Addendum

Specifically, all intellectual property will be protected for twelve years except for Pac-Man, which is protected in perpuity and the penalty for infringement is exile from the solar system. Twelve years is a highly scientific number which reminds us of clocks, which are ticking as we wait for a space monster.

The Biggest Potential Disaster

What happens when most of us have moved to an array of space colonies spread throughout the solar system and then a big space monster comes through and chomps us all up like Pac-Man? The only solution I can see is to have Bandai Namco sue the menace, and for that to happen we might have to change our intellectual property laws.

The Road to Stellar Damascus

"Sir, we landed on the planet for the initial exploration."
"Then why are you here?"
"We saw a man, sir. A human. He told us this. 'Every sun is a god. Worship ours and you will be permitted to live on the surface. To abstain and remain in your generational colony ship, that is permitted as well.'"
"What's this you're telling me?"
"The others will tell you the same, sir. I attempted to initiate diplomacy, but I fell asleep. I woke up on the flight back."
"Absurd."
The captain personally led the second expedition and came back the first priest, and as for the colonists, they learned there was more to space than they dreamed.
Finis

Q&A Corner

Q. What do solar systems and families have in common?
A. There usually aren't enough bodies in them.

A Question for the Audience

What if the passing of years is actually an inconceivable entity slowly trying a bunch of numbers in a combination lock? If so, it probably won't open that sucker for some time, but maybe 2023's the year. I'm just saying, don't make any plans that don't include the reveal of the contents of the vault behind the solar system.