Starscape

Chapter 1

"I just don't understand!" Tom slammed his hands on the table, making everyone in the room jump with surprise.
"If there's so much evidence, why haven't we seen them? Or received a signal of some kind? I just don't get it." He sat back in his chair with an exasperated sigh. Tom fiddled with a stack of papers as his wife, Josephine, tapped away at a hollow graphic tablet. The other scientists shifted uncomfortably, but one leaned forward and grasped a paper in his hand.
"Well Tom, that's the point of the paradox. Fermi's Paradox to be exact." The scientist took out a pair of glasses and slid them onto his wrinkled face.
"The evidence and the numbers all say that there are at least 500 million planets in our galaxy capable of sustaining life." He took off his glasses and looked Tom dead in the eyes.
"But, where are the aliens? If there are so many chances of life forming similar to us, then they must be out there correct?" Tom nodded and his temper subsided.
"Maybe we aren't sending a signal they understand, or they simply are not advanced enough to receive and interpret them." The scientist rubbed his chin as he pondered.
"Who knows if there's life in our galaxy? We haven't even left the Milky Way! There's bound to be life out in deep space." He waved his hand towards the large floor to ceiling window that was in the office room. Outside was a large terrestrial planet that the ship was stationed near. The ship had traveled from the arm of the Milky Way that harbored our home planet and solar system, all the way to the Perseus arm. The trip had taken close to 300 years due to the multiple stops to examine and study planets. Two generations had been born on the ship, the first two that weren't born on Earth. A little boy also sat in the room full of scientists and astronomers. He was about 7 years old and had blazing red hair and green eyes. He was busy playing with an action figure, but also listened intently to the conversation. Even though he didn't understand everything they said, he was still intrigued by it. This talk of aliens excited him and he wanted to know if they really did exist. He dropped the action figure and stood up, he walked over to his father and tugged the arm of his lab coat.
"Dad, are the aliens real or fake?"
"Aaron! We are having an adult conversation. Play with your toy or go to the library." Tom frowned down at his son with a look of mild annoyance. Josephine piped up next to him.
"Oh Tom, let him stay. He's just curious that's all." She gave her son a sweet smile.
"No Jose, he should probably go to the library anyway. Aaron, got to the library, we'll pick you up in about an hour." Tom waved a hand towards the door. Aaron frowned and turned to leave. The door slid open in a spiral shape as he left. When the door closed behind him he sighed with frustration. He was never allowed to stay long when his parents had meetings. He always had to be pushed away, sent to the library. Aaron slid the action figure into his pocket and headed right down the corridor towards the library. He ran his fingers along the metal walls as he went, feeling every screw and nail. He gazed out the common window as he neared his destination. Aaron didn't dislike the library, he actually really enjoyed reading and the quiet the library provided. He already knew the book he would read and the place he would sit as he walked in. The room was large with a high ceiling and a humongous window that stretched from the floor to the ceiling. It gave a full view of space and the large planet the ship was stationed by. Aaron absolutely loved the view and it was another reason why he loved the library. He looked towards the help desk and noticed that the librarian wasn't there. Strange. Aaron shrugged and assumed she was on break and proceeded to walk to the back of the library towards the large window. He picked out his favorite book, the one about Earth and its animals. He plopped down on a beanbag and began to flip through the pages. He reread passages he enjoyed the most and read the ones that were challenging to read. He pronounced the words he didn't know, sounding everything out. Aaron was very interested in Earth, the old planet always amazed him. He loved examining the pictures of the landscapes and animals and the vast oceans that covered its surface.
BANG
Aaron jolted up and looked around wildly. What was that loud bang? He looked around frantically, his young mind racing with fear. His attention turned to the window and his face drained of all color as he saw something that wasn't there before. A large crack spread across the whole surface. Aaron creeped forward toward the crack in the window, his jaw slack. He pressed his fingers ever so gently on it, afraid the slightest touch would make it shatter. Confusion swept through him. How did the window crack? And why so suddenly? A bright red flash filled the room as a large explosion erupted on the ship outside the window. Before Aaron could scream the explosion rattled the ship and the floor shook violently. Aaron peered out the window to see part of the ship on fire, it appeared to be toward the rear. Suddenly, alarms range and the room lit up with the red of alarm bells.