(Based on characters in The Lightning in the Collied Night)
February 16, 2049
NASA Director José de la Cruz had barely settled into the black leather desk chair in his Washington office when his holopad chimed. “Director,” the male voice of his AI assistant said from the pad, “Division Director Pathik is here to see you; she says it’s urgent.”
What could be so urgent for an unscheduled meeting at 8 a.m. on the day after a long weekend? José wondered. “Please ask her to come in,” he told Sirai. He stood up and went over to the door as the short, middle-aged woman entered. “Buenos días, Adhita,” he said warmly as they grasped each other’s hands.
“Buenos días, José,” Adhita replied. “I apologize for coming to you so early after the holiday weekend, but I have some extraordinary news I thought you’d want to hear right away.”
“No need to apologize, Adhita. I am always glad to see you. Please sit, and tell me about it.” José motioned to the round table near his desk, and they both sat down. “Would you like some coffee, or water?”
“No, thank you.” Adhita paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. “Last Thursday, the Astrophysics Division’s public email received a message from someone named Anong Wagamese, claiming to have discovered a wormhole in the constellation Centaurus.” José’s expression changed from mild curiosity to surprise.
“Really? That is extraordinary! But, we have been disappointed before by such claims. Do we know anything about this scientist?”
Adhita shook her head, “We hadn’t heard of him, so my assistant researched him. He’s a 17-year-old student from the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians in Minnesota. He said he discovered the wormhole while searching for signs of life on Proxima Centauri for his high school science fair project.”
José’s eyes twinkled. “I suspect someone is playing a prank on you—and not for the first time.”
Adhita smiled slightly and nodded, “Yes, I considered that possibility. But my staff looked into the information that the young man sent us. It checked out, José. We confirmed with the Tyson telescope that there is a black hole in Centaurus. It’s difficult to see because of its close conjunction with Proxima Centauri. It was a minor miracle that he found it.”
“I see,” José replied thoughtfully. “But, you said ‘black hole.’ How do we know that there is a wormhole also?”
“It appears Mr. Wagamese is no ordinary high school student. He knows enough about wormhole detection techniques that he was able to confirm the black hole is very likely the entrance to a wormhole. Of course, we double-checked his work, over the long weekend. The black hole is indeed the ‘front door’ to a wormhole.”
José eyes opened wide in amazement. “That is astounding, Adhita!”
“Isn’t it? But, there’s more, José. Not only is this the first wormhole we’ve discovered with any certainty, it’s very close to Earth.”
“How close?”
“Only about one and a half billion kilometers away.”
One billion miles, José thought with concern. Mere spitting distance, astronomically speaking. “Does its close proximity to Earth pose any threat?”
Adhita shook her head, “We don’t believe so. The black hole is quite small, and the Tyson and Webb scopes don’t detect any gravimetric impact in Earth’s vicinity.”
“Good!” José exhaled with relief.
“And, there’s something else about this wormhole… it appears to be stable.”
José raised his thick eyebrows, “Stable?”
“Mr. Wagamese observed it with Hubble over a period of three months. There was no change in position during that time.”
“Hubble? It went dark last week.” After nearly 60 years of service, the Hubble space telescope had finally failed. But it had defied predictions for its demise and hung on enough for the Tyson scope to replace it.
“Yes, on the 11th. Fortunately, the young man confirmed his findings on the 10th.” José thought, Fortunate, indeed—almost another miracle. “José, you realize the ramifications of a stable wormhole so close to Earth, yes?”
José nodded slowly. “Yes, I do, Adhita.” I need to check again with the STMD about the status of the Quantum Drive prototype. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate had been working with DARPA since the 2020s to develop the revolutionary spacecraft propulsion technology. “Thank you for bringing this to me without delay. I would appreciate a full report.”
“Of course, José. You’ll have it by the end of the day.”
“Excellent, thank you.” He paused as he thought more about what a nearby stable wormhole could mean for Earth… both the positive and negative possibilities. “Adhita, who else knows about this discovery?”
“Only a few of my staff—and whomever Mr. Wagamese may have told about it.”
“Good. Please treat this matter as Top Secret for now, until its security classification is formalized.”
That seems odd for a scientific discovery as important to the world as this one, but… “Certainly, José. I’ll let my staff know.”
“Thank you.” José stood up, and Adhita followed suit. “There are interesting times ahead for NASA due to this discovery. Who knows what may come of it?”
“Who knows, indeed, José. But there is so much we must learn, yet.” For example, is the wormhole traversable? Adhita wondered. If so, that could be VERY interesting!
“That is true, Adhita. I leave that in your capable hands. Please keep me apprised of your progress.” He opened the door for her.
“Of course, Director. Goodbye.”
“Goodbye, Adhita. Be well.” José closed the door behind her and sat back down at his desk. “Sirai, I need to call Anong Wagamese in Minnesota. You will find his contact information in the Astrophysics Division repository.”
“I’ve found the phone number and can place the call whenever you’re ready, Director,” Sirai replied.
“In a moment. During my call, please contact the White House and get 15 minutes on the president’s calendar as soon as he is available. Please tell his assistant that it is regarding a matter of national security.”
“Understood, sir. Is there anything else?”
José had been looking forward to briefing President Ramírez, who’d been inaugurated only four weeks earlier, on the status of NASA’s many programs. But now, he thought, I have something much more important to discuss with him. “No. Please place the call to Anong Wagamese now.”
