out her best smile. âYes. Iâm ready.â
âThank you for the ride,â she added as she climbed into the car, knowing that her skirt would slide up and show just enough of her legs to embarrass the soldier.
She had always liked being admired.
Theos spacecraft â Proximity alert
The O^COM system rapidly materialised something in front of Azakis, a strange object whose outline was not yet clearly defined due to the low resolution obtained by the long-range viewers that were picking it up. It was definitely moving, and was heading for them. The proximity alert system estimated that the probability of impact between the Theos and the unknown object would be greater than 96% if neither altered course.
Azakis hurriedly climbed into the nearest transfer module. âBridge,â he barked curtly at the automatic control system.
Five seconds later, the door opened with a hiss and there, on the huge central screen of the control room, was displayed the blurred image of the object on a collision course for the ship.
Almost at the same time, a breathless Petri rushed out of another door.
âWhat the devil is going on?â he asked. âWe shouldnât be encountering meteorites in this area,â he exclaimed, staring at the big screen.
âI donât think itâs a meteorite.â
âIf itâs not a meteorite, then what is it?â demanded Petri, visibly anxious.
âIf we don't change course immediately youâll see for yourself, when we find ourselves splattered all over the bridge.â
Petri fumbled with the navigation controls and set a slight variation in the previously planned trajectory.
âImpact in 90 seconds,â said the warm, female voice of the proximity alert system, without emotion. âDistance from object: 276,000 kilometres and falling.â
âPetri, do something! And do it quick!â shouted Azakis.
âI am doing something, but that thingâs moving too quickly.â
The estimated impact probability, visible on the screen to the right of the object, was slowly dropping. 90%, 86%, 82%.
âWe're not going to make it,â whispered Azakis.
âMy dear friend, the âmysterious objectâ that can smash up my ship has yet to be invented,â assured Petri with a mischievous smile.
With a quick manoeuvre that momentarily threw them both off balance, Petri reversed the polarity on the two Bousen engines. The ship shuddered for several moments. It was only the sophisticated artificial gravity system compensating instantly for this alteration that stopped the crew from being flung against the wall in front.
âNice move,â called Azakis, giving his friend a sharp slap on the shoulder. âBut how are we going to stop this spinning?â The objects around them had already begun to rise and were whirling around the room.
âJust a moment,â said Petri, who was still pressing buttons and fiddling with controls.
âI just need to...â Beads of sweat were slowly seeping from his forehead.
âTo open the...â he went on, while everything in the room continued to fly around out of control. Even the two of them were beginning to lift off the floor. The artificial gravity system could no longer compensate for the immense centrifugal force that had been generated. They were becoming increasingly lighter.
â...Tailgate three!â shouted Petri finally, as every object in the room fell to the ground at the same time. Azakis was prevented from making a dull moan by a heavy refuse container that hit him between the third and fourth ribs. Petri fell from the height at which he was hovering onto the console, landing in an unnatural and ridiculous posture.
The impact probability estimate had fallen to 18% and was still decreasing rapidly.
âEverything okay?â gasped Azakis, trying to conceal the pain in his right side.
âYes, yes. Iâm fine, Iâm fine,â replied Petri, trying to get onto his feet.
An instant later Azakis was contacting the crew, who promptly informed their commander that there was no damage to any property and no one wounded.
The manoeuvre they had just performed had deflected the Theos slightly off course and the pressure drop caused by opening the gate had been immediately counterbalanced by the automated system.
6%, 4%, 2%.
âDistance from object: 60,000 km,â continued the voice.
They both held their breath, waiting to reach the 50,000 km distance, beyond which the short-range sensors would be triggered. These moments seemed interminable.
âDistance from object: 50,000 km. Short-range sensors activated.â
The blurred image in front of them suddenly came into sharp focus. The object appearing on the screen was distinct, every detail visible. The two astronauts looked at one another, their eyes wide open, each searching the face of the other for an answer.
âUnbelievable!â they exclaimed in unison.
Nassiriya â Masgouf restaurant
Colonel Hudson was nervously pacing up and down the hallway in front of the main dining area of the restaurant. Virtually every minute, he checked the tactical watch he always wore on his left wrist. He didnât even take this off to go to sleep. He was as excited as a teenager on a first date.
To help pass the time he had ordered a Martini on the rocks with a slice of lemon. The moustached barman watched him from beneath his thick eyebrows while lazily drying a set of long-stemmed glasses.
Alcohol was not permitted in Islamic countries. That evening, however, an exception had been made. The small restaurant had been completely reserved for the two of them.
As soon as heâd finished his conversation with Doctor Hunter the Colonel had contacted the owner, requesting the Masgouf house special, from which the restaurant took its name. Because of the difficulty in obtaining the main ingredient, which was tiger sturgeon, he had wanted to make sure that the establishment could provide it. Knowing that it required at least two hours of preparation, he had insisted on its being cooked unhurriedly, to absolute perfection.
As his camouflage uniform was inappropriate for the evening, he had decided to dust off his dark Valentino suit, which he combined with a silk regiment-style, grey and white striped tie. The black shoes, polished as only a soldier knew how, were also Italian. The tactical watch certainly had nothing to do with this, but he could not have done without it.
âThey're on their wayâ. The crackling voice came from the receiver, similar to a mobile phone, which he kept in his breast pocket. He switched it off and looked out through the window.
