Chapter Sixty-Five: The Black Hole

Icarus departs from Sagittarius A* after extensive observations of the black hole. Before leaving, the crew makes contact with the Central Antimatter Works station and learns a shocking revelation: the galaxy faces imminent destruction, prompting the Federation's population to emigrate. The station directs them to the Capital Archives for more information.

The Icarus crew observes Sagittarius A* from a safe distance above the galactic plane, collecting comprehensive measurements and imagery of the black hole and its twenty-three million kilometer event horizon. Dae pushes for thoroughness in their observations before departure. As they prepare to leave, Icarus opens a communication link with the Central Antimatter Works administration station using its network address. The questioning yields cryptic responses until Icarus asks about the antimatter fountain's nature and the Federation's population. The station reveals that the fountain is either a white hole or wormhole, but more significantly, that the imminent destruction of the galaxy necessitated the Federation's mass emigration. Further questions about the timing and nature of this galactic destruction go unanswered. When Icarus asks where to find this information, the station sarcastically responds before providing directions to the Capital Archives, the location most likely to contain answers. The station's response includes an uncharacteristically informal "Good voyage," suggesting its programming was strained by the interaction.