.. Sol ..

~

… Bow camera feed of first contact event …

“When we warped into the system on the edge of the arm, we never expected to deal with a first contact situation…” a woman’s voice said as the vastness of space, dotted with the myriad of stars in the background shimmered dimly. “The forward fleet came to repel the invaders in conjunction with the Union’s new war plans…”   

The feed showed something different from the videos before. There was no armada of enemy ships to engage. No early warning alerts populated screens, and certainly, no one had been engaged. Instead, what greeted them as the Astral Union’s 201st fleet exited warp space was a field of debris that floated around a cracked planet.  

Destroyed Bakri ships floated amongst ships of unknown designs. The sleek but rugged designs of the hivemind were notorious amongst the AU member races. All of them had seen the feeds displaying their planet crackers. Their advanced fighters. Their unmistakable hordes of drones would mine the planet after genociding all who lived there or crack the planet and refine the materials amongst space factories.  

Then there was the strange simplistic and harsh design of the unknown ships. No beauty could be found amongst their sparking wreckages that interwove itself amongst the field. The AI had already done a rough estimate by scanning the field. It pieced together the casualty report.   

The woman spoke regardless.   

“An estimated 500 Bakri ships, half warships, 250 mining ships, and the rest auxiliary ships. To put context to the report, it turned out to be a heavily armed scouting fleet. They hadn’t expected much of a fight to be put up in this large uninhabited section of space.” She paused for several seconds as the several blinking red squares locked onto several large ships that came out of the shadow of the cracked planet. They were listed as UNKNOWN.  

She continued. “When we discovered humans within the shadow of their broken cradle world, three ships remained. A Battle-Carrier, USS Unending Dawn, a Frigate, USS Astral Spear, and a Capital ship, USS Haven. All of which had sustained heavy damage, but were operational.” 

The AU slowly pushed through the debris as their shielding flickered and pushed the remains of ships out of their way. A cut in the feed suggested it had been trimmed down, and the fleet was now in orbit of the cracked planet. There was a garble in the radio as the system picked up hails from the remaining ships.   

“XXXXXXXXX!” A human male’s voice came over the feed. It was garbled and unintelligible.  

Chatter from the crew rose as they were relieved to hear it was not an unknown Bakri ship. No chitter of chitin “This is Admiral Calaki, we are sending over a small package of our Lexicon. Please look it over and send us one of yours.” 

Some time passed before the AU fleet received a lexicon packet as well. Their AI worked it out within minutes and added it to the translation hub. Thus, the Admiral reached out again.  

“This is Admiral Calaki of the Astral Union, please state your affiliation.” The admiral’s voice came over the radio.  

“We are humans. We come from Earth.” A human said back. “Do we need to fight you too…?”  

“The initial contact had… not gone so smooth.” The woman said as the Admiral spurted out challenges and demands to the remaining human ships, only to receive defeated and apathetic answers that were neither challenges or threats. There was only acceptance of what they saw was their inevitable extinction. “It took several minutes for them to figure out that the humans were not threatening them. Rather, they mourned for their race. Their cradle planet. Their future and past.”  

Another cut in the feed showed the AU fleet’s maintenance drones repairing the ships as they connected to races’ over video. It briefly showed a young human female, clearly exhausted, in a white naval uniform speaking with Calaki. Then it switched to the starboard feet of the cracked planet. Its cold core slowly spun off into space as its shell was cracked into thousands of pieces. 

In the end, less than 75 million humans were recovered across the three ships and two colonies on their moon, and a planet called Mars nearby. Almost 50 billion humans were lost in the defensive battle for their home system of Sol. Nearly 4 thousand human ships had perished. Another 10 million or so would perish on the week's journey to controlled space.

“Only three ships remained, only due to what humans did best - following their instincts to save others. And in following their instincts, managed to be the last remnants of their species by the will of whatever gods they worshiped.” The woman sighed. “Because as we found out… They were not seen by the remaining Barkis ships who left the system just before we came.”

The feed changed again, this time, the human ships were docked in an AU military spaceport on the edge of controlled space. 

“It took around a month for us to piece together what we could about these humans. They were intelligent Apex predators of their world. Highly empathic and reasonable. Omnivores. Medical inspections showed several deadly diseases that we had already seen on other planets. So, we cleaned them up and their ships.”  

