Under a colossal astronomical dome Dr. Frank Osborne remained pinned to the binocular telescope scanning an area in the Kuiper belt almost holding his breath, then suddenly he dislodged himself, ran to a panel of instruments and sprinted back again to the telescope. He repeated that marathon several times.

His two colleagues working on a bench at the far end just looked at him and wondered what their colleague was up to. They however, continued at what they were doing. Seconds later they were startled by Dr. Frank's loud cry that shattered their serenity, "No, No, Nooo ..." he kept repeating.

They were petrified and both stood perplexed as he approached them with his hands waving. "It is coming, history is going to repeat itself, an asteroid a little bigger than the Martian moon Deimos is heading for us."

"What are you saying, are you sure?" Dr. Walker Smith interjected.

"I must have a look, would you like to accompany me Dr. Maki." Both headed for the telescope.

After minutes of scrutinising the two walked out to an adjacent room where Dr. Frank sat in silence.

"Let us double check with Dr. Rochelle, ask her to scan, using her telescope." Dr. Maki Sen suggested.

An hour later she confirmed the approaching asteroid and nick named it 'Inferno.'

"An appropriate name for the time being," Dr. Walker said softly.

"We have to inform headquarters and let them deal with the situation," Dr. Frank suggested.

"Let us not be hasty, spend a few more hours studying its behaviour, and once we have all the information we can make the announcement to the Boss at EW5 Headquarters," Maki suggested.

"Good idea, you both do your homework if it takes you the whole night, and tomorrow we meet and call the Boss. Keep it to yourselves, we don't want panic here." Dr. Frank said and sat morosely thinking.

At seven in the morning Dr. Maki walked in and found Dr. Frank slummed on a desk fast asleep.

Over a cup of coffee he murmured, "It is coming at us in about three and half years."

Dr. Rochelle Wright, in charge of the second observatory on the island's northern tip, drove to meet them, and found the three astronomers sitting in silence, thinking.

"From the present data I have charted a temporary trajectory and its rendezvous with Earth. Will be more accurate once it comes near Pluto. In any case, I am ready to pass the news to London. Do we agree?" Dr. Frank looked at his colleagues one by one. They all nodded their heads, "Go ahead Frank, let's not waste any time," Dr. Rochelle said.

All four sat at a round table with a red coloured phone laying in the middle. Dr. Frank punched a number and waited a few seconds then entered another two digits.

All could hear the ringing tone as it was on the loud speaker. A voice answered softly, "Hello Dr. Frank, It better be good to wake me up, you know it is Sunday and eight in the morning."

"Yes boss but it is most urgent." Dr. Frank said politely.

"I have bad news, we have a state of alert for Earth." He explained the entire situation and waited for an answer.

There was pin drop silence at the other end. His answer was brief, "I will fly over to Twin Peaks Island and be with you by the day after, we will talk then, and by the way stop calling me boss. You may call me by my first name."

"Yes Mr. Justin."

"And no Mr. please, just Justin." He hung up.

Two days later Justin Bloomberg accompanied by his five colleagues, each representing the countries of the EW5 members, arrived at Twin Peak Island. After studying all available data about the approaching asteroid, Justin suggested that the situation should be kept strictly to the senior four at Twin Peak and the EW5 members from London.

It was agreed. "Any announcement to the world would create havoc, social upheaval and chaos. The inevitable will happen, let the people live their remaining days in harmony. Not even heads of governments were to know." That was their decision.

Back in London Justin kept in touch with Dr. Frank on daily basis. Inferno kept coming. Fearing some observatory in the world would soon discover the approaching asteroid, Justin prepared a news bulletin to falsify such reports, and that the asteroid is no danger to Earth, it will be caught by Jupiter's gravitational pull.

The news item was sealed and put in a safe. No one else was told about the repot. As time went by there were no mention or even a hint in any newspaper to the relief of Justin.

Twin Peak Island is situated just about twenty miles off the south east coast of South Africa, practically unknown to the outside world except for a handful of highly specialised personnel from Great Britain, Canada, the United States of America, Australia and Japan, which comprise the Earth Watch Five nations, with Justin as its head. Its closest neighbour to the south is Prince Edward Island. The Island is simply called Twin Peak Island, because of its twin peaks, one in the centre rising to 3000 feet and the other to its northern tip just about 2000 feet. The island is five miles wide and fifteen miles long. Population of fifty seven people mostly highly skilled scientists, astronomers, astrophysicists, mathematicians and general staff that control its security.

The Twin Peaks are actually flat plateaus rising above the topographical structure of the land mass hence got its name. On each, there are observatories, large radio telescopes, video and magnetic tape display and analysis system, computer and recording devises, receivers and amplifiers. All funded by the five nations and only they knew of its existence and the work that goes inside. Their world headquarters is in London.

Their main function is to keep a watch on all activities of satellites and outer space. The personnel live a very solitary, restricted outdoor recreational activity under the watchful eyes of the security staff.

Few buildings house the staff and their recreational facilities. The western coastline enjoys a large stretch of sandy beach, further inland a varied vegetation from bushes to high trees cover the entire western mountain slopes of the island. Camouflaged within that growth, an electronic fence surrounds the entire island that can stun an uninvited visitor or animal. A few seasonal streams meander gently emptying into the ocean. The eastern coast forms the mountain spine, with a wall of precipitous drop of varying heights, straight into the ocean, littered with boulders and rocks that go out a few hundred feet. A natural barrier that discourages any trespassers.

Except for the towering astronomical domes the island gives an uninviting appearance to onlookers or uninvited guests. A couple of casual looking boats circle the island keeping a watchful eye on its security.

For the residents, their solitary life is compensated by a life style of a five star hotel, from entertainment to sporting facilities. Thanks to the EW5 catering services.

The island traditionally was known as Demon Island by local tribesmen of South Africa. It earned its name centuries ago when some adventurers tried to settle there but had to leave in a hurry in a couple of days and return with tales that the island was haunted and inhabited by demons that howl and moan all day and night. Many years later in the early twentieth century a British explorer and a seasoned sea captain took the challenge to visit the island. "I will bring you the heads of those demons," he told the tribesmen as he and a team of five crew...