Message from Lyra

Explore the worlds of modern astronomy, corporate philanthropy, and international politics. This story is a tale of life, ambition, success, and failure. A graduate student detects a seemingly anomalous reading while scanning for objects and signals near the Lyra constellation. The signal appears to be a transient, a calibration error. The discovery is stolen, sparking a flurry of activity as the world becomes aware of the apparent artificially manufactured communications signal. As the discovery is examined, the situation becomes increasingly threatening. A story filled with friendship, betrayal, intrigue, politics, science, and science fiction. Opposing factions debate the future of humanity, while politicians engage in debate and inaction. What motivates someone to respond to a clear threat? Indeed, the scale and significance matter, but urgency is also a key factor. In today's world of short news cycles and countless, competing items vying for attention, we may overlook the importance of a threat that isn't constantly in view. Characters appear as the viewer perceives them. The ending offers an unexpected outcome as the crisis seems to be easing.