Chapter 1: Incoming Traveller

"Unusual Phenomena" New object discovered between Asteroid Belt and Mars."

- NASA Public Announcement, March 14th 1997

"For decades we've theorized that such interstellar objects are out there, and now―for the first time―we have direct evidence they exist," said Adam Zerbekan.

- Associate administrator for ESA's headquarters in Paris, March 15th, 1997

"Today NASA has reclassified the object formerly thought to be a small asteroid as an interstellar object. That is an object that originated outside the solar system. This is based on more recent data about the velocity of the object, characterized by NASA as unusually fast, as well as their trajectory. The object has been designated as O'A, respectively. They are the first interstellar object ever recorded, and one NASA member attributed their discovery to 'dumb luck'."

"Although the proximity of the object is likely a coincidence, NASA estimates they will eventually separate and leave the gravity well of Mars to slingshot towards the sun. Current front runners include the name 'Oumuamua' the Hawaiian name for "A messenger from afar arriving first" reflecting their behavior and its first recorded entrance into our solar system."

- Scientific American, March 20th, 1997

"EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY REPORTS O'A OBJECT DECELERATING"

- The New York Times Science Section, March 24th, 1997

"At the current rate of deceleration, we may well see the O'A becoming a permanent member of our solar system, entering solar orbit. This is obviously a great opportunity for NASA and the astronomy community at large. We'll be keeping a close eye on them."

- NASA Administrator, March 26th, 1997

"SCIENTISTS BAFFLED BY DECELERATION OF O'A. SOMETHING MORE?"

- The New York Post, March 28th, 1997

""Deceleration of an Interstellar Object is entirely expected. We speculate that this may have to do with the gravity wells of Mars affecting O'A, respectively.""

- NASA Administrator, March 29th, 1997

"The first confirmed object from another star to visit our solar system, this interstellar interloper, appears to be a rocky, cigar-shaped object with a somewhat whitish hue. The object, named 'Oumuamua' by its discoverers, is up to four and a half kilometers long (two and three-quarter miles) and highly elongated—perhaps 10 times as long as it is wide. That aspect ratio is greater than that of any asteroid or comet observed in our solar system to date. While its elongated shape is quite surprising, and unlike objects seen in our solar system, it may provide new clues into how other solar systems formed."

"The observations suggest this unusual object had been wandering through the Milky Way from the outer reaches or rims of the galaxy; it could potentially be extra galactic, unattached to any star system, for hundreds of millions of years before its chance encounter with our star system.

- Unnamed NASA Scientist, March 31st, 1997

"I honestly don't remember who it was. It was April 1st, and no one wanted to be the fool. But we were all thinking about it. The shifts towards Mars and Jupiter were simply too large and too inexplicable to ignore. Then someone saw how a similar process might affect O'A. And we looked at it. And we were like shit."

- Unnamed University Professor April 2nd, 1997

"We can confirm that given the recent alterations in the trajectories of O'A, this makes it a small moon. O'A seems likely to proceed between the planets and pass into the outer solar system, passing by Earth in the process. "

- ESA Director Frederick Weber, April 2nd, 1997

"Just because O'A is traveling past Mars does not mean that O'A will enter orbit."

- NASA Director Tyler Gibbs, April 3rd, 1997

"Thank god we caught it this soon. Who knows what would have happened if we got caught flat-footed?" Captain Samantha Carter exclaimed in the meeting room with the rest of SG-1 and General Hammond. Behind her and on the other floors of Stargate Command, dozens of extra hands moved sensitive equipment to be installed. A direct order from the Red Phone attached to the SGC and General Hammond to work closely with NASA, so both parties were in the loop.

"Figure it could be Goa'uld?" Colonel O'Neill asked from across the table.

"None of this fits with what we know of the Goa'uld, especially after understanding the logs we've got in missions and Teal'c's firsthand knowledge of them."

The Jaffa warrior rumbled, "Indeed, if this is a stratagem, it is not one I have ever seen before."

"Could this be an entirely different alien species?" Daniel asked.

"If it is, this is one hell of an entrance. It happened too quickly, too suddenly, and no one had any idea what's out there." Hammond said none too happily.

O'Neill took a sip from his coffee, "Well, that's the best we have for telescopes and all those other doo-dads any agency has, sir."

"And I don't like that one bit. The President doesn't like that either," General Hammond said, rising from his seat, "I've been called to the White House. Seems to them I'm the closest thing we have to an alien expert. SGC operations will run as normal, under heavier restrictions. If this becomes a larger disaster, we cannot have teams stranded out in the galaxy."

"I've been running some numbers. Working the deceleration numbers on O'A backward. And holy shit, that thing was moving fast. The speeds we saw as it entered the solar system were abnormally high, to begin with. But if we assume it's been slowing down at the same rate for a while, and there's nothing from anyone to suggest it hasn't, it was moving. We're talking a significant fraction of the speed of light fast."

