Shiva’s Fire in the Sky: Chapter II
The Awakening in India and China
Evening of January 17, 2075
Dr. Narayan Ramanujam, Director of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), sat in his Bengaluru office, reviewing technical updates on India’s most ambitious crewed spacecraft—Shiva—a sleek marvel of engineering intended to do research in deep space. The atmosphere in the control building was subdued but focused, the kind of calm that comes after months of disciplined preparation.
Without warning, the door swung open with a thud.
Rathin Bose, a young, reserved member of the orbital mechanics team, stood at the threshold, gasping for breath. His tie was crooked, his face drained of colour. He hadn’t even paused to knock or compose himself. For a moment, he gripped the back of the nearest chair, chest heaving, eyes wide with dread.
Ramanujam’s calm gaze met his. He was a man trained to remain unshaken by emergencies, yet something in Rathin’s face set off a silent alarm within him.
“Calm down, Rathin,” he said, voice steady but firm. “Take a seat. Drink some water.”
The young scientist nodded, took the offered glass with trembling hands, and drained it in one long gulp. He exhaled, visibly steadier now, and sat.
“Now,” Ramanujam said, folding his hands on the desk. “Tell me what’s brought you here like this. You are looking so nervous. Have you seen a ghost?”
Rathin looked him in the eye.
“What I’ve seen, Sir,” he began, still catching his breath, “is more frightening than a ghost.”
Ramanujam’s brow creased, but he said nothing.
“There’s an asteroid—designated Aura1925. For over a century, it was classified as a non-threatening near-Earth object. But something’s changed. We detected a deviation in its orbital path early this afternoon. Our instruments at Hassan and Byalalu confirmed it. Based on the updated trajectory, it’s now headed directly toward Earth.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a data pad, placing it on the table with care.
“I ran multiple simulations on our system,” he continued, voice tightening. “Length—approximately 270 metres. Width—130. Thickness—around 100. The models suggest it will impact somewhere in the Western Hemisphere. The estimated time of collision—twenty-one days from now. Give or take – twelve hours.”
Ramanujam stared at the numbers without blinking. Then, slowly, he stood and walked to the large window behind his desk. The sun was setting over the garden, painting the sky with streaks of orange and crimson—so calm, so indifferent.
“An asteroid of that size and velocity,” he said softly. “The energy release would be catastrophic. Regional destruction is certain. Global consequences—almost inevitable.”
He turned sharply, his voice now clipped and urgent.
“Are you absolutely sure?”
“Yes, Sir,” Rathin replied. “One hundred percent. And I believe—no, I’m certain—NASA and CNSA must also have detected it by now.”
Ramanujam picked up the secure red line, a direct channel meant for national emergencies. Within seconds, he was speaking to the Prime Minister of India.
“Sir, forgive the urgency—but we have a potential planetary crisis on our hands,” he began without preamble. “Our orbital team has just confirmed that an asteroid—estimated 270 metres long—is on a collision course with Earth. Impact zone likely in the Western Hemisphere. Estimated time: three weeks. Perhaps a bit less.”
A heavy pause followed.
“If it strikes any densely inhabited region, the devastation will go far beyond the point of contact. We could be looking at loss of millions of lives, economic collapse, environmental fallout, political upheaval. Global temperatures might drop. Crops could fail. It’s not merely a regional issue—it’s a planetary emergency.”
The Prime Minister’s voice was grave. “Is there anything we can do to prevent the disaster?”
“There’s one possible course of action,” Ramanujam said. “We have Shiva. Originally developed for deep space research, its frame and propulsion are powerful enough to be repurposed. With the right structural modifications and a dense tungsten slug as its kinetic payload, Shiva could deliver an impactor capable of altering the asteroid’s trajectory.”
The Prime Minister sounded hopeful but cautious. “How quickly can it be reconfigured and launched?”
“Under standard conditions, minimum three weeks. But with urgent international cooperation—components, materials, tracking data—we may compress the timeline to two weeks.”
There was a moment of silence. Then the Prime Minister spoke slowly.
“I will speak to the President of the United States immediately. It is no longer a question of national prestige or protocol. It is a matter of survival.”
Ramanujam nodded, even though the Prime Minister could not see him. “Yes, Sir. Let him know India is prepared to act. We must act before hesitation becomes tragedy.”
At nearly the same hour, in Beijing…
Dr. Hao Feng, Director of the China National Space Administration, sat reviewing satellite updates when Liu Jian, a bright young astrophysicist, burst into the room with a look of grim urgency.
“Sir, forgive me for interrupting, but I believe we have a critical situation.”
He set down a tablet and a slim folder. “An object we’ve been tracking—Aura1925—has deviated sharply from its expected orbit. Based on our recalculations, it is now on a collision trajectory. Estimated time to impact: approximately twenty-one days. Impact likely in the Americas. The impact will not be local; it will cover a large area and the repercussions will be global.”
Hao Feng scanned the figures. “Have you validated this independently?”
“Yes, Sir. Cross-checked with Lijiang and Xichang stations. The data holds up.”
Feng leaned back in his chair, expression unreadable. Then, without a word, he stood and walked to the window, where a sweep of winter mist had begun to settle over Beijing’s skyline.
“I must inform the President,” he said quietly.
Within an hour, inside the fortified Zhongnanhai complex, Feng was seated before President Chen Hao, who listened intently as the implications were laid out.
“The Americans must have seen it by now. So must have Indians,” Feng concluded. “The asteroid is likely to hit the western hemisphere, but its damaging effect will be global. India has a spacecraft—Shiva. If adapted swiftly, it could be our best hope of diverting this asteroid.”
The President was thoughtful. “Do you believe Americans will ask for help?”
“They may hesitate. But in this hour, we must not. Let us offer support before it is requested.”
Chen Hao nodded. “Send a direct message to the White House and another to New Delhi. We can offer launch support, satellite telemetry, tracking stations, anything needed. The threat does not recognise borders.”
And thus, as night fell over two ancient nations on opposite sides of the Himalayas, a silent pact was forming—not in words, but in action. A pact born not of alliance or ideology, but of necessity.
After speaking with Prime Minister Rajat Joshi, Ramanujam had flown by helicopter to Sriharikota, ISRO’s launch site. Now, he walked alone along the edge of the launch gantry. Before him stood Shiva, —tall, silent, and defiant—awaiting a mission it was never meant to perform.
He rested a hand on the cold steel of its hull.
“This was not your destiny,” he murmured. “But perhaps it will be your finest hour.”
Devendra Narain
Kindle edition of science fiction “Shiva’s Fire in the Sky” is available on Amazon.
Leave a Reply