LUNCHTIME OF THE GODS EPISODE 7 – THE BLUE STAR SETS

EDITOR’S SYNOPSIS. The stars are disappearing! BOB and FRED, two freshmen astronomy students at Milbank State University, saw the star Syracuse disappear, and immediately reported that to their instructor, PROFESSOR LUCY SKYWATCHER, head of the Astronomy Department. LUCY assigned several of her students to do an inventory of the whole sky, and they found that 15 stars had disappeared since the last charts were made. Lucy made some calculations and predicted when the next star would disappear. Unable to get anyone in the government or academia interested, she called a press conference at the observatory, so that the whole TV audience could watch the live disappearance of the large but dim blue star, JB-236. Then the expected moment for the disappearance came. And went. With nothing happening. But now we resume the action – not on Lucy’s planet, but on a planet orbiting JB-236.)

(On a far distant planet, a young man and a young woman are walking hand-in-hand down along the beach. The sand is an unusual orange-ish color. The clear sky is violet with some pale blue clouds off in the distance. By the long shadows, we surmise that the sun is low in the sky. As we see the two love-birds from a different angle, we see that the bottom edge of an enormous blue sun is just about to set beneath a deep violet ocean. Some clouds around the sun are gorgeous shades of pink and lavender.)

MAN:

Sunset’s my favorite time of day.

WOMAN:

Mine too.

(They pause to watch the sun as its bottom edge touches the sea, forming a brilliant blue reflection stretching all the way to the beach. A chunk of the star suddenly disappears. A chunk with teeth-marks. In the next few seconds, three more chunks of the star disappear, leaving the clouds a dark gray and the sky a black velvet curtain laced with bright stars.)

MAN:

Wow! The fastest sunset I’ve ever seen.

(Back in the observatory, a few people are dancing, others are standing in groups talking, a few have already left. Lucy’s boss, DEAN JACOBSON glares at LUCY, who is showing no expression. BOB and FRED look especially disappointed. Then Fred notices something, and points to the screen excitedly.)

FRED:

Wait! Look!

(Although it’s barely noticeable, the star JB-237 is not as bright as it was. As the now- silent crowd watches, it gets progressively darker over a period of about half a minute, and then it is gone. The crowd remains silent for only a couple more seconds, then pandemonium erupts, as all of Lucy’s students, and a number of others in the crowd, start cheering. Dean Jacobson puts his arm around Lucy and smiles, posing with her for several shots by the photographers.)

DEAN:

That’s my girl, Lucy! I knew you were a genius when I first hired you.

(Bob and Fred seem ecstatic, as each of them grab one of Lucy’s arms, then they hold her arms up to the crowd, starting the chant of:)

CROWD:

Lu-cy! Lu-cy! Lu-cy!

(A gaggle of reporters have surrounded Lucy now, and are pointing their microphones in her face. Oddly, she does not seem as happy as she should.)

FEMALE REPORTER:

Well, Professor Skywatcher, your prediction was off by two and a half minutes, but you were proven right in the end. This must be a big night for you.

LUCY:

No, it isn’t. Truthfully, I hoping I would be proven wrong.

DISK JOCKEY:

What kind of attitude is that professor? Come on and join the celebration!

MALE REPORTER:

Professor, since you were right this time, I’m sure we’d all like to hear what your next prediction is.

FEMALE REPORTER:

Do you know when the next star will disappear?

LUCY:

In 46 hours and 23 minutes.

MALE REPORTER:

Well, I bet that telescope sales will be going out the roof tomorrow morning.

FEMALE REPORTER:

And every amateur astronomer will be pointing his or her telescope wherever you say it should be pointed.

LUCY:

They won’t need any telescopes. The next star is going to be our sun.

(The jovial mood of the crowd takes a few seconds to dissipate as the import of what she just said sinks in.)

EDITOR’S END NOTE: How will the people of Lucy’s planet get by without a sun? Will its disappearance interfere with Milbank State’s basketball program? Will Lucy figure out a way to save the sun? Or more importantly, will Captain Westonia arrive in time to save the day? Or save the daylight?