Wormhole

It was the largest structure ever built by man, taking up enough space to fit 2 mid-sized moons, yet only a handful of people knew it existed. It's parts had been constructed separately, in many different countries under countless contracts and then shipped into orbit one at a time onboard various shuttles and rockets under the guise of military satellites and any other name they could put on it as an excuse to keep it secret.

Once construction was finished in orbit it was launched off into deep space with a crew of 20 who had little hope of ever seeing home again. Considering the size and cost of the project it was quite impressive that one government was able to keep it such a secret.

It took 23 years to reach it's destination at around three-quarters the speed of light. It's new home wasn't exactly cozy either. The massive ship, if you really wanted to call it that, was surrounded by nothingness. The spot had been picked precisely for this reason. There were no stars, planets, asteroids or any such thing within 10 light years. It wasn't the perfect spot but it was the best they could do. There were better spots but those were so far away that their great-great grandchildren would have been doing their jobs and the men and women on board were understandable anxious to do it themselves.

Once in place they began their work and since most of it had been done on the long journey it only took them a few weeks to have things ready for the big show. At noon ship-time on the 46th day of the 2nd month of the 23rd year a middle aged man with mostly gray hair and more wrinkles than he cared to think about, with a little smile that could also be interpreted as worry, pushed a button on a console in front of him and a deep hum began to resonate throughout the large manmade moon.

There was a barely perceptible bump and then screens being monitored all over the ship began to light up with data readings, outside video, radiation measurements and numerous other things that only these 20 people would really understand.

The man looked at his display, listened to his colleagues talk to him through his earpiece and his little smile got very, very big.

"We have one" he said and everyone who heard his voice also heard the distinct sound of accomplishment in it. "Is the probe ready?"

A voice in her ear assured him that it was and with the push of another button a small piece of the ship came off and shot outwards towards the distant stars. Everyone on board was staring intently at monitors that displayed video from outside the ship. They watched the probe glide through space and as it slowly floated away it suddenly disappeared, as if it were never there.

"OK, what are we seeing?" the middle aged man asked into his mouthpiece. Voices filled his ear and he had to slow them down. Seemed that everyone was as excited as he.

"Video is showing a star grouping and I'm trying to find it on the maps right now. I don't recognize them right now but it could just be the angle. Wait. Oh.....wow...."

"What?"

"A planet. I think. Hold on."

Only one station on the ship could receive video from the probe and the man was kicking himself for not being there. Anyone could have run his terminal, he needed to be there.