First Place

top section by sergey-ignatenko

Music=

1. The Delicate Place- Spoon

UFOtext=

Aristarchus walked along a thin red line- the proper role of the Second Foundation in guiding galactic history along its possibility tree remained subtle, indirect & most of all secret. 

Princess Lei peered at Aristarchus intently.

"Aristarchus, everyone knows of the existence of the Foundation at the edge of the galaxy. Everyone knows about their magical technology. But I've heard rumors that they can also predict the future. What say you about that?" 

And she opened her hands in a graceful gesture of wonder.

Aristarchus spoke thoughtfully & chose his words carefully.

"I think such rumors are myth. From my own studies of simple mathematical trees I think the difficulties in predicting the future go beyond even the Foundation. Time & change remain great mysteries to us all."

Search For Information

Music=

1. Black Background- The Presets

UFOtext=

Aristarchus discovered the mathematical instability of the Silk Path. But refining the probability tree required more information from the field- Princess Lei formed a delicate key branching variable in the psychohistory of the Silk Path- and thus the Milky Way galaxy. 

Search For Foundation

Music=
1. Aeons- The Presets

UFOtext=

"Think of it as a possibility tree with roots in antiquity & branches of future possibilities. The roots of our tree retrodict the past & the branches of our tree predict the future. Believe it or not, in some ways it is easier to predict the future than retrodict the past."  Aristarchus paused.

Princess Lei & the Count turned toward each other, the Count gazing into the deep watercolors of her almond shaped eyes. Those eyes held the beautiful mystery of antiquity & the vision of the future.

Rapid Slowdown

Music=
1. Don't Panic- Coldplay

UFOtext=

In the way of great change or revolution alterations of confidence demarcate the uncertain path. In the Count's estimation, Princess Lei & her followers found their nadir upon them now- but their zenith lay in a future sky.