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00:00:02
window of Nexus station and watched00:00:05
ships from a hundred different worlds00:00:07
drift past. He had spent 30 years as a00:00:10
diplomat, and this was the moment he had00:00:12
worked for his entire life. Today,00:00:16
humanity would finally be recognized as00:00:18
equals in the galactic community. Behind00:00:21
him, Commander Lisa Grant checked her00:00:23
weapon for the third time. She was the00:00:26
head of his security detail, a former00:00:28
marine who had seen combat on three00:00:31
different colony worlds. She did not00:00:33
trust this place. She did not trust any00:00:36
of these aliens. "You seem nervous,00:00:39
Lisa," the ambassador said without00:00:41
turning around. "I am always nervous00:00:44
when you walk into a room full of people00:00:47
who think we are insects, sir." Daniel00:00:50
smiled. "They do not all think that way.00:00:53
They have been good friends to us. the00:00:55
trade with us fairly. It is only the who00:00:57
cause problems.00:00:59
Lisa did not answer. The hijgemany had00:01:02
blocked human expansion for 50 years.00:01:05
Their leader had called humans00:01:07
short-lived vermin in a public broadcast00:01:10
just last month. She had watched that00:01:12
broadcast seven times. She had memorized00:01:15
his face. The door opened and a young00:01:18
aid stepped inside. Ambassador, the00:01:21
council is ready for you. Daniel turned00:01:24
from the window and straightened his00:01:26
jacket. He was 58 years old with gray00:01:29
hair and kind eyes. He looked like00:01:32
someone's grandfather, not a man about00:01:34
to face the most powerful beings in the00:01:36
galaxy. But that was his strength. No00:01:39
one ever saw him as a threat. Let us00:01:42
make history, he said. The council00:01:45
chamber was enormous. It stretched00:01:48
upward for hundreds of meters with00:01:50
platforms floating at different levels00:01:51
for each species. At the very top sat00:01:54
High Arbiter, an ancient being who had00:01:57
ruled the council for 3,000 years. His00:02:00
body was like flowing silver, always00:02:03
shifting, never still. Daniel walked to00:02:06
the center of the chamber. A small00:02:08
platform carried him upward until he00:02:10
floated at the same level as the senior.00:02:13
He could feel thousands of eyes watching00:02:15
him. Some were curious, some were00:02:18
hostile, most were simply bored.00:02:21
Ambassador," the high arbiter said. His00:02:24
voice echoed through the chamber like00:02:26
thunder. "You come before us to request00:02:29
elevation of your species to senior00:02:31
status. This is a significant request.00:02:35
Humanity has been part of our community00:02:37
for only 87 years. Most species wait at00:02:40
least 500." "I understand high orbiter,"00:02:44
Daniel replied. "But humanity has proven00:02:47
itself. We have contributed to galactic00:02:50
science. We have honored every treaty.00:02:53
We have asked for nothing but fair00:02:55
treatment. A harsh laugh cut through the00:02:58
chamber. Daniel did not need to look to00:03:00
know who it was. Rose from his platform.00:03:04
He was massive, nearly 3 m tall, with00:03:07
scales the color of dried blood. His00:03:10
eyes were yellow and filled with00:03:12
contempt.00:03:13
Fair treatment repeated. The vermin00:03:16
speak of fairness. How amusing. The00:03:18
chamber fell silent. Daniel felt Lisa00:03:21
tense behind him, but he raised a hand00:03:24
slightly to calm her. Daniel said00:03:27
calmly. I have not come here to trade00:03:29
insults. I have come to build bridges.00:03:33
Bridges? Stepped off his platform onto a00:03:35
floating disc that carried him closer to00:03:38
Daniel. Your species lives for what, 8000:03:41
years? 90. I have boots older than your00:03:44
entire civilization. You are not our00:03:46
equals. You will never be our equals.00:03:49
You are pets that we tolerate because00:03:51
you are sometimes useful.00:03:54
Daniel looked at the for a long moment.00:03:56
The entire chamber held its breath. I00:04:00
feel sorry for you. Daniel said quietly.00:04:03