The video changed to a Zanza doctor, a lanky pink four-armed race with four legs, giving several humans medical examinations. Of course, modesty conducive to human standards. Yet, all the humans had lifeless expressions. Even the children…  

“The humans were above average in all categories. While far from the best, they were unique in that they had only a few categories they fell short in.”  

It changed to an AU meeting. It was the meeting of the century as it involved the unveiling of the AU’s new war plan to fight off the Bakri, but also the discovery of a new species, and the subsequent reveal of the events around this discovery. Calls for counter offenses amongst the citizens grew within minutes. Most of them pointed to humans who were classified as an endangered species as an example of what could happen to any of them. 

“Then, the meeting came to where to place the humans. All the representatives had looked over their species’ profiles, but none actually wanted to pull the trigger. Each of them had their worlds filled with productive species along with other problems. Adding an unknown variable while on top of fighting a war  with the Bakri was no one they wanted to deal with.”  

The feed changed to a human-like species with wings on their back standing up. 

“The matter was settled within minutes when the representatives of the Hi' Ris stepped forth to take them in. As we know, this marked the beginning of change…” 

____________________________________________________________________________

“With the introduction to how the Humans came to join our now changed Union, we now bring you to the Museum of Sol. A large campus with five different buildings and an underground exhibit that spans beneath the entire property. Two to Art and Culture, one to their science, One to their history, and one dedicated to their final year… The underground section is dedicated to the battles across Angel-1… These buildings were erected at the center of New Hope, the Hi' Ri Capital of their homeworld.” 

A camera pans over tall strange buildings - their design clearly not of any of the species in their union. A slow melancholic piano rendition played just loud enough to be heard.

“These buildings were designed by a few of the surviving members of Humanity. While over the past year, many in the union have only heard of the glorious and brave acts of this new species, maybe of them had once been like us.” The camera stops on the large entrance to the campus.

A statue of the human Shipmaster, Anise Guther. The narrator continued, its voice translated into the watcher’s native languages. “This statue is of Shipmaster Anise, a human female who died while defending Angel-1’s orbit. While the planet was called Tel’ He’ ro, Angel-1 was the human designation in their communication network as the Humans said the Hi' Ri resembled the modern depiction of a mythological being from their scriptures. A designation that was made official by the Hi' Ri Senator.”

The feed cuts to the center of the campus, where tens of statues rested amongst beautifully wild, yet somehow manicured, nature. “The buildings are loosely built in a pentagon fashion.” The camera pans to the largest installation at its very center. A large obsidian pillar that rose ten meters high. Inscribed on its surface in small letters - in the human's native tongue - where all that died or were pronounced Missing in Action and their ages if known. Five paths converged on this pillar. At the end of each path, dirt mounts planted with native flowers and bushes surrounded five human orbital drop pods. 

“This pillar holds each name of every human lost in the invasion, engraved on artificial obsidian to make it one unending piece all around. This was to assure that the humans would not be separated even in death. So that, even in the afterlife they so fondly believed in, they would have peace.” The camera turned to the pods.

They were beaten, scratched, and burned. Holes where plasma and laser fire still remained as well. 

The narrator continued. “Yes, these are original human pods. Taken from the center of the Hope - the old Capital - where they extracted the Hi' Ri Senator. They represent what made up the humans - duty, courage, undying loyalty, and last of all - honor to the end.” 

It hovered over each pod, showing the blood stains and burns in detail. Most likely to shock its viewers. The seats were spartan in nature. Housing only what was needed to get its occupant on the ground alive and with their kits. One of the pods was twice as large as the other four as it had housing inside only for weaponized hover drones. One destroyed drone even remained, facing the pillar. A rusted pole from a Bakri rail-gun pierced it dead-center. 

The camera changed to another installation that showed six human children. Three males and two females. Each held human kinetic rifles in their hands. Another installation showed ten canines, or dogs as the humans called them, defending a faceless Hi' Ri. The largest one had many cyber-augmentations with a large weapon on its back. The next was a large cement-colored human ship, punched with holes that housed small bowls that were lit with eternal flames.

It returned to the pillar at the center before the narrator continued. “There are more installations in the campus gardens, but the Hi' Ri wishes for those who want to see them to come in person.” It then changed to a slow pan of paintings, drawings, and digital renders on slim-screens. “These are all the media we could salvage from the wreckage of the USS Unending Dawn, which beached itself on the western-edge of Hope to quickly deploy its mechanized platoons to avoid future asset loss to Bakri fighter ships.” 

