Earthrise: 2176 [Published - Sample Only]

Prologue V2.1

Prologue V2.1

In deep space, ten AUs above the ecliptic plane of a small but stable type M1 dwarf star an astronomer was standing in front of a wall-sized computer screen. The astronomer's laboratory was located deep inside a nickel-iron asteroid which had been transported to this location almost 20,000 cycles ago. [cycle = 1.1 standard year] The astronomer was using an extremely long baseline interferometer to survey planets within 1,000 light years and look for signs of life, especially intelligent life. The particular planet the watcher was observing at this time was the larger of the dual planet orbiting a stable yellow type G star. From its first recorded observation, this planet showed signs of life. It had an oxygen atmosphere, liquid water, chlorophyll and within the last several hundred observations; signs of intelligent activity. It now met the criteria to send an Observer to the system. It would be a long and arduous mission. At just over 0.5c, the fastest of the Observer corps ships would take at least 100 cycles to reach the target system from the nearest Web world. Once the automated observation station was operational, the Observer would be awoken from cryosleep. The Observer will then spend most of the next 2,000 cycles patiently watching the planet and would only be awake for a few sub-cycles every 100 cycles. [sub-cycle = 25 standard days] All of this will depend on the planetary situation and the development of the civilization.

In the long history of the Web of Worlds, most nascent civilizations took just over 1,000 cycles to go from steam power to atomic power. After that, a minimum of 5,000 cycles to develop an interstellar fusion drive. At that point, contact could be made. It must be done in interstellar space and at the instigation of the younger species. It had always been done that way. The mission of the Observer was to determine when First Contact should be made.