Opportunity

Worth Dying For

(Finished as the runner up)

*

Standing at the podium in the White House briefing room, Rebecca Harley felt the heat of the media lights and knew the world was watching. Those who did not hear about the address via television, radio, or the internet would have inevitably heard it from neighbors and co-workers. By noon, anyone not living under a rock was wondering about the subject of the President's address. In living rooms, offices, and bars all over the globe, billions leaned towards their screens in curiosity.

It was during moments like these that Rebecca felt the true weight of the power she had. She had never been a woman prone to stage fright, but the growing uneasiness in her chest did not show signs of going away anytime soon. She looked directly into the camera and took a deep breath.

"Good afternoon," she said. "To our compatriots, and to our friends around the world. I would have preferred not to be the one to make this announcement, but it seems the actions of the universe do not work on any human timetable, not even that of a president. And thus it's important that I share with you what I have learned."

"A week ago," Rebecca said, "one of NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test satellites, Aries, was hit by a solar flare. And despite our best efforts to make contact, we are now confident that Aries' solar panels are damaged, and as of today, it has run out of power. "

Reporters in the crowd exchanged confused looks. 

"This NASA satellite," Rebecca continued, "detected a large, high-density asteroid seemingly coming our way earlier this year. I've been told that typically, asteroids are traveling far too fast for Earth's gravity to make much of an impact on their trajectories. They normally have more than enough energy to escape Earth's influence even if they approach very close. However, if they are of the right mass and are traveling at just the right speed, then although astronomically unlikely, the conditions can be just right for a direct collision with our planet."

The silence in the briefing room was deadening, interrupted only by the sound of flashing cameras.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Rebecca announced, "Aegis was supposed to be responsible for helping to push the oncoming asteroid just enough off its current trajectory that it would miss earth. Without it, we are certain that this collision, which is expected in about a decade, will be an apocalyptic event."

"NASA has taken enormous care to confirm every aspect of this information before making it public. In the next half hour, you will hear from NASA and civilian scientists explaining this further and in more detail. This isn't a call to panic, however, as we have been working with the most brilliant minds to find a way out of this."

On cue, a brilliant image was shown on the screen behind the president- depicting a floating asteroid in space, being orbited by something..

"If an approaching asteroid were detected early enough," she explained, "and a decade should be quite enough for us, it could be possible to divert its path using the gravity of a spacecraft, better known as a gravity tractor."

"Instead of sending an impactor to ram into the approaching object, she added, "a gravity tractor device would fly alongside the asteroid for a long period of time and slowly pull it out of Earth's path. Gravity tractors would be most likely to work on any shape or composition of approaching asteroid, even if it were just a pile of rubble held together by gravity, or in this case a fully solid chunk of space rock."

Rebecca smiled now for the first time, even though she still felt uncertain.

"Within the coming years, we will work together with our allies around the world to build this gravity tractor, and save our planet. Remember, the darkest hour is always before dawn. "

*

The Oval Office was dark, lit only by the soft glow of the tablet in President Harley's hand. On it was a message from the Director of NASA, something that had been on her table for the last six hours. 

"Haven't made a choice yet?" A gruff voice spoke from the corner of the office, its owner hidden by the gathering evening shadows.

"It is difficult to think with you hovering over me like a drone, watching my every move," the President replied.

"I am simply awaiting your decision."

She gazed across her desk at the shadow that appeared darker than the ones around her.

"You made me lie to the world..." She paused, as if at a loss for words.

"Would you prefer they know the reality of the situation they are in?"

"I'd prefer it if you hadn't shot down my satellite."

"It wouldn't have worked," the voice said, flat and sounding bored. "And neither will your gravity tractor. Your civilization simply does not have the technology to save itself from what's coming."

Rebecca nodded. "Oh, I know."

"Then why won't you agree to the deal?"

"I was actually hoping you'd stick around long enough to see us survive this."

The voice chuckled, but there was no humor in its tone. "Hope. I think we both know that it's more of a liability than an asset at the moment. The longer you take to decide, the higher the chances you lose your window of opportunity."

The President shrugged as she stood up, heading to the door.

"Give it a few years. We have endured plenty of disasters and gone on to achieve great feats previously thought impossible. Sadly what is potentially the greatest discovery in the history of mankind happens to come with strings attached and guns blazing. Yet, I would have to say the chances of us pulling through look better than ever."

"So extinction is your wish," came the reply.

"Freedom," she corrected. 

"Is it worth dying for?"

Rebecca paused, and then finally spoke. "You wouldn't understand."

 "Fine. If you do change your mind though, look to the stars. We're watching. We always have been."