- A Professor at Stanford University, April 15th, 1997

"By late April, things were leaking, and people were figuring it out on their own with nothing but grit the wireframe blueprints of the internet and local physicists moving to newspapers and tv sessions like a long game of telephone. All the powers with the ability to observe deep space figured out what was happening. No one wanted to cede any rights about anything in this situation, and high-level talks were out, given the nominal secrecy. Informal, hasty agreements were made. America and its allies, particularly in NATO, had the so-called Hermes Agreement, pledging cooperation. Representatives of various nations to the United Nations made the New York Agreement. Although they agreed that no existing organization (such as the Secretary-General or Office of Outer Space Affairs) would be used, they also established that the UN could be a useful tool for handling the situation. And, of course, the "Gentleman's Agreement" among prominent scientists, both inside and outside official channels, which pledged to avoid politicization and militarization wherever possible..."

- Not Alone First Press by SETI, May 4th 1997

"Although we cannot state with absolute certainty, the National Space Administration believes that the Interstellar Object recently observed are of artificial origin. We do not know who built them, but they are not of our Earth, not of our Solar System. The People's Republic of China, and all the other nations of the world, will extend a hand of friendship to these visitors. We are strong, but we are welcoming. We look to heaven with neither fear nor naivety..."

- English Translation of the Beijing Address, May 13th, 1997

"It doesn't seem like the President has forgiven the Chinese Premier for upstaging him on the official announcement that O'A was an alien spacecraft of some kind. This is a blow to his, and to American prestige. It makes NASA look slow and playing catch-up. Which makes it all seem like the start of another Space Race, all of which is going to make matters more tense than they needed to be. It's setting the whole thing off on a grim note. Of course, I can't be too harsh on the Premier, it's not like the President was planning a joint event. He wanted to be first.

Still, from an organizational perspective, things are going smoothly; The presidential meetings and council chambers behind closed doors added another member to the list as a regular member. An Air Force General never seen before. Soon after, The Presidential Commission on Contact was well received after the announcement two days after the Chinese and three days before the Russians. Of course, with all of those congressional and industry leaders, it was unwieldy. A working group of the President, the Secretaries of State and Defense, the NASA Director, and the ranking member of the Aviation and Space subcommittee quickly emerged."

- The Wormhole Month - Washington Post, May 17th 1997

"OPINION: AMERICA MUST TAKE LEAD ON CONTACT"

- Senator Kinsey, May 23rd, 1997

"There is nothing there." Omoc said. Scoffing at the notion. The Tollan looked through the various data sheets with nary a glance. His head shook at the perceived chaos the rest of this planet was making.

"It is a remnant asteroid. Nothing more." He finished, turning from the group of SG1 and Stargate command and walked past the Nox with the rest of his Tollan brethren. "It is of no import."

Lya smiled at Daniel Jackson softly before she curtsied to leave.

"Sometimes the young do not understand what they can see."

"While it is true that O'A will enter orbit earlier than expected, it is unlikely we will glean much. We cannot simply orient our observations of Mars and Jupiter correctly. And there is no way to guess what sort of transmissions these things are using. We might glean a bit more regarding the shape of the craft, but that could be the best we can do."

- NASA Director Tyler Gibbs, June 11th, 1997

"BOX OFFICE SMASH: INDEPENDENCE DAY BECOMES HIGHEST GROSSING MOVIE, DETHRONING JURASSIC PARK BY OVER ONE BILLION DOLLARS."

- Variety, July 8th, 1997

"TWO ENGINES? NEW EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT OʻA HAS ONE PROPULSION SYSTEM FOR INTERSTELLAR TRAVEL, AND USED ANOTHER ONCE IT ENTERED THE SOLAR SYSTEM."

- Scientific American, July 21st 1997

"ESA: 'EXTREMELY UNLIKELY OʻA IS CREWED, SCIENTISTS SAY."

- Le Figaro, August 1st, 1997

"TROUBLE IN PARADISE: INSIDE THE SCHISM BETWEEN TWO OʻA CULTS"

- Boston Herald, August 10th, 1997

"There is, of course, an immense strategic advantage in possession of both propulsion systems. Even the less powerful system is more efficient and faster than any created on Earth, and prevailing estimates suggest the Interstellar Drive can reach speeds of .8c. Any nation in possession of such schematics would hold power over all others."

- National Security Council Report, leaked August 1997

"ʻHOW A HAWAI'IAN SOUND WENT GLOBAL'"

-Honolulu Star-Advertiser, August 18th, 1997

"COLLISION RISK FOR OʻA: AN HONEST ASSESSMENT"

- Scientific American, August 20th, 1997

"IT'S A LOT BIGGER THAN WE FIRST BELIEVED."

