Chapter 18: Sparks

'This shit isn't right.' As the chief researcher of the Stevens Solar research institute looked up from the table of data presented on the holograms right in front of her, and the student researcher who stood silently at the back waited and watched on as the academic with decades of experience pondered on the significance of the findings that her students just made, 'this is not supposed to happen...'

'Ma'am.' The student said without much hesitation, which has always been something that she has tried to encourage and foster in her very own research group out here in one of the closer solar research stations orbiting around Olympus B, 'this only confirms the prediction of the Falling Star Hypothesis.'

'Do you know what this means?' She said, her voice low and her head defeated. She didn't want to admit it, but her very own data set also mirrored the exact findings of her students, and those collected by him actually has better quality and consistency after the base levels of processing and noise filtering.

'Yes, ma'am.' The student said with an equally heavy voice, his facial expression hidden in the darkness of the room that he resides in, 'this means Olympus B is becoming unstable.'

'This means we have to get out of here, fast.' The chief said, scratching the roots of her hair furiously, 'all of us, all the researchers, all the observatories, all of the settlements in the swarm...Olympus 1, 2 and prime.'

'We all need to get the fuck out of here.' She said, standing up onto her feet.

'I would like to assure every galactic citizen and everyone living in the Olympus system that we are monitoring this issue closely. However, the evidence supporting the Falling Star Conspiracy still isn't sufficient after our assessments. We are, however, mobilizing our forces and preparing in case of any unexpected activity from Olympus B' Dr Dorry May said, as the video of her most recent address was shown and analyzed in the cafeteria of the Stevens Solar Research Institute. There is some semblance of fear and anxiety in the air, but those that resides in the institute still kept an optimistic outlook despite the seeming manipulation of the media.

'This was the head senator's statement, however, the general of the Space Force has pointed out that this is nothing but a ploy to rally the public together in a crisis for her reelection, and that he will not "become a part of the stunt". His statements have also lead to further doubt and anger online.' The anchor said.

However, the one thing that most people doesn't realize is that media manipulation cannot happen without some constructs that enabled them to formulate their own sensationalized versions of half truths, and this is no different.

Copying all of the data and her conclusions into her personal interface, the chief researcher of the solar observatory group Professor Tisha and her student Dr Ahun ran across the center of the spinning solar research station towards the office of the research committee as she requested for an emergency meeting to discuss the implications of her results.

All of the other chiefs of the other research groups alongside the research oversight board form the research committee, and they act as the highest decision making party on this station.

'Professor Tisha, you may begin when you are ready.' After the hastily set up of holograms and graphs, Professor Tisha was finally gestured to begin presenting what both her and her student have found. And what they found isn't good.

Perhaps it is truly about your circumstance, the people you surround yourself with, or even the will of the universe, but Professor Tisha received a much warmer reception than what Caliditas ever could have received. At the end, she gingerly brought out the carefully phrased conclusion of the data.

'The previously stable orbits will be majorly preturbed, and this preturbation could lead to many disastrous consequences that can include stations being thrown into the sun or eject away from the station, planets being bombarded by the slingshoting of asteroids, and even chunks of solar material and winds being ejected from either of the suns that will devastate Olympus 1.' Professor Tisha said as she looked around the poker faces of the room.

'The Falling Star is no a conspiracy, it is a hypothesis that is becoming more and more realistic every single day.' She concluded, and then silence drowned out everything inside the room.

'You know...'Finally, the professor of solar energy extraction research opened up. He was the one that has been at Stevens the longest.

'I have been wondering why all of my shit has been acting out.'

'Yeah!'

'Same here, unexplained phenomena is really messing up our measurements.'

Letting out a long sigh of relief, as the other professors in this committee not only agreed with her findings, but have also noticed the emergence of the trends that something is off. With the carefully compiled and processed data that Professor Tisha has, the phenomena can be quantified, described and explained. Though there is no way that the people on this research station can understand Brakagi's actions, they at least know the effects of it.

In truth, it is something awefully simple, and yet the terrifying conclusions it leads to is what is hard to believe.

'If this is accurate, then it is way bigger than our station.' The director of the research oversight board said, 'put out an abstract with the whole data set out there as soon as you can, Professor Tisha. We will contact the other research stations and discuss our next steps.'

'And I will contact all those in the institute here about what could be coming.' The officer of communications chimed in, 'but from the look of things...'

'The station will have to be moved away.' The director confirmed, 'the details will come, but thank you for the great work, Professor Tisha.'

