” Is quickly dispelled by the entrance of our no fuck around attitude Boss.

“Gentlemen! We have been given more coordinates to check today. I know it's been a fucked month but I expect that we get our jobs done. James, don't think I don't see the building access times, you're lucky you actually know how to do your job! .. Alright then get at it, this isn't a picnic!”

In and out, no fucking around, a hearty morning gesture to freshen up our morning, good wakeup call!

At both our desks is a multi-layered monitor setup, some really serious tech. Some science organization started buying up a lot of observatories and upgrading the hell out of them about 5 years ago. In the last year James and I got hired under ‘universal localized exploration’, both of us being from highly technical backgrounds with additional qualification in astrophysics. Threw us into teams of 2 and were given coordinates to search with the multiple telescopes, then used them to create 3D images of far off locations. It feels like they are looking for something? New life maybe?

All I know is we've found a lot of rocks and a hell of an increase in pay since we started. I've worked some shit jobs and the only bad thing is the morning pep talk.

“H-hey uhh Raj.. Uhh can you double check the coordinates and calibration for me?.. Sector Z2398C, I-I’ve calibrated it a few times and I really want to be wrong.. Please be wrong..”

Throwing the coordinates in the computer it brings up a 3d model of a very small section of space.. With a very large object reflecting the sun in its surroundings, making it very clear, some of its surface looks metallic like a spaceship.

“Uhh let me check the calibration and reset the telescopes?! Although this is fucking clear as day mate.. Fuck me.. Possible trajectory.. earth..”

Everything reset, I throw it back in and brace myself.. I-its still there.. Of course its still fucking there!

“Get everything we can on it! Size, speed, possible material composition uhh fuck think fuck, its fucking huge.. telemetry data on all possible Trajectories, how did we even get the coordinates??”

“Same as fucking always they send them in batch, they are probably mapping out sectors and combining it with data from other units”

“Throw the emergency switch for all the other operators to gather as much data with their observatories, we need to know everything we can!”

“Which ones?!” James is pointing to a wall of contacts in case of emergency.

“Fucking all of them mate!”

…

2030 April 14th - News Station.

“I’m going to be right next to you, holding your hand, while you tell the world we’re fucked, but hey, at least we have each other?..” James smiles gently at me, cheeky bastard, things changed.. Quickly when the shit hit the fan, all the observatories matched the same information, all of the data was thrown together and bam.. High chance of being fucked, but all we can do is wait until it gets closer. Too many variables in play.

James and I decided to get a drink after that day, which turned into a ‘we could go back to my place.’ When you feel that the world is ending, it puts some things into perspective.

Standing in front of the camera’s, they give the go ahead that they are now live. James was never much of a public speaker so he ‘graciously’ gave it up to me to do all the talking as the first ones to discover it. James is close by as promised, I feel his soft hands in mine. You can tell he's never had a rough day in his life, but I think I love him for it.

“As everyone I'm sure is aware, there have been developments at observatories all over the world, James and I were the first ones to detect the object, initiate alarms and observation protocols at 0930 AEDT on the 29th of March. As of yesterday we have ascertained with a real possibility that Asteroid Designation 2030 FK will arrive in our solar system in the next 2 years. With exact approximation still underway, as well as its exact movements and trajectory, although it's possible that earth.. will be in its possible range, due to too many variables we will only find this out in the next half year. At this point there has been a lot of panic and I understand why, please be safe, humanity will need to bond together more than ever at this point, any questions?”

Many news reporters are stunned. A few stand up dourly, I'm sure some just want to get home to their families, to make sure they are there for them at this point. This speech is being broadcast live to all parts of the world, the entire world is in shock.. As much as I was.. lying in bed cradling James as he wept for our lives.

“How.. big is it?..” They hesitated to ask, honestly not wanting to know for real, maybe it's small enough to not do any real damage?..

“Estimates put it at a size of 2-3 thousand Kilometers circumference, to put it into perspective.. Our moon is 10 thousand.. And 200 times the size of the meteor that wiped out the dinosaurs ” A small shiver of shock runs through the crowd, the reporter who asked sits back down and pulls out her phone.. Then leaves her chair, running out of the room.

“Servers have been donated from Sci-Axium for the collection and sharing of 2030 FK and will be made public to all. Hopefully, this means that we can get as much information as possible. Thank you for being here and I'm sorry for this news, please be with your friends and families, I know I will.”

Stepping off the stage I clutch desperately onto James's hand and collapse against the wall at the back of the prep area. The tears that I held back for the camera are pouring down my face and James presses their forehead against mine, “You did amazing and you were so brave, I'm barely holding on and I didnt have to talk in front of the world. I’m announcing a sick day for the both of us, Mr. Mac can go bugger himself if he thinks we are going back to work after that. I'll flip him a message, he's a cold bastard but he's not ice cold.”

I get pulled into a hug and slowly pulled down the road into the company car. We set the destination for ‘home’, we decided, fuck it, lifes too short and I moved in with james last week, acting like a couple of U’haul lesbians at this point, but can you blame us..

