Fermi's Follies amended

"Have you noticed the sun seems dimmer?"

I looked up at the noonday sun. "Not really, but not surprising. Global dimming."

"What? Global dimming. Smoke and dust and air pollution from human activity. It's all been dimming the sun for decades".

"I don't think this is it. The days don't seem quite as bright lately. Like a lot darker than normal".

"Well, now that you mention it...huh the sky seems a nice blue, no upper atmosphere haze... let me check my phone and see if there is any news."

"Holy shit!"

"What?"

"My NASA news feed. Mercury is disappearing!"

"What?"

"Here look! Pics from MESSENGER".

"Jesus! It looks like Mercury is dissolving into dust. What the hell? What's that... Oh. Shit."

"What?"

"Griefers."

"Griefers. Alien probes. They are using Mercury to make dust to blot out the sun".

"What?"

"A Dyson swarm, but with dust as well. They are blotting out the sun!"

"Wh-why?"

"To get rid of the competition. Us. Life."

And just then noon went to midnight, as permanent night fell upon, not just Earth, but the whole Solar System. A palpable chill was felt in the air. It would stay dark for a long time, and things would soon get very, very cold.