His eyes widened. What did you say? I00:04:06
said I feel sorry for you. You have00:04:08
lived for thousands of years, but you00:04:10
have learned nothing. You measure worth00:04:13
by time instead of character. You see00:04:15
our short lives as weakness, but they00:04:17
are our greatest strength. We know that00:04:20
every moment matters. We do not waste00:04:22
centuries on hatred and pride. The00:04:26
chamber erupted in murmurss. Several00:04:28
from neutral species nodded their heads.00:04:31
Even the high arbiter seemed interested.00:04:34
Scales flushed darker. He had been00:04:37
humiliated in front of the entire00:04:39
council by a creature he considered00:04:41
beneath notice. His clawed hands00:04:44
trembled with rage. "This discussion is00:04:47
over," the high arbiter announced. "We00:04:50
will vote on humanity's status in 300:04:52
days. Ambassador, you may return to your00:04:55
quarters."00:04:56
Daniel bowed respectfully and stepped00:04:58
back onto his platform. As it lowered00:05:01
him toward the exit, he caught Lisa's00:05:03
eye and allowed himself a small smile.00:05:06
They had done well today. They did not00:05:09
see watching them leave. They did not00:05:11
see the cold calculation replacing the00:05:14
rage in his yellow eyes. That night,00:05:17
Daniel sat in his quarters reviewing00:05:19
trade agreements. Lisa had posted guards00:05:22
at every entrance and had checked the00:05:24
room for surveillance devices twice. She00:05:27
had done everything right, but she had00:05:30
not expected the attack to come through00:05:32
the walls. The first explosion knocked00:05:35
Daniel from his chair. The second blew a00:05:38
hole in the side of his quarters. Three00:05:40
figures in black armor stepped through00:05:42
the smoke. They moved like soldiers,00:05:45
fast and precise.00:05:47
Lisa drew her weapon and fired. She hit00:05:50
one of the attackers in the chest, but00:05:52
his armor absorbed the blast. A return00:05:55
shot caught her in the shoulder and spun00:05:57
her to the ground. Daniel tried to run,00:06:00
but there was nowhere to go. The lead00:06:03
attacker grabbed him by the throat and00:06:05
lifted him off his feet. sends his00:06:08
regards. The attacker said the vermin00:06:11
should have stayed on their little00:06:12
planet. Daniel, ambassador of Earth,00:06:16
died with his eyes open. His last00:06:19
thought was of his granddaughter back00:06:20
home and how he had promised to bring00:06:23
her a gift from the stars. Lisa watched00:06:26
from the floor, bleeding and helpless.00:06:28
She saw everything. She heard00:06:31
everything. When the attackers finally00:06:33
left, she crawled to the ambassador's00:06:35
body and held his hand. "I am sorry,"00:06:38
she whispered. "I am so sorry." When the00:06:42
council guards finally arrived, they00:06:44
looked at the scene without emotion.00:06:46
They took Lisa to a medical bay and00:06:48
treated her wounds. They filed a report00:06:51
that called the incident an internal00:06:54
human conflict, likely caused by00:06:56
political disputes within their species.00:06:59
The Galaxy Council released an official00:07:02
statement two days later. They expressed00:07:05
mild regret at the death of the human00:07:07
ambassador. They suggested that humanity00:07:10
should improve their internal security00:07:13
before requesting senior status again.00:07:17
The message reached Earth 3 hours later.00:07:20
President Cole read it in silence. His00:07:22
cabinet watched him, waiting for a00:07:24
response. The president set the document00:07:27
down on his desk. He looked at his joint00:07:30
chiefs of staff, the men and women who00:07:33
commanded Earth's military forces. His00:07:35
voice was calm, but his eyes were ice.00:07:39
"Wake Prometheus," he said. "It is time00:07:42
to show the galaxy what humanity really00:07:44
is." Across the planet, buried deep00:07:48
beneath mountains and oceans, lights00:07:50
began to turn on in facilities that00:07:52
officially did not exist. Humanity's00:07:55
secret had been kept for 87 years. The00:07:59
galaxy was about to learn why. 3 days00:08:02
after Ambassador Daniel was murdered,00:08:04