For a minute, it gave several close ups before it slowly floated past an Employee only door. Several cuts of corridors until it reached a large warehouse were tens of Hi' Ris sorted through large crates filled with debris. “It was believed that the media upon the USS Unending Dawn were the last remaining culture pieces made by humans. That was until a month into the restoration efforts that pieces here and there were recovered. Hidden in small little outcoves  humans slept or rested in. Small corners within the rooms where human children made their “clubhouses” and such. Humanity's creative spark didn’t just exist within its ability to fight. But with the discoveries being made, its desire for peace, hope, and love burned brighter.” 

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

An Hi' Ri held a half-burned love letter. It resonated an intense love for another human, its gender unknown as well as its name as a majority of it only spoke of its desire for a continued future. “This letter was found in a human warrior’s vest. It was one of seven. However, it was the only page that survived. The rest were either damaged or lost.” 

The page fell away and was replaced with a life-like mannequin of a human man and women. Both of them were wearing their battle kits. On the wall behind them were bullet proof vests and a wall-to-wall lay out of several different battlekits. 

“Most of the universe had never seen a human outside of their battle attire, as was once thought to be just how humans functioned,” It panned over the soft features of the female, slowing going down over its chest and legs before doing a side view, then switched to the male with the same shots. “Further investigation into their remaining systems revealed that these antics were due to extensive trauma dealt to their mental states that left them in a constant state of readiness.  This constant state combined with an unusually high level of alertness compelled them to be always ready and prepared for a life or death fight”

The camera went over to the wall-to-wall kit layout. “While this readiness assured our survival, and the defeat of the Bakri’s first ground invasion in history, we wish to show their true forms –” Its view floated away and around the wall to show humans in modified Hi' Ri clothing. The human mannequins on this side were slim, less intimidating. The wall now displayed human toys such as handheld consoles. Balls. Cards. Candies, and other snacks.  

No more was the spartan warriors displayed, but soft creatures that looked awfully inviting. While still predators, their postures were open and welcoming. The previous mannequins were back to back, as if watching their zones for attacks. “Few of the Hi’ Ri have seen humans outside their battle kits, and those who have were truly considered friends to those particular humans as even the officials of the Hi’ Ri were not allowed on-board the USS Haven - the Human ship permanently docked on the edge of Hope, now the West-side of New Hope, without a human vouching their own lives for that Hi’ Ri.”

Slowly, the camera floated backward down the corridor of displays that showed the living spaces, recreational areas and exhibitions on how to play human recreational games. The doors to the section closed as the camera went dark. 

Next, it floated down a large corridor that was marked as “Human Machines”. Large tracked-tanks of different designs rested on its left, while large and small Mechanized Self-driven battle robots stood lifeless behind exhibition ropes. Further in were walls displaying tens of different firearms. Each segregated into Kinetic and energy, tho the kinetic section dwarfed the energy in a 3-to-1 ratio as the energy weapons. 

Past the armaments were human-sized warframes - robots that acted as assistants and or battle additions to actual troops to help bolster their numbers. 

The final exhibition in the section was a “Cyber-augmentation” section. Several different augmentations were on display for each part of the human body that could be replaced. “We will stop here. However, there are more exhibitions in the science section that show human machines such as ships, industrials, commercial and even mundane items - as well as the history building. If you wish to see more, please visit in person.”  

The camera cut to the obsidian pillar, however, this time it was underground. The roof was 30 meters high, enclosed in a 30 meter circular room. Five raised cement paths converged on the pillar. Pools of water with Angel-1 native fish swimming in them. Dozens of small poles with flames atop them stuck 10 centimeters from the water's surface.

“And here is where the documentary begins to mark the opening of the museum. The center of the underground exhibit. From here, we express that any person with weak constitutions should tune out at the end of this prologue.” The camera panned slowly over several sections of the pillar in an artistic fashion. “Starting from the next episode, we will be interviewing several survivors of the invasion. There will be a theatrical rendition of the events in their story. Death, violence and loss will be displayed. This will be your only warning.” 

For a minute, it was silent as the camera went over a few more sections before it cut back to the part of the pillar above ground. This time, the ship in view behind it as the music stopped. 

