A Spacetime Tale

by J. Benjamin

  “Dignitaries, scientists, world leaders, and to those serving in our armed forces, welcome to the forty-seventh Global Space Federation Annual Conference,” he said. “This year is a special year…” As the mayor spoke, Kiara tuned him out. He was mostly going on about the current growth of Sally Ride City, the GSF Foundation, and a not-so-subtle plea for more workers to move to the Federal District. Finally, he introduced the person that Kiara was there to see.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to introduce to you the chief exobiologist of the Global Space Federation, Dr. Leon Esposito.” The entire auditorium stood to applaud as the skinny, middle-aged academic walked on to the stage. He grinned and waved to the audience.

  “Good to see you all again,” said the professor. “So much is happening in the world right now. Well… off the world, I should say. The Pelican data from Kennedy is almost here. GSF’s first Jupiter gas-mining mission was a huge success. The Mars Terraformation Project planted a record two-hundred square kilometers worth of super-algae on the surface of the Red Planet in just the past month.” Leon arched his gaze upward.

  “And Doctor Kiara Lacroix has just released the most in-depth report ever to detail the thousands of new life-forms discovered among Europa’s super-reefs. I know she’s somewhere up there in the balcony.” Kiara perked her head up at the name-drop and subsequent applause. As if she couldn’t feel any more awkward. She already regretted attending. It wasn’t as if Leon was going to speak about subjects she didn’t already understand top to bottom.

  “All around the solar system and beyond, new advancements are being made. The decades-long expansion toward a greater understanding of the life that flourishes in our physical universe continues onward.” A hologram of a very familiar sight illuminated the back area of the stage. The hologram was of a dim star with a spherical colony of the Zelthrati.

  “Alistair 937, the first time that we, the human race, learned that we were not alone in this universe. It was a pivotal moment, not just for science, but also for the very survival of our species. There are many of you here tonight who weren’t alive to witness the United States before the collapse. I was just a schoolboy at a boarding school in Barcelona when the first shots went off in the Battle of Washington D.C. My parents, who happened to be living in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, demanded I stay in Europe. It was the last time I ever spoke to them.

  “I knew the collapse of the world’s largest superpower would have worldwide repercussions. I never imagined it would escalate into the deadliest conflict in human history. After World War II, we said never again. Funny how words ring hollow sometimes. All that worldwide death and destruction, yet the better angels managed to band together and complete a science mission that helped the rest of us see the big picture. Finding Alistair 937 was a massive wakeup call that allowed us to put aside our petty differences, and rise above the demagogues and brutal authoritarians of the early twenty-first century.

  “Everything you see here today would not have been made possible without this discovery. We learned then that not only were humans not alone but that we were certainly not the biggest species of fish in the ocean. Finding the Zelthrati shattered everything we thought we knew about the universe.” As Leon listed off Zelthrati colonies, the hologram above him filled up with each mentioned star and its respective sphere.

  “And yet for all we can observe about the Zelthrati, there are so many questions that remain unanswered. How and where exactly did this civilization originate? How did they come up with the technological means to travel thousands of lightyears from star to star? How did they find the resources to build these reality-defying superstructures—the likes of which would require the mass of at least a few Jupiter-sized gas giants to construct? More importantly, why do all of their colonies appear to be dead?” The hologram of stars dissipated in a fashion similar to sand blowing away in the wind.

  “Here’s where we currently stand. We have twelve confirmed findings of Zelthrati spheres. Each one is within fifty lightyears to two-hundred lightyears of Earth. Our radio and television signals have long-since crossed the threshold of those first spheres. If anything were living in those systems, we would probably have heard back by now. Every spectrometer study, every conceivable scan we have done suggests that those spheres went dead countless millennia ago.

  “At a bare minimum, we know the Zelthrati in our local arm of the galaxy has been extinct for two centuries. No energy signatures emerge from their sun-spanning spheres. The surface temperatures on the non-solar facing sides are as cold as the Oort Cloud. That wouldn’t be the case if those colonies were alive and kicking.

