Chapter Three: What’s Up?

Dae visits Icarus in VR to report a significant discovery: a nearby star system is emitting artificial microwave signals. This finding prompts Icarus to order an immediate deceleration to investigate the system, putting their expedition back into active exploration mode after a period of passive surveying.

Icarus is reconfiguring a VR environment designed like a Star Trek holodeck when Dae unexpectedly arrives. Dae reveals he has found something during his surveys of passing systems—specifically, a system they have recently come alongside is emitting microwaves from a couple of locations in a pattern that does not appear natural. Recognizing this as potential evidence of an artificial civilization, a major discovery they had discussed as a reason to stop traveling, Icarus immediately orders Guppy (the ship's AI) to begin maximum safe deceleration and coordinate with Dae's Guppy to establish when they will drop to galactic orbital velocity around the system. Icarus notes that Guppy has begun nodding in acknowledgment rather than simply disappearing, suggesting the AI is evolving its communication behaviors. The chapter ends with Dae and Icarus deciding they need to send a preliminary report back to Bill about the discovery.