Physics and Astronomy Building, UCLA

March 7, 2013

8:42 AM

FBI agent Ralph Dunkan pressed the elevator’s third floor button. There was a metal-to-metal squeak that bugged Chad Fipps months ago, but it was repaired once the doors closed. The bullet hole in the wall near his nee, also repaired. But the Wave crystals still in the gardens and walkways were still on campus like incredulous reminders.

As the elevator rose, Dunkan’s hands rested on his waist, too close to his sidearm. He was an older man with eyes that seen unexplainable troubles, something Chad could relate to. Totally bald and beardless, say for a tiny scar behind his right ear.

“Fucking protestors. Bless riot control,” he said rubbing his nose. “Again, it was difficult locating you and your group, Mr. Fipps,” he repeated the tenth time. “Didn’t expect you’d be in Oregon until Forest Rangers spotted your signal.” He then sighed. “For what it’s worth, I’m glad. We need answers.”

Chad only known Dunkan for a few hours since the rescue. He felt uneasy just standing by him. The traditional government agent suit unsettled him by memories past. What made him somewhat calm was feeling clean shaven, groomed, showered, wearing clean clothes, and real food in his stomach.

“You’re sweating,” Dunkan noticed. “Nervous?”

Chad wiped his brow and scratched his brown hair. “Meeting the kind of people I’ve dreamed of meeting, or you?”

Dunkan hummed, “Come again?” 

Chad was saved by his blue jay totem on his right shoulder. “He’s referring to the zombie attack during Marshal Law, Mr. Dunkan,” he said in a nurturing tone. “It was pretty traumatic for the group.”

“From the statements Brian and Charlie shared, one ‘agent’ tried to kill Maggie.”

“I wasn’t there, but in a way…”

“Save it for…” Duncan paused, looking down. “Hey, Fipps, you’re turned on.”

Chad blinked. “Excuse me?”

“I said…ah, nevermind. Look at your hands. Better settle down or I’ll end this meeting.” Dunkan became agitated, hand moving to his sidearm.

Chad looked. “Shit, not again.” Chad shook his hands, glowing with tattoos.

On the surface, all terrans are similar. Three foot tail on average, long elf ears, visible under-skin dense cartilage armor on the forearms, shins and tail, and higher developed bodies than humans. Powerful magic capabilities included, with a second heart and advanced nervous system for support. Similarities end there.

Depending on the terran’s dominant ancestry, they display blue/white glowing tattoos depicting their heritage’s symbolism when charging their mana, which change for every charge. Chad Fipps is Greek/Irish, but Greek dominant; sharp, angled lines connected to Greek letters and mythology constellations. They glowed from fingertip to elbow, blue/white marble undulating like thick cream.

Chad kept shaking them while taking deep, slow breaths.

“That’s right, just like we practiced,” the blue jay said, “nothing will hurt you.”

The tattoos dimmed, then disappeared. The remaining charged mana on his arms and floor evaporated. Chad let out a shuttering breath and flexed his hands.

“Good job,” the bird cheered.

Dunkan coughed, still edgy by the act. His hand never left his sidearm’s handle. “Take note, Fipps,” he started, “the last time a terran charged his mana in an elevator, that suicidal nut job killed several people in a Monte Carlo hotel, including three kids. Don’t make me relive that shit.”

Chad gulped from Dunkan’s piercing eyes. “N-No, you got it wrong. When I’m nervous, my mana gets charged without notice,” Chad defended.

“It’s a problem since he transformed, sir,” the blue jay intervened. “He had to empty his mana heart until I shut it down just to function for weeks. He’s learning control. Nothing to be riled up, sir. We promise.”

The elevator dinged. Dunkan relaxed and adjusted his black jacket. “Better be the truth. Come on, they’re waiting.”

“They? There’s more than one?” Chad wondered. Dunkan did not answer.

As they walked through the hall, the blue jay entered Chad as blue light. Still proud you remembered your training.