“The following stories come from the survivors, recordings, and black boxes salvaged from the land and space battles. Actual radio recording will be played as will as recorded video. You will see many real deaths. You will see the last violent moments of many souls. We do not do this to entertain you, or to make light of the fallen…”

The screen went black. 

“We do this to show you what was lost. So that the mistakes made that led to loss of many Hi’ Ri lives and the extinction event of Humans to happen can be avoided by our children and their children…”

____________________________________________________________________________

“With the introduction to how the Humans came to join our now changed Union, we now bring you to the Museum of Sol. A large campus with five different buildings and an underground exhibit that spans beneath the entire property. Two to Art and art, one to their science, One to their history, and one dedicated to their final year… The underground section is dedicated to the battles across Angel-1… These buildings were erected at the center of New Hope, the Hi' Ri Capital of their homeworld.” 

A camera pans over tall strange buildings - their design clearly not of any of the species in their union. A slow melancholic piano rendition played just loud enough to be heard.

“These buildings were designed by a few of the surviving members of Humanity. While over the past year, many in the union have only heard of the glorious and brave acts of this new species, maybe of them had once been like us.” The camera stops on the large entrance to the campus.

A statue of the human Shipmaster, Anise Guther. The narrator continued, its voice translated into the watcher’s native languages. “This statue is of Shipmaster Anise, a human female who died while defending Angel-1’s orbit. While the planet was called Tel’ He’ ro, Angel-1 was the human designation in their communication network as the Humans said the Hi' Ri resembled the modern depiction of a mythological being from their scriptures. A designation that was made official by the Hi' Ri Senator.”

The feed cuts to the center of the campus, where tens of statues rested amongst beautifully wild, yet somehow manicured, nature. “The buildings are loosely built in a pentagon fashion.” The camera pans to the largest installation at its very center. A large obsidian pillar that rose ten meters high. Inscribed on its surface in small letters - in the human's native tongue - where all that died or were pronounced Missing in Action and their ages if known. Five paths converged on this pillar. At the end of each path, dirt mounts planted with native flowers and bushes surrounded five human orbital drop pods. 

“This pillar holds each name of every human lost in the invasion, engraved on artificial obsidian to make it one unending piece all around. This was to assure that the humans would not be separated even in death. So that, even in the afterlife they so fondly believed in, they would have peace.” The camera turned to the pods.

They were beaten, scratched, and burned. Holes where plasma and laser fire still remained as well. 

The narrator continued. “Yes, these are original human pods. Taken from the center of the Hope - the old Capital - where they extracted the Hi' Ri Senator. They represent what made up the humans - duty, courage, undying loyalty, and last of all - honor to the end.” 

It hovered over each pod, showing the blood stains and burns in detail. Most likely to shock its viewers. The seats were spartan in nature. Housing only what was needed to get its occupant on the ground alive and with their kits. One of the pods was twice as large as the other four as it had housing inside only for weaponized hover drones. One destroyed drone even remained, facing the pillar. A rusted pole from a Bakri rail-gun pierced it dead-center. 

The camera changed to another installation that showed six human children. Three males and three females. Each held human kinetic rifles in their hands. Another installation showed ten canines, or dogs as the humans called them, defending a faceless Hi' Ri. The largest one had many cyber-augmentations with a large weapon on its back. The next was a large cement-colored human ship, punched with holes that housed small bowls that were lit with eternal flames.

It returned to the pillar at the center before the narrator continued. “There are more installations in the campus gardens, but the Hi' Ri wishes for those who want to see them to come in person.” It then changed to a slow pan of paintings, drawings, and digital renders on slim-screens. “These are all the media we could salvage from the wreckage of the USS Unending Dawn, which beached itself on the western-edge of Hope to quickly deploy its mechanized plattoons to avoid future asset loss to Bakri fighter ships.” 

For a minute, it gave several close ups before it slowly floated past an Employee only door. Several cuts of corridors until it reached a large warehouse were tens of Hi' Ris sorted through large crates filled with debris. “It was believed that the media upon the USS Unending Dawn were the last remaining culture pieces made by humans. That was until a month into the restoration efforts that pieces here and there were recovered. Hidden in small little outcoves  humans slept or rested in. Small corners within the rooms where human children made their “clubhouses” and such. Humanity's creative spark didn’t just exist within its ability to fight. But with the discoveries being made, its desire for peace, hope, and love burned brighter.” 

