ISECG Leader Forum

  Dr. Woodhouse was familiar with each of the heads of states he saw flickering on the screen. As the academic lead on the dig, he had been invited to attend the emergency meeting.

  The International Space Exploration Coordination Group consisted of the twenty-six countries with prominent space programs. Each of the ISECG country’s world leader was present, each in their prospective “situation” room, surrounded by advisors, linked via live feed.

  “So I kick my ball onto the green and four putt for a gentleman’s birdie…”

  “Excellent, Mr. President, might you think we can move on to the issue at hand?”

  “Fine then. My fellow presidents, prime ministers, and kings. Earlier this week I was notified by a team of my top science nerds of a discovery. A discovery that appears to affirm proof of life beyond our world. You should all have the briefing notes, but a map was uncovered with a location marked, a star system we had yet uncovered.”

  A voice quipped up. “We have been down this road before. It is going to turn out to be malarky just as it always does.”

  “Uh excuse me I wasn’t done. We’ve verified that the system in question has a planet located inside the so-called habitable zone. The science nerds tell me the odds of any random star hosting such a planet is about 2.2%. Given the map’s complexity, they’re saying with a high degree of certainty that intelligent life exists beyond our system.

  “Mr. President…” Dr. Woodhouse was trying to get a word in but was talked over.

  “We think it’s a coming-out party invitation. They probably fired off thousands of these maps to different habitable planets. We just happen to be one of the few smart enough to crack it. The president grinned. “Now, my first instinct is we harvest it for resources and try to blow it up. Clean and simple. Thoughts everyone?”

  “Dibs on reality TV rights! Four single twenty somethings are thrust….”

  A leader who sat alone in a dark room, face just hardly visible interjected. “Are you of you familiar with the Fermi paradox? Say nothing dummies, its a trap.”

  If I may say, said another, “If there is other life then we have a duty to life everywhere to share our knowledge.”

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Who gives a rat’s ass? It’s 50 light years away. Unless some real crazy shit goes down, all of us el’ be long dead!”

  “Not me you old bitch!”

  Dr. Woodhouse broke in. “Not necessarily sir. Our team received a call this morning from Dr. Brown. He is the head of a research group we have contracted with in the past. They have been investigating a theoretical method of transmission called Flash. They believe they can send out a matter ping that should be noticed instantaneously in its destination. The range is small and it can’t send matter, so no care packages yet I’m afraid. They have asked for the coordinates so they can try a signal.

  “Let’s have a vote then,” said a leader who clearly had better places to be.

  “Wait wait wait. Please we need to discuss this rationally and comprehensively. This is a major decision on behalf of all life on Earth we are making”

  “This rock has also been traveling for at least 50 years too, we might not be dealing with the same group that initially sent it. For all we know they could be hostile now.”

  “I know! That’s why we need to BLOW THEM UP!”

  Despite a few more protests, the vote proceeded.

  The decision was made. Let them try their signal.

  ————————-

  James fidgeted next to me as I read the contract. It was short, but I felt compelled to go through it carefully. I had been doing this with everything lately. This morning I had spent over an hour reading over every minute change that would occur when I agreed to the newest software update on my phone. Interestingly enough, the update included a footnote stating that unless you opted out, a twenty percent gratuity would be added at the end of each billing cycle. Tipping culture was getting a little crazy if you ask me.

  We had spent the last few hours playing All Reality Sports League practice matches. You slipped the goggles on and entered the ARSL clubhouse, where you could interact with all of the settings and administrative components of the game. Once the game started, you appeared on the sideline of a field as the player that you had selected. Around you was the arena, which was a mesmerizing fusion of augmentation and reality. Towering holographic displays projected scores, stats, rankings, and sponsor ads that shifted dynamically.. A translucent display hovered in your peripheral vision, showing stamina levels and play calls. As the game kicked off, you haptics synced with the player’s movements, translating every step, pass, and collision into visceral sensation.

  The agreement he presented was clear, no hidden gratuities. I had no financial obligation at all. If I kept the team from going broke and had a winning season, I would get a one quarter stake in the team. If the team managed to hold its value, that would mean roughly $20,000. Although suspect, I was not seeing a downside to this offer. I wasn’t sacrificing anything, except the potential for James’ ire if we flopped I suppose. But he knew the risks. And he sought me out. That would be on him as much as it would be on me. I signed the document, and James immediately went to the marketplace site and put in his bid for the team. I would come back tomorrow and the two of us would make an offseason schedule. We had three months until the season began. Last year the team had finished 2-15 so the work was cut out for me. But what did I have to lose?

  I had just reached home when my phone buzzed, a text from James.

  "We’re in business, partner."