You think having it on is a good idea, Jano? Chad thought. I remembered the attack.

It’s for those protestors outside in case the-

Chad walked into a support column face first, knocking off his new glasses. “Ow ow owww…”

“That’s him?” A third man said. “No wonder he’s an easy target.”

“Your commentary never pleases anybody, Mr. Teal” Dunkan said with distaste. “Watch out with this one, he nearly blew himself in the elevator, with me still inside.”

“Got it.” The third man hiccuped.

Chad’s pain subsided after he found his glasses on the floor and put them back on. Jano materialized back onto his shoulder. “I’m fine guys, I do… that… a…” His words left Chad after noticing the third man. His eyes widened. “Holy mother of God.”

At the old breakroom door, one alien guarded it, standing taller than the door itself and inches from touching the ceiling. He had dreadlocks, or something like dreadlocks, that appeared wild, overgrown tree roots running past his shoulders, some had colored rubber bands. Under the wrinkled black shirt and brown cargo pants was forest green skin and dense muscle. Chad’s scientific mind shuttered at the man’s digitigrade legs in cargo shorts, ending with heavy-duty combat boots, perfectly supporting his humanoid upper body. A black collar was around his neck with wires going in behind his dreads; Chad assumed it was like Dunkan’s ear radio.

The man’s eyes caught Chad’s major attention, giving him chills for the first time since the red-eyes nearly killed the group; all black with a gold iris. Do they work well at night? Is he a hunter? Wait, what was his name again?

Jaruka’s head cocked a little to the side, observing Chad. “Not much of a terran. You sure he’s an astronomer?”

“That’s what he used to be,” Dunkan said.

“I heard there were three more.”

“Dr. Helen is in the hospital. The two Iraq veterans are being held for interviews next until further notice. I told you this already.”

“Don’t remember,” he hiccuped.

Chad gulped at the large alien rifle and Japanese sword strapped behind the alien’s back. Just what the articles said.

He was able to read a few things while traveling from Oregon to Los Angeles. Jaruka Teal came up a lot. It was all true, extraterrestrials are real and one of them stared him down like a commanding bully. He wanted to introduce himself, even shake the alien’s hand. Except fear kept him down. Too afraid to raise his arm. His whole life looked forward to meeting an extraterrestrial. So many questions to ask, yet impossible to talk directly.

Ralph coughed. “Brain freeze, Mr. Fipps?”

Chad produced a chirp.

Jaruka rolled his eyes. “Come on, just push him inside. Xi’Tra is waiting for him.” He hiccuped again.

“He’s right. Go on. We’ll be outside in case those hooligans get in.”

Jaruka adjusted his equipment’s straps with a smirk.

Chad blinked. “Right, sorry. Sorry.” He looked at Dunkan to function. Chad walked through the open double doors, but had to look back at Jaruka for another look. He may be a former astronomer, but meeting an alien was a pinnacle for his dead career. Jaruka hiccuped again. Is that how his species acts?

 When he was in, Chad yelped after Jaruka closed the door in front of him.

----------------------------------------

Jaruka closed the door behind Chad hard—so to scare him a little—and hiccuped again. “I’m really sick and tired of getting scared at. You saw him? It was like he wanted to see me. Creepy.”

“Look, I know much from the news, the ship and what Marshal Porter told me about you, but what’s with the hiccups?” Dunkan asked. Porter was supposed to be there, but Dunkan was ordered to take Porter’s place since he was on his day off. He despised Jaruka. He felt unless not locking him up in a police cruiser because of the Titan Spires. But Jaruka was brought to do one thing—protect the alien reporter.

“I’m having a good and bad day,” Jaruka answered.

“I’d hate to ask why.”

Jaruka stance faltered a little as he walked from the door. “Ah, crog.” He rubbed his face.

Dunkan peered at Jaruka’s body language. “Wait. Are you drunk?”

