Big Bang

"Congratulations Lews. The Ingtar-Lews comet is on its expected trajectory and in around 15 minutes, we would have it crashing into the planet Klendathu as we predicted. With the complete obiliteration of Klendathu due to the impact, we might get some answers to how our universe was even formed. We are going to be part of history Lews, in fact, we are history", said Ingtar, the head-professor of the institute.
Lews was not thrilled. "But sir, what if....", said Lews in an angry tone tearing the paper of the notebook in which he was writing.
Ingtar took his seat in front of his panoramic terminal which would capture the comet making contact. "What if what, Lews ??"
"What if there is life ?? We know we can divert the comet with our weapons. We know we could've did just that with just one directive from our institute, but we didnt. What if there is life that could be saved while we are trying to televise a comet crashing into a planet for some unintelligible scientific reason ?? ", said Lews. The voice that Ingtar heard wasnt the the voice that he usually heard from Lews.
"Unintelligible did you say ??", remarked Ingtar. Ingtar didnt want to lose patience on his best graduate student."My boy, science is everything. science is anything. science is nothing. Let me ask you this. Did you observe the reports given by The Galactic Conqueror on the planet's composition??"
"Uh .. yes".
"Do you think any lifeform would actually prefer to live in that atmospheric conditions, considering the percentage of the poisonous gases ??"
"No".
"Then what makes you think there could be life on that planet, Lews ??", queried Ingtar. He was not going to give up on Lews.

"I do not know, but something tells me there could be life on Klendathu. something. Just a gut feeling", a nervous Lews said toying with the piece of paper in his hand which he had rolled into a ball. He did that when he didnt know what to do next.

"Impact in T Minus 3 minutes", chirped a recorded voice.
Ingtar was now at his educative best. "Son, you are reading too many science fiction novels. They are all-fiction-no-science authors who didnt have a glimpse of Klendathu like we did. What makes you think there is some other intelligent life form out there ?? If there was one in any of the other planets, dont you think they could have tried to talk to us ?? Dont you think we would have visited any planet which had inhabitable conditions and searched for life ?? I suggest you turn to your monitor to watch the impact, you wouldnt want to lose it for your life", said Ingtar, now turning back to his terminal.

"Impact in T Minus 2 minutes".

Lews was still looking pointedly at the paper ball. What Ingtar said made sense. In a way. If there was some form of intelligence, they would have definitely made contact with them. When Klendathu was discovered, and named after one of the great nebulan gods, it was noted for its absolute uninhabitable atmosphere. Life was simply unimagineable in those conditions. Maybe Ingtar was right. Maybe he wasnt.

"Impact in T Minus 1 minute".

"I wish I knew what the people of Klendathu called their planet in their native tongue", said Lews looking up. Ingtar swivelled in his chair. Two of his hands still turning the right controls on The Galactic Conqueror, while his other two hands were cupped together to indicate he was thinking. He looked deeply into Lews' eyes, all six of them, and said "mmmm .. maybe third rock from the sun ??". Ingtar laughed thunderously at his own joke.

Impact in T minus 10 seconds.

Lews opened the paper ball in his hand and looked at his drawing. An image of an hommonus from klendathu, like they show in the movies, with just two hands, two legs and two eyes, holding hands with a femmenus, again looking physically similar. He sighed and took a deep breath. The pure nitrous-sulfur filled his lungs. He shivered at the thought of having to breath oxygen for a living on Klendathu. He looked at the drawings. "I am sorry. I really am". He threw it into the dust bin.

Impact in T minus 1 second.


Credits
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Eugene M Schumacher
David Levy
Robert Jordan
Robert Heinlein
Bonnie Turner
Terrie Turner