[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/mxophWR.png[/img] [color=#ffffff]Ｃ[/color][color=#d2d2d2]ｈ[/color][color=#adadad]ａ[/color][color=#b7b7b7]ｐ[/color][color=#c1c1c1]ｔ[/color][color=#eaeaea]ｅ[/color][color=#ffffff]ｒ[/color] [color=#c5c5c5]Ｔ[/color][color=#a9a9a9]ｈ[/color][color=#b6b6b6]ｒ[/color][color=#c1c1c1]ｅ[/color][color=#eaeaea]ｅ[/color] [color=#ffffff]Ｈ[/color][color=#f0f0f0]ｅ[/color][color=#e1e1e1]ｇ[/color][color=#d2d2d2]ｅ[/color][color=#c0c0c0]ｍ[/color][color=#adadad]ｏ[/color][color=#b4b4b4]ｎ[/color][color=#bababa]ｉ[/color][color=#c1c1c1]ｃ[/color] [color=#dcdcdc]ｉ[/color][color=#eaeaea]ｍ[/color][color=#f5f5f5]ｐ[/color][color=#ffffff]ｅ[/color][color=#f5f5f5]ｒ[/color][color=#ebebeb]ｉ[/color][color=#e1e1e1]ａ[/color][color=#c5c5c5]ｌ[/color][color=#a9a9a9]ｉ[/color][color=#adadad]ｓ[/color][color=#b2b2b2]ｔ[/color] [color=#bababa]ｓ[/color][color=#bdbdbd]ｅ[/color][color=#c1c1c1]ａ[/color][color=#d6d6d6]ｓ[/color][color=#eaeaea]ｌ[/color][color=#f1f1f1]ｕ[/color][color=#f8f8f8]ｇ[/color][color=#ffffff]ｓ[/color] [sub]The future of Mankind in question[/sub] ————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————— —————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————[/center] After the discovery of the Vun-Okon species that lived in the arid deserts of their homeworld, our communication hub was targeted with a foreign transmission, and for a short period of time chaos ruled the communication division of the UNE headquarters. But once the transmission cleared up, it became evident that the species that had opened a wormhole in the Alpha Centauri system not too long ago and surveyed the system had managed to translate our language, and was now using on-board computers to automatically translate as they spoke. We were amazed to find that we could communicate with them in English. They spoke of themselves as the 'League of Gorothi Territories' and were prompt to inform us to 'not mess with their citizens or territories' and were also rather quick to inform us that they considered Alpha Centauri to be part of their space territory. Within a moment they had shattered the dreams of the first human colony in Alpha Centauri - questioning the capability of a war against these people with three mere corvettes was not precisely what the Chancellor and me were planning to do. We accepted the outcome of this, and the Gorothians were prompt to also inform us that, in fact, they owned two planets. Mankind had large steps to take in the galaxy, it seemed, and we were faced with a realization that the science team had not been right when they spoke of a 'similarly advanced space nation like ours' when we first found these creatures - they were in fact much more advanced. And they were, in fact, also very hostile. Dreams of a second 'First League' which included many different species of aliens were immediately shattered upon the realization that these aliens were much more interested in subjugating us than working together. Never the less, we responded by telling them 'co-operation will surely benefit us all.' The laughs from the other side made clear just who we were dealing with.. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/YO4PP6Q.png[/img][/center] A few months after this discovery, a science ship reported back that they had found 'massive skeletal remains' of some sort on a planet. After investigating, they found reason to mount an expedition on full scale and requested our permission. Naturally, it was granted, as the pursuit of knowledge was one of mankind's greatest wishes. I would be lying if I said I was not curious at all either - perhaps that weighed in my decision to grant permission somewhat. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/sskGBFz.png[/img][/center] During this investigation, the other science ship reportedly was en-route to the first planet we were supposed to survey to gain knowledge on how to prevent the mass extinction of planet Earth. The planet Darep III was considered a planet that at one point sustained life, but could no longer do so now due to freezing temperatures that can not possibly sustain.. well, anything. