The Gang of Four

‘Bolly!’

  ‘Prime Minister!’

  ‘Always a pleasure!’

  ‘The pleasure is all mine!’

  The two men engaged in a hearty and prolonged back-slapping session before breaking off in perfect unison.

  ‘Bourbon?’

  ‘I’d prefer a gin and tonic!’

  ‘Coming right up! Twist of lemon?’

  ‘Sure.’

  The PM poured the ambassador’s drink and glanced over towards his desk monitor: still just the screen saver...

  ‘Expecting something? Thanks,’ enquired the ambassador as he received his drink.

  ‘Ha! You don’t miss anything, do you!? Yes, there’s some material due at any moment – secure line from MI6 – just checking.’

  ‘Material for me?’

  ‘Of course, Bolly, I haven’t just asked you over here to talk about golf. By the way, how is the handicap?’

  ‘She’s doing fine–’ The PM laughed uproariously at the ambassador’s joke as he ushered him over to view his monitor screen: ‘Please take a seat.’

  The ambassador sipped on his G&T and idly fiddled with the mouse to remove the screensaver, but it persisted.

  ‘So what have you got for me?’ he asked after a moment, ‘I’m assuming it is to do with Monday’s unfortunate events, we’ve been trying to contact you guys but parts of the British government are now in virtual lock-down since– ah, what’s this?’

  The screensaver had been replaced by an official-looking document.

  ‘Eyes-only on this one, no hard copies, sorry,’ said the PM as he averted his own eyes from the document which was in fact largely nonsensical and loaded with potent subliminal tags.

  ‘The explosion over London was caused by a meteorite air-burst. The mass was totally reduced to pumice and this subsequently fell to earth as ash,’ stated the PM.

  ‘Uh huh,’ replied the ambassador, speed-reading the document.

  ‘Analysis shows trace amounts of various rare-earth elements but nothing at all significant, despite what the rumour-mill might be saying.’

  ‘Uh huh.’

  ‘There is nothing mysterious about this event. But it has caused significant dislocation in this country, accounting for the “lock-down”, as you put it.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘This information is very reliable and should be trusted.’

  ‘Absolutely!’

  Good, that was “phase one” out of the way. The PM checked the ambassador’s face: he seemed normal; he continued to read the document rapidly and even broke off at one point to take a swig from his drink.

  ‘We are concerned, however, that more, even larger, asteroids are currently earthbound.’

  ‘Yes, I see. This is alarming!’

  ‘You can confirm all this with your own tracking systems, but you must avoid telling the public.’

  ‘Of course!’

  ‘We, the UK, possess special technology and have devised a strategy for deflecting this space-debris, but it will require sending a lot of hardware up into orbit. We’ll need the help of our most trusted friend for that: The United States of America!’

  ‘You can always depend on us, Prime Minister!’

  ‘You must stress the importance of this to your political leaders.’

  ‘I will! I can assure you of that!’

  Thanks, Bolly! You are a true friend to Britain, and to the wider world! I’m sure your political currency will rise sharply if you play your cards right on this one!’

  The ambassador did not reply but seemed to agree wholeheartedly. After a few more seconds the document vanished and the screensaver returned.

  ‘Whoa!’

  ‘Indeed!’ The PM gave the ambassador a friendly pat on the shoulder and then handed him a small sheet of paper on which were printed several names: ‘We will need to speak to these industrialists and these security directors. I am prepared to brief them personally. Can you make arrangements for them to be flown over? They will all receive full diplomatic status.’

  The ambassador knocked back the remainder of his drink and stood up sharply. He shook the PM’s hand: ‘I’m on it! You can rely on me, Prime Minister!’

  ‘I know.’

  ***