  “So, this is the part where we need to do some important soul-searching. It is time that the Global Space Federation’s leadership prioritize faster-than-light travel and any technological capabilities that can test the laws of physics. I know this isn’t popular. Some of you consider this a lost-cause, possibly even a dangerous one. However, I believe without it, we will never contact an intelligent species.” Dr. Esposito’s remarks provoked chatter and murmurs throughout the room. Kiara knew Leon well enough to know that causing controversy and evoking disapproval was his intention.

  “The Pelican program served its purpose,” Leon said. “But compared with technological breakthroughs R&D is about to achieve, the Pelicans are becoming as obsolete as the telegram. The General Assembly can continue pouring resources into it at the expense of R&D, but you will be wasting time.” The murmurs turned to a mix of booing and applause.

  The Pelican program had older diehards who were adamant about seeing it preserved. Pelican maintenance had become increasingly expensive as more swarms were fired into the great beyond. The younger politicians and staffers within GSF agreed with Leon’s sentiments. They felt the Pelican program was eating into the costs of research that could lead to more advanced technology.

  As Leon continued speaking, Secretary-General Lew stood up and was quickly escorted out by her detail. As they made their way down the aisle, several people noticed and diverted their attention from Leon. It’s not as if the most recognizable figure on Earth and every other planet would be able to leave a room and not be noticed. Kiara did wonder what could possibly require Katelyn Lew’s attention more than the annual conference keynote. Leon however, paid no attention and kept talking.

  “Now hear me out,” Leon said. “We’ve been looking up at the stars for decades. We’re continuously finding new planets, new information, and new potential for civilizations beyond the Zelthrati, but it’s not enough. Looking at stars from the solar system and then firing off nano-satellites in the hopes they will reach those stars in our lifetimes is not enough. If we hope to make contact across several hundred or even thousands of lightyears, we need to have a better understanding of the rules of physics and our own knowledge of them.

  “The vast resources the Zelthrati consumed to build colonies larger than most planets would require widespread cooperation across thousands of lightyears, but you already know this. We’ve been talking about it for decades. Our new challenge…”

  A shoulder tap disrupted Kiara’s focus. She turned around to see two female agents standing behind her.

  “Excuse me,” the agent on the left asked, “are you Dr. Kiara Lacroix?”

  “Yes,” Kiara replied, “that’s me.”

  “You need to come with us immediately,” the other agent said.

  “Right now? During Dr. Esposito’s address?” Kiara asked in confusion. “What’s going on here?”

  “You are to come with us now,” said the first agent.

  “Is this regarding those protesters outside the premises? I swear to you, I simply had a conversation with one of them.” The two soldiers looked at each other confused.

  “No,” the left agent said. “You’re not in any trouble, but there is an urgent matter, and you must come with us right away.”

  Kiara wondered if it was in any way related to the secretary-general leaving.

&nbs
p; “Very well. Lead the way.”

  5

  GSF Executive Suite, Situation Room

  Upon leaving the underground tunnel and up a flight of stairs, Kiara faced the wooden double-doors to one of the most elusive rooms in the world, the GSF situation room. Often spoken of but never shown to the public, it was not a place Kiara ever expected to be.

  “They’re ready for you, Dr. Lacroix,” one of the soldiers said as she opened the door.

  “Thank you.”

  Kiara nervously proceeded inside. The ornate surroundings of the outside hall gave way to a command center that resembled a cyberpunk creation from yesteryear. Complete with holograms, bright white walls, and a massive oval table as a centerpiece of the room. At the table sat several familiar cabinet members of the Global Space Federation, and even the soldier Kiara had bumped into on her way to the speech. Next to the head of the table sat Defense Secretary Thomas Adler. Finally, the person sitting at the furthest end was none other than the secretary-general herself, Katelyn Lew.

  The door opened again behind her. It was Dr. Esposito.

  “Umm…” Kiara said nervously. “Am I in the right room?”

  “Ah. Dr. Kiara Lacroix. Dr. Esposito,” said the defense secretary in his Irish accent. “Welcome to the GSF situation room. So glad you could join us. Please, take that seat next to Dr. Esposito.”

