Encounters Out There

Science Station Alpha 2—

The year 2154: "Investigation Into the Web Phenomena."

They've attacked our living habitats and mining facilities.

We've taken refuge in a remote science station, though it has limited provisions.

We've used its radio telescope to monitor transmissions throughout the solar system. We researched its archives to help us figure out what they are and why they're here.

First Archival Extraction—

The year 2073: "Exploratory Committee for Space Colonization."

Dr. Siegfried stood next to a projector with a remote clicker and gave a long-winded presentation on mass extinctions.

"I'll conclude with our current Holocene Epoch."—He flipped to a scaling chart and pointed at the most recent example.

"Prolific use of pesticides and insecticides led to the extinction of our most critical land-based predators."—He switched to the next slide—"Spiders."

Committee members glanced at one another.

"Despite scientists' warning, greed and arrogance caused the spider extinction.

"We created a catastrophic disruption in the food web and caused a global trophic cascade. In turn, flying insects proliferated our entire planet, spreading vector-borne diseases.

"It's the worst pandemic in our history—known as the Death Swarm. Wherever anyone saw a flying insect, raining bites of death surely followed. Billions needlessly perished."

His next image showed tiny eight-legged robots, fossils, and DNA molecules.

"World communities finally conceded to their ecological negligence. Scientists developed replica spiders as a remedy.

"Once they eradicated the diseases, archaeobiologists set out to de-extinct spider populations through fossil extractions and genome editing. To our fortune, we recovered a significant range of Araneomorphae."

He turned to a slide showing a clade of spider lineages.—"Currently, we're down there and hope to make progress right up to here."

He pocketed his pointer—"Any questions?"

Rep Carl Schneider raised his hand. "Dr. Siegfried, The abstract of your presentation only mentions ecosystems within space-based habitats. I feel you've misled us."

Siegfried nodded. "It's true; we must balance ecosystems while designing habitats. However, in space, an ecosystem within a biosphere is only one factor. There are broader implications to consider."

"Such as?" Schneider inquired.

"We must take into consideration an unforeseen galactic ecosystem. We'll enter into the unknown—we might encounter neighbors."

Several committee members laughed.

Rep Bob Hankel waved his hand—"Preposterous! You're implying that we'll meet with ET. We've probed our entire solar system for life and found none. The nearest exoplanet is Proxima Centauri. It's over four light-years away. It'd take a moderately advanced civilization over 50,000 years to reach us!"

Siegfried shook his finger. "Perhaps, but we shouldn't assume our dominance in the known universe. The same way our species treated Earth."

Hankel spoke again, "Dr. Siegfried, while your arachnological analysis is entertaining and provocative, I find it pointless. For you to speak about extraterrestrial contact is absurd. Why are you here?"

Rep Susan Conway raised her hand. "I invited the professor. He taught at my university. I appreciate his warnings about future space ecology."

"His presentation entertained us, but also wasted our valuable time," Hankel grunted.

Conway shook her head. "I disagree. The professor reminds us that if we create biospheres, we must learn from our past mistakes. We must proceed with a coexistence mindset."

"Precisely, Susan ..." Siegfried smiled. "And, we shouldn't presume we're alone in the universe."

Second Archival Extraction—

The year 2101: "Annual Review Committee for Martian Colonization."

Geologist Dr. Mio Shimamoto spoke before the Martian council.

"I'm afraid I've got bad news. There aren't enough resources for us to safely mine and extract. We've blasted areas with explosives, strip-mined, dredged, and drilled everywhere for embedded minerals, including impact craters and volcanic sources.

"At our current rate, Mars, we'll become uninhabitable. We must cease all mining operations and go further into space. Perhaps, we can land on an asteroid, or tether a comet to discover more resources."

Councilperson Sandra Oaks asked, "What's our timeline to scarcity?"

"Roughly two and a half years. But it's not a question of scarcity. It's a question of habitation. We might destroy our ability to colonize this planet."

"Why's that?" asked Oaks.

"Our mining has significantly increased the danger of dust storms with an enormous potential for spreading contaminants."

Chairperson Frank Reyes asked, "Do you have what you'll need for an exploratory team?"

"Yes. I can take charge of that." Shimamoto nodded.

Reyes glanced at his fellow committee members' for approval. "Very good. The sooner we mobilize, the better for our commerce and colonial expansion."

Third Archival Extraction—

The year 2143: "Conference for Asteroid and Comet Mining."

Professor of astronomy Camille Beaumont lectured to a group of mining entrepreneurs and special interest groups on her telescope discovery.

Behind her displayed the title of her presentation: The "Webb" Discovery.

She aimed at a holo-projection timeline with an ion laser pointer pointing out a sequence of deepspace photos.

"These objects came closer to us as we colonized further out into space.

"At first, we suspected a shower of projectiles caused by an unknown cosmic explosion. On closer examination, we observed a pattern of formations in the shape of giant webs, not to be confused with the Webb telescope's name."

The audience laughed.

A hand raised—"Professor Beaumont, do you mean like spider webs?"

"Actually ..." Beaumont coughed and took a sip of water. "Yes!"

"I thought we imagined them at first, so I searched the knowledge base for anything relevant. I found something of interest from an arachnologist, Dr. Siegfried, and his presentation to an occupied Earth government."

"John, the video." She gestured to her assistant.

John fast-forwarded through Siegfried's talk until he found spider web visuals and overlaid them with the space objects' formations. They displayed undeniable similarities.

"What are you trying to say? We're going to be invaded by space spiders?"—A voice shouted.

The attendees chuckled.

"I can hardly believe it myself." Beaumont raised her hands. "I'm sure there's a logical explanation for this apparent infestation."