Concerning E.T.
- The ship goes on. While it does, the narrative speculates on whether the aliens could really have come from Saturn, or whether they actually came from further away.
- This is important because—how long is it going to take the aliens to show up after they hear the alarm? If it's right away, that may be bad.
- It seems likely they're a long way away, but what if they can go faster than the speed of light, those aliens?
- Nothing can actually go faster than the speed of light, but this is science-fiction, and the fiction part means anything goes. If you've got super-intelligent aliens, why not super-intelligent aliens that go faster than light?
- Why not unicorns that go faster than light? While humming Steely Dan?
- Because that would not be SCIENCE.
- Anyway.
- Some scientists think the aliens will look like humans. Some don't.
- Nobody thinks they'll look like unicorns. Shows what they know.
- Some scientists think that the aliens might not have bodies, but might just be immortal robot critters.
- Maybe the aliens are gods, the novel suggests.
- Maybe they're chickens, or aardvarks. Nobody says that, but it could be. Super-energy-space-chickens. With laser beaks.