Jaruka paused, looking at the window facing the campus grounds and picketing protestors, none of them acknowledging that Jaruka was there. “Maybe,” he hiccuped.

“You are. I can tell.”

“Okay, maybe I am. You can’t arrest me for being drunk in public.”

Dunkan rubbed his bald head. “How did you get here without getting into a motorcycle accident?”

“Relax, Ralph. It’s Mavarian gin. Oh, and don’t call my Howler Cycle that. This stuff can make me tipsy but not stupid drunk. Unlike your weak Terra Firma spirits I sampled.” Jaruka pulled a wooden flask from his cargo pocket. He popped the cork off. “Take a whiff.” Jaruka jabbed the bottle under Dunkan’s nose.

Evan a small, off-guard inhale, the agent caught the small but powerful alcohol vapors. He backed away cursing and wiping his nose. “Oh, God! What is that? Swamp sludge?” He hoped his sense of smell was intact.

Jaruka laughed, “Xi’tra may be her father’s daughter, but she knows a bit about fine spirits.” Jaruka took a drink of the throat-burning gin as he watched Dunkan blow his nose.

Just several hours to deal with the aliens and a self-conscious terran. Dunkan will be glad to leave them and end this mission soon.

----------------------------------------

The breakroom looked just the same as before. It faced Powell Library and the Humanities building. Down on the ground floor, the angry mob he was forced through with Dunkan’s protection were still screaming for answers. They demanded Maggie to show her face, to pay for her crimes she did not commit. A thief, an attention hog, a liar.

But Chad was the one with the real, honest answers. Only a force of nature could help Maggie and her reputation.

Although, Chad wished he was not found, wished that Maggie did not slump into a coma and wished he still hid in the forest until the supernatural nightmare ends. 

But the promise. He had to keep it for Maggie.

Despite the second thoughts, he stood rigid in the room, gawking like an idiot at the second alien. It, or she, stood by the tables looking out the window. She then turned, and Chad’s heart skipped.

“Oh, thank Javo you’ve come,” she said in perfect English. “I was worried the humans and terrans below already got you.”

She walked toward Chad. The astronomer had Star Trek flashbacks of the Gorn, because she resembled them. Sort of.

A sandal outside thumped on the window. The lizard alien reacted more than Chad, hissing at the sound, but not toward Chad. Sharp teeth were seen, yet she was not defensive. Chad heard campus police trying to detain the commotion. One red beam of light over the air toward the ground made the crowd scream.

The alien sighed, “That was close. Hope my guardians won’t cause too much trouble down there.”

If it was a terran attack, it would have been much worse and the meeting would cancel on them.

Chad kept staring at the alien, up and down her body. She appeared human but dragon-like without breasts, wings and tail. Long red hair covered a third of her head and braided behind her, showing off her long snout. He found no talons on her fingers, neither her bare feet. Could be like cat’s claws when retracted, he thought. Her skin was like lizard scales, varying green, blue and yellow patterns, with green and yellow scales on her head. The rest of her body was in a pantsuit, tailored, and not that too far from human business suits.

Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

She coughed. “Should’ve chose a government building for this, but Jaruka can’t leave the area still. Hope Ketho and Tigap hold their ground,” she said.

There are more? Chad gulped. This is too much.

She looked back, brushing invisible dust off her jacket. “Chad Fipps, right? Dr. Maggie Helen’s assistant?”

Chad stood like a stone statue.

“Oh no. Don’t tell me my translator is broken? I just had it fixed before coming here.” She started toying with a thin collar around her neck and connect earbud headphones.

“No need, miss,” Jano said, “it works fine. I’m Jano, Chad’s totem. Pleasure to meet you, miss.” The blue jay bowed his head. The totem had more manners and chivalry than Chad ever had. “Forgive me but Chad is dealing with internal issues right now. Your name is?”

“Yes, yes. Xi’Tra Zader Khu II of the Republic New Network.”

