The Burning Sky

Chapter One

The stars were flickering like dying embers in the ink-black sky, but no one noticed.

Dr. Elena Kovacs sat in front of the massive array of monitors at the Geneva Space Observatory, her eyes burning from hours of scanning the endless cosmos. The year was 2025, and the world, consumed by the chaos of its own making, had no time to look up anymore. They didn’t see the ominous streak of light hurtling toward them. They didn’t know what it meant.

Elena did.

Her fingers hovered over the keyboard. Just one tap could send a signal to every major government on the planet. One click could send humanity into a spiral of panic and madness. She had typed the message a dozen times, only to delete it each time.

Urgent: Xiphos confirmed. Impact in six months. Prepare for extinction-level event.

She closed her eyes, pressing the heels of her hands against them, as if to block out the overwhelming reality. The sound of distinct footsteps echoed in the hall behind her, and she stiffened, quickly shutting off her monitors. It was late – too late for anyone else to be here.

Dr. Kovacs?

Elena turned slowly, forcing a smile as her junior scientist, Marco, entered the room. His eager face, so full of life, brought a pang of guilt to her chest. He didn’t know, and he couldn’t know. Not yet.

Yes, Marco? she asked, keeping her voice steady.

We’ve detected more debris from Xiphos, Marco said, his eyes flickering with concern. But still no official announcement?

She shook her head. It’s not time yet.

Elena’s fingers drummed lightly on the edge of her desk, her mind racing as Marco stood before her, waiting for her response. He was young, idealistic, the kind of person who believed that science was the ultimate savior of mankind. How could she tell him the truth? How could she tell anyone that they have failed – failed to save themselves from the coming storm? Elena was a firm believer that science finds discoveries and answers to problems. Everything in the world boiled down to science.

I’ve sent my latest findings to the council, she lied, her voice calm. They’re assessing the situation.

Marco frowned, his brow furrowing. But there’s no time for that. You’ve seen the data. We’re talking about a collision that could wipe out most of the life on Earth. Shouldn’t we⁠—

Elena stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. The council will handle it, she said firmly, cutting him off. Go home, Marco. Get some rest. We’ve been at this for days.

Marco hesitated, his gaze lingering on the darkened monitors. What if they don’t act in time? His voice was barely above a whisper.

Elena’s heart clenched. The truth was, they wouldn’t. She had known that from the moment the calculations had confirmed Xiphos’ trajectory. The bureaucrats, the politicians, the elites – they would never move fast enough. Even now, they were likely bickering over how to protect themselves, their wealth, their power.

I’ll make sure they do, Elena said, her voice softer now. Go home.

The city felt different at night, more menacing, as if the darkness itself had teeth. Elena pulled the collar of her coat tighter around her neck, her footsteps echoing off the narrow, graffiti-covered alley walls. The message had come through only moments before, revealing the meeting place: an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

She was used to dealing with scientists, not shadowy figures in the dead of night. But she had no choice. If someone else knew about Xiphos – knew enough to warn her off – they had to have power. And power in this world meant control. It also meant danger.

As she approached the warehouse, the large, rusted doors loomed in front of her, half-open, revealing nothing but darkness inside. Her pulse quickened as she stepped through, her eyes adjusting to the dim light filtering in through the broken windows.

Dr. Kovacs, a voice called out from the shadows.

Elena froze. The voice was calm, almost friendly, but it sent a shiver down her spine.

A figure emerged from the darkness, tall and impeccably dressed in a sleek black suit, his hands clasped in front of him as if he were simply here for a business meeting. His eyes were sharp, calculating, and though his face was unfamiliar, there was something about him that made Elena uneasy.

We’ve been watching you, the man said, stepping closer. You’ve been tracking Xiphos for some time now.

Elena’s throat tightened. Who are you? The man smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. That’s not important. What matters is what we’re offering you. You know as well as I do that when word gets out about the asteroid, society will crumble. Panic, riots, governments collapsing – it will be chaos.

