Brian Dorgu had lived for thirteen years in the cosy dwarf planet Ceres - thirteen years in the misty gardens of a world where everybody helped each other and nobody hated anybody. Brian understood, now, why the Cerians were so frightened of Earth.

It wasn't long before the men in dark suits came looking for him. The CIA and the FSB and all the rest wanted to know about the Cerians and their technology and science. They also had other questions.

What is intertemporal communication? And what happens when more than three people can do it?

SEVEN STORIES BY ADAM MATHEWS