"In five years, the eccentricity of the asteroid Nereus will bring it finally across Earth's orbit at a point where it will collide with Earth. This collision will make our planet uninhabitable."
He well remembered the first stupefaction with which the world had received the announcement, after Kendrick's calculations had been proved beyond all doubt.
"No force available to us can destroy or swerve an asteroid so big. But in five years, we should be able to evacuate all Earth's people to Mars."
Kendrick, Wales thought now, had been able to give Earth the years of advance warning that meant escape, the years in which the tens of thousands of great rocket-ships could be built and the Marslift get under way. If mankind survived, it would be due to Kendrick's warning. Why should he vanish now?
Wales suddenly became conscious that his driver was putting on the brakes. They were in the outskirts of Morristown.
The streets here were not all dark and dead. He saw the glimmer of flashlights, the movement of dark figures, and heard calling voices.
"I thought you said these cities were all closed out?" Wales said.
The driver nodded. "Yeah. But there's still people around some of them. Looters." He stopped. "We'd better detour around here."
"Looters?" Wales was astounded. "You mean, you don't stop them?"
"Listen," said the driver. "What difference does it make what they take, when the place is closed out?"