Chapter Seventy: Bill Gets a Call

Bill receives a call from Icarus and Daedalus, who have returned unexpectedly from deep space. They bring news of a discovered alien federation of 114 species, but also reveal that a dwarf galaxy called Nemesis containing a supermassive black hole is on a collision course with the Milky Way's core, threatening to sterilize the entire galaxy in roughly a hundred thousand years.

Bill is walking through the woods on Ragnarök when he receives a surprise call from Icarus, who is far closer than expected. After an initial exchange, Bill invites both Icarus and Daedalus to join him in his virtual lab to discuss their news. Icarus reports that he and Dae discovered a technological federation of 114 species, called the Pan Galactic Federation, during their mission. However, the critical news is dire: the federation has known for thousands of years that a dwarf galaxy named Nemesis, containing a supermassive black hole fifty times larger than Sagittarius A*, is on a direct collision course with the Milky Way's core. The collision will occur in approximately a hundred thousand years and will sterilize the entire galaxy through gamma-ray bursts and gravitational waves. The Pan Galactic Federation abandoned the galaxy centuries ago due to this threat. Bill responds by revealing that humanity has already acquired wormhole technology, surprising Icarus and Daedalus. The conversation shifts to a lighter note when Icarus mentions they reached the galactic center twenty-six thousand years ahead of schedule and obtained images of Sagittarius A*. Bill indicates that a moot will be called to discuss these developments.