Professor Tisha and Dr Ahun walked alongside each other. He didn't get to talk during the presentation, but it doesn't matter to him as long as Professor Tisha is able to get the message across. Plus, he did always enjoyed it when she speaks passionately about certain subjects, as that's what made him decide to come to Stevens in the first place.

'So...would that be it?' Dr Ahun asked, as Professor Tisha wiped away some sweats along her forehead, 'is this all we have to do?'

'It shouldn't be.' Professor Tisha shook her head firmly without a moment's thought, 'it may be all we have to do, but it is not all we can do. I will deal with the communication with the other academics, and I want you to communicate with the everyday people. They deserve to know what we see here, and there is no one better at scientific communication than you.'

'Ma'am...I will get on it.' Dr Ahun said, his heart now filled with warmth, 'and...thank you.'

As the two scientists moved through paragraphs and paragraphs in their respective articles, rumors begin to circulate throughout the internet circles of the Olympus Prime systems that the government may be hiding something about the truths of the Falling Star 'hypothesis'. Some amateur observes even claimed that the orbit of Olympus B has been deviating for years, while the other tried present their own version of the models and data. Furious debates on both sides raged on the internet, as further conspiracies about the big Ten interfering with the data collection centers and governmental decision making procedures ran rampant, though none of them is too far from the truths.

Then the bombshell was dropped.

A full data set, model write out of the Falling Star hypothesis, plus an easy to read article are both published online from a research group at the Steven Solar research institute, and shock waves were felt systems away. Dr Ahun is now one of the most hotly requested scientific personality on all of the talk shows, and Professor Tisha is now invited to become part of the decision making committee of the Solar Research Station Alliance around Olympus B, before news broke about the movement of the solar research stations away from this sun.

When things finally started happening, it all happens way too quickly, and the galactic government barely had time to react. To the scientists, all of this makes sense. Science and the pursuit of truth does not care for meager feelings, back alley investigations and financial interests.

In the ball game kick started by Brakagi, the ball was intercepted by the scientists all of a sudden. However, it soon found its way back to Dr Dorry May and the galactic government that she is leading, and her next moves are even under further scrutiny. Was she misinformed? Was she pretending to not no the truth?

Was she hiding the truth? Or was she being manipulated all this time?

'You knew this would have happened.' General Kuviar said, his eyes glaring at Dr Dorry May though his voice cold and calm, 'perhaps I should have controlled the flow of information a bit just so we wouldn't look so stupid right now.'

'There is no point in arguing that further.' Dr Dorry May said, rubbing the sides of her temple, 'I will have to make an address soon. Can you make sure the Space Force doesn't do anything stupid?'

'Why would I bother with that old fox?' General Kuviar lets out a cold uncaring chuckle.

'Because you of all people know what he will do to preserve his reputation.' Dr Dorry May turned her head towards General Kuviar and stared at him, 'especially after that blatant slap in the face those two researchers just did to him.'

'...Fine.' General Kuviar said, 'you owe me one.'

'Put that in the tab.' Dr Dorry May rolled her eyes and shut off the transmission. Since when is serving the good of the people becoming a personal favor?

Now with the dark cloud that is the space force taken care at least for a little while, Dr Dorry can finally free up her hands and with the funds and basic outlines of the plans that will be required to evacuate Olympus 1, however, there are no further news coming from the big ten after their last meeting, despite the requests that she has sent out about the funds. The thing is she might have already missed out on the dates that will allow for total evacuation...working with ever less time, Dr Dorry May's next target would be to minimize losses.

'You have heard the lady.' General Kuviar spun around and faced the groups of directors that each is in charge of the individual units, 'from what I know, that old fox will first publicly accuse the researchers of spreading rumors of instability, and/or collaborating with the lady in reelection or whatever bullshit he will pull out. That's not what we deal with, however.'

'We will be protecting the research stations, as most of the research stations in Olympus B will be moving soon. That means the space force may be able to catch them on the move.' General Kuviar said, bringing up the map of the clusters of research stations that are members of the Solar Research Station Alliance, 'you want to be on the right side of history? Now is the chance.'

'The old fox is taking a gamble that whatever science says will happen won't, so let's make sure nobody will die in his pointless parade. Dismissed.'

As the holograms of the directors and officers for each of his units went dim one by one, General Kuviar is finally able to have some alone time. Things will only become more stressful from now on, and he needed to be in tip top shape in order to prepare for whatever things that will come.

There is no precedence in the history when a star is suddenly leaving the stable orbits. In cosmological timelines, all of these happens in what is essentially a fraction of an instant. Nobody knows if the sun will truly go all bananas, and nobody knows what will happen next. You can do all the science you want, and verify your results to be nothing less than absolute truth. Would it really matter to others if you can convince no one?

