Williams felt a migraine coming on.
"What happened?" He heard himself ask.
"Professor, what NASA needs right now is your preliminary data and any trajectory information-"
He knew he should be elated, it was usually an act of Congress to get these guys to even talk to you.
"What happened?" He tried again.
"Look Professor, we really need to focus on everything that happened before the incident."
The Incident? That was rich, he wondered if that would be what they would call it later. Getting them to talk promised that they might listen but did not guarantee it.
"What happened!" he yelled suddenly.
There was silence on the line long enough, that Williams was sure that he had just blown it.
"Well, NASA has made no official declaration or report as yet."
Unbelievable.
"There was an incident."
That might be the sum total of what he would get.
"An incident?" he asked. "My sensors just went atomic."
Another uncomfortable silence followed.
"Well- we are not actually sure we know what exactly occurred up there."
"I am listening." Williams said. I am all ears you government freak.
He actually was sure he was hearing paper shuffling.
"The phenomena intersected communication satellite 314A Telecom 6 and it- well it exploded." He heard the man gulped "That was what Major Crispin reported from the International Space Station about 10 minutes ago."
"Exploded." Williams said.
"There detritus is spread out about 500 miles in most directions yes."
"Wow."
"Now could we get your data please?" the man asked almost pleading.
"Yes- I will have my lab assistant send it over via secure communication.
"Professor?" It was Mick.
"Yes Mick?"
"The ripple-wave just made planetfall."
"What happened?" He heard himself ask.
"Professor, what NASA needs right now is your preliminary data and any trajectory information-"
He knew he should be elated, it was usually an act of Congress to get these guys to even talk to you.
"What happened?" He tried again.
"Look Professor, we really need to focus on everything that happened before the incident."
The Incident? That was rich, he wondered if that would be what they would call it later. Getting them to talk promised that they might listen but did not guarantee it.
"What happened!" he yelled suddenly.
There was silence on the line long enough, that Williams was sure that he had just blown it.
"Well, NASA has made no official declaration or report as yet."
Unbelievable.
"There was an incident."
That might be the sum total of what he would get.
"An incident?" he asked. "My sensors just went atomic."
Another uncomfortable silence followed.
"Well- we are not actually sure we know what exactly occurred up there."
"I am listening." Williams said. I am all ears you government freak.
He actually was sure he was hearing paper shuffling.
"The phenomena intersected communication satellite 314A Telecom 6 and it- well it exploded." He heard the man gulped "That was what Major Crispin reported from the International Space Station about 10 minutes ago."
"Exploded." Williams said.
"There detritus is spread out about 500 miles in most directions yes."
"Wow."
"Now could we get your data please?" the man asked almost pleading.
"Yes- I will have my lab assistant send it over via secure communication.
"Professor?" It was Mick.
"Yes Mick?"
"The ripple-wave just made planetfall."
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