"02 - Birth of an Age" - читать интересную книгу автора (BeauSeigneur James)

As Dr. Stewart finished, Dr. John Jefferson of Oak Ridge National Laboratory began. "As Dr. Stewart stated, it is important that we destroy the asteroid at the earliest possible opportunity in order to limit the amount of debris that might fall to earth. There is a second reason that makes early destruction imperative: the dust which results from the explosion will initially be highly radioactive." At this revelation a sudden look of disquiet swept over the faces of those in the room as they realized the obvious Ч of course, after a nuclear explosion, the dust would be radioactive. "Like fallout from any nuclear explosion," Jefferson continued, "the level of radiation will drop with time. The more time between the destruction of the asteroid and the arrival of the asteroid's dust, the less radioactive the dust will be."

"How soon must we launch the missiles to keep the radiation at safe levels?" Ambassador Ngordon interrupted.

"Without knowing the exact makeup of the asteroid or of the particles that will reach the earth, it is impossible to provide a definitive answer to that question. However, based on Dr. Hall's estimates of the asteroid content, we believe it must be destroyed at least twelve days before the remaining particles reach earth. Much less than that and the effects of the radiation could be serious and in some cases, possibly even fatal. This estimate assumes that it will take an additional two days before substantial amounts of the dust begin to sift through the atmosphere."

"How soon must we launch?" asked Ngordon.

"We hope to launch in five days, on the twenty-eighth, Mr. Ambassador," Dr. Johnson answered. "If we can launch by that date, the missiles will reach the asteroid thirty-four days later on August second, at a point 20 million miles from the earth. This will allow thirteen days before the dust reaches earth, one day more than the minimum required."

"Can it be done?"

"Yes, sir. But we must have the full support of the U.N. and especially of those nations who possess the required launch vehicles."

46 Birth of an Age

"Mr. President," said Ambassador Jackson Clark of the United States, directing his comment to Security Council President, Ambassador Ngordon. "I think you know you can count on the full support of the American people in this effort. I know I speak for my President in saying we will provide as many of the Minutemen missiles as are available. And I'm certain that America's scientists and engineers will work around the clock to provide whatever technical support, equipment, and manpower that are required." Kruszkegin made a similar offer for the nations which once made up the republics of the Soviet Union. One of the ironies of the nuclear devastation which befell Russia as a result of its attack on Israel was that many hundreds of missiles which had not been launched came through the devastation unscarred, protected as they were by the nuclear-hardened silos.

When that was settled, Ambassador Clark turned his attention to Dr. Johnson. "What about our strategic defenses? Can they be used against this thing?"

"Unfortunately no," Dr. Johnson replied. "The directed energy weapons, which include the various types of lasers and particle beams, have sufficient range to reach the target, but even the combined energy of all such weapons in the inventor}' would have no significant effect on a body of this mass. Their energy sources were engineered to provide short directed bursts, not for a sustained assault on a large target. As for the kinetic energy weapons, primarily the ground-based and certain of the space-based interceptors, while they have significant destructive force, they don't have sufficient range to reach the target."

Ambassador Clark nodded in understanding.

The meeting continued for a while longer and when it seemed that all matters had been resolved, Christopher, who had been silent to this point, raised another question to Dr. Johnson. "I'm concerned about the other two asteroids," Christopher said. "Are you certain that they pose no threat?"

"Yes, sir," Johnson answered. "As indicated in the simulation, the first two asteroids will come close Ч closer than any large asteroid in recorded history Ч but they pose no threat."

"Is there any possibility that your calculations on the paths of the first two asteroids could be in error? It seems to me we're cutting this very close."

When Worlds Collide 47

"Sir, I appreciate your concern, but the calculations have been run independently by fourteen different observatories and universities. They've been checked, double checked and triple checked. In no case was the variance of the findings greater than plus or minus 100 kilometers, about 60 miles."

Christopher sighed and lightly tapped his pen on the table in front of him, apparently looking for another approach that might yield the answer he wanted. "But what aboul further down the road? From what you've said the asteroids' new orbit will make them cross the earth's path on a regular basis. Isn't there a possibility that they will pose a threat later on? Wouldn't it be better to destroy them now?"

"What we need to remember, Mr. Ambassador," Dr. Johnson answered, "is that the earth's orbit includes a tremendous amount of space. Just because an asteroid crosses the earth's orbit doesn't necessarily mean that there is a threat. As was indicated earlier, there are thousands of asteroids which cross the earth's orbit; by plotting their orbits it is possible to predict if any of the asteroids will threaten the earth any time in the next several million years. Based on these projections, we've concluded that after this pass, neither 2021 KD nor 2021 KE will come within a million miles of earth for another 3 !/2 million years. But, of course, we will keep an eye on them just in case, just as we periodical!)' monitor the orbits of the other Apollo and Amor asteroids."

Christopher seemed desperate to get a different answer. Decker wasn't sure whether it was a hopeless cause or not. Milner and Christopher had both insisted that, at least for the present, the destruction foretold by John and Cohen could not be stopped. It had not set well with Decker, but he was ill-equipped to argue points of prophesy and the destiny of mankind with the likes of Milner and Christopher. And yet, as Decker watched and listened, it seemed clear that what Christopher had in mind at this moment was to find some reason, any reason, to destroy the first two asteroids before they could reach the earth. Science said that asteroids 2021 KD and 2021 KE posed no threat to the earth and it would have been ridiculous for Christopher to argue that the United Nations destroy the asteroids based simply on what two religious madmen said. But John and Cohen had prophesied tremendous destruction and if the powers they possessed were great enough to

48 Birth of an Age

hurl asteroids at the earth from deep in space, it was unlikely that they would now miss their target, no matter what the simulations indicated. Christopher himself had said that John and Cohen could not, indeed, should not be stopped until much of the destruction they prophesied had run its course. Surely Christopher, more than anyone, realized that his attempts were in vain. That Christopher would try so hard even though he was sure the effort was futile only made Decker admire him more.

"What about using the first two asteroids to test the methodology that you plan for the third asteroid?" Christopher persisted. "Doesn't it make sense to ... well ... to do a practice run by attempting to destroy the first two asteroids to prove the theory and technology you plan to use on the third asteroid?" The idea made a lot of sense to the other members and Alternates of the Security Council and many nodded in agreement with the logic of Christopher's suggestion. Decker held his breath. Was it possible that sheer reason could overcome John and Cohen's dark intent?

"Mr. Ambassador," Dr. Johnson answered, "while the logic behind your suggestion is sound, there are three reasons why that cannot be done. First, if we were to fire on one of the first two asteroids, and our calculations were even slightly in error, then instead of destroying the target asteroid, we might alter its course and risk hurling it directly toward earth. Second, if we successfully destroy 2021 KD or 2021 K.E then, as indicated in the simulation of the destruction of the third asteroid, pieces of the asteroids would be sent out in all directions. Even if we launch five days from now, the missiles would not reach the asteroids until they were only two and a half days from the earth. The debris reaching earth from the explosion would still be highly radioactive; the number of deaths could be in the thousands. And, finally there is the problem of resources. Every resource available, including time, must be brought to bear on the third asteroid; that is where the threat lies."

The logic was indisputable; it would do no good to argue further. Science said that the first two asteroids posed no threat and there would be no convincing anyone to the contrary.