@MissingAxis
Considering the potential alternatives that could have happened, First Contact with the Ouroboros went astoundingly well. In the months that followed, an embassy had been built by the ophisians at the mouth of the rip lane and frequent contact between the two races was established. Admiral Erling and his fleet remained, helping to oversee not only the construction of the embassy, but also as a fairly important figure himself as one of the first humans to meet with an ophisian face to face.
As for the rest of humanity, well... They took the news just as any other new shocking headline. The scientific community was thrilled, while the common opinion of your average citizen was a bit more mixed. Some were excited to know that they were not alone in the galaxy, while others questioned the ability of aliens to empathize, socialize, and co-exist with humanity. Others saw this as hope that other human colonies could exist out in the dark expanse of the void, for the galaxy wasn't quite so lonely after all. Nearly the entirety of the Terran Remnant's media was filled with nothing but news and speculation of their new galactic neighbor until, slowly, it just became another fact of life. As time passed, the news shifted to other, more mundane things, and the Ophisians received less attention. They still made the news, but no longer were they the hottest topic. A mining accident in an asteroid belt costing the lives of twelve workers. A controversy over a singer's new song lyrics having been stolen from another popular work. The recent court martial of an influential admiral who'd been a prospective member of the Board of Admirals. Time ran its course, and people moved on with life.
With time, came understanding, however. Their languages were far too different for the other to learn to speak properly, and so it was decided that both parties would learn to understand each other instead of conversing in a single tongue. A fair decision, all things considered.
Over their course of interaction, the ophisians and the terrans learned much about each other, with the human diplomats explaining their history and their goal to find humanity's cradle, and in return they were taught the history of the ophisians.
One might assume that a race of colony-minds would learn cooperation a fair bit better than their more singular counterparts, and yet the ophisians had long been at war with each other, developing into a martial culture devoted to a dead god who had sacrificed itself long ago, and now led by seven Lords who are guided by their church. Cycles of destruction marked every incident in which they were brought low, only to claw their way back to the stars, and this history was where the terran's name for their governance as a whole was decided. The Ouroboros.
True understanding of each other's culture and language had yet to be fully reached, and so it came as a surprise when the terran diplomats received an invitation from Lord Amenmesh himself, patron of the embassy, to bring two human diplomats to one of their most holiest of places as witnesses to an ancient rite. It was less of a surprise when Admiral Erling, along with a more properly trained diplomat as an advisor, were selected to go, due Erling's prior experience with the aliens as well as his military history and rank.
The pair arrived to the Basilica onboard an unarmed diplomatic vessel, with Ouroboros escorts, and had only just set foot upon the barren moon.
---
Their shuttle had only just touched down, and stepping off, Admiral Erling could not help but turn up towards the sky to try and glimpse at the burning world above. It'd seemed almost eerie from the view of the vessel. The idea that the planet had once held life, and was now a burning hellscape. Admiral Erling's profession had been war for nearly all of his life, but the idea of an entire world's worth of lives -men, women, and children- all set aflame like that was a little much. Through the tinted visor of his environment suit, he could just make it out. Noah Belgrade stepped out beside him, letting out a bit of a relieved groan. The shuttle ride down into the atmosphere had not quite agreed with the man, and Erling wondered exactly how much diplomatic help the man would be in his current state. He patted his shoulder. “Easy there... Ride's over. Just take a second to get your stomach in order, yea?”
“I... Hurgh... I'll try...” Noah moaned pitifully, as he stumbled around slightly. Erling sighed and shook his head. How was it that this man was the one that'd been assigned to a mission like this.
Considering the potential alternatives that could have happened, First Contact with the Ouroboros went astoundingly well. In the months that followed, an embassy had been built by the ophisians at the mouth of the rip lane and frequent contact between the two races was established. Admiral Erling and his fleet remained, helping to oversee not only the construction of the embassy, but also as a fairly important figure himself as one of the first humans to meet with an ophisian face to face.
As for the rest of humanity, well... They took the news just as any other new shocking headline. The scientific community was thrilled, while the common opinion of your average citizen was a bit more mixed. Some were excited to know that they were not alone in the galaxy, while others questioned the ability of aliens to empathize, socialize, and co-exist with humanity. Others saw this as hope that other human colonies could exist out in the dark expanse of the void, for the galaxy wasn't quite so lonely after all. Nearly the entirety of the Terran Remnant's media was filled with nothing but news and speculation of their new galactic neighbor until, slowly, it just became another fact of life. As time passed, the news shifted to other, more mundane things, and the Ophisians received less attention. They still made the news, but no longer were they the hottest topic. A mining accident in an asteroid belt costing the lives of twelve workers. A controversy over a singer's new song lyrics having been stolen from another popular work. The recent court martial of an influential admiral who'd been a prospective member of the Board of Admirals. Time ran its course, and people moved on with life.
With time, came understanding, however. Their languages were far too different for the other to learn to speak properly, and so it was decided that both parties would learn to understand each other instead of conversing in a single tongue. A fair decision, all things considered.
Over their course of interaction, the ophisians and the terrans learned much about each other, with the human diplomats explaining their history and their goal to find humanity's cradle, and in return they were taught the history of the ophisians.
One might assume that a race of colony-minds would learn cooperation a fair bit better than their more singular counterparts, and yet the ophisians had long been at war with each other, developing into a martial culture devoted to a dead god who had sacrificed itself long ago, and now led by seven Lords who are guided by their church. Cycles of destruction marked every incident in which they were brought low, only to claw their way back to the stars, and this history was where the terran's name for their governance as a whole was decided. The Ouroboros.
True understanding of each other's culture and language had yet to be fully reached, and so it came as a surprise when the terran diplomats received an invitation from Lord Amenmesh himself, patron of the embassy, to bring two human diplomats to one of their most holiest of places as witnesses to an ancient rite. It was less of a surprise when Admiral Erling, along with a more properly trained diplomat as an advisor, were selected to go, due Erling's prior experience with the aliens as well as his military history and rank.
The pair arrived to the Basilica onboard an unarmed diplomatic vessel, with Ouroboros escorts, and had only just set foot upon the barren moon.
---
Their shuttle had only just touched down, and stepping off, Admiral Erling could not help but turn up towards the sky to try and glimpse at the burning world above. It'd seemed almost eerie from the view of the vessel. The idea that the planet had once held life, and was now a burning hellscape. Admiral Erling's profession had been war for nearly all of his life, but the idea of an entire world's worth of lives -men, women, and children- all set aflame like that was a little much. Through the tinted visor of his environment suit, he could just make it out. Noah Belgrade stepped out beside him, letting out a bit of a relieved groan. The shuttle ride down into the atmosphere had not quite agreed with the man, and Erling wondered exactly how much diplomatic help the man would be in his current state. He patted his shoulder. “Easy there... Ride's over. Just take a second to get your stomach in order, yea?”
“I... Hurgh... I'll try...” Noah moaned pitifully, as he stumbled around slightly. Erling sighed and shook his head. How was it that this man was the one that'd been assigned to a mission like this.