Prologue

Time is indeed a paradoxical concept that combines both linearity and circularity. It moves forward in a straight line, with a clear beginning and end, marking various milestones and goals as we go through life.

When time comes to being linear, milestones and goals are set in life, and when they pass you by, you can’t go back and change them. Choices in your life you prefer to make differently or go back and do-over is not possible because the time you lose can never com back to you. It’s like a line you draw with a pen, it you don’t like areas of it you cannot erase it, without using whiteout. But real life is different, there is no whiteout, when you make a choice, or come to a decision there is no way to erase the choice or decision from time.

However, time also exhibits being circular with repetitive cycles, such as analogue watches and clocks resetting every 12 hours or digital clocks displaying the same digits every 12 or 24 hours. This circular nature of time is often associated with the idea of extinction, suggesting that time ultimately leads to an end or extinction. Everything has an end and then a beginning, just like a circle and like circular time, what starts has to end, and what ends has to start. The cycle continues.

Throughout Earth's history, there have been five extinction events that have led to the disappearance of dominant species. The last known extinction event occurred 65 million years ago, marking the end of the Cretaceous period and the extinction of dinosaurs. Prior to that, extinctions also occurred during the Ordovician, Devonian, Permian, and Triassic periods, wiping out dominant species on the planet.

In the present era, mammals, with humans being considered the most intelligent among them, have become the dominant and largest animals to live on Earth. However, humans have often found themselves lost amidst desires for lust, gluttony, greed, money, and power. Despite striving to evolve beyond their savage tendencies, the 20th and 21st centuries have been marked by uneasy alliances among nations, terrorist groups wreaking havoc, and lone gunmen causing chaos in public places. These events have caused many people to lose hope for a normal life.

The outbreak of World War 3 in 2099 was a devastating event. Russia and China formed an alliance and began conquering nations, while the allied forces, including the USA, UK, India, and Pakistan, joined together to resist the invasion. However, despite their efforts, the world descended into chaos as nations fought each other and power-hungry leaders ignored the looming threat from above.

On July 25, 2102, the invasion began. Disc-shaped crafts, resembling UFOs, descended upon Earth. These ships were white and round, with a command centre at the front and engines at the lower back. They unleashed devastating attacks, targeting people, buildings, battlefields, residential areas, and skyscrapers. The destruction caused by these attacks was catastrophic, comparable to an extinction-level event.

The three-day attack resulted in the loss of over 50% of the world's population. The aliens suddenly disappeared, leaving behind widespread devastation. This led the remaining countries to realize that their actions had caused this destruction. As a result, they formed a single global governing body called the United Earth Consortium (UEC), with the goal of unity. The UEC reorganized the naval, army, and air forces into the United Earth Consortium Naval Force (UECNF), United Earth Consortium Ground Force (UECGF), and United Earth Consortium Air Force (UECAF) respectively.

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Within a year, the UEC initiated a space program that differed from NASA's approach. They developed a prototype short-range fighter spacecraft and established a moon base to house these fighters. Over the next 20 years, secretive efforts were made to construct deep space mission ships, away from public scrutiny. After 30 years, five ships were nearing completion: Revelation, Deliverance, Genesis, Exodus, and Salvation. These ships symbolized humanity's hope for survival and a fresh start in the face of the cyclical nature of time and the constant threat of attack and extinction.

As the completion of the ships drew near, the UEC faced challenges and debates over who would be chosen to embark on this interstellar journey. The selection process became a heated topic, with arguments arising over whether the most skilled and knowledgeable individuals should be chosen or if a diverse representation of humanity was more important. These debates reflected the underlying tensions and divisions that still persisted among the survivors.

The UEC's space program also faced technical obstacles. Engineers and scientists worked tirelessly to overcome the limitations of current technology and create systems capable of sustaining life for extended periods in the harsh conditions of deep space. They developed advanced propulsion systems, reliable life support mechanisms, and advanced shielding to protect against cosmic radiation. The construction and testing of these ships became a monumental undertaking, requiring unprecedented collaboration and innovation.

Meanwhile, Earth's remaining population struggled to rebuild and adapt to the post-invasion world. The devastation caused by the alien attack left scars on the planet, both physically and psychologically. Communities banded together, relying on their resourcefulness and resilience to survive. They established new governance structures, focusing on sustainability and the equitable distribution of resources.

As the completion of the deep space mission ships approached, anticipation and anxiety grew among the survivors. The ships represented humanity's last hope for a future beyond Earth, a chance to escape the cycle of destruction and extinction. The UEC carefully selected a diverse group of individuals, including scientists, engineers, artists, and leaders from various backgrounds, to embark on this historic journey. These individuals carried with them the hopes, dreams, and collective knowledge of humanity, ready to face the unknown and forge a new path among the stars.

And so, as the five ships prepared for launch, Earth held its breath, both fearful of what lay ahead and hopeful for the promise of a fresh start. The cyclical nature of time seemed to hang in the balance, as humanity's destiny teetered between extinction and a new beginning. The stage was set for an epic interstellar adventure, where survival, discovery, and the quest for redemption would intertwine in ways no one could have anticipated.

This is the story and travels of the last ship, the starship UESF Salvation.