Cyclone Dreaming 13 - Metsat

Metsat
When quantum theory is applied to obtain technological results, miracles occur. Satellites are launched into orbit to transmit prodigious amounts of data around the world. This awesome flux of information goes right over our heads as we place our bets at the TAB on races at the other end of the continent and collect payouts calculated by a central computer at the same rate for all winners, after the race has been seen as patches of light on screens all over the country. In a nearby office tension mounts as a duty officer watches a dark patch on another screen approaching an irregular line sloping downwards from left to right, with tiny dots to the left of it. This in itself could hardly account for the apprehension s/he feels. But what it represents is potentially tragic. High above the earth in stationary orbit METSAT, a satellite capable of watching and reporting the weather, has given the meteorologist eyes to see into the vortex of a tropical cyclone approaching the coastline, threatening tens of thousands of homes.

An involuntary gasp shapes itself into words addressed to no one in particular ‑ except, perhaps to the void represented by the dark patch on the screen: "Oh my god..."