1,400 light years away
It was way passed the supper time when Kepler research scientist, Alex Kamsby, was about to leave his office at the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute Observatory, NASA. As usual, he glanced through the printouts from Kepler Space Telescope, scanning endless lines of scientific formulas and long equations for signs of abnormality.
His gaze hovered over the lines of familiar writing and he was about to call it a day when suddenly something unusual caught his eye. One of the pre-set formulas showed that planet Kepler 452b has been detected in a habitable zone – the zone close enough to the sun to be capable of life harbouring.
Clutching the report in his fist, Alex crosses the office in three short strides. Unable to separate his gaze from the tiny dot that depicted Kepler 452b, he grabbed the phone and in a mad frenzy began dialing numbers of his colleagues.
Half an hour later the entire crew was at the office; their eyes brimmed with dark circles and eyeballs tinted red. Despite the late hour, the exuberance in their voices and glances did not subside; on the contrary, as they began to work, it only grew stronger.
In the proceeding hours the inexorable arrow on the office clock moved from north to east; whereas for the scientists, the time had stopped. Each of them was deeply into his calculations, trying to estimate the age of the newly discovered solar system, the calendar year of the new planet, and more.
They worked tirelessly until the fiery face of the annoyed sun threw its rays across the maps of the distant galaxy. Scientists lifted up their faced, brimmed with heavy-framed eyeglasses, and nodded at each other in approval.
Being the youngest and thus the most enthusiastic member of the team, Alex Kamsby took the lead at summing up the findings of the past night. Following a fruitless attempt to clear his throat, he declared in a hoarse voice:
"Today is a great day in the history of science," said Alex with a sheepish grin. "We have discovered an earth-like planet that is orbiting a sun-like star," he paused and resumed again. "This new sun-like star is 6 billion years old, which means it has been around 1.5 billion years longer than ours was. In other words, congratulations everybody! We have found Earth's older cousin".
Loud clapping and handshaking filled the office with a jolly spirit, as satisfied grins and nods of agreement flourished all around.
Soon enough the news about Kepler452b spread to the general public, who began to form wild theories of not-so-distant travel to a new planet. The only trouble was that visiting the planet proved to be slightly problematic, as it was estimated that the planet was 1,400 light years away. Speaking in a simpler tongue, it was unreachable.
A week or so later, the uproar surrounding NASA's revolutionary discovery had died down. The office continued to work at its usual pace, calculating the sequences and mapping down new galaxies. Everyone resumed their regular rhythm, all except Alex Kamsby, who was haunted by vivid dreams of traveling to Kepler452b day and night.
It is of common knowledge that all scientists are believed to be slightly mad, and require little assistance to become utterly doomed. Alex Kamsby was no exception, as madness tip-toed into his soul, it took over his brilliant mind. Following the discovery of the "Earth's older cousin"; as scientists had lovingly christened Kepler452b, Alex could neither eat nor sleep. He grew very thin and irritable as he kept glancing through the telescope, scribbling in his notebook, and calculating, calculating, calculating…
Each day Alex worked till dawn, and each night he hallucinated about visiting the new planet. In his dreams he would discover new elements to the periodic table; which would then be named after him, new types of powerful fuel, and other wonderful things.
Alex's colleagues at the office would only shake their heads with pity, while whispering behind his back. They called him "mad professor" and other very hurtful things. Meanwhile, Alex continued his research, stubbornly unwilling to acknowledge rude remarks.
This might have gone on forever, if not for one faithful day...
You see, in his sick mind, Alex concoctioned the "next big discovery" every couple of days. The trouble was that most of his discoveries were utter rubbish, which was apparent to all of his colleagues but not to Alex himself. Most days one of the office workers would soften the blow, catching Alex before he would make his way to the main office of their superior and disgrace himself with a foolish nonsense.
Unfortunately, on one particular day all stars have aligned and Alex completed the full journey from his office on the first floor to main office of his superior on the third floor.
Ten short minutes later, after exuberant Alex waved his absurd calculations at the perplexed face of NASA superior and declared the discovery of a "shorter route" to Kepler452b, Alex was fired.
The destructive fit that followed the dismissal of agonized Alex was shameful and heart-splitting. Thus, I won't describe it. All I have to say is that later that night Alex found himself in a hospital wing with cheerful plump nurse gazing into his eyes.
The nurse fixed his blanket and politely asked if he wanted some water. Following a refusal, she nodded with a relief and left him alone in the hospital room.
Appraising the situation, Alex looked up at the beeping machines with various tubes snaking in and around his arm. He then checked his own patient chart, that was hanging at his feet, and exhaled with an apparent relief.
Being a highly educated person with several PhD degrees, Alex estimated the harm to his brain as minimal, and significantly relaxing, leaned back. The medications administered by the plump nurse invaded his blood stream once again, weakening his muscles, as restless delirium took over his mind.
The door creaked and a thin strip of dim hospital light oozed into the room. Alex woke up, squinting against the unwelcome light and set up, leaning onto the elbows.
"Alex Kamsby?" Asked the tall stranger, as he thievishly glanced back and closed the door behind.
"Yes," said Alex. "How may I help you?" He knew that the stranger couldn't be a doctor due to his unprofessional dark outfit and stealthy behavior.
"I heard you are trying to find a way into Narnia," grimaced stranger, stretching his face into something resembling a sarcastic smile.
"Pardon me, visit what?" Alex frowned, adjusting his eyeglasses. "He must be a psychologist," grimly thought Alex. "And Narnia must be some kind of an allegory to make someone who is suspected of being coo-coo less offended".
Alex set up straight and with a fierceness in his eyes, opened his mouth to let the psychologist know what he thinks of his sort of people.
However, instead of releasing a lengthy tirade, Alex closed his mouth and began to blink rapidly. Something was not right about this stranger, something that Alex couldn't put his finger on…
"That's better," said stranger lowering himself onto a flimsy hospital chair. "I said Narnia, although you people named it something else. Kepler?" He smirked and shook his head dismissively.
The queerness and discomfort felt by Alex a second ago had evaporated the moment he pieced together what that odd stranger was trying to say.
"Kepler452b… You know how I can get there?!" Alex's eyes lit up with deranged sparkles of madness and clutching to his bed sheets, he concentrated his whole being on stranger's eyes.
Somewhere on the back of Alex's mind a small voice of diluted consciousness told him to run.
"Run, Alex," said the voice inside his head. "Don't talk to this odd personage. Leave the room and forget about Kepler". Alex shook his head, silencing the annoying inner voice, and refocused his greedy glance on the cold empty eyes of his visitor.
Noticing Alex's brief bafflement, stranger roared with a frigid laughter. He smirking wider than before and threw a thick folder containing 353 identities of the North Star children at Alex's feet.