- NASA DIRECTOR TYLER GIBBS PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT, August 22nd, 1997

"The initial estimate was entirely wrong. Completely, absolutely wrong. If there was any blame needed to go around, it'd have to be a combination of two things. One; Our current state-of-the-art scientific telescopes, spectrometers, radar imaging and many others are just not advanced enough to get perfect clarity. The Second would have to be the interferences our measuring tools are getting, some of it is from heat and radiation from within our solar system, some from O'A itself."

- ESA DIRECTOR ADAM ZERBAKAN AUGUST 21ST, 1997

"SCIENTISTS NOW LARGELY IN TWO CAMPS: O'A origins divided between Sculptor Galaxy and NGC 7552 within the GRUS Constellation."

- Boston Tribute, August 23rd, 1997

"WHY O'A MAY CRASH BEFORE IT HAS A CHANCE TO DO ANYTHING, AND IT MAY END ALL LIFE AS WE KNOW IT."

- BBC, August 25th, 1997

"The issue for O'A, is that, well, is that whoever manufactured it had no way of knowing what was in orbit already. In fact, I doubt they knew anything about the Milky Way galaxy except in its major overarching structure. It is doubtful our Sun would even have existed when it was launched. So they never made the calculations that we do whenever we launch into orbit. And given that transmissions from the probe likely take millions, perhaps billions, of years to get back home, there is no way to adjust. It could, in its own way, be the manufacturer's Voyager, created to explore with no plans of it ever returning, let alone being monitored or maneuvered. So there is a genuine chance of collision with any number of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. The fact that it is still standing, to be frank, is a miracle in itself."

- A Professor at The University of Oxford, September 1st, 1997

"RETRIEVAL OF PROBE FRAUGHT WITH QUESTIONS: While the idea of taking the O'A probe out of orbit and into safety has captured the imagination, there are serious issues with the proposal. For one, it is unclear whether the interstellar probe, which is not yet in orbit, would still function on Earth's surface; such an action could also be seen as overly hostile by the Manufacturers of the probe. In addition, someone could likely only bring the probe to Earth in a Russian shuttle, leaving the Kremlin in possession of both all information and communications with the apparent civilization of another Galaxy, as well as the powerful engines on the probe."

- Washington Post, September 2nd, 1997

"I've been running some numbers. Working on O'A's velocity, including the public reveals of its estimated size and mass... If it does crash to earth… I'm sorry, I think we're all gonna die."

- A Professor at The University of California, Berkeley September 8th 1997

"AMERICAN, EUROPEAN LEADERS CONDEMN ANY UNILATERAL EFFORT TO RETRIEVE OR GUIDE PROBE"

- Le Figaro, September 14th, 1997

"CHINESE PREMIER: 'WE WILL NOT LET AMERICAN INTRANSIGENCE BLOCK FIRST CONTACT AS CNSA UNVEILS 'TOWING PLAN' TO PRESERVE O'A'S ORBIT"

- BBC, September 18th, 1997

"DEADLINE FAST APPROACHING FOR ANY LAUNCH PLAN TO AID O'A"

- New York Times, September 28th, 1997

"BREAKING: HIGH-LEVEL TALKS IN DELHI"

- BBC, September 30th, 1997

"INDIAN, FRENCH, AND GERMAN GOVERNMENTS BROKER DEAL"

- BBC, October 1st, 1997

"BREAKING: HIGH-LEVEL TALKS IN MOSCOW"

- The Guardian, October 3rd, 1997

"BREAKING: O'A HAS ADJUSTED COURSE"

- The Guardian, October 7th, 1997

"MOSCOW-WASHINGTON HOTLINE IN USE."

- CONFIDENTIAL SOURCE, New York Times, October 10th, 1997

"I am at a loss for words… Are we meeting the Vulcans?"

- Unnamed Commentator October 14th, 1997

"ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT THIS THING COULD BE CREWED?"

- Unnamed General October 16th, 1997

"BREAKING: LAUNCH SILOS IN AMERICA AND RUSSIA HAVE SCRAMBLED"

- BBC, October 22nd, 1997

"BREAKING: UNITED NATIONS EMERGENCY SPECIAL SESSION HAS BEEN CALLED"

- New York Times November 1st, 1997

"OBJECT WILL PASS GRAVITATIONAL WELL OF EARTH IN FIVE DAYS. ALL RESEARCH AND SENSORY EQUIPMENT WILL BE USED TO RECORD THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION"

- International Planetarium Society, November 20th 1997

"The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself."

- Carl Sagan posthumous quote from The Planetary Society, November 24th 1997

(Image Posted in AO3)

-Hubble Space Telescope, November 25th, 1997