Well, I feel a little embarrased sharing my own story... I will post the first couple of chapters but that's it because I am highly critical of my writing ability. I'll have to split the post.
The Arecibo Complex
:scifi
Book One
Prologue
And so it was, on the 16th of November in 1974 scientists at the Arecibo Observatory sent radio frequency messages into the deep of space. The message consisted of several parts.
It contained our digital counting numbers from 1-10. The atomic numbers of our well accomplished theory of elements, from hydrogen, carbon, oxygen and nitrogen, including phosphorus. These elements make up DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid.
It also contained the exact formula's for the sugars and the basis of DNA. Also the number of nucleotides in DNA and the molecular structure of DNA. And to end, it had a graphic sized picture of our solar system, including arecibo telecscope and a graphic picture of a human being.
For years, scientists boasted they knew the facts of their science. That the message was only a historical feat of our accomplishments and that any real chance of any civilization picking the message up would be slim, as to reach it's destination would take more or less 25,000 lightyears.
Little did they know the facts for sure, as their equipment which had sent the message, recieved one back...
Chapter One
Part One
The Message
Washington D.C.
Somewhere in the Pentagon
In the deepest region of the Pentagon, in a top secret room some of America's top officials gathered round a table, while they where briefed on a most important and revolutionary turn of events. Several scientists entered the room, given top clearance to parts of the Pentagon that only some of the most prominent leaders of the establishment have ever graced viewing for their own eyes.
The atmosphere was tenebrous and caliginous. There was an elevated expression on many faces of the officials who had gathered, acting as though there was something troubling them.
One of the scientists sat down at the table, ''I am professor Graham Connar. I am the representative for the Exoscience department at Goddard Space Flight Center. I have urgant news that will shake the foundation of every physics textbook we currently have.''
''Please, Professor Connar, continue. We where ordered here today regarding what was called 'the upmost important situation', '' Colonel James Master replied.
Prof. Connar flicked through his notes and came to a folder which had several papers enclosed inside. He opened it and passed it round the group, ''Gentlemen, in 1974 very important messages were sent into the deep vacuum of space at Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. It was aimed at the globular star cluster M13 which is 25,000 light years away; they contained an array of several messages, from the structure of DNA to who we are. It's goal was one thing - to make contact with alien life.
''Then only a few days ago, we recieved confirmation of the inexplicable... Our officials where informed that contact had been made. We don't really have much to say, other than we have evaluated the evidence and we conclude that the speculations are true. Our report is planery - the signals we recieved where not of some astronomical object but where modulated radio waves with a 2380 MHz frequency, the same frequency we sent the message in.
''The nature of the message cannot be discussed just now. Only the implications.''
Colonel Master replied sternly, ''And what are the implications?''
''The implications of the message, would seem to plunge our planet... every country into an immediate state of warning; we are in danger.''
The Colonel looked to his side at one mysterious member of this military council who was standing in the corner of the room, masked by the blanket of a dark shadow as he kept himself hidden away from the light. Looking back at the scientist he replied, ''that will be all gentlemen. We meet back up in seven days, you will be contacted by your superiors.''
Everyone gathered round the table stood up and began to leave, except the Colonel who went and joined the man cloaked in the dark. Once everyone had left the Colonel said, ''What do we do now?''
The mysterious man replied, ''You do nothing. My collegues have been worried about this day ever since Roswell. I will get back to you once I have collaborated with them over the recent developments.''
(Two days later...)
Conference on Space Propulsion and Advances in Alien Exploration, Los AngelesDoctor Layton took a drink of her water in one large yet quite confident gulp. She held the captivated audience in
the gleem of her eye and she knew how to keep their attentions. She had an unusual intellect about her - a certain aura of intelligence which was a league above her fellow scientists.
''And so... we should remember the statistics of ever finding an alien lifeform, or one which finds us. Even if we do not appreciate how difficult it is for a lifeform to travel these journeys: These include the vast distances of space, including the incredible amount of time it requires to travel very large distances.
''We already know that matter cannot travel at lightspeed, doing so would require an infinite amount of energy, more energy than in the observable universe! The energy requirements also to travel vast distances would far exceed the crafts capabilities - in other words, not only is space and time a matter of consequence, but also energy. But, even if these things are not taken into appreciation, atleast one thing should cast considerable doubt on any alien visitation. That being how difficult it would be to even locate a single planet which is capable of sustaining life - and not just life in general, here I mean intelligent life.
''There are to refresh the minds of the audience today who have managed to sit through one class of astrophysics, our galaxy alone is 100,000 lightyears thick in diameter - for those who are not mathematicians, this just means the amount of years it requires for light to travel the whole distance. This is of course, massive. Our galaxy contains approximately 200 billion stars. And many of these stars will have planets which are in a stable orbit around their star systems.
''Then you consider how vast space is in comparisson to just our single galaxy alone. The diameter of the entire universe is 93 billion lightyears. Very vast indeed. All the planets and stars and every other astronomical object in our universe only takes up 1% of all spacetime, and as small as that may seem, this 1% is still a massive number in it's own right. In the entire universe alone, there is suspected to be more than a 100 billion galaxies in our observable universe. That entails
particles which make this vast arena.''
