The Chrysalis of Eternity

How sweetly did they float upon the wings

Of silence, through the empty-vaulted night,

At every fall smoothing the raven-down

Of darkness till it smiled.

And fast by, hanging in a golden chain

This pendant world, in bigness as a star.

- Milton

Far out near the rim of a spiral nebula a gigantic, gleaming vessel passed the farthest outlying star and moved into the system from deep space. Its voyage was almost over – the onboard computers identified a potential home for its precious cargo and, if there had been any conscious being on board, it would have felt a slight shuddering. For the first time in millions of years, powerful thrusters were activated and firing to change the course of the mighty ship, and the future of this galaxy. It headed inwards, towards the core.