An Hi' Ri held a half-burned love letter. It resonated an intense love for another human, its gender unknown as well as its name as a majority of it only spoke of its desire for a continued future. “This letter was found in a human warrior’s vest. It was one of seven. However, it was the only page that survived. The rest were too damaged.” 

The page fell away and was replaced with a life-like mannequin of a human man and women. Both of them were wearing their battle kits. On the wall behind them were bullet proof vests and a wall-to-wall lay out of several different battlekits. 

“Most of the universe had never seen a human outside of their battle attire, as was once thought to be just how humans functioned,” It panned over the soft features of the female, slowing going down over its chest and legs before doing a side view, then switched to the male with the same shots. “Further investigation into their remaining biology and routines revealed that these antics were due to extensive trauma dealt to their mental states that left them in a constant state of extremely high alertness. This constant high-stressed state compelled them to always be ready for a life or death fight once out of the safety of their quarters.”

The camera went over to the wall-to-wall kit layout. “While this readiness assured our survival, and the defeat of the Bakri’s first ground invasion in history, we wish to show their true forms –” Its view floated away and around the wall to show humans in modified Hi' Ri clothing. The human mannequins on this side were slim, less intimidating, even inviting – charming and attractive. The wall now displayed human toys such as handheld consoles. Balls. Cards. Candies, and other snacks.  

No more were the spartan warriors displayed, but soft creatures that looked awfully inviting. While still predators, their postures were open and welcoming. The previous mannequins were back to back, as if watching their zones for attacks. “Few of the Hi’ Ri have seen humans outside their battle kits, and those who have were truly considered friends to those particular humans as even the officials of the Hi’ Ri were not allowed on-board the USS Haven - the Human ship permanently docked on the edge of Hope, now the West-side of New Hope, without a human vouching with their own lives for that Hi’ Ri.”

Slowly, the camera floated backward down the corridor of displays that showed the living spaces, recreational areas and exhibitions on how to play human recreational games. The doors to the section closed as the camera went dark. 

Next, it floated down a large corridor that was marked as “Human Machines”. Large tracked-tanks of different designs rested on its left, while large and small Mechanized Self-driven battle robots stood lifeless behind exhibition ropes. Further in were walls displaying tens of different firearms. Each segregated into Kinetic and energy, though the kinetic section dwarfed the energy in a 3-to-1 ratio.

Past the armaments were human-sized warframes - robots that acted as assistants and or battle additions to actual troops to help bolster their numbers. 

The final exhibition in the section was a “Cyber-augmentation” section. Several different augmentations were on display for each part of the human body that could be replaced. “We will stop here. However, there are more exhibitions in the science section that show human machines such as ships, industrials, commercial and even mundane items - as well as the history building. If you wish to see more, please visit in person.”  

The camera cut to the obsidian pillar, however, this time it was underground. The roof was 30 meters high, enclosed in a 30 meter circular room. Five raised cement paths converged on the pillar. Pools of water with Angel-1 native fish swimming in them. Dozens of small poles with flames atop them stuck 10 centimeters from the water's surface.

“And here is where the documentary begins to mark the opening of the museum. The center of the underground exhibit. From here, we express that any person with weak constitutions should tune out at the end of this prologue.” The camera panned slowly over several sections of the pillar in an artistic fashion. “Starting from the next episode, we will be interviewing several survivors of the invasion. There will be a theatrical rendition of the events in their story. Death, violence and loss will be displayed. This will be your only warning.” 

For a minute, it was silent as the camera went over a few more sections before it cut back to the part of the pillar above ground. This time, the ship in view behind it as the music stopped. 

“The following stories come from the survivors, recordings, and black boxes salvaged from the land and space battles. Actual radio recording will be played as will as recorded video. You will see many real deaths. You will see the last violent moments of many souls. We do not do this to entertain you, or to make light of the fallen…”

The screen went black. 

“We do this to show you what was lost. So that the mistakes made that led to loss of many Hi’ Ri lives and the extinction event of Humans to happen can be avoided by our future kin…” 

 – “If I have learned anything in this long life of mine, it is this: in love we find out who we want to be; in war we find out who we are.” -

– Kristin Hannah, a Human Author —

*Roll Credits*