The lab was unusually quiet the next day. The excitement from the previous day's breakthrough hung in the air like static electricity, but now it was tempered with the weight of anticipation. After sending the proposal to NASA, Elanor, Margaret, and David had no choice but to wait. It was a strange feeling—after months of constant, intense work, they were now in a holding pattern, waiting for a response that could change everything.
Elanor sat at his desk, staring at the screen in front of him, his thoughts drifting. The usual hum of the servers filled the room, but the sense of urgency that had driven them for so long had given way to a strange kind of stillness. It was as if the entire universe was holding its breath.
In front of him, the data from their simulations continued to run, but Elanor's mind wasn't on the numbers or the models. Instead, he found himself thinking about what might happen next. They had sent their findings into the world, and now it was out of their hands. For someone who was used to being in control of every variable, every piece of data, the uncertainty was unsettling.
He glanced across the room at Margaret, who was leaning against the whiteboard, her arms crossed as she stared at one of the graphs she'd drawn earlier. She had that look on her face—the one she got when she was running through scenarios in her head, thinking three steps ahead of everyone else. David, on the other hand, was pacing the room, his nervous energy palpable. He had always been the most restless of the three, especially when things were out of his control.
Elanor rubbed his eyes, feeling the fatigue from the long hours of work catching up with him. But even though his body was tired, his mind was still racing, trying to process the enormity of what they had done. They had discovered something that could fundamentally change how humanity understood the universe—and now they were waiting for the rest of the world to catch up.
The quiet was broken by the sound of a ping from Margaret's computer. Elanor's head snapped up, his heart skipping a beat as he glanced over at her. Margaret's eyes widened slightly as she read the message that had just popped up on her screen.
"It's NASA," she said, her voice tight with barely contained excitement. "They're responding."
David stopped pacing, rushing over to her side. Elanor stood up quickly, moving to stand behind Margaret's chair as she clicked on the message. The email opened, the NASA logo at the top of the page almost blinding in its significance.
Margaret read the email aloud, her voice steady but filled with tension. "We've reviewed the proposal and find your findings intriguing. The data shows promise, and we're interested in collaborating further to investigate your claims."
She paused for a moment, her eyes scanning the rest of the message. "They're granting us observational time with the James Webb Space Telescope. They want us to help lead the study, with direct oversight from their team of astrophysicists."
Elanor felt his heart hammering in his chest. The James Webb Space Telescope. It was the most advanced instrument humanity had ever sent into space, capable of peering farther into the universe than any other telescope. The fact that NASA wanted them to use it to confirm their findings was beyond anything they had hoped for.
David let out a low whistle. "James Webb? That's... that's huge."
Margaret leaned back in her chair, her face a mixture of disbelief and pride. "This is it. This is what we've been working toward."
Elanor could hardly process the enormity of the moment. Their proposal had been accepted, and not just accepted—they were being handed the most powerful tools in existence to prove their theory. NASA didn't just think their work was interesting—they believed in it enough to give them time on a telescope that had years-long waiting lists.
Margaret scrolled through the rest of the email. "They're setting up a meeting with their team next week to go over the observational plan. They want us to provide guidance on which galaxies to observe, and we'll be working directly with their top astrophysicists to analyze the data."
David slumped into the nearest chair, his expression a mix of exhaustion and elation. "I can't believe this is actually happening. They're really giving us the James Webb."
Elanor nodded, still trying to wrap his head around it. The magnitude of what they were being asked to do was staggering. "This... this is going to be groundbreaking. If we can confirm what we've been seeing in the simulations with real data from the Webb, it'll change everything."
Margaret turned in her chair to face them, her expression serious but triumphant. "This is just the beginning. We're going to need to be more precise than ever. The observational window will be limited, and we'll only have one shot to get this right."
Elanor's mind was already racing through the possibilities. They would need to narrow down their list of target galaxies, focus on the ones where they had seen the strongest evidence of dark matter interactions. The data they would gather could confirm—or disprove—their theory. But even the potential for confirmation was thrilling.
