It was not because of what it did, but of what it meant. Where the signal originated from was still only based on conjecture and what it contained still a mystery, not even the most pristine of experts could begin to unravel its meaning. What information lay within did perhaps not matter, especially when only a snipped could be saved, something perhaps too short and general to understand, however, what was understood was that such a signal could not originate from a natural source. The space probes and expansion into the outer sections of the solar system had taken a near four centuries and was now considered to be threatened by this snipped of information blasting past earths general direction.

The small underground observatory at Pluto, PIO, had quickly been outfitted with additional parabolas to intercept other signals as well as detect moving objects in furthest of space. The Institute for Space Exploration had called for an emergency meeting to discuss actions taken towards the signal.

The quite corpulent and elderly Lindqvist enjoyed a cup of coffee that he mingled with his thoughts, “Why did we expand the Pluto observatory? Isn’t it quite the obscure listening post? Surely it is like an eyeglass slowly peering over the edge of our solar system”

“We need to be able to better track what moves through the Kuiper belt” said Vova whilst giving the worst of stink eye to Lindqvist, “Whether the signal was from an intelligent source or not we must be able to know what was in our solar system first to begin with. These parabolas and infrared lasers can quickly identify and through AI be documented…”

“Yesyes,” interrupted Lindqvist tiresomely, “method is everything and must be dealt with of the day in order. We know.”

“Perhaps it is time to enact the automatic exploration program?” intervened P.I. Buckland the chief engineer, “There are many suitable objects like the spheroids Quaoar and Makemake where we could establish minor listening-stations to build a network to act like a funnel, not only outwards but inwards to improve our own communication possibilities.”

The small screens embedded in the table slowly opened to the participating board members highlighting the spheroids Buckland proposed, they were picked roughly in pairs following a relatively close orbit and position to each other. Makemake and Haumea was one pair whilst Quaoar and Pluto was another, Varuna being somewhere behind those. The objects traced their trajectory in relation to the sun, Earth, Mars and Jupiter.

“Both Varuna and Haumea are like spinning potatoes, they’re no use to us” one board member blurted out. Buckland looked around himself for support before he added more visuals, drawing on his screen a sort of cone of vision, “The small quickly rotating rocks should provided us with constant access and data transfer between the outer rim. However, the slower ones as you can see will provide three screens from which we can listen and observe the universe.”

“And how does this help us with the signal?” Vova asked with a smile.

“Well we know the direction it came from” said Buckland looking at the moving planets, “And with these outposts we will have much of our stations directed in general towards that point.”

Lindqvist was craftily working with a spoon to retrieve a cookie lost in his coffee, “Gentlemen, we cannot construct several research stations on the rim simply because we have a general point of origin. Those cost quite a lot and we barely got enough funding for expanding PIO, the agency only has so much funding and the panic funds we received could be better used elsewhere.”

“As in…?”

“Well,” Lindqvist leaned back quite pleased, “How about building an actively manned station near Uranus, then we’d not only have personnel over there in a spacecraft to intercept objects but also someone to twist and turn dials for you research fellas projects.”

There was some further discussion on where to place listening outposts or perhaps manned space stations, all was in an attempt to try and search for a bright spot in the sky or perhaps intercept more if another signal ever came again. It was passive or active measures being discussed, some being more useful for scientific endeavours and advancements in tracking and movement in space than perhaps being able to use a spaceship to redirect large rocks heading towards earth. It was perhaps not too surprising that other causes and issues were being discussed along with project funding than the signal itself which was lost here as well. Everyone knew that such a source had to be something and that something might someday swing by just like the 'Oumuamua 400 years ago. Unlucky for the Institute for Space Exploration, Lindqvist had seniority and the bureaucratic skills needed to achieve results and funding for a project. This meant that a compromise had to be struck where the outer rim was reinforced with a manned station on Makemake trying to track a gap being PIO, but also providing a small crew of astronauts who could intercept, sample and examine objects passing by. The project was labelled as the PIO Survey Group.

The ship was to become the pioneer in new spacecraft, providing the latest technology and engines to fly between planets in only 5 hours whereas the older barge models ranged between 9-13 hours. Its hull was constructed to be lighter but more durable material having treated the metal with different alloys and layering. When still on earth it was described as a silver tower with brutalist inclusions. It was obvious when walking onboard the massive ship and taking the hydraulic elevator that it was built mainly for space and orbit judging by the direction of the rooms and ladders. The control room on the other hand could be considered as old-fashioned with the way as the crew would be facing forward (or upward when lifting off) or more modern sitting in trenches on the side looking towards computer monitors, dials and controls.

It was quite the feather in Lindqvist hat as the ship took off early in the morning two years later along with a couple barges of older models, quickly making way and leaving them behind. The crew reported back on all its functions and possibilities stating, “If we can raise to the sky this fast today, surely a week from now we’ll be surpassed by another ship.” The Uranus-class type of ship was born. And with this came also the active exploration and examination of different objects making their way through the solar system, big and small, yet no 'Oumuamua type of object had been intercepted as of yet.

The chances of two civilizations stumbling upon each other in the galaxy was not great, and even less so when sending focused beams of radiation like screaming in a random direction. But it was certain that something had sent them a message, it took less than a minute to detect it and it was clearly three minutes long exposure where only the last segment was properly documented. No natural occurrence could result in such consistent output. Something had seen humanity and all they could do was observe and hope that no alien came within 100 lightyears of earth to intercept the casual radio signals leaking into space to again seek contact with them. The PIO Survey Group was hoped to hinder any approach by foreign civilizations to prevent an ecological disaster or perhaps a pandemic from foreign germs. A secret order given by to the crew in a closed envelope in case they were unable to hinder an alien ship stating, ramming speed. It is humanity or them.