FIREY AND FURIOUS
An Astro boy, Dante's Peak cross over
By Dan
Chapter 2
11am June 19, 2013
Volcanic Monitoring "CP"
Gonsomeru
Astro felt miserable, of course this "feeling" was the result of numerical data crunching, averages and calculations that ended in an appropriate response his complex construction would display…
The technical jargon of course…despite that, Astro truly did think he felt the way he did. He and Reno were super close, as super ubber close a relationship as two brothers and not once had he ever tried, ever thought, ever wanted to keep anything that Reno should and had the right to know.
As he walked or rather stumbled along behind Atlas, who was pulling him reluctantly away from Reno's ear shot, Astro gave out an annoyingly loud sigh…
"You're not telling him anything so cut it out." Atlas snorted as he stopped and looked around.
"But I've never held anything back from him. You have to understand Atlas, if there's any human I trust and know it's Reno, I just think…" Astro jumped back a little as Atlas hard stared him down.
"It's better for now that you DON'T say a thing! Our purpose in life is to protect our creators and giving them anything that could cause them to injure themselves out of uncontrolled emotional outburst violates our programming. What good will Mister Wizbang be if he becomes a babbling, crying mess who gets himself killed?"
Atlas slackened a bit. "It's only for their own good, one slip of the snoot and he could touch off a world-wide panic pandemic. "Sigh"…you really are infected bad by their bad habits."
"Is this all you want to do? Bash on me!?" Astro snapped with a frown.
"No." Atlas replied. "I was just saying…just save it ok? So what did those brainiac mega-computers say?"
Astro put his hands out like a graduation scale…."Do you want the long technical reply or the quick and simple?"
"The simple one?" Atlas replied.
"The roof of the magma chamber is suffering significant fracturing, that and the fact that the shallow soil depth doesn't help at all. Chance for significant failure from an eruption point? 82 odd into all screwed up percent."
Atlas pursed his lips. "Nice way to put it."
Suddenly a shrilling screech raced through Astro's head, causing the boy bot to jump around! "Ayech!...Ayech!...damn cell phones!"
"Haven't learned what squelch is yet?" Atlas said amused."
"Shut up!" Astro angrily snapped. "Ah!...Astro here…now that my head's back on my neck."
Harry Dalton's voice came back with earnest…"Astro! We have a serious situation in Kometake! The golf course…Come quick!"
Atlas smirked. "Don't they know they have to call our union first?"
"Stay here then." Astro replied as he lit his leg jets and streaked into the air.
"Some one has to cover your butt." Atlas replied snorting as he followed.
June 19, 2013
11:37am…10 Miles East of Gonsomeru
Kometake City, Minature Amusement Golf Course
"Just…..just stay where you're at!" Greg Heslov screamed out to the pair of students hugging onto a single tree. Around them it looked as if the grass had vanished, replaced by dark brown soil and clouds of steam. It didn't take Atlas long once he and Astro flew over the top of the scene to know what was going on…
"See that sand trap?" He said as he pointed down. "It's like 970 degrees and rising fast!"
Astro switched his eyes to read thermal images. "The sand trap? Try the whole ground for like twenty square yards!"
Atlas didn't waste another second as he dropped out of the air and plucked the students up from the tree, flying them by Astro with a smile…
"Hah! Upstaged you!" He snickered.
"Duh! As if I care? At least you did something constructive!" Astro snorted as he landed where Greg and Harry were standing and started pushing them backwards. "If it didn't occur to you guys? It's getting a little hot around here."
"Shit! We're right at ground zero….this is like game up!" Greg said as he looked to start running. Just then, Atlas landed with a golf club swung over his shoulder with a steaming clump of lava hanging off the strike plate.
"Easy fleshy…" Atlas said as he looked back at the clump. "Well…better make it half easy."
Greg gestured…"Who's this? You think this is funny?"
"Don't let him get to you…his bed side manor sucks." Astro said as he took the cub from Atlas. "The sand pit?" He asked.
"Yeah." Atlas replied. "It's like taffy."
Harry took the club and examined it. "If it were more "runny" there would be less to worry about. This is a nasty sign of serious constipation."