the leaders of Earth gathered in a00:08:06
bunker buried 2 kilometers beneath the00:08:08
Rocky Mountains. President Cole sat at00:08:11
the head of a long table made of dark00:08:14
wood. Around him sat generals, admirals,00:08:17
scientists, and politicians from every00:08:20
nation on the planet.00:08:22
The room was silent as they watched the00:08:24
holographic recording one more time.00:08:27
Commander Lisa Grant, her shoulder still00:08:29
wrapped in bandages, described what she00:08:32
had witnessed. Her voice was steady, but00:08:34
her hands shook. The council guards were00:08:38
outside our door when the attack began.00:08:40
She said, "They did not respond to my00:08:42
calls for help. When the attackers left,00:08:45
the guards stepped aside to let them00:08:47
pass. They knew. They all knew."00:08:50
President Cole turned off the recording.00:08:53
He looked around the table at faces00:08:55
filled with anger and grief. For 8700:08:59
years, we have tried to be good members00:09:00
of the galactic community, he said. We00:09:03
have followed their rules. We have00:09:05
respected their traditions. We have sent00:09:08
our best people to represent us with00:09:10
dignity and honor, and this is how they00:09:13
repay us. Admiral Diana West leaned00:09:16
forward. She was 62 years old with short00:09:20
gray hair and eyes that had seen too00:09:22
many battles. She had commanded Earth's00:09:25
official defense fleet for 15 years, but00:09:28
that was only part of her job. "Sir, it00:09:31
is time to show them the truth," she00:09:33
said. The president nodded slowly.00:09:36
"Bring up the files." The holographic00:09:39
display changed. Instead of Lisa Grant's00:09:42
testimony, it now showed a map of the00:09:44
galaxy. Red dots appeared across the00:09:47
map. Hundreds of them hidden in asteroid00:09:50
fields and empty sectors where no one00:09:52
ever looked. When we first made contact00:09:55
with the galaxy, President Cole00:09:57
explained for those who did not have00:09:59
clearance, we were excited. We thought00:10:02
we had found friends among the stars.00:10:04
But within the first year, we learned00:10:06
the truth. The Galaxy Council does not00:10:09
respect weakness. Minor species are00:10:11
exploited, controlled, or destroyed. The00:10:14
only reason they left us alone was00:10:16
because we were too far from the center00:10:19
to bother with. Dr. Park stood up. He00:10:22
was the chief architect of what came00:10:24
next. A small man with glasses who00:10:27
looked more like a librarian than a00:10:29
weapons designer. We began Project00:10:32
Prometheus in secret. He said, "Every00:10:35
nation on Earth contributed resources.00:10:38
We told the galaxy we had a defense00:10:40
fleet of 400 ships. That was a lie.00:10:44
The red dots on the map began to pulse.00:10:47
We have 12,000 warships hidden across00:10:50
the galaxy. We have weapons that the00:10:53
council has never seen. We have been00:10:55
preparing for this day since before most00:10:57
of the people in this room were born.00:11:00
General spoke up. He was the commander00:11:03
of Earth's ground forces. A massive man00:11:06
with a voice like gravel. What exactly00:11:08
are we preparing to do, sir? Are we00:11:11
talking about war?00:11:13
President Cole shook his head. No, we00:11:16
are talking about justice. There is a00:11:18
difference. He stood and walked to the00:11:20
holographic map. The hijgemany murdered00:11:23
our ambassador and the council protected00:11:26
them. We are going to make them pay for00:11:28
that choice. But we are not going to00:11:30
commit genocide. We are not going to00:11:32
destroy civilian populations. We are00:11:35
going to break their military power so00:11:37
completely that they will never threaten00:11:39
anyone again. And the other species,00:11:42
someone asked, "The ones who stood by00:11:45
and did nothing will see what we can do.00:11:48
The ones who tried to help us like the00:11:50
will be left alone. This is not revenge00:11:53
against the galaxy. This is a message."00:11:57
Admiral West pulled up a new display. It00:11:59
