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Jain looked at Alex on her monitor and immediately felt threatened. It was Director

Alex. She had a plan on what to say earlier, when she was sure it would be someone

else. She opened her mouth, and the words came out as they were planned.

“Hello, Alex. I would like to get straight to the point of this meeting. Before I

file any reports, I would like to know why are you using the satellites without

permission and what will you use the data that you are collecting for?” She said this

in one breath, then sat back, and with a frown and eyes wide open, she waited for an

answer.

Alex’s confidence seemed to be gone for a second. He stood silently looking

at the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. “I am sorry, I was expecting … someone

different,” said Alex with an unintentional smirk.

“I don’t see what you mean by that,” replied Jain.

“I am sorry. Let me try this again,” said Alex while composing himself.

“Hello, Jain. I am Director Alex.” Alex smiled and continued. “I am simply using the satellites

to collect data for research I am conducting. I am not filing the standard forms

because they take too much time, and I consider progress to be more important,” he

said with his confidence fully restored.

“Filing forms allows us to organize and keep the equipment in proper

functioning order. It is very important, and if I may say, I think the only reason why

you are not doing it is because you don’t have a schedule,” replied Jain.

“Okay, yeah. That’s definitely the truth. How about this: you come and work

with me on a few projects and help me keep everything neat. Proper forms and all.”

Slightly irritated, Jain replied, “You are joking, right? You just met me, and you

expect to know what I can be useful for? Let me guess—you were not planning on

asking for my help when this meeting was being set up.”

“I read your file before our meeting. I knew you have the right mind to help

with the projects I am working on, but until I met you, I was sure there were more

candidates for this work. Now I am positive that you would fit right in.”

Fit right in, thought Jain. She was used to feeling slightly left out, so these

words meant a lot to her. “If you are serious, file a form for once, and I will see if I will

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

agree.”

Jain eventually went to work with Alex. Upon arrival, Alex himself was there to

guide her to her new home.

“As you know, our primary goal is to gather data and test hypotheses about

the nature of physics,” Alex began on the way. “There is, however, another project I

am working on which is top secret.”

Jain noticed that Alex was looking at her with excitement, a kind she had

seen before but more intense. “How top secret can it be if you are about to tell me on

our first real meeting?” she replied with a smile.

“Well, it really is top secret. I am basically the only one who knows about it.

Perhaps a couple of friends included.”

“Sounds … interesting. Tell me more.”

Their conversation began sounding more like jokes with every phrase.

“With all seriousness, I am considering the possibility of interstellar migration,”

said Alex with a very serious face.

“I can’t be sure if you are joking now,” Jain answered with a frown,

“Interstellar migration would require technologies we do not currently possess, and

that is only if we find a suitable planet”

“We will talk about it more soon. This is your new place,” said Alex, pointing at

her new home.

As time went by, they spent more and more time together. After work, they

would discuss Alex’s migration idea. Slowly, more friends started joining up in these

conversations, adding their input on problems. It was not yet taken seriously though

by anyone.

“We need to talk,” Alex said to Jain.

“Let me guess,” said Jain with a smile, “you have a new way of convincing me

that it’s in my best interest to leave the planet.”

“No, no … well, yes,” said Alex. “Look, it’s time we took this slightly more

seriously. Mars will take thousands of years to be terraformed. It will take more time

to be terraformed than it will take Earth to recover. Can we really wait that long?”

“Alex, we don’t need to terraform Mars to live there. Our dome cities have

paved the way to make habitable zones on Mars with ease. With a bit of effort, it will

be easier to build Mars into the capital of our species than waiting for Earth to

become warm again,” said Jain with a calm voice.

“I am happy we agree that Earth will not support us for long. Once the ice

starts to melt, we will face flooding in all places”

“Not Tehran,” said Jain with a smile.

“Yeah, perhaps not Tehran, but the rest of the cities will probably flood. We

have to make colonies before that happens.”

“Yeah, we have established that.”

“Would it not be better to make a colony somewhere where it is hospitable?”

Jain looked at him with a frown. “Alex, obviously going somewhere nice and

old-Earth-like would be great, but we need to be realistic here.”

“Okay, let’s be realistic. We know of planets in our close stellar neighborhood

which are pretty ideal to live in. In fact, some have better air than old Earth. All we

need is a vessel to take us there.”

“Exactly,” said Jain with excitement, “the technology to take us there does not

exist!”

“Yet!” corrected Alex with his finger pointing up. “I have done many

calculations, and I have many ideas on how to make that work. I am positive that it

can happen. Janis Wafer did the same leap when he designed the nanobots that now

make you immortal. Will you please entertain the idea a bit more seriously and help

me with the calculations?”

“How can I say no to these eyes?” said Jain with a smile.