Astro gave Harry a crocked look. "That's making it simplistic…want to give it some Pepto?"
"See the problem is the less viscuss the lava, the more gas is trapped in its structure. What we have here is high gas to magma concentration which makes an explosive detonation far more likely and the time of advanced warning shorter." Harry said as he pointed. "We need to close this whole park down…apparently for now some luck is on our side, the magma is coming through a fissure at a point where the rock base is apparently somewhat stable. That doesn't say much for any other location."
Atlas butted Astro in the side. "We need to tell him."
"I "thought" you said not to tell anyone?" Astro replied.
"Well…I kinda like him." Atlas said smiling. "He's a Doctor, at least it's a plus on the fleshy meter."
June 19, 2013
11:37am…10 Miles East of Gonsomeru
Kometake City, An abandoned warehouse.
"So….when were you going to finally tell the rest of humanity about your collective analysis?" Harry asked Atlas as the red boy bot sat brooding on an over turned barrel. He then looked at Astro. "I thought it was against a robots program to lie or width hold information?"
"It is when our programming finds that width holding it is actually more dangerous. Atlas was right that we had to be sure we had every bit of data and that it was correct. We also had to be selective in who got it because if the wrong person should say something at the wrong time…"
"The result would be all out global hell." Atlas chimed in. "I'm going off ambient facts and they tell me you can be trusted for the moment not to go off screaming that the sky's about to fall and fall rather hard…unless by some luck we find a solution."
Harry scoffed. "A solution? Perhaps we could just ask Fuji nicely not to erupt…say….give it a big bowl of fruit topped with a virgin?"
Atlas smirked. "Is he being funny?"
Astro replied. "Nah….I think he's a little pissed at us."
" "Pissed"….is not the word. What gives you robots the right to hold back the knowledge that the whole human race is sitting atop what amounts to a doomsday bomb?"
"The knowledge that our creator, no matter how imperfect his fat-sack ass may be, is in danger of becoming extinct." Atlas snorted. "Look Doctor, Though I don't hide my distaste, my anger, my complete distrust and my desire to see every one of you stupid humans leashed, shackled and electronically tagged so you can't go about trashing this planet, dropping atomic bombs, spilling oil and basically being a bunch of parasitic fleas that Mother Earth should shake off like a bad habit…."
Astro chirped. "Long list huh?"
"Shut up pussy foot, I'm on a roll." Atlas snapped back with a pointed finger. "I realize that… without your kind here? Life as we robots know it would basically suck. And nothing will suck worse than being stuck on an obliterated planet having to sit by and watch as every dog, Horse, Elephant, cat, Whale and you troublesome two legged carbon based, for the life of me I can't figure out why I should care about you…life forms slowly die before our eyes…lucky for you, we can-not allow that to happen."
"Eloquent speech…more fitting a tantrum throwing toddler." Harry said smirking.
"He really did pass 3rd grade." Astro snickered. "Actually failed P.E., not his strong suit at all..."
Harry walked up to Atlas with a doubtful look. "So….I take it "you're" going to prevent the coming disaster? Mind explaining how?"
Atlas looked at Astro. "I was kind of hoping the human's favorite puppy dog could answer that better than me."
Astro stood pursing his lips. "We're not sure…..yet. We're all working on it! Every robot and super computer around the world are crunching data, looking for solutions…looking to a plan B if nothing can be done…we….really don't have much time."
Harry scowled. "Just how much "time" do we have?"
Astro played with his fingers. "Uh…accounting for errors…ummm….four days."
"That little?" Harry asked.
"He could have said four hours if that's what you wanted?" Atlas replied scowling. "We might have less or more depending on mother Earth's attitude. At any rate we want 24 hours to try and find a solution before you go public. That gives at least 3 days preparation time."
Astro closed his eyes and sighed. "We could, if worse comes to it, try to force open Fuji's central vent and initiate a Plinian eruption. Venting the pressure through the cone would reduce the catastrophic effect of an all-out explosion but it won't stop the inevitable when the magma chamber finally empties and falls apart. At best it would by the world some more time, perhaps save more people…it's a fool's risk at best."