I know, Elena said, her voice barely above a whisper.

The man stepped closer, his voice lowering. What if I told you that we have a solution? A way to survive this. But only a select few can know.

Elena’s eyes widened. You’re building bunkers.

He smiled again, this time with genuine amusement. Not just bunkers. Cities underground. Self-sustaining, equipped with everything we’ll need to outlast the impact and the years of darkness that will follow. You may not believe me, but Atlantis was the original underground city.

Her mind raced. Underground cities? It sounded impossible, like something out of a dystopian fantasy. But she knew enough about the world’s elite to know they had the resources and the technology to pull it off.

I’ll take your word for it. And you expect me to keep this secret? she asked, her voice trembling.

You don’t have a choice, the man said, his tone growing cold. Send the message, and you’ll plunge the world into anarchy. Billions will die before the asteroid hits. Or, you can come with us. Help us prepare, help us survive, and we’ll ensure that your future – your survival – is guaranteed.

Elena’s stomach churned. The weight of his words settled over her like a shroud. It was everything she had feared, but now the choice was in her hands. Reveal the truth, and watch the world burn – or stay silent and secure her own survival, along with the chosen few.

She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. This was a dilemma with no good outcome.

The man’s eyes glinted in the dim light. You don’t have long to decide.

Offering passage to one of these underground cities is like the poolside seating on the Titanic.

Xiphos is aptly named: A one-handed, double-edged sword. Science refers to Xiphos as a planet killer, and that’s exactly what’s going to happen.

The government tapped the minds of all the scientists from all over the world. Harvard, Berkeley, Yale, Cambridge, and every other university, and for the first time in recorded history, all of the scientists were in agreement: There is no way of stopping this. There is no nuclear weapon solution like in Armageddon. The brilliant scientific minds were all in agreement that the best solution science can offer is to go outside with your shovel and start digging.

And even that won’t work.

Chapter Two

By the time Elena made it back to her apartment, her hands were trembling. The encounter at the warehouse had rattled her more than she wanted to admit. She sat down at her desk, staring at the encrypted message still on her phone. Don’t send the warning. The words echoed in her mind, intertwining with the man’s cold, calculating gaze.

She leaned back, closing her eyes. Her whole life had been dedicated to science – to uncovering the truth and helping humanity navigate its many challenges. But this… this was different. The stakes had never been higher, and the choice she now faced felt insurmountable.

Her mind drifted to Marco. He was still young, still believed in the possibility of salvation. But if she warned him, if she warned anyone, what would it really change? The chaos would come regardless. The man at the warehouse was right about that much. The truth wouldn’t save anyone. Marco had been Elena’s research assistant since she finished her PhD in astronomy. The astronomy department at the University of Arizona was rather small, and Marco kept her organized. They had been best friends since.

But could she live with herself if she stayed silent? Doesn’t everyone have the right to be with their children and family at the end? Forgive someone? Say goodbye? Elena was biting her lip and thinking that by letting the world know what was happening, she gave families and loved ones a chance to say goodbye, right wrongs, and make peace with God. By keeping her mouth shut, she’d be making this decision for 8 billion people.

A knock at the door jolted her from her thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at the clock – 2:00 A.M. Who could be at her door at this hour?

Cautiously, she approached and opened it a crack. Her eyes widened. It was Marco.

Marco? What are you –

Let me in, he whispered, his face pale. We need to talk.

Elena stepped aside, allowing him to enter. As soon as the door was shut, he turned to face her, his eyes wide with fear.

I found something, Marco said, his voice trembling. Something big.

Elena’s stomach dropped. What do you mean?

Marco pulled out a small flash drive from his pocket and plugged it into her laptop. The screen flickered to life, showing a series of encrypted files. I was digging through the server logs at the observatory, he said, his hands shaking slightly as he navigated the files. There are communications records – ones we weren’t supposed to see.

Elena’s eyes widened as she scanned the documents. They were messages between high-level government officials, tech billionaires, and military leaders, all discussing Xiphos. But the conversations weren’t about stopping the asteroid – they were about who would be allowed to survive.

