Sealine 2

Only nine days ago that was a lost rock in the middle of nowhere. Our only neighbours were the drones floating just beyond the horizon of Mystery System. Now Sealine is surrounded by all sides, in every direction, by 60 billion, trillions of space vessels. Each one large enough to be the permanent home and birthplace of half a dozen billion humans or more. This is madness.

They are not here for us, of course. Our ice and stone, and the shamanic mambo-jambo flavour of superstition only found here. Product of feverish imaginations, depressive environment, and the conscience of being so close to the most ominous mystery in the galaxy. Everybody has interest in talk with local scientists, about any tine piece of data collected her during those last 2000 years, yes.

Too many curious people are searching for excuses to get a permission to came here. Walk around. Botter the locals in person. Because, why not? Since they are so close.

When the Mystery Fleet left me behind, 2000 years ago, it was a sort of punishment. Being someone born before the Consensus I had kept my infinite longevity. Despite that I secured the privilege of be part of the expedition to Mystery System. Almost any other human in the fleet was limited by law to the 300 years of lifespan. I was not.

Those few who shared the same situation got the mission to stay and stablish a “colony” in this forsaken and forgettable rock. Along with lowlifes and criminals, expelled from the millions of trillions of vessels of Mystery Fleet.

The fleet advancer without us, and perished. Destroyed by the aberrant forces of unknow nature that make this part of space unique and special. Left behind, we survived.

Took that long for the growing Stellar Systems already reached by Expansion Age join the Solar System in a common effort. To send more than just robot-ships controlled by AIs.

Nothing is done in that scale without a plan in mind. That goes without saying.

This ocean of lights around us are just the beginning. About 1% of all resources of humanity is being redirected to this region. Ships will come with very small populations, dozens of thousands instead of Billions in each vessel. A unique configuration. They are coming with raw materials and robots, to build the largest structure ever conceived by humanity.

Shall take more than a million Earthling years, and the total investment for year will keep growing, since the Expansion of humanity will keep growing. It is being slowed down, for the investment. However, that cannot be avoided.

Besides, Mystery System must be studied. No one knows what is causing the anomalies, or how long it will last. Humanity cannot lose the chance to find out more, while it is here.

They will surround the entire system with space-stations, and two rings, connected to each other. Those rings will be base for all sorts of research facilities and remote sensors directed to the Mystery.

From punishment our presence here is now transformed into reason for envy. Every person in Sealine is a celebrity, and even more so those like me. Who have memory of Mystery Fleet and have experienced the proximity to the great abyss for longer.

After this long period of calm and cold, quasi pathological, serenity, the attention is uncomfortable.

I wish I could take a vessel from here to somewhere else. Solar System, or any other place.

Unfortunately, nothing is leaving this region.

Ships, people, and attention are all coming in our direction. The number of invitations for interviews in my mailbox is unpractical to write without using scientific notation.

For the first time in my life, I find myself seriously contemplating suicide as an option.

Is either that or find myself a professional agent, and start charging for interviews. The first alternative feels more dignifying.