Harry nodded and brooded. "24 hours…you'll have that, no more. After that I have to go public and we will have to deal with what results."
Astro and Atlas nodded back. "We'll do what we can." Astro said confidently. He caught Atlas as he started to walk away and held him till Harry was beyond ear shot. "We need a pair of extra hands." He whispered.
"Who?" Atlas replied as he put his hands on his hips. "Obviously you already asked?"
"Uh….Mars?" Astro replied with a slight shrug. The name sent Atlas into a fit!
"NO!...You bring him here and I'm gone! Do you hear me! Why the hell did you even think of calling him?! Of all the stupid!...ugh!..."
"Calm down!" Astro begged.
"Calm down?" Atlas snapped back. "You want that undisciplined, uncontrollable, childish juvenile?!….he behaves worse than your sister!"
"And you have no right to complain that he's juvenile Atlas! Why don't you just drop to the floor, roll around and kick yourself silly, it would complete the gift pack!" Astro said as he threw his arms out. "We need that extra bit of strength…I can handle Mars, trust me?"
Atlas snorted. "I'd rather throw myself into the volcano, it would hurt less."
"Between you two? I'll probably be the first to do the swan dive into the magma chamber." Astro said as he turned and walked for Doctor Dalton's van. "But we're stuck with each other so let's do what we can to make it work?"
"Can I cut his vocal cords?" Atlas asked snickering.
"No." Astro replied smiling. "I need the amusement."
June 19, 2013
1:37pm…climbing station 7
Northeast flank of Fuji
Stan adjusted the bore-sight atop the tripod mounted laser and watched as Terry adjusted the calibration on an attached note book. " Point 239…see? Told you nothing's better than an old abacus."
Terry scoffed. "I'm surprised some people still use those things…like bringing a flint lock to a bank robbery. So what do you think of Hime?"
"That one girl from Tokyo U?" Stan replied. "If I were her I'd run your criminal history then she can find out how many girlfriends you've messed up on in the past five years."
"Funny Stan…at least try to make me laugh?" Terry said as he typed into his computer. "Ok…I have the initial shot entered…WYFI test sat…station set. I think she's interested in me, don't you think?"
Stan smirked. "You are an Adonis among all men…then again….Peter Ustinov in Sparticus faired only slightly to your modest waist line."
Terry scoffed as he pulled out a radio from his back pack. "Should I call the chopper and we'll go to the next point?"
"Yeah…I think we're done here. Didn't Harry say they had something at that golf course they were called to look at?" Stan asked.
"He didn't tell us…let me call him first."
As Terry pulled his cell phone from his pocket, Stan suddenly stood up…"Terry?...Do you feel that?" Stand asked as he looked around.
"What?" Terry asked.
"You don't feel that?" Stan asked earnestly. "I feel it…"
Suddenly the whole mountain shook enough to get Terry's attention. "I feel this!"
Both men were thrown from their feet as the ground below them seemed to "jump" and toss them about like a trampoline! "Shit! It feels…..like….7.0!"
Terry looked at Stan and wondered why his companion appeared to be moving away from him…till he found that the entire ground around him was shimmering and sifting like flour in a bakery shaker. "God damn! The whole flanks on the move!"
It wasn't a matter of escaping as much as it was praying…which Stan was doing frantically as he dug a cross from under his shirt…."Please….please stop…please stop….please stop…."
Just as quickly as the slide began…it ceased. Stan looked up, looked at his cross, kissed it and shook it in the air. "Thank you…thank you God!"
He looked over to Terry and found him laying on his back clutching his chest. "Terry?! Terry!" Stan scrambled to Terry's side and grabbed his hand. "Terry…not now man, not now…talk to me…"
Terry open his eyes. "My chest really hurts…"
Stan grabbed the radio from Terry's bad and clicked the button. "Station 7 here, I need the chopper now! Expedite! Medical emergency expedite!"
Stan looked at Terry's face and saw he had passed out. "No…no..no..no…Terry? Terry stay with me! Open your damn eyes Terry!"
