Chapter 1

Prologue

To: Cardinal Aldous
From: Dr. Luten Fabbrizi
Date: 5.16.07
Re: Requested Information

Cardinal,

As you know the weather in the alps has been horrendous for the past several days, however, last night at approximately 2:34am we had a window of opportunity open and we were finally able to view the area you had inquired about.

What we found was, to say the least, bewildering. Before we give our complete report, would it be possible to know where the coordinates for this area came from? We believe it would greatly help us with our analysis to have some context as to the source of these coordinates.

We anxiously await your reply.

Respectfully, Dr. Luten Fabbrizi, Lead Astronomer, ESA Poggiridenti Research Facility

To: Dr. Luten Fabbrizi
From: His Eminence Cardinal Aldous
Date: 5.16.07
Re: Information

Doctor,

Forgive me, I must have not been clear when making this request for your team to view the specified area. The coordinates provided to you were found only recelently in a newly discovered archive. Our intrest in this area is for archival purposes only, I would appreciate it if you could give us whatever report you feel best describes what is in this area, its age, what if any phenomenon could be occuring and when the last time it occurred.

Again, this is simply an archival study with no signifcance beyond having the correct notation in the proper column. I look forward to recieing your report.

In God's Trust, Cardinal Renard Aldous, The Holy See, Rome, The Vatican

To: Cardinal Aldous
From: Dr. Luten Fabbrizi
Date: 5.16.07
Re: Requested Information

Cardinal,

We are not sure how to proceed, without having some kind of background information to use as a reference. It is very difficult for us to objectively provide you with a scientific explanation of what we viewed at the coordinates you provided. However, we will do our best.

Type of phenomenon: Unclassified. This type of spatial conjunction has never been observed before. After reviewing star charts available for this portion of space the findings we have are unverifiable and therefore are based solely on theory. What appears to be taking place is that, three separate celestial bodies have aligned in such a way to create a pyramid form, point one, the top most point is a class 5 pulsar in the otana nebula, the bottom right point is a blue proto star in the foxfire star cluster and the bottom left point is a red giant in Sirius. Two things make this most odd, first, these three objects are in different planes and at vastly different distances, however, because of the 3 objects make up they are viewed from earth at the same relative brightness. Secondly, the alignment of these three objects is perfect, even when calculated out to 9877th decimal, the triangle that these three points create is perfect at nine million light years distance between each.