"Ugh-'We should increase cyber security', 'India should be a corruption-free country', All lies?!"
Aarush shouted through the phone,
"I can't believe that the 'patriots' turned out to be some cheap liars who thought they could buy our motherland! Oh, and also we have turned our satellites towards CB-1, and we're running a diagnosis. This is taking longer than usual and it's really worrying. It's like the asteroid is invisible to any other countries, except India. We also have found something very terrifying…"
"What, sir?" Ishar asked, gripping the phone eagerly.
"As soon as our research modules landed- no, touched- the surface of the celestial body, they…well…burned. Literally. They melted. Poof. Gone into flames."
Ishar stood stunned for a minute.
"Wait-burned? Aren't asteroids supposed to be cold? Or at least warm? Surely not burning hot until the time of atmospheric entry?"
He heard Aarush sigh. "I don't know but we are looking into it. If it crashes into Earth…well, let's pray for good luck. I have already sent the details to Anjani and Naren, as well as you..some 5 minutes before you called. Be quick. Jai Hind."
"Jai Hind sir."
What in the world was going on?
The call had resulted in the production of a very fine-looking arrest and search warrant for Dev Rathore and his two minions.
Naren laughed with glee and said, "Now, we can find out all the secrets that these traitors tried to hide…no more polite talking, no more formalities, only raw truth and punishment!"
Everybody laughed wholeheartedly at his enthusiasm.
"Any news about Pralaya-1?" Karan asked curiously.
"Well, the General said that it has been in a completely STILL, stationary position, right over Southern-Asia's airspace. It's still a matter of concern to the scientists- and the space satellite which we just sent up hasn't captured anything new either. But the fact still remains- be on alert in case of a national blackout…don't risk millions of lives for your own. " Ishar replied.
Anjani spoke up before he could speak more, "Also, the surface of the asteroid burned everything that landed on it. Such a bummer. And a horrifying thing too!"
Aniket spoke up, "It's hot? How hot?"
Naren grinned evilly and replied, "Well, the last sent heat signature went to about 3000℃ in 10 seconds."
Aniket gulped.
"Stop it, you're scaring him!" Gargi laughed out loud.
Everybody snorted, finding it really hard to hold in their laughter.
Soon, the team started the preparations of leaving the small hotel.
As Ishar rolled up the plans and data papers, he couldn't help but notice how all the scams and activities of Rathore revolved with relation to the Arabian Sea. He had two cargo ports there, along with sea-trading businesses and a small, scientific lab. Not to mention the green, invisible laser beam thing that- until now- two people had seen.
Could he…could he have anything to do with it?
It was then, with great humility, that Ishar remembered that Rathore had no business in space, and to launch an object like Pralay-1 would've probably required a giant launchpad.