[ WP ] It is revealed that NASA has been deliberately holding back advances in space travel for the past 50 years . Why ?

`` An Alcubierre. Fuck,'' Dr. Phillips said, to no one in particular, although the entire room was more or less in the same frame of mind. 
 
 `` You said it, Jerry,'' said the woman to his left. Margot... Jackson. Yeah. Their liaison from the NSA. `` This is... this is the worst thing that could possibly happen. We're going to break the Codes. The, uh... yeah. They're not going to be happy.'' 
 
 The men and women around the table all either nodded or grimaced in agreement. Jerry Phillips, former astronaut, PhD in astrophysics, and now Administrator, silently ran a finger around the raised blue planet impressed in front of his seat at the table. `` I thought we had someone in place at Space X,'' he said, finally. 
 
 `` We did,'' said another man. Could n't remember his name. Director of Ops on OPERATION BUCKMINSTER. An op we have FUBARed. Too many people, too many mouths to feed, too many hands to fill. We never had any hope of keeping this stuff under wraps. `` Fired, last month.'' 
 
 `` For...?'' 
 
 He cleared his throat. Jackson, maybe? Christ. `` Uh... poor work ethic. Sir.'' 
 
 Dr. Phillips slammed his hand down on the table. `` That's why we had him there in the first place.'' Phillips took a calming breath, and continued. `` Ok, maybe this is salvageable. How far did they get with their Alcubierre?'' 
 
 Agent Jackson spoke up, `` It's operational. They've run a few limited tests on it, running it to the Moon and back. It'll have given off a signature, but a weak one.'' 
 
 `` Fine, good. So, how long before our uh Friends find out we're breaking the Code?'' 
 
 A squirrelly young man across the table -- -Phillips did n't even attempt to remember his name -- -spoke up, `` Eight weeks, give or take. That's if they're looking at us.'' 
 
 `` Oh, they're looking at us,'' Phillips replied. `` They're always looking at us.'' He pursed his lips in thought a moment, and the kid, probably one of the techies, broke in: 
 
 `` Pardon, folks, but I'm new to this project. I understand the Code. I understand the, you know, *threat*. But... why are we listening to them? We're... pardon, again, but... we're fucking humans! Why are we doing this?'' 
 
 `` It comes down to guns, son. Theirs are bigger, stronger. The pinnacle of human achievement in offensive hardware amounts to slingshots and pebbles, as far as They are concerned. They told us to stay put, to not leave our solar system, that they'd grab the human race when we were ethically evolved enough to move, or we would be destroyed. I understand your frustration, kiddo, but -- -'' 
 
 The young guy, Alan! Yeah, now he remembered. Alan. Dark eyes suddenly furrowed in rage, he slammed a dark-skinned fist down on the table. `` Hey. Hey, with all due respect, Dr. Phillips, you can take that kiddo and shove it up your ass. I've got more science under my head than every one of you old farts. You want to know why we ca n't stand up to these assholes? Because of *you*. Because you unimaginative morons rolled over in your silk sheets and retarded human progress. Because the biggest dick on the playground told you to. If Space X built a-a-a *functioning* Alcubierre, then an entire *avenue* of exotic weapons have opened up for us to build and use! Fuck these people, we'll blow them out of *space*!'' 
 
 Phillips hung his head for a few moments, collecting his thoughts. After allowing the silence to grow into an unbearable weight, he looked across the table at Alan, `` That's just the thing. We do n't *want* to blow them out of space. They're... *right*, Jackson. They're beautiful and we are ugly. Horrible, ugly, angry little apes.'' He nodded to a couple of suited gorillas by the doors, `` Get him out of here. Get rid of him.'' 
 
 Outside the doors, screaming and a muffled gun shot. Then, `` Ok. As a show of good faith, Space X has to go. Margot, I'd ask you to strongly consider an industrial accident of a scale requiring legislation banning commercial spaceflight.''