  She waved and took the seat that the defense secretary referred to. The nervousness prevented her lips from moving.

  “By emergency order of the secretary-general, you have been granted clearance to be in here.”

  Kiara looked around the table and turned to the secretary-general. Katelyn Lew respectfully nodded at her and then immediately turned her attention away.

  “I see we’re all here,” Katelyn said. “Good. Secretary Adler, do you mind explaining to our friends what you explained to me just a few minutes ago? I think they’ll find this quite interesting.”

  “Of course, Madam Secretary-General,” Thomas replied. “At 0700 hours, Pacific Standard, a series of encrypted pings were picked up by the Olympus Mons Mars Outpost. The pings were then successfully deciphered by Intelligence. The data contained the first report submitted from the hive artificial-intelligence of a swarm of Pelicans that were fired into deep space more than thirty years ago. Their path was for Kennedy in the Wolf 482 system. We confirm the Pelicans reached their destination and are in a stable orbit around Kennedy.”

  “It is one of several Earth-like planets within twenty lightyears of our solar system,” Katelyn added. “Hence why GSF set it as a primary target for exploration, thirty years ago.” She nodded to Thomas to continue.

  “Right then. Let’s dive into the report, shall we?” Thomas activated a hologram display that filled the center of the table. A bright white-and-blue sphere hovered above the table. “This is Kennedy. What you are seeing is a hologram composite of the most detailed images ever taken of the extrasolar planet. Kennedy has an atmosphere not dissimilar to Earth, albeit with greater oxygen content. The surface is eighty-percent water and ice, and the remaining twenty percent is solid landmass covered in snow. Kennedy is a planet-sized version of the Arctic Circle, larger in fact because it is one-and-a-half times Earth’s diameter. It’s absolutely suitable for humans, though it would feel like Minnesota in winter.

  “But this isn’t the reason you were summoned here,” Thomas continued. “This is Kennedy, as you currently know it. Now, you are about to see how the world will forever remember Kennedy by tomorrow morning.” Thomas pointed his right finger at the hologram.

  What showed up next knocked the wind out of Kiara. The translucent hologram model of Kennedy lit up with a patchwork of bright fuchsia and blue lights that represented an underwater network beneath the ice sheets. Deep, intricate patterns of these lights stretched over the vast subsurface ocean that covered most of the planet.

  “We are looking at the first alien civilization discovered since the Zelthrati colonies,” the defense secretary said. “Except now they’re alive and within a stone’s throw of our technology.”

  Wow, Kiara thought.

  “Almost hard to believe,” Secretary-General Lew replied. “But here we are. The second time in history, when we observed an intelligent alien race. Thoughts? Exobiologists?”

  Kiara turned to Leon, who looked equally flabbergasted by the news.

  “Go ahead,” she said to him.

  “Well…” Leon replied. “This definitely answers the question as to whether advanced life can form underwater. Given the scale of this hologram model, it looks like those colonies run several miles deep. Probably as deep as the lifeforms on Europa. How are they even able to power such a massive subterranean civilization?”

  “Glad you asked,” Thomas replied. “HiveAI picked up the presence of a blue algae-like substance that is ubiquitous throughout the land surface of Kennedy. The algae appear to be constantly absorbing sunlight and transferring that energy into the ocean below.”

  “You’re saying this species bioengineered their surface into a giant solar array, and the energy is powering the civilization below?” Kiara asked.

  “Short answer, yes,” Thomas said. “But the solar is a drop in the bucket. There’s far more energy being generated in the subterranean layer. Each of the lights gives energy readings that make the Sagan’s fusion reactor look like a cheap flashlight battery.”

  “Fusion energy,” Kiara replied.

  “Correct, Dr. Lacroix,” Thomas said. “Furthermore, HiveAI notes that there are no signs of unnatural fossil fuel emissions in Kennedy’s atmosphere.”

  “So just to be clear,” Leon said. “This species can create and sustain energy on a scale that far transcends anything human ingenuity has ever accomplished. Impressive. They even managed to do it without industrializing their planet to death the way we almost did.”