…

2030 April 14th - Same Day

3 Gin and tonics later and I'm quietly buzzing, my brain has thankfully switched off. The phones are on silent, Matthew McMonaghey is dashing and being the most badass space dad possible. “You know I think you look a bit like him, I always thought you were dashing James, a cocky bastard but still.. Very dashing..” I look up at him from under his arm and kiss him on the side of his face.

“Well I hope so since you moved in. I always thought of myself as a Matt Damon though myself!” He grins and kisses me back on the forehead.

“Do you think we are going to make it?.. We don't have any gravity projects to save us.. At least none that I know of..”

“I mean that's the point Isn't it? Maybe NASA is hiding a super secret project to send us all to space, and only me and a hot guy named Raj can save us all! By.. I don't know.. controlling gravity and giving our boss a right spank on his bald head!” He shrugs and holds me a bit closer, both of us just.. trying to find comfort together..

“You know that bastard signed up for the ‘rich fuckers in space program’, saw the application form on his desk. Trying to escape before we even fully know we're doomed.”

“The governments and billionaires are piling all this money into a place on the moon that they don't even know is going to be safe, for all we know ‘FK’ is going to knock the moon out like a snooker ball and pocket them rich fucks in a black hole.”

“Don't worry, at least they are putting a 10th of the budget into bunkers.. Wow thanks.. We can only thank our overlords for treating us like animals instead of bugs..” I sigh and sink deeper into James' side. He's a little pudgy, but really that's how I like it. It's the most comfortable feeling I've had in years. I feel safe with him, but for how long can we stay safe..

…

2030 June 2nd - Home

“So what you're telling me is that the proposal for deep earth bunkers has been rejected and replaced with basic city section bunkers?! Dont give me that fucking shit! I know they are diverting resources for their fucking moon palace! And I know for a fact that several governments have constructed their own deep earth bunkers and saved no fucking EXPENSE! You tell those in charge that when all this is over their necks are the ones that are going to ring!”

“Hey heyhey, it's okay honey. The days only started and they have already ruined it.” James grabs me from behind and pulls me back into a hug, I can't stay angry when he does this but it feels like they are really trying to kill the people they are supposed to protect!

“What am I supposed to do!? They give me a job, push me into the limelight and then tell me, sorry we can't do anything anymore and then try to bullshit why! What am I supposed to tell people?!”

“The truth Raj baby.. We all know why, they can't hide it anymore, it's all over the news about all the going ons. There's so many whistleblowers sick of it as much as you are.. How about we go into work, finish collaborating the data, at least we know now that the possibility of hitting earth is much slimmer?.. Any good news for the people, yeah..”

“Your Right.. I need to go to the news station afterwards to report to the public.. My mother would be so proud if she could see me now..”

“Damn right she would, I mean you're a champion of the people, they love you. Have you seen the comments on youtube? You might be stone faced but you can't keep that pain out of your eyes love, they also think I’m cute” James winks at me and I can't help but smile through the tears gathering.

“Alright let's get going before I throw you over my shoulder and take you back to the bedroom”

“Damn.. well there's always when we get home!”

…

2030 June 2nd - News Station

“We have good news today. The final coalesced results of the trajectory has been pathed and although it will come close to earth, 2030 FK or as its been named, ‘Janus’ affectionately online, with a 99% certainty will not hit earth. Obviously this is a joy to hear, but we must stand vigilant as there have been reports of the infrastructure of Janus to be unstable, with small pieces of it breaking off constantly while it travels through space. Earth will very likely be struck by many small meteors, although militaries across the world will be collaborating to try and destroy as many as possible..” I breathe deeply in anger having to report further news.

“The proposed deep underground bunkers.. Have been rejected.. I bring this grave news with anger in my heart, They were supposed to have started building in a few weeks time. Instead cities will be provided with surface level bunkers, which I fear will not be enough to protect us. I was told to tell you a story about how due to time constraints and efficiency the surface level bunkers would be enough, but I know the real answer is to cut corners for the greed of the people in control. I have seen the movement of funds and it's not for the people, or for earth.”

“After the atrocities of the last war and the devastation of the earth, we now have to face another extinction event because of the people in charge!! Was it not supposed to be different this time?! I'm sorry for failing you, I quit” The camera person looks stunned and doesn't realize it's over, I walk off with tears of anger streaming down my nice new shirt. I hear James rushing from behind the set, grabbing me and pulling me to the ground.

“You havent failed anyone, and fuck them, you are the most amazing person in the world and they are losing their best asset!” They hold me and I start to sober up a bit more.

“I agree” A woman of asian descent is standing around the corner in a white jacket coat, just out the way enough to give privacy but enough to still be fully visible. “Apologies for the intrusion, I know you are going through a lot right now..” She turns and I see a familiar but.. Slightly different tag on her jacket.

“Yes we are having a moment, thank you very much!” James, my knight in shining armor comes to my aid.