“Interesting,” Jano pondered for a second, then nipped Chad’s ear.

“Ow. Quit it,” Chad said. The blue jay was nearly hit by his hand, but flew and landed on an empty chair.

“Remember, I’m not your carrier pigeon. Get your act together. Show some respect for her. We’re doing this for Maggie, remember?”

His promise pulled him from his analytical moment. That one promise to fulfill for her. He blinked, then gulped his nervousness down. “S-Sorry. Very, truly, sorry, miss,” he said, “it’s just… I’m having a moment.”

“What kind of moment?” She asked.

Chad swallowed spit. “Meeting an alien. I’m kind of shell-shocked now.”

Xi’Tra hummed. “Thanks. First time hearing that. This is my second time on this planet, I’m still not used to meeting humans and terrans also.”

“Second time?”

“Oh yes. My first trip was in…Temecula, I think, but that’s not important. Why don’t we get started? You must have so much to tell me before this planet’s media gets a hold of you.” Xi’Tra gestured to a pair of chairs facing each other with a table bearing an alien device between them. “I requested first talks before the information dilludes on the human network so I need it as fresh and credible as possible.”

Jano pressured Chad to sit, and he did, then Jano came back to his shoulder. Xi’Tra sat across from him, a good five feet of distance, and much closer for Chad to smell her lemony scent. Xi’Tra opened a paper notebook next to the device and wrote some characters, which Chad was curious about the device. “What is that?”

“I was hoping you would say that. You’re a man of science, right? Ever heard of neuro-electromagnetic pattern dictation?”

Chad became lost from the term; he had to think. “I’m guessing…mind reading?”

“Kind of, without a psychic present. As we progress through the interview, this device picks up keen memory patterns coinciding with my questions and records the visuals. Very important in detailed investigations.”

“Okay.”

“Before you ask, this also ignores unwanted memories, such as quick random thoughts. I know well that humans pride on their privacy. Just the truth, nothing else.”

“Fascinating,” Jano said, but Chad felt was unsure if that was the truth and it might pick up memories that held so close to his heart.

Xi’Tra lifted a metal halo from the device. “For the capture to work, this goes around your head. May I?”

Chad was hesitant, but Jano made him accept it. Xi’Tra placed it on him, even with a growing fear of being brain washed or something, an alien touched him. It did not weigh no more than an ounce but felt sturdy. It shrunk a little for a better fit.

“Wow,” Chad said. “It’s safe, right?”

“Very safe.” Xi’Tra nodded and clicked her pen. “So. Former astronomer Chad Fipps of UCLA for the record. This interview is about the time you spent with Dr. Maggie Helen. Be very clear on the details, this is vital if the Galactic Council considers anything for your homeworld.”

Chad nodded, feeling secure. Did she mean by aid? A way to help stop whatever is happening to him and all human life? He was not sure if what he would say was workable.

“If it can clear Maggie’s name,” he said, and talked.

----------------------------------------

October 22nd, 2010

Keck II, W.M. Keck Observatory

Mauna Kea Observatories, Hawaii

12:52 AM

For any chance this will help Maggie, I want to start where this whole thing happened. If that’s okay.

Dr. Maggie Helen and I worked on Project Starscape with UCLA in conjunction with observatories and partner universities. This was a night sky photography venture. Google Earth had the full map of earth, but the scientific community wanted the sky too. I supported the project, along with my required experience credits for my degree. I wanted to do it because it was off the mainland and I always want to go to Hawaii.

Also Maggie.

Maggie was first and foremost my idol back in high school. She came to my school on an assembly talk about astronomy that caught my full attention. I was so inspired by her that I wanted to be an astronomer. But it looks like I won’t be anymore.

While at UCLA, the project came up and I noticed Maggie’s name on the roster. Who couldn’t resist working with their idol? It was hard work convincing the Board to accept me and my experience credits. And so I packed my things and traveled 6 hours to the observatory. I was scared too; I never seen so much blue water in my life.