showed battle plans, attack routes, and00:12:02
target priorities. The total retribution00:12:05
protocol calls for simultaneous strikes00:12:07
on 847 military targets, shipyards,00:12:12
weapons factories, fleet bases, command00:12:15
centers. We hit them all at once before00:12:17
they even know we have moved. Lisa00:12:20
Grant's hologram appeared again. She had00:12:23
requested to speak one more time. I00:12:26
watched them kill him, she said.00:12:28
Ambassador never raised his hand against00:12:30
anyone in his entire life. He believed00:12:33
in peace. He believed that if we just00:12:35
talked long enough, everyone would00:12:37
understand each other. She paused, and00:12:40
when she spoke again, her voice was hard00:12:42
as steel. He was wrong. Some people only00:12:45
understand strength. It is time to speak00:12:48
their language.00:12:50
President Cole nodded. Thank you,00:12:52
Commander. Get some rest. You have00:12:54
earned it. The hologram faded. The00:12:57
president looked around the room one00:12:59
last time. I want to be clear about00:13:02
something. What we are about to do will00:13:04
change humanity's place in the galaxy00:13:06
forever. There is no going back. The00:13:09
council will fear us. Some species will00:13:12
hate us, but they will never again think00:13:14
they can murder our people without00:13:16
consequences.00:13:18
He sat back down and placed his hands00:13:20
flat on the table. Admiral West, you00:13:23
have command of Operation Retribution.00:13:26
Launch when ready. Diana West stood and00:13:29
saluted. Yes, sir. She left the bunker00:13:33
and took a transport to the primary00:13:34
command center hidden inside a00:13:37
hollowedout asteroid near Neptune. Her00:13:40
flagship waited there along with the00:13:42
first wave of the attack fleet. The ship00:13:44
was called the Harbinger, and it was the00:13:47
most powerful vessel humanity had ever00:13:49
built. Commander Miller met her at the00:13:52
airlock. He was 45 with a calm face and00:13:56
steady hands. He had been chosen to00:13:58
captain the Harbinger because he never00:14:00
panicked no matter what happened. The00:14:03
fleet is ready, Admiral," he reported.00:14:06
"All 12,000 ships report green across00:14:09
the board. Jump coordinates are locked."00:14:13
Diana looked out at the assembled fleet00:14:15
through the command cent's windows. Row00:14:18
after row of warships hung in the00:14:20
darkness, their running lights creating00:14:22
a field of stars.00:14:24
87 years, she said quietly. My00:14:28
grandfather helped design the first00:14:30
Prometheus ships. My mother commanded a00:14:32
construction crew that built a dozen of00:14:35
them. Three generations of my family00:14:37
have been waiting for this day. Let us00:14:40
hope we never have to do it again, said.00:14:43
That depends on how well we do it this00:14:46
time. She walked to the main command00:14:48
platform and opened a channel to every00:14:51
ship in the fleet. This is Admiral Diana00:14:54
West. You all know why we are here.00:14:57
Three days ago, the galaxy decided that00:15:00
a human life was worth nothing. Today,00:15:02
we are going to teach them otherwise. We00:15:05
do not fight for conquest. We do not00:15:07
fight for glory. We fight because one of00:15:10
our own was taken from us, and the ones00:15:12
responsible must answer for it. She00:15:15
paused, letting her words settle. Our00:15:18
ancestors crossed oceans in wooden00:15:20
boats. They flew through the air in00:15:22
machines made of cloth and wire. They00:15:25
walked on the moon with technology00:15:27
weaker than your communicators. They00:15:29
never stopped pushing forward, no matter00:15:31
how impossible the odds seemed. That is00:15:34
who we are. That is what we do. Her00:15:38
voice hardened. The think we are vermin.00:15:41
The council thinks we are nothing. In00:15:43
the next few hours, they are going to00:15:45
learn how wrong they were. All ships,00:15:47
prepare for jump. Operation Retribution00:15:50
begins now. Across the solar system,00:15:54
hidden jump points activated. Tunnels00:15:56
through space opened like wounds in the00:15:59