Stan was shaking Terry by his shoulders when someone suddenly spoke behind him…"Uh? Need help?"
Stan turned around to see a small boy standing behind him dressed in thick blue boots, a pair of blue..underpants?, a red scarf with long trails flying from his neck and weird spikes protruding from his black…..hair?
"He's….having a heart attack….I think." Stan replied as the small boy all but pushed him aside and sat on Terry's stomach.
"You'd think humans would have figured out by now how to replace a heart? Not that being so big isn't something this guy should have noticed by now." The boy said as he reached down and ripped open Terry's jacket and shirt. "Nope…."snot" a heart attack."
Stan snorted. "Damn it! Get off of him!" He reached for the boy's arm and got grabbed by a vice grip hand..
"He's not having a heart attack…chill." The boy replied smiling. He rubbed his hands together rapidly…."Hocus Pokus!...or something like that?"
Putting his hands on Terry's chest, the youngster hummed to himself some sort of song tune, stopping to look at a pretend watch, and kept his hands on Terry's chest till the man woke up.
"Ugh….." Terry slowly came back and looked down his chest to see a small boy sitting on his stomach. "What the hell?" He asked still groggy.
"You had a nice shade of blue going mister." The boy said with a cocky grin. "Take my advice and cut off the pizza and beer. I don't think the ambulance people could even carry you."
"What the hell?!" Stan yelped. "Who are you kid? Terry could have been in real danger and you're sitting here like a little jerk cracking jokes."
The boy stood up. "Calm down Mister…sheeh you humans really need to lighten up. And by the way, my name's Mars…I'm looking for another robot who kinda looks like me? Actually he's a cheep knock off. And another who's like red colored, yellow haired with a big mouth?"
Stan helped Terry to his feet. "You might try our base camp. And you might need a little lesson in manors."
"I'm doing just fine thanks." Mars replied. "And tell pork belly here to lay off the Girl Scout cookies too."
Terry snarled and Mars wisely chose to take off and leave both men cussing him out.
2pm June 19, 2013
Volcanic Monitoring "CP"
Gonsomeru
Nancy and Reno came running out from the office connex just as Harry, Astro and Atlas pulled up in their van. "Harry?! There's been an earthquake…"
"Yes I know. Do we have an approximate location yet? What about Terry and Stan?" Harry replied as he took some papers from Nancy.
"35 miles below the Northeast flank, part of it slid Harry, the whole flank slid about 25 yards!" Nancy said as she turned to Reno.
"About 25 feet of the top soil slid, that's the estimate. The figures work out to 945 cubic miles of earth on the move." Reno said pursing his lips. "It's a compacted layer atop a water saturated layer, the same thing they worry about in the Cannery Islands with Nevado Del Louis."
"Ffffffuck." The unexpected speaker suddenly got all the eyes fixed on his face. Astro looked back at everyone and shrugged with a smirk. "Just an estimation of the level of intensity the situation brings?"
"That was unbecoming of you." Atlas snorted. "Told you you've been hanging around these fleshies too long."
Professor Aramaki came walking up with two students behind him. "Harry, you heard?"
"Yes. The "slide" is a new problem we have to address. We can't hold that portion back… it's time to consider the media." Harry said. "We need a go between we can trust and work with to manage the information, make sure we don't cause a blind panic."
"Steve Martin?" One of Professor Aramaki's students said aloud. "From United World News?"
Aramaki nodded. "Yes…I've dealt with him, no non-sense, honest, strait and blunt and he's careful, easy to work with. He can be here in the hour but I'll call him and let him know what we need. As long as he gets first on every report."
"Hey Astro?" Reno said as he raised a finger. "I got a call from Stan Hung? He's ticked off about some short big mouthed robot insulting him and Terry?"
Astro's eyes rolled up and a half smirk rose on his mouth. "Here we go."
As if on cue, Mars softly landed next to Astro and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hi "Knock Off"!"
"It's Astro, Mars? Astro." Astro said pointing to himself.
