Betelgeuse, the brightest star in the Orion constellation, explodes in a supernova on the 22nd of June 2025.
(The display is viewed during the winter months of 2640. Assuming its distance from the Earth was accurately measured (642.5ly), the event more likely occurred in the late 1990s.)
In the city of Bristol, England, a young girl discovers a gold shard in the woods behind her family's manor. She picks it up.
On the coast of New Zealand, near Christchurch, the biggest nuclear meltdown in history kickstarts the end of the world. Experts don't understand how the accident occured, and they never get the chance to as they are vaporised by a deadly mist that erupts from the power plant's core reactor.
(It is expected that the fallout will only affect a portion of New Zealand - the country is evacuated to Australia as a precaution - so it is naturally concerning when, some 30/40 years later, residents of Tasmania and Melbourne start to drop dead from radiation poisoning.)
The girl takes the gold shard back to her family, awed that she has found a piece of a fallen star.
In the morning, she is startled awake by her dresser floating above her bed.
When she goes to play outside, the gardener's flowers have bloomed overnight.
At dinnertime, her mother arrives home from town with an aghast look on her face because half the residents are wielding fire with their bare hands.
In the weeks following, many more people discover this 'power' and begin to perform what can only be described as magic; the finding of the gold shard surely wasn't a coincidence. It is shown to the town council, the church, the local bat who's named herself a witch, and they all draw the same conclusion: the gold shard contains the source of the magic; when the girl touched the gem, it was all at once released unto the world.
The family is praised for their discovery.
A new belief system evolves, naming Betelgeuse a fiery god.
(Though it won't be confirmed for a long time, the death of Betelgeuse is the most anticipated cosmic event of the 21st Century. There isn't a doubt in anyone's mind that the gold shard fell from the exploding star.)
Not everyone would use the magic fairly or respectfully, but it isn't until the 23rd century that it is agreed someone must rule over it. The founding families of the gold shard deserve this responsibility and so become its governors. The country bows to them, gifting them the title of royalty.
But there are few gems more powerful than even gold...
...and there are people equally determined to wear a crown.
615 years later, the royal House of Betelgeuse gazes down upon its dead home. They have won their feud, but they are silently hoping their ancestor's beliefs were lies. They followed a religion; they didn't actually think it would happen.
Yet it does.
In minutes, the red giant star becomes as bright as the halfmoon, remaining as such for 86 days. As it begins to dim, it continues to outshine the likes of Sirius and Vega, as well as the planets Jupiter and Venus. At its lowest magnitude, the constellation of Orion can no longer be seen with the naked eye.
The supernova confirms their biggest fear: they are not alone as they desired.
The gold shard lies in an unburied casket, available to anyone who wishes to abuse its power.
Betelgeuse has constructed a plan in the event of this particular scenario. 4950 residents are put to sleep as intended; 50 are prepared to sacrifice themselves to ensure their breadcrumbs aren't followed.
"Execute b2," orders the captain. "And godspeed."
Vega II begins its search for humanity's second home.