fabric of reality. 12,000 human warships00:16:02
moved forward and vanished into the00:16:04
light. The galaxy had poked a sleeping00:16:07
giant. Now the giant was awake and it00:16:10
was angry. Back on Earth, President Cole00:16:14
stood alone in his office. He held a00:16:16
photograph of Ambassador Daniel taken at00:16:19
his last birthday party. The old man was00:16:22
smiling, surrounded by his family. "I am00:16:26
sorry, Daniel," the president whispered.00:16:28
"You deserved better, but I promise you00:16:30
this. They will never forget what they00:16:33
did, and they will never do it again."00:16:36
He placed the photograph on his desk and00:16:38
turned to watch the stars through his00:16:40
window. Somewhere out there, humanity's00:16:43
response had begun.00:16:45
There would be no going back now.00:16:47
Lieutenant Brooks had joined the fleet00:16:49
because he wanted to see the stars. He00:16:51
had grown up on a farm in Nebraska,00:16:54
watching the night sky and dreaming of00:16:56
distant worlds. Now he sat in the00:16:59
cockpit of his fighter, waiting for the00:17:01
jump to complete and tried to remember00:17:03
how to breathe. The tunnel of light00:17:06
around him collapsed, and suddenly he00:17:09
was somewhere else. The primary shipyard00:17:11
hung before him like a small moon00:17:14
surrounded by hundreds of warships. It00:17:17
was the heart of the hegemony's military00:17:19
power and it had never been attacked in00:17:21
3,000 years.00:17:24
All fighters, this is Harbinger Actual,00:17:26
Commander Miller's voice came through00:17:28
the comm. You have your targets weapons00:17:31
free. Pushed his throttle forward and00:17:34
dove toward the shipyard. Around him,00:17:37
5,000 other fighters did the same. They00:17:40
moved in perfect formation, guided by AI00:17:43
systems that had been practicing this00:17:45
attack in simulation for decades.00:17:48
The ships tried to respond. They were00:17:51
powerful vessels built for intimidation00:17:53
and conquest. But they had never faced00:17:55
an enemy like this. Human missiles did00:17:58
not just fly in straight lines. They00:18:01
danced and weaved, adjusting their paths00:18:03
a thousand times per second. Human00:18:06
fighters did not attack in predictable00:18:08
patterns. They swarmed like insects,00:18:11
impossible to target. Fired his first00:18:14
volley at a cruiser. His missiles00:18:17
punched through its shields like they00:18:18
were made of paper. The ship's engines00:18:21
exploded and it began to drift. "Splash00:18:25
one cruiser," he reported. His voice00:18:27
sounded strange to his own ears, calm,00:18:30
professional, like someone else was00:18:32
speaking. The battle lasted 4 hours.00:18:35
When it was over, the primary shipyard00:18:38
was a field of debris. 216 enemy00:18:41
warships had been destroyed. The humans00:18:44
had lost 18 fighters and no capital00:18:47
ships. And this was only one of 8 and 4700:18:51
simultaneous attacks. On Nexus station,00:18:55
High Arbiter watched the reports come in00:18:57
with growing horror. His silver body00:19:00
churned and rippled, reflecting his00:19:02
distress. How is this possible? He00:19:05
demanded. The humans had 400 ships. 400?00:19:10
Where did this fleet come from? Myers of00:19:13
the stepped forward. She was small with00:19:15
feathers instead of hair and large sad00:19:17
eyes. We tried to warn you, she said00:19:20
quietly. We told you that humans were00:19:23
not what they appeared to be. You did00:19:25
not listen. They are vermin. Another00:19:28
shouted said they would never dare to00:19:30
challenge us. Where is the high arbiter?00:19:33
asked. Silence fell over the chamber. No00:19:37
one had seen the since the attacks00:19:39
began. He had gone into hiding,00:19:41
protected by guards loyal to his family.00:19:45
In the home system, General Ron tried to00:19:48
organize a counterattack. He was00:19:50
brother, a military commander who had00:19:53
won dozens of battles against lesser00:19:55
species. He gathered what remained of00:19:57
the Hijgemony's fleet and prepared to00:19:59
strike back. The humans were waiting for00:20:02