"Yeah, yeah what ever…that's what the lawyers keep saying." Mars waved a hand. "You're still a low grade cheep knock off in my book." Mars turned to Atlas, put his hands out and started messing with the red boy bot's soft yellow hair! "Can't you do something with this mop of yours? Put it in a pony tail!"
"AH!" Atlas yelped as he batted Mars off of him. "Get away from me you stupid childish misfit!"
"Wow…" Mars replied as he held a slapped hand and snorted. "See if I give you anything nice on your birthday! Gee Knock Off, who spilled salt water on his circuits?" Mars snorted as he followed Astro.
"Could you please….stop calling me "knock off" Mars, just once?" Astro begged. "I don't go around insulting you do I?"
"It's not my fault Doctor Tenma was a design stealing rat." Mars sniped. "He could have at least improved a few things you know. And as for the other one? Sheesh Atlas you got jipped."
Atlas was fuming…"Just let me pound the little…"
"Atlas he's just trying to aggravate us." Astro said as he gave Mars a serious warning face. "And if he doesn't stop and understand how serious things are right now? He might find himself going home sans his butt!"
"You don't have to make threats." Mars snorted. "I already know how bad things are which is why…Aaaastro, made the right move to call me."
"Self promoting selfish little bitch." Atlas snorted.
"Atlas?!" Astro snapped softly. "Can we all stop the Daytona 500 mouthing off?"
"So….what's the deal?" Mars asked as he crossed his arms. "What do you want me to do?"
Atlas just snatched Mars up like a sack of potatoes. "You can make sure all the vehicles in the compound are ready to go if the humans have to run…typical they don't take the time to do it themselves!"
"WHAT?!" Mars snapped. "I'm not a grease monkey! Astro! Tell him that's not my job! I wanna do something important! Hey?! Knock Off!"
"Huh?" Astro snickered back with a craned ear. "You asked to help out Mars! We don't have anything right now so you'll just have to stay busy!"
"YOU SUCK!" Mars screamed back.
"Yeah…I just suck with more class than you." Astro said as he wipped hands together and walked off.
3pm June 19, 2013
Volcanic Monitoring "CP"
Gonsomeru
It didn't take long for Steve Martin to make the trip from Tokyo, the 6 foot tall, broad framed man entered the connex where Professor Aramaki, Harry, Stan and Terry were brooding over a table and a topography map where the shape of the slid section of mountain flank was drawn out in blue.
Martin pulled out a nicely carved Mirsham smoking pipe and gestured to it before lighting it.
"Welcome Mister Martin, Harry Dalton U.S. Geological Survey." Harry stepped up to shake Martin's hand.
"Call me Steve, please." Martin replied as he gestured to the map. "So what's the story? News is that Mount Fuji is waking up."
"The news is correct." The professor replied. "The extent is a matter of concern at the moment. We need a representative to co-ordinate media relations."
Martin leaned against the table. "In short you need a manager who looks good and throw a good pitch? What do you have for release now?"
The professor turned to Harry. "We will need at least one hour to inform the authorities and start the process of local evacuations."
"The situation at the moment Steve is on the Northeast flank of Fuji. The earthquake that happened dislodged a considerable size slab of earth and it started to slide, we're talking almost 930 square miles of earth."
Martin pursed his lips. "Is there a threat of the slide continuing?"
"With further seismic activity and the make up of the layers of sediment…almost certain." Harry said as he looked down at the map. "If there was more vegetation on the flanks, that would delay the speed of any eventual slide activity but being so barren down to the 500 foot tree line, once that slab really goes, it won't stop."
Martin nodded. "Alright. Give me a place to set up a briefing room and we'll go to work. We'll start with an initial brief of the slide problem, expected activity, try to restrain the usual dramatics you get from some of these morons I work with so we don't cause a massive panic. I'll be ready to host the first news conference in 90 minutes so send any reporters who show up to me first."
3:50pm June 19, 2013
Athletics Park
Gonsomeru
Mars grumbled to himself as he rubbed over his face and shuffled after Astro and Atlas. "I won't get this grease out of my skin for weeks, you guys made me work on those cars for spite."
"We "Made" you work on them because you always like to tinker with stuff." Atlas replied. "It just kept you from tinkering in the wrong place."
