Read Online The Nerdy Dozen #2 by Jeff Miller - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeff Miller
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itâs time to go get it.â
âAnd save the planet?â asked Neil, recalling what Finch had told him. He remembered Samâs weird feeling about the mission. He was starting to get the same impression . . . something was wrong.
The Chief CAPCOM cocked her head curiously.
âFinch told me everything,â said Neil, making sure the rest of the group was out of earshot.
He was really getting the hang of the whole lying thing.
âI see,â Dallas said, her forehead wrinkling. âWell, Finch is putting the final touches on the mission, and heâll update you at the launch pad.â
âPlan âZee,â said Neil.
âRight. So you know the ultimate threat that Q-94 poses.â
âYes. I do,â Neil said. Q-94 was the name of a local radio station playing hits from forgotten decades, but apparently it was also the name of a world-destroying threat.
âThe Q-94 might be the most dangerous asteroid thatâs ever headed toward Earth, but weâll be with you the whole mission.â
Neil did a double take. Did Dallas just say asteroid ?
Neil and his crew huddled together in a huge industrial elevator leading to the Fossil . Commander Finch stood in the center, a foot taller than the ragtag crew surrounding him.
People talked, but asteroid was the only word in Neilâs head.
âAs I assume Dallas briefed you all, weâve found the orbital path of our missing ship, the Newt ,â Finch said, clutching a clipboard in his hands. âWeather conditions are currently perfect for a launch, so the mission must start immediately.â
âWhatâs going on, Commander?â asked Sam.
âWith the intel from that photo, weâve mapped the orbit of the ship. As of the last transmitted photograph, it hasnât moved, so weâll be able to send the Fossil on a course to intercept.â
âThatâs nice. But whatâs going on with Q-94?â Neil said bluntly. He couldnât help it.
Finchâs face remained calm.
âI see Dallas has briefed you all,â the commander said.
âSomething like that,â Neil replied.
âWell, itâs best you all know anyways,â Finch started. âFor a few years now, weâve been following and tracking near-Earth objects massive enough to pose a threat to our planet. Our attention was drawn to an asteroid. Q-94. At its current velocity and angle, it is due to collide with Earth.â
Neil felt a little light-headed. The group was silent.
âWeâve been hoping that its collision course would alter, but itâs headed directly for our planet. NASA has been preparing the fleet of Whiptails in case we need to face the worst. Fortunately we still have time. By our calculations, the asteroid will collide in two weeks. But the Newt is our last chance at stopping the asteroid before it gets too close. Thatâs why it is so valuable to us.â
âWhy doesnât everybody know about this?â asked a concerned JP. âThis type of thing should be public knowledge.â
Neil agreed. Even if they couldnât stop it, people at least deserved to know there was precious little time to secure high scores in favorite games.
âBy the way, great questions, everyone. Iâm very proud,â Finch said, in a giddy, geeked-out way. âYes, people should know, but itâs a tricky balance. We always want to solve the problem without inciting panic. Thatâs why getting the Newt back is our top priority.â
âWe can do it, sir,â said Trevor, catching everyone a bit off guard. âYou can count on us.â
Others nodded in support. While Neil was surprised to hear Trevor be so positive, he did agree wholeheartedly. If he and his friends were the only people able to get this ship back, well, then they had to. And if a kid like Trevor was being heroic, backing out would look pretty bad.
âNow if youâll bear with me,
âAnd save the planet?â asked Neil, recalling what Finch had told him. He remembered Samâs weird feeling about the mission. He was starting to get the same impression . . . something was wrong.
The Chief CAPCOM cocked her head curiously.
âFinch told me everything,â said Neil, making sure the rest of the group was out of earshot.
He was really getting the hang of the whole lying thing.
âI see,â Dallas said, her forehead wrinkling. âWell, Finch is putting the final touches on the mission, and heâll update you at the launch pad.â
âPlan âZee,â said Neil.
âRight. So you know the ultimate threat that Q-94 poses.â
âYes. I do,â Neil said. Q-94 was the name of a local radio station playing hits from forgotten decades, but apparently it was also the name of a world-destroying threat.
âThe Q-94 might be the most dangerous asteroid thatâs ever headed toward Earth, but weâll be with you the whole mission.â
Neil did a double take. Did Dallas just say asteroid ?
Neil and his crew huddled together in a huge industrial elevator leading to the Fossil . Commander Finch stood in the center, a foot taller than the ragtag crew surrounding him.
People talked, but asteroid was the only word in Neilâs head.
âAs I assume Dallas briefed you all, weâve found the orbital path of our missing ship, the Newt ,â Finch said, clutching a clipboard in his hands. âWeather conditions are currently perfect for a launch, so the mission must start immediately.â
âWhatâs going on, Commander?â asked Sam.
âWith the intel from that photo, weâve mapped the orbit of the ship. As of the last transmitted photograph, it hasnât moved, so weâll be able to send the Fossil on a course to intercept.â
âThatâs nice. But whatâs going on with Q-94?â Neil said bluntly. He couldnât help it.
Finchâs face remained calm.
âI see Dallas has briefed you all,â the commander said.
âSomething like that,â Neil replied.
âWell, itâs best you all know anyways,â Finch started. âFor a few years now, weâve been following and tracking near-Earth objects massive enough to pose a threat to our planet. Our attention was drawn to an asteroid. Q-94. At its current velocity and angle, it is due to collide with Earth.â
Neil felt a little light-headed. The group was silent.
âWeâve been hoping that its collision course would alter, but itâs headed directly for our planet. NASA has been preparing the fleet of Whiptails in case we need to face the worst. Fortunately we still have time. By our calculations, the asteroid will collide in two weeks. But the Newt is our last chance at stopping the asteroid before it gets too close. Thatâs why it is so valuable to us.â
âWhy doesnât everybody know about this?â asked a concerned JP. âThis type of thing should be public knowledge.â
Neil agreed. Even if they couldnât stop it, people at least deserved to know there was precious little time to secure high scores in favorite games.
âBy the way, great questions, everyone. Iâm very proud,â Finch said, in a giddy, geeked-out way. âYes, people should know, but itâs a tricky balance. We always want to solve the problem without inciting panic. Thatâs why getting the Newt back is our top priority.â
âWe can do it, sir,â said Trevor, catching everyone a bit off guard. âYou can count on us.â
Others nodded in support. While Neil was surprised to hear Trevor be so positive, he did agree wholeheartedly. If he and his friends were the only people able to get this ship back, well, then they had to. And if a kid like Trevor was being heroic, backing out would look pretty bad.
âNow if youâll bear with me,
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