Ichoris

"Thank you all for coming, gentlemen. My team at Space Telescope Science Institute has a startling report and I would like your participation," Dr. Alvin Rothric began, "Reports that I think warrant your attention and your resources." He stood in front of a long table while a movie projector cast an intrusive blue background behind him. This was the hearing to decide if the President of the United States would hear it; his cabinet members were here as well as congressmen and wealthy businessmen. Dr. Rothric noted the audience were all white, males, and in business suits, a fact that he found depressing but couldn’t change.

"We're all busy men, Doctor,” one of them interrupted, “so we'd appreciate you getting to the point."

"Of course," Dr. Rothric answered, "I just wanted to express my appreciation to all of you for being here. Anyway, the telescope team has noticed something startling." The doctor stepped aside and pointed a remote at the projector. A projector clicked on, coating the screen in a fresh blue coat for a moment before loading the image. The image was a black screen with many dots of assorted colors. One of them was circled in red.

"These slides are snapshots of the lambda quadrant of space and each have at least ten other slides like them, many of these stars are outside our galaxy," Dr. Rothric explained, "Each of those colored points is a star, much like our own sun, and most have several planets. The circled star in particular has a planet about the size of Jupiter in its orbit."

Dr. Rothric clicked to the next slide and it showed the same array but with two of the dots circled. "The newly circled star was still in the previous slide but now has a large planet. Though you can‘t see it in this slide, implying that something moved into the system and took up orbit. A few days later, whatever it is has moved again, and again. Now notice that the first star is glowing brightly which probably meant that it exploded." As he spoke, red circles appeared on the screen highlighting stars. On the last slide, the original star grew to a bigger dot. The projector clicked off and the lights of the room brightened.

"We tracked this phenomenon happening nearly 30 more times," Dr. Rothric narrated, "The most viable conclusion we've drawn is that it’s an alien ship."

One of the businessmen scoffed, "A ship? The size of Jupiter? The Institute’s budget is up for re-evaluation next month and you bring us this? Sounds to me like your trying to get a bigger budget."

Dr. Rothric knew this point was coming but he couldn't disrespect the chief. "I’m not trying to deflect attention. The only p0roof of that I can offer is that the European Space Agency will corroborated.” If I was trying for a bigger budget, DR Rothric had the good sense not to add, I would find a less extraordinary phenomena. He continued aloud, “Whatever it is moved from a solar system to another, which neither asteroids nor planets can do but when it entered a system appeared to take up an orbit, which comets don’t do. We simply don’t know of anything else that can do that. Nothing we know of can cause a star to go supernova but, considering the other achievements required, the idea certainly isn’t impossible. No one in the institute can think of a better theory than it’s a space ship and that ship somehow is destroying suns. Whatever it is, it seems to be meandering towards earth," Dr. Rothric paused for a moment, "To state the obvious, sirs, we can't let it get to this solar system."

The room was silent for a moment before one of the businessmen blurted out, "Stars do explode, Doctor."

"Yes, but not with this speed or consistency we’re experiencing," Dr. Rothman answered, "When a star explodes, it’s too far from others to influence them. And stars explode rarely. To think that the stars exploding have nothing to do with the ‘ship’ is far beyond chance. Our statisticians say such a correlation has only a millionth of a percent chance of being coincidence."

"And you said it was coming towards earth?” another businessman piped up, “When shall we expect it?”

"If it follows the same path it has," Dr. Rothric prepared himself, "ten years, maybe twelve."

"Oh, well, then we have to start preparing right away, don't we?"

"We're only guessing how far away it is. The object could alter its pattern and be here in a few years. There's also the question of what we're going to do about it; few of our weapons can even get into orbit and nothing we have could destroy anything that size anyway."

“Until now, your section has turned up little to justify its existence. In fact, all your program seems to do is cost money, millions in fact,” the businessman continued, “And now you‘re section is up for review. Forgive me for being skeptical of your warning about undiscovered alien invaders that may only arrive in ten years or may not even arrive at all.” The businessmen chuckled and filed out of the room.

Dr. Rothric watched them go. He had seen it happen before, scientific advancement scrapped because it had a large price tag. Now it was the fate of the planet. News of this ‘wild theory’ would spread quickly; no one would even listen to him now. Perhaps he was wrong or perhaps an alternative will be invented in the next ten years. He took the cd out of the slide projector, put in a case, and slid it into his pocket. The sound of the business faded away and something make Dr. Rothric look up. Standing there was another businessman, tight black tuxedo and sunglasses that covered most of his face.

Dr. Rothric turned to see a man in a tight suit and sunglasses that covered most of his face. “How may I help you?”

“How confident are you in these observations of yours?”

“I’d stake my career on them,” Dr. Rothric answered then scoffed at himself, “In fact, I think I just did.”

“Then I have an opportunity for you,” the gentleman answered, “While I can’t tell you anything now, I assure you that coming with me will be worth your time. If you do come, everyone who knew you will forget, there will be no record of you existing ever. If you’re interested, please follow me.”