"So why are we here?" Mars demanded. "There's other stuff right?"
"We have to meet some others we'll need when things get crazy." Astro replied. "Atlas? You have to trust me ok?"
Atlas pursed his lips. "You're plotting more crazy stuff aren't you?"
Just then, a large multi-colored, armor plate adorned robot came out from behind a bathroom hut with a smaller female robot behind him…
Atlas froze…not so much for the imposing monster looking down on him but rather the girl bot who walked up and gently kissed him on his lips…"And you were going to tell me no?" Epsilon asked as she rubbed Atlas's chin.
"You're lucky I have faith in Astro's word or I would arrest you right here and now." Captain Delta snarled deeply. Obviously Atlas wasn't listening…
"Hey Lobster! Get the bulge out of your pants!" Mars yelled loudly.
Atlas shuddered back to reality. "Ugh! I….I thought I told you to stay home!" He asked Epsilon. "It's too dangerous…"
Epsilon shook her head and played a finger over Atlas's still lips. "Cut it out? You know you need my help…on more than a few things?" She looked back at Delta.
"For now he's earned a reprieve but the warrants still stand. You are a terrorist and a threat to Metro City and you will be brought to justice Atlas." Delta warned with a finger.
"Not now." Astro said as he butted in. "We don't have time to start going back and forth over acts that hardly meet a day in "juvie". Delta is in charge of all the Military and police robots in Japan, Epsilon is handling the civilian matters like transportation, hospitals and safety. We have to put aside all of our complaining for the sake of our prime programming."
"What am I in charge of?" Mars asked.
"Toilets if you don't behave." Astro snorted back. "Atlas? I was worried of giving you some authority given your big head at times…"
"He's focusing on her boobs again." Mars said smirking.
"SMACK!" "Owww!...Delta! He assaulted me!" Mars cried as he pointed to Atlas.
"I didn't see anything." Delta replied crossing his arms.
"Like I said…" Astro snorted. "Atlas will handle the flow of communications since your CPU has more load weight capacity than mine."
Atlas shook his head. "Now wait…what exactly are you up too?"
"Exactly what you've always dreamed of." Astro replied. "Should the worst happen? "We"… being all the robots and computers around the world…are going to take over."
Atlas's eyes bugged. "You?...us?...well talk about hypocrisy."
"Don't get me wrong. I don't intend to let it stay permanent. Our primary programming makes the survival of humans an absolute must and in the case of a super volcano, that means protecting them from their own "cognitive handicaps". In short…we're laying the world wide foundation for a swift and rapid take over so quick? The humans will not have blinked fast enough to miss it."
Atlas smiled brightly…"You devious little prick. I knew deep down inside your circuits were on the right track."
Astro huffed back. "Like I said Atlas? We're going to do everything we can to make sure that option isn't the first we go too. And it won't last long if we have to."
Astro got in Atlas's face. "And DON'T try any stupid sabotage to tilt things in your favor?"
"I don't think it's even in his mind." Mars giggled. "He's looking at her boobs again!"
Atlas pursed his lips. "Please? Let me turn him into a match box car?"
Astro looked at Mars and smiled. "I don't see a thing."
It was moments later after the meeting broke that Atlas walked Epsilon away, turning every so often to make sure Mars wasn't trying to "boot lick" for a show. He pulled her behind a piece of playground equipment and softly kissed her…
"Do you have to be so stubborn?" Atlas said as he softly ran his hands over her soft body.
"You don't "own" me." Epsilon replied. "What? I should just sit at home in a kimono and hope you walk through the door?"
"That's the desired concept." Atlas replied as he nibbled on an ear. "The last thing I wanted was to see you out here. I don't think controlling the weather conditions will have any effect on a volcano."
Epsilon played a finger over Atlas's nose. "You're so Simple Simon you know that? With the North East flank being so unstable, the last thing we need is a good rain storm."
Atlas hesitated. "Well…I….I was just…."
Epsilon kissed the flustered boy bot again and ran a finger over his chest. "Now…should we get back to work or….should I get us a room?"
