Chapter 26: Missiles of Hope
Location: Seashore Cave
The cave echoed with metallic clangs and sparks. The old third-generation missile launcher stood tall, half-covered in dust and sea salt. What once looked like a decaying monument now sparked with life.
Siddharth, sleeves rolled up and forehead dripping sweat, examined the rusty interface.
> "The launcher's fine. The problem is… our missiles are too small for this beast."
Akash, panting after dragging another broken pipe:
> "So, we've got missiles that are too skinny and a launcher with a big appetite. Great!"
Siva, examining the barrel with a flashlight:
> "We can't redesign the launcher… but can we modify the missiles?"
Sid's eyes widened.
> "Exactly. We can build external sleeves around the missiles using the scrap metal. Enlarge them just enough to fit snugly in the launcher rails—without messing up the aerodynamics."
Old Man Krishnan blinked in surprise.
> "That's crazy. That's genius. That… might just work."
---
Montage Begins:
With welding tools sparking, gears rotating, and old blueprints being re-sketched on bunker walls—
Sid leads the welding.
Shiva recalibrates guidance systems.
Akash, though still grumbling, carries heavy parts and paints the missiles with jokes written on them ("No Refunds if Missed").
The old man offers decades of wisdom, slowly letting go of his doubt.
---
After 24 hours of backbreaking work…
The missiles, now bulked-up and beautifully re-engineered, are locked into place.
Old Man Krishnan stood still, eyes shimmering.
> "I once thought this launcher was scrap… a relic of a forgotten era."
He turned to the three teachers.
> "But today, you've shown me that even the old can protect the new. You gave a broken system a new purpose… just like this island needed."
He saluted—not as a soldier to a superior, but as a citizen to heroes.
> "You made this old man proud. You made this nation proud."
---
Meanwhile, in the Control Room…
Shiva, back at the console for a system check, noticed something strange.
A blip on the comms channel.
> "Message… incoming? Wait… through the encrypted back channel?"
He leaned in.
> "This channel was shut down months ago…"
Lines of text appeared on the old CRT screen.
INCOMING TRANSMISSION
ORIGIN: UNKNOWN
TO: UNKNOWN
> "Who's sending this?" he whispered.
He quickly called Sid and the others.
All stared at the screen as the message continued to load.
TO BE CONTINUED…
---
Narrator Voice:
> "They rebuilt a weapon.
But are the enemies already listening?
And is it too late to stop what's coming?"