After a month on Relinom, Ryan and his crew had settled into a strange routine. The days drifted by slowly, and while the crew was grateful for solid ground and the breathtaking landscapes, the idle time left them restless. Their only task had been to wait, passing the days with short excursions to Relinom’s awe-inspiring locations, yet the looming uncertainty wore on them. There were no jobs here for outsiders; only people within the organization were allowed to work on the planet. All they could do was bide their time and hope for a favorable decision from the organization so they can plan forward.

Finally, after weeks of waiting, they received word to report to the main headquarters, the crew reach their through teleporter. It was the same spokesperson they had met upon their arrival, who appeared as formal and composed as before, but now there was an undertone of something heavier in his gaze. Ryan and his crew felt the weight of the moment as they listened, holding their breaths.

"Apologies for the delay," the spokesperson began, his tone somber. "The discussion has stretched longer than anticipated due to certain... complications on their side. But now, we have an answer."

A silence filled the room. The air felt thick, as if the whole universe held its breath, waiting.

"We are willing to help you locate your home galaxy and provide safe passage back," the spokesperson continued. "However, there are conditions."

The crew exchanged glances, their hearts beating a bit faster. Ryan nodded, signaling for the spokesperson to continue and asked then about the conditions.

"Your civilization must agree to join ours as a subordinate member," he said. “This would mean that your monarch would need to step down, and your people would become part of our collective organization. We require full allegiance if we are to assist you.”

The words hung heavy in the air, and for a moment, no one could speak. Joining the organization sounded like a permanent bond—a decision that would affect not only their lives but also the future of everyone in their home galaxy. The thought of surrendering their monarchic rule and the sovereignty of their people weighed on each of them.

"But... we’re not here representing the monarch directly," one of the crew members managed to say, looking to Ryan as if hoping he could sway the discussion.

The spokesperson shook his head. "The directive is clear as day. We cannot proceed without your agreement to join our civilization. There is no other way."

As the reality set in, the crew felt an uneasy mix of disappointment, anger, and helplessness. They’d come so far, through endless obstacles and unknown territories, only to face this: a choice between returning home with strings attached or remaining stranded in a galaxy light-years from everything they knew.

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The spokesperson watched their reactions, unflinching. "I’ll give you some time to decide. Let us know when you’ve made your choice on the same."

Back in their quarters, the crew sat in heavy silence. Each one of them was lost in thought, processing the weight of the decision before them. Ryan could see the doubt in their faces, and he felt it too—a nagging uncertainty gnawing at him. This decision was enormous, and he wasn’t sure he had the authority or the wisdom to make it.

“What do we do now?” one of the crew members finally asked, breaking the silence.

Ryan sighed, leaning back against the wall, his gaze fixed on a distant point. “If we say yes, we’re agreeing to change the fate of our entire civilization. Our people may not even understand or accept what we’ve done.”

“But if we refuse,” another crew member argued, “we’re on our own. Finding our home galaxy ourselves could take years—maybe even lifetimes. We may never make it back to our loved ones.”

A heavy silence followed as everyone mulled over the reality of those words. The image of their families, struggling through the chaos back home, weighed heavily on their minds. Even as they discussed the decision, Everyone mind drifted to memories of Earth—the laughter of friends, the faces of family members, the life they had left behind. Could they truly risk never seeing it again?

The next morning, after another night of uneasy sleep, the crew gathered. They had debated through the night, their discussions looping back to the same difficult conclusion.

“We can’t abandon our families,” Dom finally said, looking at each of his team members with a mixture of resolve and resignation. “They’re probably going through chaos as we speak. And if we’re stuck here, we’ll never be able to help them.”

His words were met with solemn nods. They had all come to the same conclusion: even if it meant sacrificing their autonomy, they couldn’t leave their loved ones behind to suffer alone.

The decision made, they sent their answer to the spokesperson, who appeared the following day with a more relaxed expression. “The organization will assist you in finding your home galaxy, then. As for your allegiance, we will have you draft a report on all the galaxies, stars, and planetary systems you’re familiar with. This will give us a foundation to begin our search.”

Ryan and his team spent hours compiling every piece of knowledge they had—maps, coordinates, data logs. They shared everything they could remember about the galaxies they knew off, hoping it would expedite the process.

Finally, they handed the information over, and the spokesperson assured them it would be processed promptly. "This will serve as a rough guide for our analysts. With our technology, we should be able to pinpoint the location of your galaxy soon."

After the spokesperson left, a new kind of tension settled over them. They had made their choice, but the uncertainty lingered. There was no going back now, and though they’d done what they thought was best, they couldn’t ignore the quiet fear that crept into their minds. Had they condemned their people to a new kind of dependence, a life under the shadow of a foreign power?

Ryan lay awake that night, haunted by a sense of unease. The organization’s resources were vast, their technology unimaginable, but their true motives were still shrouded in mystery. Could they be trusted? Or had they signed away their future to something far more insidious than they could fathom?

In the days that followed, he found himself wandering the beautiful landscapes of Relinom, hoping the fresh air and vibrant scenery might clear his mind. And yet, the questions persisted, hovering over him like storm clouds.