Sriharikota Launch Complex, Andhra Pradesh – 2020
The first light of dawn glinted off the tip of the coconut as Aryan lifted it in both hands. He whispered a silent prayer and cracked it over a carved stone bowl. The white flesh fell softly, and he scooped it into his palm, then handed half to Ravi.
"For luck," Aryan said, voice calm.
Ravi bit into the coconut, eyes widening. "Delicious. Also, gross. But okay, I'll take it."
Nearby, Engineer Patel, adjusting a telemetry console, straightened and cleared his throat. "Never seen rituals at a launch before," he murmured to his partner, who shrugged and offered a half-smile.
Dr. Isha, passing by with her tablet, paused to watch. "In some cultures," she said softly, "offerings are part of every important event."
Brigadier Bhullar, arms crossed, frowned at the coconut shell in Aryan's other hand. Yet when Aryan handed him a sweet laddoo, the Brigadier looked at it, then met Aryan's gaze—and tucked it into his pocket without comment.
Ravi opened a small tin filled with homemade laddoos—the sweet spheres Aryan had prepared the night before. "So this is our launch bribe?" he joked, popping one in his mouth.
"Focus on the mission," Aryan replied, though a faint smile curved his lips. "Sweets for success."
Ravi saluted with a laddoo. "Consider me bribed."
They moved down the polished corridor toward the launch command center, where muted screens glowed and technicians spoke in hushed tones. The air smelled of electronics and hope. Aryan walked barefoot, robes brushing the floor; Ravi wore jeans and a T-shirt, still carrying the coconut shell in his hand.
Launch Command Center, Site A – 2020
Technicians checked gauges and valves. A countdown clock displayed T-minus 10 minutes in bright red. Aryan stood beside Brigadier Bhullar and Dr. Isha, watching as the final checks were completed.
"All systems normal," Isha reported, tapping a tablet. "Payload interface is green. Telemetry link is holding. Rocket guidance locked."
The Brigadier nodded, glancing at Aryan. "Your sensor module is integrated. Looks good, Doctor." He offered a curt smile.
Aryan inclined his head. "Simple words: we push the button, it goes up, then we watch."
Ravi rolled his eyes. "Smooth."
"Quiet, Ravi," Aryan replied softly.
At exactly T-minus zero, the control room fell silent. The chief engineer pressed a large button. Through the viewport, they saw the rocket ignite, flames roaring as it lifted skyward. The floor trembled.
System Prompt
> Vajra-Net Launch Initiated Sensor payload deploying in detention orbit 625 km above Earth. Function: Activate anomaly scans upon orbital insertion.
The rocket arced gracefully into the sky, leaving a trail of fire against the pale morning clouds. Ravi whistled. "There she goes."
"Excellent trajectory," Isha said. "Estimated insertion in six minutes."
Ravi asked, "Aryan, you think it'll find something right away?"
Aryan folded his arms. "We'll see."
The seconds ticked by. On the main screen, a schematic of Earth rotated slowly. A small dot moved along a path, marking the satellite's ascent.
Control Room, Sriharikota – Moments Later
The dot blinked once. Then a series of data streams began to scroll down the side of the screen.
System Alert
> Vajra-Net Operational Status: Orbital Insertion Confirmed Initializing sensor array... Establishing baseline Earth signature... Scan Radius: 2,500 km Launch Success
Ravi clapped. "Look at that. It's alive!"
Aryan closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the silent hum of geo-sensors. "Good."
Then the data changed. Bold red text flashed over the map.
Real-Time Feed
> Anomaly Detected: Hydro-Pattern Deviation Region: Assam–Bihar Flood Basin Rainfall Spike: +35% above seasonal norm Timeframe: Expected Flood Onset in 36 hours Manipulation Index: Passive Amplification Detected
Isha stared at the screen. "That's... a flood warning?"
Brigadier Bhullar's brow tightened as he watched the red text flicker. "Doctor, before we send this upstream—how can we be sure it's not a sensor glitch? Why haven't any of our other weather satellites flagged this?"
Aryan met his gaze steadily. "Conventional satellites measure cloud cover and moisture bands. Vajra-Net's passive amplification sensor reads the magnetic and ionic shifts in the atmosphere—subtle changes ordinary sensors can't see."
Bhullar frowned. "So this is new data nobody else can verify?"
Aryan nodded. "Exactly. That's why we cross-check with local ground stations and historical rainfall models. Isha, pull up the last week's hydrology logs."
Dr. Isha tapped her tablet. On the screen, river-gauge readings in Assam and Bihar already showed a steeper climb than the monsoon norm—a 20% uptick in discharge over the past 48 hours. "The ground data matches. This spike isn't a glitch."
The Brigadier exhaled. "All right. We move forward—on your word and the science backing it."
Aryan gave a small, relieved smile. "That's all I ask."
Aryan tapped his tablet and initiated a dual-state alert protocol.
System Alert – Assam & Bihar
Assam State DMA notified
Bihar State DMA notified
NDMA coordinating inter-state resource allocation
District Magistrates (Dibrugarh & Patna) queued for evacuation orders
Within moments, secure channels lit up:
The Assam SDRF in Guwahati mobilized rubber boats and medical teams.
Bihar's SDRF in Patna readied river-rescue teams along the Ganges tributaries.
NDMA in New Delhi stood by to dispatch NDRF contingents where needed.
Brigadier Bhullar glanced at Aryan. "Two states, one mission. Orders go through NDMA first, then down to each State DMA and DM's office. They'll handle evacuations; we'll provide the intel."
Ravi leaned forward. "So, they split resources based on severity? Or help each other if one runs low?"
Aryan's eyes shone. "Both. Central command reallocates relief where it's most urgent. But on the ground, the two states coordinate directly—sharing boats, manpower, even temporary shelters."
The control-room monitors flickered as evacuation maps, boat-deployment routes, and shelter-locations populated, all in real time. "That," Aryan said softly, "is how you save millions."
Contact: NDMA Operations Center
A secure line crackled. Aryan gave them the data, encoded to look like top-secret climate emergency intel. Within minutes, local authorities in Assam and Bihar received evacuation orders, pre-positioned aid, and warnings.
In the control room, the mood was tense relief.
Isha let out a breath. "They believe it?"
"They obey it," the Brigadier said, tapping his tablet. "Villages along the Brahmaputra are being evacuated now."
Ravi exhaled. "We just saved eighteen million people."
Aryan watched the satellite schematic fade to a normal orbit track. "And this is only the beginning."
Inner Lab, Aryan's Workshop
Later, back in the quiet of his own space, Aryan sat before the carved wooden Earth symbol, coconut shell still resting by his side. He traced the grooves with a fingertip.
System Update
> Mission Progress – 100% Vajra-Net Operational and Validated First Real-World Application Successful +1500 System Points Earned New Upgrade Unlocked: Passive Amplification Analysis Next Objective: Wildlife Tracking Test
He let the palm oil lamp glow in the dim room. "Earth calls," he whispered. "We answered."
Ravi's voice came from the doorway. "Hey, boss—kids in Assam keep asking about a mysterious guardian angel in the sky. We okay with that?"
Aryan looked up and smiled faintly. "We are their angel," he said. "And soon, we'll learn who else is listening."
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