We had to photograph as much of the night sky as we could, along with other observatories across the world and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. A multitude of deadlines. Boring. Frustrating. Mind numbing. I quickly realized it was a mistake.

We could only use the telescope for a few nights a week. During downtime it’s long hours of inspecting the images before sending them off electronically; few hundred gigabytes on over twelve square miles of high-definition photographs. That’s a lot of sky. I think we double sent images because I got double vision most of the time; some looked the same. A neighboring planet or two sometimes, but constant details. Even Maggie was feeling the numbing effects, compounded for being my leader. There was this one time we tried to have some fun, like poker or Trivial Pursuit, and that was a trip on itself playing with your idol and treating them like a friend, but Maggie’s interests in fun went away and work was all she did.

Oh right, you want to know what happened that night. My mistake, just reliving good memories.

By the time that day came, my actions were robotic and my body became more and more lethargic. It felt like several months went by versus three weeks of actual work.

I needed coffee. Maggie yawned next to me, assuming she needed some too, but started snoring. I pinched my brow, the tapped her on the shoulder.

She snorted comically and jumped from her loss of balance. “Oh…what?”

“Knew you’d go first,” I said. “You owe me a quarter.”

“Oh, hell, for the last time, I didn’t agree to that bet.” For a short nap she did feel groggy. Did I mention she was frustrated every day?

“Sorry, doctor. Just have a bit of fun from the boredom,” I said as I changed the telescope’s position. It rotated and tilted outside the control room. We had a clear view of the night sky from the monitors. Mauna Kea is perfect for such observations without the city smog and light pollution, besides the Hubble’s orbit.

“What time is it?” She said.

“Close to one. “You sure you want to stay? I know the routine much better than Jerry.” Jerry Kent was the telescope manager at the time. I wonder what happened to him?

“Positive. You’re my student. I’m liable. The more images we gather, the sooner we go to sleep.”

“But we have until six.”

“I know,” Maggie said rubbing her eyes. “I hate this project, I really do.”

It was the first time she said it out loud, and that hit me somewhere in my chest. I had a moment to come back from those harsh words. I did not expect how emotional she was.

Maggie was a hard worker, the hardest working workaholic in the scientific community I ever met. Sometimes it was nerve wracking just watching her, being with her, afraid that I might get in her way and piss her off. I respected her habits and personal life, which wanted me to work as hard as her.

A Masters in Astronomy and Physics from MIT. A professor at UCLA. Conducted talks across universities and high schools, like mine. Published a few articles in magazines and several in academic textbooks and journals.

Really. I wanted to be her because she busted herself to gain that reputation.

She was in her mid-thirties, unmarried. Her work didn’t get in the way of her looks. Lean and dressed professional every day. Never seen her in casual clothes, and always wearing a black headband.

She stood from her chair, pulling back her tousled-on-purpose light brown hair. “Need anything from the kitchen?” She asked. “I’m getting espresso.” I could tell from her blue eyes and voice she was fed up even more.

“Just a Gatorade.” I clicked my mouse to capture the sky. She told me many times that espresso has less caffeine than regular coffee, but I digress. She walked out.

Remember me wanting more fun in that observatory? I had an itch to play WoW. That’s a video game I played, miss. Very fun, back before the last two expansions. One night I was good doing my job and grinding in low-level zones without issues in the first week. I stopped after realizing Maggie’s risky temper.

She came back several minutes later with both drinks. She made her own espresso, a latte with a rosettes. Before she was an accredited astronomer, she used to be a barista in college.

“Dammit.”

I changed the telescope’s position after taking the next image. I was used to her random cursing. “What?”

“No it’s…it’s me, Chad. Just me.” I could sense she was crying a while ago. “Look. We need to be serious about something.”

“Like me staying and you sleeping? Yeah we can talk.”