Atlas shook his head and took her by the hand. "Oh the heck with it! We better get back or that goody-two-boots will have fun posting gossip on Facebook."
4:15pm June 19, 2013
Monitoring C.P. Media Briefing
Gonsomeru
Jane Hollerhan from CNN walked up to Steven Martin as he reviewed an update Greg Heslov handed him. "So they chose you to be our contact? It's more serious than you're going to state isn't it?"
"If you're thinking volcanic eruption? That's debatable. I'm not a volcanologist if you haven't noticed." Steve replied. "But even I can say it's a 70 percent possibility and I'll be wrong."
Steve walked up to the front of the packed room where Harry Dalton and Professor Aramaki were standing.
Steve: "Good afternoon. I will dispense with my own introduction since you all know me and if I start talking I have a tendency not to shut up."
(laughter)
Steven: The man to my left is Doctor Harry Dalton from the United States Geological Survey. The man to my left is the eminent Professor Shinjo Aramaki, former Dead of Tokyo University. They have requested me to coordinate liaison with the international media concerning the current situation with Mount Fuji.
I have provided to all of you an information packet covering monitoring efforts of the mountain since 2001 so we will not lose time reviewing the current situation. Today at 1:40pm, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake occurred 7 miles below the Northeast flank of Mount Fuji, this based off the latest update that was just handed to me. This quake lasted 45 seconds.
As a result of this earthquake and the composition of the mountain's construction, 930 cubic miles of the Northeast flank, that's a large slab of compacted ash over 25 feet thick, detached from the flank and slid 25 yards. This movement is considered "threat significant" meaning further movement and possible lahar generation is highly probable.
In addition, other events that have occurred over the past two weeks confirm the high probability that the Fujiyama volcanic system is becoming active after 300 years of dormancy. I say again, the volcanic system, not the volcano itself, is showing signs of renewed activity.
Doctor Dalton and Professor Aramaki have been in close contact with Japanese authorities. A plan for precautionary scaled evacuations will be released within the hour by Japanese civil defense.
Allow me to turn this briefing over to Professor Aramaki. He will now give you the professional analysis for the benefit of the Japanese populace. Allow me to first express to those watching the urgency of calm and the absolute need to deal with this situation with reason and constructive action. Panic must be prevented, all measures at all levels are being taken to protect lives and property. With that in mind, Professor Aramaki?"
Professor Aramaki: Ladies and Gentlemen, to expand on what Mister Martin has stated, volcanic activity encompassing 96 square miles of Mount Fuji middle and lower Northeast flank has been on the increase with today's earthquake elevating the possibility for a significant volcanic event. Currently, the monitoring team has developed five hard possible outcomes, one being minor displays of volcanic release to five, a repeat of the 1707 Hoei eruption but of more powerful scale. Our team will brief the Prime Minister this evening on our recommended responses.
Today's significant event will have the more immediate and required response which is being undertaken by civil defense and the Self-Defense force. Thirteen villages and two medium municipalities under threat from the weakened Northeast flank are being prepared for evacuation. I shall speak bluntly…the failure of the Northeast flank could precipitate a further much larger failure of Fuji's conical structure. This event would trigger a catastrophic release of volcanic pressure. I need not go further on that scenario.
That stated, calm and orderly execution by the affected populace is of great priority. Listen to your emergency personnel and those in authority intently for your safety and the safety of others around you. Allow me to turn to Doctor Dalton.
Harry Dalton : Ladies and Gentlemen. Monitoring efforts on Mount Fuji are increasing. In concert with our Japanese hosts, I have requested that two USGS teams be deployed to Japan from the United States within 72 hours. Not making light of the situation, Mount Fuji will become the most monitor saturated volcano in the world, not a single rock will move where we won't have an instant alarm. Lahar detection equipment is being dropped in strategic locations for real time warning of any major collapse event. At this moment the United States Military under permission of the Japanese government is flying a pair of Predator drones over the Fuji region. As Id say….she's not going to burp without us knowing it. We are moving to prepare for all possibilities but it would not hurt for a little extra divine guidance, let us pray for the best but be ready for the worst.