Dr. Layton took a pause. She took a step back, rasing her head completely from her notes, and moved away from the podium. Without her notes, she stood stark, shoulders back, and ready to finish, as this part of her speach she had learned time and time again.
''We have not even began to understand how difficult it must be to find an appropriate earth-like planet which has managed to create just the right conditions for life. We do know one thing for certain, when life has the chance of occurring on a planet, it almost certainly will thrive and multiply - just like that single prokaryote that first dominated our primordial sea... this single-celled life brought the way to eukaryotic systems, many of them, multitudes of them. But even though life is frequent here, with new species being found almost every day, every other planet in our star system is barren, lonely and void of any existence of mobile matter.
''In fact, as far as our mathematical conjectures can tell, most planets, will be barren of life. There is a specific tuning required for the existence of biological lifeforms; as we have learned in our astrophysics studies, planets suitable for the carbon-based lifeforms we are so aquanted with cannot sustain on any other planet in our solar system, because they are either too far from our sun, or too close or does not match the correct equalibrium of elements required to sustain life or even create it.
''But here is what we don't usually realize, with all these things aside, do we really understand how difficult it is to find absolute evidence that any planet we may observe in the vast distances of spacetime are suitable for life. Trying to find a habital planet is figuratively as hard as finding a needle in a haystack... Out of all the planets we have been able to observe, is only a very small fraction of all the planets that are in the universe - so any race being able to find another race in this vast universe, seems very improbable.''
Dr Layton was eluminated in the stage lights and the crowds stood to applaud, the whole hall cheered to Dr. Layton who modestly walked off the stage with a smile on her face. You could see she said something as she walked off, but the crowds overwhelmed her audibility. Her simplicity in her talks still had the amazing ability to take complex theories and make them understandable for the layman.
As soon as she was in the cover of the backstage her collegue Dr. Amanda Carrier, who got her degree alongside Dr. Angela Layton at Oxford joined her.
''Well done Angela,'' Amanda said assuringly, ''It was a wonderful speach, very accurate as always.''
Dr. Layton replied ''Well, atleast it is over now... drink?''
Amanda smiled and replied, ''of course.''
The two doctors made their way to the car park outside to drive to a place they had visited a lot over the years.
(Some time later...)
Santa Monica,
115 Pico Blvd.The night life was particularily dead this evening, Layton thought as she and her friend made their way to the renowned Valentino Restaurant. They decided to go to Valentino's as it was relatively close to her home in Rancho Park - plus, they had a particularily excellent range of wines and Itallian foods, owing this knowledge to being long term customers.
Layton pulled up her car just a few blocks down in an available car park and she and her collegue began to walk up the main street. When reaching the restaurant they entered the room which her nose had became so accustomed to, but never became bored with, over the many years of visiting the place. A strong aroma of freshly cooked pasta's and mushrooms douced in wild spices and other exotic mediterranean dishes permeated the air.
The doctor turned to her friend Angela and said, ''Oh I needed this. Can't wait to have a glass of red. My day has been so long... ... Is you sister down this weekend then?''
Angela shook her head from side to sade and replied, ''Unfortunately no. I asked Steve to take some time off work so I could go visit her and mother, but he's adament that there will be no such thing happening in the near future,'' after a few quick glances round the beautifully decored room she continued, ''But he's so buisy nowadays, he
hardly finds any time for me either.''
The waiter could be seen coming up from the other end of the room and what a room it was. The seats where harlot red, which stood bold against the white creamy tables and walls. The place was cast in a brilliant light, cascading down from the glass chandelier, ''Here he is,'' Layton said.
The waitor smiled and said, ''good evening Dr. Layton, you pleasure us with your appearance again... please... come this way.''
The waitor led them to a table for two by the window.
''What would you like to drink?''
Dr. Amanda looked to Layton and said, ''my friend will have a red wine and may I have a G and T.''
''Be here soon, thank you very much'' the waitor replied, handing them the menu's.
As Layton opened the menu she looked up to Amanda and said, ''Look hunny, your mother is not well. You need time to go see her. What about a nanny?''
''I hear you Angela, I really do. But I wanted Steve to look after them so much,'' a look of disappointment awashed her face, ''the kids are constantly asking for him. He's away from monday till saturday every week and I'm left as the one handing out excuses. It's not fair. If he could only see what this... ''
Angela abruptly talked over Amanda stopping her from finishing her sentance as she took her hand, ''I know you Angela. I've known you for over 20 years! I know you miss him, but arguing over him getting back won't make it happen quicker. It is true your kids are everything in your world, but what good are you to your kids if you are not in the best frame of mind?''
On that word, the waitor brought the drinks to their table. They paused what they were talking about until he left again; Angela took the first opportunity to reply, ''You're right. I know you are. I've been... especially stressed these last few weeks.''
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