“Not that,” she said. Maggie sat down. I was tempted to grab my drink. “I can’t stand this. It’s waning on my mind and I can’t take this crap anymore. Be honest, Chad, you feel the same way?”

“In what way?” She was asking for advise. Always superficial about science, not feelings.

“Chad,” she started. “You are a good student. You can go far to my experience. But me, I’m spent. I just sent in my letter of resignation to Charlie.” She sighed, like she wanted to say that all along. Charlie Bush was our project supervisor at UCLA. I would love to know what happened to him too.

I was so shocked that I stood from my chair and knocking it back. “What? Why? We just started.”

“I didn’t mention you, only me.”

“Wait, back up?” I thought about it. “You’re leaving the project?”

“Okay I should’ve said that clearly. You’ll be getting a new partner for the rest of the project. Me doing this is hard to justify.”

“Justify what? I don’t understand, Dr. Helen.”

Maggie sighed. “I accepted this job with enthusiasm too,” she explained. “To have the map of the sky on the Internet for everybody to explore, to reference by. This about a little boy in the city unable to see the stars through smog-thick atmosphere, but able to see them while camping in the mountains. I realize we are doing good here. Our images are great. For me, my stress level is up to here with the board.” Maggie’s hand went an inch above her head. “They are testing me, and I failed.”

“Testing you?” My hands went to her side slack. What did she have against the Board?

“Yes. Testing me. They’ve been wanting me to leave and move back to MIT for months without firing me.”

That didn’t make sense. “But why?”

“They say  my skills are better suited in Ivy League, not UCLA. The Board must be foaming right now.”

I sighed. “Come on, Dr. Helen, be reasonable. My father told me that quitting will only lead to bad things to come.”

“I doubt that,” Maggie added. “Do you know how many female astronomers are out there besides me?”

I thought about it, but Maggie interrupted me. “Debra Fisher, Carolyn Shoemaker and Jill Tarter. Then me. Four, Chad. This is the truth and I can’t take the discrimination any longer. And why is the monitor red?”

I looked back at my desk and computer. The screen showed nothing but bright red with orange mixed. Oh no. I was too into Maggie’s rant that I didn’t pay attention to the telescope’s position. I cursed and attempted to figure it out.

“If I leave here with a damaged telescope this will become an issue,” Maggie added.

“Dr. Helen, it’s not my fault. Honest.” I attempted to move the telescope by computer commands, hands shaking over the keyboard. First to say she was leaving, then leave with a bad note on my conscious. My anxiety was coming back, the same level starting the project, working with Maggie. I readjusted the telescope on the computer. The screen transitioned to start skies in junction with the telescope’s move.

Oh thank goodness. I let out a breath I did not know I held.

“Thank goodness,” he said. “What was that?”

I had to think. The HUD was clear, the color was uniform, but thinking back, there was a streak of orange and an unfocused black dot. I ran tests seeing no obstruction on the lens. It had to be a space object; only a few things I knew were red.

I changed the coordinates to before—Maggie got nervous again—then I zoomed out and focused. “There’s the problem.” A giant planet was in plain view, and a chance encounter indeed.

“Oh, it’s just Jupiter,” Maggie said. “That was close. It will be a while until we capture those stars. Capture the space around the planet next time.” I caught her hand’s shaking too while holding her arms tight to her chest. That was a near heart attack if anything bad happened to the equipment, or worse the Keck Mirror for long-term and costly maintenance. We dodged a major bullet.

I settled, but I wasn’t done. “Back to you leaving,” I said. “Dr. Helen, be reasonable. We just started this weeks ago. I’m not giving up on this project just because the university is pushing your buttons. Tell them forget it, you’re not beneath them. If not, what else will you do? You said you wanted to pursue podcasting. Great idea, send your knowledge to the Internet.”

Maggie’s head dipped. “That free education issue doesn’t work with me.”