General Kuviar reached into the cabinet for an old fashioned cigar, as he popped the cap off. The chemicals reacted upon contact with Oxygen and lit it up automatically. As he breathed in a lungful of seemingly calming chemicals, his mind drifted back to a point in modern history when the world encountered something that was also deemed unprecedented.

Lots of lives were lost due to the inaction of governments intially and many more were lost later during the pointing of fingers.

Well...whatever happens next, all General Kuviar have to do to maintain his current standing with the galactic government would be to just do enough and get on the good side of the people. He has no interest in going for anything higher, in contrast with the other general sitting at the table. The age of his ambition is certainly behind him, so a comfortable post with substantial and unwavering power would have been sufficient.

'You have heard the man.' Officer Sundera turned around, and the hologram of Cellica flickered onto her desk. She looked tired and angry. The thing she hated the most about working for the Bureu is the forceful participation of his games. This position offered her intelligence and insight into the galactic government like no other, and even Ol can't keep up with the amount of things she is learning about the galaxy everyday. However, the trade off to such a privilege is certainly nothing to scoff at. Sometimes, Cellica is able to convince herself that what she does is for the greater good first with a side bonus towards the Bureu, and this may just be one of those times.

'Understood.' Cellica said.

'In the paper works, I have put you forward to be in charge of Stevens Solar Research Station. That is where the loudest people are, and that may be the first place the space force will try to silence.' Officer Sundera said, her eyes focused on a hologram somewhere else, 'you official paper works will be transferred to you as soon as it is ready. Be ware that the old fox seemed kind of desperate right now, so...'

'Expect the ugly things you read in history books to show up.' Cellica explained in the meeting to her unit, as they all sat together in a tight circle, 'the higher ups suspected the space force may use the captured and "reeducated pirates" for this "mission". Know that the law will be on your side, and know that they would most likely not care.'

'Fuck.....this is epic.' Jun said, and Charlie and Claudia both looked at him. Charlie gave him a knowing and impressed look, while Claudia looked a little caught out.

'I know this seemed ridiculous, but the galaxy is big enough for ugly things.' Cellica said, 'I trust that all of you will know what to do. Claudia and Charlie, get on with making the best gear you could find, and I will take care of communication with those at the Stevens.'

The gears of the galactic government turned as those at each levels worked hard towards the tomorrow that they believed in. And with the passing of each day, Olympus B also continued onward in the trajectory predicted by Caliditas all those days ago.

As expected, Dr Dorry May addressed the galaxy in a news conference about the now confirmation of the 'Falling Star Hypothesis', as she declared the previous wording of it being a conpiracy inappropriate. A superficial apology later, she once again declared that the threat level of the hypothesis is still under constant review and under control. The people on the internet obviously didn't take this too well, and already some minor evacuation efforts has already begun.

'Can you clarify what the next course of action should be?'

'That is under constant review.' Dr Dorry May said with a poker face, 'and I would like to ask the public to remain calm and continue to trust the efforts of the galactic government.'

'And of course that's what she will say.' Charlie said, tying her hair in a bun behind her head as the entire unit watches the news on hologram as they approached Stevens Solar Research Station, 'she is too tied up to say anything else!'

'That's what makes all of this extremely difficult.' Jun said seriously, 'I think I have seen the news of some people already trying to make their way off Olympus 1.'

'That is the only the opinion of the few.' Toso chimed in for the first time in a little while, 'the governor sounded like someone who's even more controlled by the Big Ten from what I have gathered, so it would be unrealistic to expect him to say anything helpful.'

'GUYS? Do you not think we could have done more? We are talking about trillions here.' Claudia opened up, and her voice echoed in the empty room.

'Officially, we are not allowed to manipulate public opinion through any means.' Cellica walked in on the conversation with her fingers still on her personal interface after finishing a call, 'however, we are allow to blow the whistle should we deem it necessary.'

'No need to ask, boss.' Jun snapped his fingers towards Cellica, and Toso gave him a pat on the head.

'Hell yeah, Clauds', Charlie said with a bright smile on her face, 'we might not look it, but we workin'!'

'Soon, people will be leaving Olympus 1 in batches.' Jun said firmly, 'and we made sure the Big Ten will be helping!'

Hopefully that will be enough. Cellica squeezed out a smile, as she held onto her personal interface that's still warm from the call she just made.

On Athena 3, Ol turned around to the roomful of artifact users and gathered all of them around.

'Let's go save a world, people!'