  “Could they be Zelthrati?” Katelyn asked.

  “Highly doubt it,” Leon said. “The Zelthrati had to harness the energy of an entire sun to be able to sustain their gargantuan colonies. Some of their suns became unstable by their very existence.”

  “The Zelthrati were clearly a type two on the Kardashev Scale,” Kiara replied. “They had the capabilities to manipulate the energy of a star. Come to think of it, I’d bump them up to type two-point-five since they managed to coordinate a civilization over several stars and repeat the act a dozen times. If they could control an entire galaxy, they’d be type three, but that’s something that only exists in fiction. For now.”

  “Interesting,” Thomas said. “So, what does that make these unknowns?”

  “For now, these unknowns have to be type one,” Kiara said. “They mastered energy production on a planet-wide scale. They’re certainly more advanced than we humans, a type zero civilization.”

  “I see,” Thomas said. “Well, this is good. It’s just the first report, and we expect far more interesting information to emerge in the future reports which should arrive in the weeks and months ahead. However, this is only half the reason we brought you in. Admiral Perez, come in.”

  The hologram of Kennedy disappeared, and a hologram of Admiral Isla Perez took its place.

  “Admiral, welcome,” Thomas said. “Now, let’s get down to the real business of why we interrupted our most important event of the year.”

  “Before Thomas says another word,” Katelyn interrupted. “I want to make crystal clear to everyone present that what we are about to tell you is top secret. Divulging any of this information is considered a felony violation of the GSF Espionage Act and punishable by several decades in prison.”

  “Thank you, Madam Secretary-General,” Thomas replied. “Now, the reason you are gathered is that GSF has spent years preparing for a moment such as this. We knew it was only a matter of time before these reports started trickling in, and we expect many more to follow from Wolf 482 and other stars. So, we will have all this data. The bigger question is, how do we act on it? What comes once the world recognizes
that our galactic neighborhood is far more crowded than we initially thought? The answer is spacetime sequencing.”

  “Spacetime sequencing?” A puzzled Kiara inquired.

  “Correct,” Thomas replied. “For the past three years, GSF intelligence at the directive of Admiral Perez, has been conducting a series of secret experiments from Space Station Sagan. Using the Sagan’s fusion reactor and modified laser weapons, the Sagan has successfully found a way to bridge the gap between two points in the fabric of space; Wormholes, as some would call them.”

  “You can’t be serious,” Leon said. Kiara thought the same thing. One of the most significant breakthroughs in the history of science was casually revealed before her, right after the shocking revelation of a second extraterrestrial intelligence. No big deal.

  “In the first year, we had a lot of malfunctions,” Thomas explained. “Most of our experiments would collapse after a few microseconds. However, in the past few months, we have successfully managed to sustain a stable bridge for indefinite periods.”

  “Why wasn’t the full Cabinet made aware of the existence of such technology?” Leon asked.

  “The spacetime sequencing program is top secret,” Thomas replied. “In the wrong hands, there’s no telling what sort of harm this technology is capable of. Now that we have succeeded in turning wormholes into a practical application, the secretary-general and I felt it appropriate to declassify this for Cabinet members and all those currently present.”

  “To be clear, these wormholes are microscopic,” the secretary-general said. “Too small for most molecules to pass through. However, for the purpose of what we intend to do, that won’t be relevant.”

  “And what do you intend to do?” Kiara asked.

  “Use the dream net,” Thomas said. “We intend to send three carefully selected individuals into a virtual reality dream state. From there, their consciousness’ will awaken in a virtual world built by GSF. After that, their consciousness’ will be projected through the spacetime bridge via gamma radiation. The newly-termed ‘gammanauts’ will reemerge in a virtual dream environment on the opposite end of the wormhole. One that we created and which would be transmitted through the portal before the gammanauts arrival. We hope that our new friends in Wolf 482 will be sophisticated enough to recognize the gamma pulses, link to the dream staging environment, and communicate with it. Once the mission is complete, our human hosts will awaken in their natural bodies back on Earth.”