Right, I remember. She was always a stickler about free education, not since colleges and universities being hit with budget cuts, tuition spikes, and websites sharing university level classes and lectures for free.

“So? Doctor, please stay.”

Then she paused. Long. Uncomfortable even.

“You said that I inspire you,” Maggie said standing up. “Even on the first day coming here.”

I nodded but it hit me that she remembered.

“Sorry but it’s getting annoying.”

My mouth dropped.

“Sorry, Chad. I have my needs and wants and the university made me realize it. I’m leaving at the end of the week. No sense of convincing me now.” She looked up with both sadness and disappointment on her face. “Take the night off while I make sure you didn’t break anything.”

Scolded at by my idol. Really changes your perspective on a person. More, it turned personal.

Without fighting anymore I went back to my place at the mid-level facility. Hilo was an hour way down the mountain and I felt like not driving that far with her words in my head, let along not able to sleep well. Will she fire me? Replace me? Get stuck with a different astronomer? Would she turn into Rosalind Franklin?

I have problems of letting go of my wants, like my father. To put it simply, I’m a pack rat of feelings. I had my used laptop for four years before the processor roasted itself. I wanted to work with Maggie so bad. Call me a groupee or whatever, I have my passions.

The next day I wanted to apologize. I repeated the words while getting ready every minute. “I’m sorry.” “It’s your decision.” Anything to convince her to think otherwise, event find a way to earn money through her podcasts. But those same words hurt me; I was letting go, and if you love something, you just have to.

I drove back to Keck II. It was a cloudless morning, but still cold. Maggie was asleep on the console with her hair hiding her face, something I’m all too familiar with, but not the printed photos strewn over the controls and scattered on the floor.

I saved photos for my own collection, but this was not normal.

“Dr. Helen, you awake?” I asked shaking her shoulder.

She snorted and rose. “I’m awake. Ah, damn stiff muscles,” she said rubbing her neck.

I forgot about the photos, putting her in front of my mind. “Look I want to apologize for last night. For…”

“Something happened last night,” she interrupted.

I paused. “Yes. Something did happen. We had a fight. I almost damaged the telescope.”

“No…No. The telescope is fine. Chad, something else happened.” That excited tone in Maggie’s voice caught my attention. “We found something.”

“What?”

“Here. Take a good look at these. I should’ve called you back last night but I was too shaken up by it.”

I was hesitant as I peered over the print outs. My breath caught in my throat.

“See?” She pointed at the object. “The asteroid wasn’t there last week since the last image taken from Europe. Focusing out was the asteroid in front of the planet, and definitely not one of its moons. Look at the surface on image 37 and 39. It’s the clearest I can get without NASA’s help.”

“Clear” was right, but the sheer cliffs and jagged rocks was a real eye opener. I noticed some smoke trails from the cracks.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said. “You photographed an asteroid and not the stars?”

“Did you hear me? This is new. I’m not sure if a moon was in front of the asteroid, but I never heard of anybody seeing this before. I saw it just as you left and became enamored by it.” I could tell she was smiling but still expressed shock. “You’re neglect stopped the telescope at the right moment.” She put her hands on my shoulders. “For that I am truly, very sorry for yelling at you.”

I blinked. “Wow,” I said, shaking my head. “Wait, who knows about this?”

“Nobody except us. I’m too scared to go public without confirmation.”

“Confirmation?”

“For the trajectory and your credit. We’re always scared of asteroids, right? I always share my information with as much credit as possible. Chad, forget that rejection letter. I’m staying until this is proven. Help me on this one.”

Do you know how hard it is to have a fresh discovery fall in your lap? That asteroid might have been discovered already by somebody else. We were capable of scanning three percent of the sky at a time, and that thing showed up at the right moment. I felt the same rush Maggie felt.

We called UCLA, NASA and other observatories all day for for confirmation. From that moment, I felt I was in fact contributing more than constellations to the Internet.