“Do you understand?” he asked restlessly. He could no longer see the children around him, but he could still hear them.

“We understand! Now please rest, teacher!”

He felt his flame begin to sputter. “I know you don’t understand, but memorize it anyway. Someday, it will make sense to you. The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting on it, and inversely proportional to the object’s mass.”

“We really do understand, teacher! Please, please rest!”

With his last ounce of strength, he gave the children a command. “Recite it!”

Through tears, the children began to chant. “The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting on it, and inversely proportional to the object’s mass. The acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the force acting on it, and inversely proportional to the object’s mass….”

Hundreds of years ago, one of the world’s great minds emerged in Europe, wrote down these words. Now, in the twentieth century, they filled the air of China’s most remote mountain village, recited by a chorus of children in a thick, rural accent. In the sound of that sweet hymn, his candle burned out.

The children gathered around his body and wept.

Target Number: 500921473

Absolute Magnitude: 4.71

Evolutionary Stage: Middle Main Sequence

Nine planets found

This is Vessel Blue 84210 reporting

“What an exquisite planetary system,” the fleet commander exclaimed.

The High Archon agreed. “Indeed. Its small, rocky planets and gas giants are spaced with wonderful harmony, and its asteroid belt is in a beautiful location, like a necklace. And its farthest planet, a little dwarf covered in methane ice, suggesting the end of one thing and the beginning of another, like the final note of a musical cadence …”

“This is Vessel Blue 84210. We are commencing a life scan on Planet One. This planet has no atmosphere, a slow rotation, and a huge temperature differential. Scan beam is firing. First random site: white. Second random site: white…. Tenth random site: white. Vessel Blue 84210 reports that this planet has no life.”

“You could smelt iron on the surface of that planet. We shouldn’t waste time,” said the fleet commander.

“We are commencing a life scan on Planet Two. This planet has a thick atmosphere; a high, uniform temperature; and substantial acidic cloud cover. Scan beam is firing. First random site: white. Second random site: white…. Tenth random site: white. Vessel Blue 84210 reporting—this planet has no life.”

“I have a strong feeling that Planet Three harbors life. Scan thirty random sites,” said the High Archon, his message traveling instantly over the four-dimensional communicator to the duty officer of Vessel Blue 84210, over one thousand light-years away.

“Excellency, our schedule is very tight,” said the fleet commander.

“You have your orders,” said the High Archon resolutely.

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“We are commencing a life scan on Planet Three. This planet has a medium-density atmosphere, and most of its surface is covered by ocean …”