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/lURvsLT.png[/img] [sub]UNS Constitution en-route to Darep III[/sub][/center] At the same time the colony ship was completed, and it was sent off to system Sirius - daftly named after a famous character in the ancient Harry Potter novels. The system was not the best system available, but after the Gorothians took Alpha Centauri from our list, we were forced to re-evaluate and re-consider our plans. Sirius was considered to be the best alternative, as it offered access to some minerals, and above all, would grow our influence over the galaxy, and allow us to potentially challenge the Gorothians claim to Alpha Centauri. According to our scientists, the colony ship could sustain life in cryo-stasis for a long time, but fortunately the hyperdrive on the ship meant that the civilians on board only had to enter cryo-sleep for approximately a year. That meant that galactic politics were unlikely to change during that time - at least, as far as the Humans were concerned, as the Gorothians had other plans. I remember when the initial shock of meeting 'sentient, talking sea-slugs' passed and was replaced with fear. We would have to see if those fears turned out to be true. The new planet, Sirius III, was re-dubbed 'Atlas' and the ship began it's slow descent into the orbit of the planet. There had been plans to auction the naming of the planet off to who-ever would pay enough for that honor, but after the submission 'Fatboy Slim' came in, it was decided that they would not auction off the naming of the planet just quite yet. After all, it was the first planet, and it was a monumental moment in the history of Humans. ... perhaps a third planet. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/C50Gr2P.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/8IG4WRs.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/UijxUJi.png[/img][/center] Initial reports from the planet were good - people were adjusting to the cryo-sleep quite well and immediately began converting the ship into a planetary administration. As the advisor, I used my power to immediately send forwards some resources to them in the form of minerals, and I ordered the construction of two hydroponic farms ahead of time, to ensure there was plenty of food so that they would grow rapidly. A stagnant planet was a bad planet. It was now that the reports from the 'gigantic skeleton' came back. Although there was nothing of note - besides the wildlife on that planet, which was said to be particularly ferocious - it was still an interesting find. My questions were answered with the report, as it turned out that something or someone had sent the creature through.. some sort of portal, which to my best guesses would equate to a wormhole? “So, this creature passed through a portal?” “That's correct.” “Is there any chance it made one itself? I mean, the Tiyanki are capable of hyperdrive travel between systems, so perhaps..?” “Perhaps, but since only the skeleton remains, it's not really something we can check.” “Do you think the Gorothians know?” “Those spaceslugs- ah, sorry, those.. democratic Gorothians, they probably won't be willing to help us.” “I see, well, thank you for your service, please mark the location somewhere and continue your work. London out.” [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/hEMsdDt.png[/img][/center] As you can tell from the logs and transcripts, I had increasingly gotten used to my position as the assistant and advisor to the Chancellor - though at times I felt like I was the one doing all the work concerning space and the galaxy in general. But just when I was thinking that we would run out of things to explore and discover some times soon (the galaxy is only so large, after all, right? And our pace was tremendous..) a new transmission came in. “Sir, we have discovered.. ceramics floating in orbit around a sun.” “A pot?” “... yyyyes... you can call it a pot. So, do you want us to investigate it?” “.. uh, sure, why not.” “Copy.” “Uhh.. yeah, copy. London out.” The research would be done somewhat soon, but I was curious as to what the ceramics contained. The thing was apparently flying around a sun named 'Kazoo.' Hopefully not named after that awful instrument, I thought to myself, while I received an image from space that showcased the science ship hovering near Kazoo to investigate. [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/frj9EQs.png[/img][/center] [b]This marked the end of my first ten years as advisor and assistant to the chancellor.[/b] But what was next? In a short period of time we had gone from being the only creatures in the galaxy, to becoming an underdog, having our primary target for colonization taken from us, threatened by space-slugs.. but also to discovering great new things, skeletal remains of big creatures, ceramic pots flying around suns, a new colony, and the knowledge that there might be other spacefaring civilizations out there for us to meet and learn from. But the real question is, what would be our next move? [center][img]http://i.imgur.com/q3FsLs9.png[/img][/center]