This isn’t just about the asteroid, Marco said, his voice rising. They’ve been planning for this for years. They knew Xiphos was coming. And instead of trying to prevent the impact, they’ve been preparing to escape. Good Lord, years! We might have come up with a possible solution, but we never had the chance!

Elena’s blood ran cold. The underground cities. The man at the warehouse. It all made sense now. The asteroid was just the trigger – a way to justify abandoning the rest of the population while the elites retreated underground. This was their way to wash their hands of people with no means and dependent on the government to make ends meet. So much for disparities and giving the underprivileged equal access. Just the thought of spending years in an ‘underground city’ with these people was giving Elena a rip-roaring headache.

I…I met someone tonight, Elena admitted, her voice barely audible. He told me about the cities. They want me to keep quiet. To join them.

Marco stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. You can’t be serious!

I don’t know what to do, Marco, she said, sinking into her chair. If I send out the warning, we’ll cause mass panic. Billions will die before the asteroid even hits!

But if you don’t, Marco said, his voice hardening, the only people who survive will be the ones who’ve been planning this all along. The rest of us – everyone – will be left to die.

The silence between them was thick with tension. Elena’s mind raced, trying to process the enormity of the situation. She had spent her entire career believing that knowledge was power, that the truth could save people. But now, the truth felt like a weapon – one that could destroy everything.

We can’t let them get away with this, Marco said, his voice full of resolve. We have to fight back. Elena, what will the end be like? The heartbroken look on Marco’s face made her heart skip a beat. No more lying.

Marco, it’s hard to explain what the end will be like, she said softly. The only example we have is what we’ve learned about the Chicxulub asteroid. Since humans weren’t alive at the time, it’s hard to glean what it would be like. All scientists can do is estimate the size of the asteroid by the size of the crater. The impact crater has been estimated at 150 kilometers, roughly 94 miles. The asteroid itself was 15 kilometers, or 5 miles. The impact crater was in the Yucatán Peninsula and in the Gulf of Mexico. What we’ve learned about this period is how hell is described. Sunlight was blocked for 15 years. Of course, the earth had oxygen, but if people had been here, the air contained sulfur and vaporized rocks. As you know, this asteroid came from beyond Jupiter, the same place Xiphos is from. It is hard to even predict the size of Xiphos. Some scientists say about a mile in diameter, but the consensus is predicting Xiphos is around seven miles. Bigger and meaner than the Chicxulub asteroid.

The next few days were a blur. Elena and Marco worked in secret, gathering as much information as they could about the underground cities, the plans to abandon the surface, and the asteroid’s projected path. They knew they had to act quickly. Once Xiphos became visible to the naked eye, it would be too late to prevent the chaos that would inevitably follow.

The more they uncovered, the darker the truth became. It wasn’t just a few elites planning to escape – it was an entire network of the world’s most powerful people, all working together to ensure their survival at the expense of everyone else. Governments had been complicit in the conspiracy, covering up the asteroid’s approach, funneling resources into the construction of the underground havens, and preparing to let society collapse once the impact was inevitable. It wasn’t just our government; it was all the wealthier countries acting together. While the elite were all going to be in the underground cities, some paupers would be allowed in, but so they could sleep at night, they were allowing some to be useful to the elite. Who was going to compost trash? Clean houses? Wash dishes and do everything else the elites don’t want to do?

It was Marco who first suggested going public. We need to get this out there, he said one evening as they huddled over her laptop. If people knew what was really happening, they’d revolt. They’d demand action.

But what good would that do? Elena asked, her voice full of doubt. By the time they organize, it’ll be too late. The asteroid is coming, and nothing we do can stop it.

Marco shook his head. "It’s not about stopping the asteroid. It’s about making sure the people in power can’t just hide underground while the rest of us die. If we expose this conspiracy, they’ll have no choice but to act. The majority of the life on earth is going to