Margaret stood up, her eyes glinting with determination. "We need to start prepping now. The meeting with NASA is next week, but we need to have a detailed plan ready before then. Every galaxy we choose has to be justified. Every piece of data needs to be airtight."
David nodded, already moving toward his computer. "I'll start running simulations on potential targets, narrowing it down based on the cold gas regions we've been studying. We'll need to focus on galaxies with the most consistent deviations in their rotational curves."
Elanor joined him, pulling up the latest data from ALMA. "We should cross-reference this with the European Southern Observatory's deep-field surveys. If we can align their data with ours, we'll have a stronger case for which galaxies to prioritize."
Margaret returned to the whiteboard, erasing old equations and sketching out a new framework for their observational strategy. "We'll also need to prepare for the possibility that NASA might suggest their own targets. We have to be ready to defend our choices."
The lab was buzzing with energy again, the silence of the morning replaced by the rapid tap of keyboards and the low hum of excitement. This was no longer just an academic exercise—they were preparing to collaborate with NASA on one of the most significant discoveries in astrophysics.
Elanor felt a familiar sense of focus settling over him as he worked, his mind clicking into place. This was what he had been working toward for years, and now the pieces were finally falling into place. The universe, with all its mysteries, was starting to give up its secrets.
Hours passed in a blur as the team worked, refining their data, narrowing down their list of target galaxies, and preparing their presentation for NASA. Elanor barely noticed the passage of time, his mind fully immersed in the task at hand. By the time they stopped to eat, it was already late afternoon, and the sky outside had turned a pale shade of orange as the sun began to set.
As they sat around the small break area in the lab, eating sandwiches and sipping coffee, the weight of the day's events began to sink in.
"We're really doing this," David said, shaking his head in disbelief. "NASA is trusting us to help guide one of the most important observational studies of the decade."
Margaret took a sip of her coffee, her expression thoughtful. "We've earned it. We've been working on this for months, and our data is solid. This isn't just a lucky break—this is what happens when you push the boundaries of what's possible."
Elanor nodded, but he couldn't shake the feeling of awe that had settled over him. He knew Margaret was right—they had earned this—but the magnitude of what they were about to do was still sinking in. The idea that their work could change the way humanity understood the universe was both exhilarating and daunting.
As they finished their meal, Elanor's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from Raya.
Raya: How's everything going? Did you hear back from NASA?
Elanor smiled, feeling a wave of warmth at her message. He quickly typed a response.
Elanor: We heard back. They're giving us time on the James Webb Space Telescope. It's... huge. We're preparing everything now.
A few moments later, Raya replied.
Raya: James Webb?! That's incredible, Elanor. I'm so proud of you. You're doing something that's going to change everything.
Elanor felt his chest tighten slightly at her words. It was strange, balancing the enormity of his work with the simplicity of their connection. But somehow, it felt right—like he had finally found a way to bridge the two worlds.
Elanor: It's a bit overwhelming, but yeah... it's exciting. I'll tell you all about it later. How's Orion?
Raya's reply came quickly.
Raya: Orion's fine, though I think he misses you. Maybe you should come by soon.
Elanor chuckled, a warmth spreading through him as he imagined Orion waiting at the door.
Elanor: I'll be there soon. I miss you too.
He pocketed his phone, feeling a sense of calm settle over him. No matter how intense things got at the lab, there was always something grounding waiting for him outside of it. And that, more than anything, was what kept him going.
As the sun set and the day turned into night, the team worked late into the evening, refining their strategy for the upcoming NASA meeting. By the time they finally packed up for the night, they had a solid plan in place—a detailed list of target galaxies, complete with justifications for each one, and a strategy for analyzing the data they would collect.
As Elanor left the lab and stepped out into the crisp night air, he felt a sense of satisfaction that went beyond the usual excitement of discovery. They were on the verge of something monumental, something that would reshape the way humanity understood the universe. And for the first time in a long while, Elanor felt not just the weight of the work, but the balance he had been searching for.