Chapter 1: Location secretive

The great maw

By: L.F. Young

24 February 2025

Part one

Location: secretive 

Date: undetermined 

Most likely a Tuesday 

“Its power is unimaginable. Its hunger knows no bounds. We, the scientists of the last few decades, first took an educated guess at what existed at the center of the galaxy. Every galaxy. Our collective understanding was there resides a great black hole that exists at the center of every galaxy. We were naive in our assumptions, or to be precise. They, the scientists that came before me, since I’ve only recently graduated from college. They, these other scientists, were like babe’s in the woods.

Rooting around in their mother’s kitchen pantry in the dark late at night while everyone slept. Quietly searching for those freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Not even aware of the dangers that hid in the darkness until it’s too late. It was only in the last two years have we, I, found out what lies at the center of every galaxy. I wish I hadn’t, then I wouldn’t be standing here with you find upstanding people.

My mother says I was always meant to figure out what really resides at the center of the galaxy. Seeing as she has said a thousand and three times that my head has always been in the clouds and stars. More than in then one the ground. Wait, why am I telling you about my mother. Where was I?” Said Dr Swan.

“You found out what really exists at the center of our galaxy.” Said the president of Japan. While trying to hide her smile with her custom made Chinese foldout wooden fan that was always at the ready. She found this handsome young man more than a little interesting. She herself was barely a year past thirty two, and recently a widow at that.

“Oh yeah. Thank you ma’am.” Dr. Harry Swan half smiled at the gorgeous lady while clearing his throat, then took a quick sip from his glass of ice water before carrying on with his briefing.

“What’s at the center of the galaxy? I call it the great maw. A vortex of raw matter made up of all the known and unknown elements of the universe. These maw’s are the lifeblood of each galaxy and our great maw is dying. And if we can’t figure out a way to cure our dying great maw and soon. Our galaxy will die within two years after the great maw fades into oblivion.” Dr. Harry Swan a newly graduate in the fields of planetary geologists and climatologists. Wanted nothing more than to flee from this furnace of a sweat box and dive head first into a hundred pound tub of Ben and Jerry’s all natural vanilla bean ice cream.

“Excuse me Dr. Swan. But when is this hypothetical scenario of yours supposed to be taking shape?” Asked the president of Venezuela.

“Well Mr. President, if my current simulations are accurate, which they are… it will stop working by the 30th of December, sir.” Replied Dr. Swan as he quickly wiped the gathering moisture that was threatening to drip all over his rented black pinstriped suit.

“30th of December. Of which year Dr. Swan?”

“This year Mr. President.”

“This December. Are you kidding me son, you call all of us here to say the galaxy has this so called great maw. Which you’ve just recently discovered at the core of our galaxy and that in less then eleven months it will just stop working.”

“Yes. Yes, that’s correct Mr. President.”

“How old are you son, are you even qualified to even be here? Is there no one else who’s better qualified than you to be giving this information that seems more the plot of a low budget movie than a reason to gather all of up at the last minute, I might add. All the leaders of the free world in the middle of the night. And this is what you’ve got to tell us? The galaxy is dying in less than a year.”

Dr. Swan took a rather loud gulp of ice water that the overly sensitive microphone picked up letting everyone in the room know just how nervous he really was.

“Yes sir… Mr. President… sir.” Gulped Harry a second time.

Harry heard more then a few soft giggles as he put down his electronic red pointer pen on the wooden podium. A newly purchased item from his mother, who he was sure would have stood up and punched the president of Venezuela. Laying his smug low I.Q. rude arse out in front of all of all the other world leaders. Harry did his best to hold back a small giggle as he clasped his trembling hands together and placed them onto the podium as well.

Wishing again to hide for the rest of his life in two hundred pounds of vanilla bean ice cream. As he silently watched those in the highly secretive and secured room that was filled to the brim with ladies and gentlemen. Whose yearly pay grade was well north of anything he could ever hope to achieve. Praying with everything he had that nobody else raised their hand to ask him another question he wasn’t ready to answer.