“It's okay love.. Sci-Axium.. If you didn't hear, I don't work for you anymore..” I'm just done.. I want to go home and watch Interstellar again and slag off about the government..

“Well you don't work for our government required sector at least, there's always our private sector! Raj.. and James of course, Would you like to make a real difference?”

…

2031 October 23rd - Sci-Axium Emergency response Center, Sydney, Australia.

“Report earth destabilization metrics please Jane” I sit in my office overlooking the large screens lining the halls, showing all possible data. A screen pops up on my console, gravitation, effects on electronics, satellite disruption, changes in general area temperatures, seismic activities, rising sea levels, categorization of possible volcanic events, all of it carefully presented and updated in real time.

“Everything is holding, please transmit the green light to command, estimated arrival time T minus 24 hours. Please advise for removal of important personnel from designated areas, we will need all hands on board for emergency operations once it enters our gravitational field.”

…

Red lights are flashing in the temporary bunk rooms, something has gone wrong! Fuck fuck no did I oversleep!? The clock on the wall is flashing T-minus 8 hours, what the fuck happened?!

Stepping into the command center it’s in complete disarray, “Sit the fuck down and tell me whats happened!” Some of the workers must have also woken up, they are disheveled and shaking from shock, Jane yells over to me.

“Raj it’s here it’s fucking here, its like it jumped, one moment it was still approaching and then it just.. sped up?! Teleported?! I dont fucking know, our sensors didnt see what happened, it was just there and now its here! The World Bunker Initiative has been activated, please get to the evacuation site as soon as possible, god save us all”

Fucking hell everything is going wrong again! James was visiting their mother, at 72 years old they were supposed to be leaving for a bunker area today! How could the science have been wrong, what the fuck is this thing!?

“Everyone evacuate your stations, resetting countdown timer, calibrating, T minus 10 minutes until Asteroid enters our gravitational field and the possibility of parts of the Janus breaking off.”

Pulling out my phone I dial James's number.. Please pick up.. Please baby.. Click

“Hey love.. I've heard the sirens.. Wasn't expecting it so soon..”

“Are you going to be safe??.. Please say you're going to be safe..”

“I want to lie to you right now.. And I hate that.. But we are in the basement, I'm trying to get mum as comfortable as possible.. How long?..”

I look up at the estimated arrival clock, I can't see it properly through the tears, rubbing my face with my jacket.. It's so close, Why.. Why is this happening.. All my work..

“S..-six minutes love..”

“You better get to the bunker.. N-now I know what you're thinking.. And you get down there, Raj Marsey! I can't be safe here knowing I could lose you! You stubborn beautiful bastard! In sickness and health, you're not dying today!”

Sniffling comes from the phone..

“I'm going to stay here on the phone.. Until the communications cut out.. Okay.. please.. Just give me that!.. I didn't have a life until that day I held you in my arms, drunk off your tits from all the drinking we did that night. The way you woke up and looked up at me, so happy.. So damn cheeky with that smile.. You said ‘I got you raj, spoon me I need another hour of this, fuck the office’ falling asleep so quickly and defenseless, not a care in the world.. I always loved that about you..”

At the other end there was only static.. T minus-2 minutes.. Already.. Please no..

Using the data pad, I open the top covering of the command center, the sky stretches out forever, Dawn is quickly approaching.. It was built with the intent of facing directly to where the asteroid would pass by earth's gravitational pull.

“Do not go gentle into that good night.. Old age should burn and rave at close of day.. Rage.. Rage.. Against the dying of the light..” I laugh quietly to myself.. will we survive this?.. It's hard to say anymore.. we have raged.. but maybe we have finally hit our tipping point..

Dawn is breaking, I meet the oncoming calamity as light spills across the earth, the giant blue approaching tide of madness breaks forth over us, the ants of this world scatter and flail as the foot comes down..

The Asteroid has started to break up, flecks of blue writhe off its corpse, this creature of space, the shining blue skull reflecting the light of the sun causing a cascade of beauty over the destruction it’s wrought.

The sky is filled with blue diamonds.. There's so many.. Falling.. Dissipating.. The atmosphere is dyed blue with minerals, some of the meteors are shooting off to the sides, others are dropping down, and it's getting closer..

Will the bunkers be enough?.. The Axium bunker initiative improved on the shitty government designed bunkers and tried to reinforce them as much as possible. I put so many hours into making it perfect with my teams, will it all be for nothing?!

I can only sit there slumped against the wall at the back of the command center, watching it all fall.. It's more than I could ever dream of.. So many are going to die..

The UN World defense system has activated and I can see countless lights in the sky, countless meteors are hit and crumble, getting smaller and losing speed, they can only defend the central areas for so long.. They just keep coming.. Beyond our wildest estimates.. James’s hometown doesn't have this.. I can't protect him!!

The building goes dark as the meteors start hitting, some speed towards the city and I can only think of James' last words.

In sickness and in health.. My cheeky love..