him. Admiral Diana West had predicted00:20:06
exactly where they would try to regroup.00:20:09
She had positioned the Harbinger and 30000:20:11
support ships directly in their path.00:20:14
When General Ron's fleet dropped out of00:20:17
their jump, they found themselves00:20:18
surrounded.00:20:20
Forces, this is Admiral Diana, west of00:20:23
the United Earth Fleet. You are an00:20:25
outmaneuvered. Stand down your weapons00:20:28
and prepare to be boarded.00:20:30
Ron stared at the human ships on his00:20:33
display. They were smaller than his, but00:20:36
there were so many of them, and they00:20:38
moved with a coordination he had never00:20:40
seen before. Every ship seemed to know00:20:43
exactly where every other ship would be.00:20:46
"We do not surrender to prey," he00:20:48
growled and ordered his fleet to attack.00:20:51
The battle lasted 20 minutes. The fought00:20:54
bravely, but bravery was not enough.00:20:57
Human weapons tore through their00:20:58
shields. Human fighters disabled their00:21:01
engines. Human boarding parties captured00:21:04
their command ships. When it was over,00:21:07
General Ron knelt on the deck of his own00:21:09
bridge with his hands bound behind his00:21:11
back. A human marine stood over him,00:21:14
weapon pointed at his head. Admiral West00:21:18
appeared on the main screen. General,00:21:21
your fleet is destroyed. Your shipyards00:21:23
are burning. Your military is broken.00:21:26
This war is over if you want it to be.00:21:29
Ron looked up at her with hatred in his00:21:31
yellow eyes. What do you want? We want00:21:35
justice. Surrender. Every individual00:21:37
involved in the assassination of00:21:39
Ambassador Daniel. That includes your00:21:42
brother. Is protected by the council00:21:45
itself. You cannot touch him. Diana's00:21:48
expression did not change. Then we00:21:51
continue until there is nothing left to00:21:53
protect him with. Commander Miller set00:21:56
course for Nexus station.00:21:58
The comm channel closed. Ron was taken00:22:01
to a holding cell on the Harbinger. He00:22:04
would spend the rest of the war watching00:22:06
his civilization crumble. Back on Nexus00:22:09
station, the Galaxy Council held an00:22:12
emergency session. Species that had00:22:14
ignored humanity for decades were now00:22:17
desperate to discuss peace. But the High00:22:19
Arbiter refused to hear them. "We cannot00:22:23
show weakness," insisted. If we give in00:22:26
to the humans now, every minor species00:22:28
in the galaxy will think they can00:22:30
challenge us. They are not a minor00:22:33
species anymore. Myus said they have00:22:36
destroyed 60% of the military in 7200:22:39
hours. They will be here within days.00:22:42
What will you do then? Fight them in00:22:44
these halls. We will unite the galaxy00:22:47
against them. Every species will00:22:49
contribute ships. We will crush them00:22:52
with numbers.00:22:53
Myra shook her head. No, we will not.00:22:56
They are withdrawing from the council.00:22:58
We will not fight a war to protect an00:23:00
assassin.00:23:02
She turned and walked out of the00:23:03
chamber. Other followed her. Within an00:23:06
hour, half the seats were empty.00:23:08
Lieutenant Brooks sat in the00:23:10
Harbingers's cafeteria and tried to eat.00:23:13
His hands were still shaking. He had00:23:15
killed so many enemies today that he had00:23:17
lost count. He told himself they were00:23:20
soldiers, that they would have killed00:23:22
him if they could. It did not help. An00:23:25
older pilot sat down across from him.00:23:28
Her name was Captain Amy, and she had00:23:30
been flying combat missions since before00:23:33
was born. First real battle, she asked.00:23:37
He nodded. It gets easier, she said. Or00:23:41
maybe you just get better at not00:23:42
thinking about it. Either way, you did00:23:45
good out there. You followed your00:23:47
training. You protected your wingmen and00:23:49
you came home alive. That is all anyone00:23:51
can ask. I thought it would feel00:23:54
different, admitted. I thought I would00:23:56
feel proud or angry or something. I just00:23:59
feel empty. Amy nodded slowly. That is00:24:03
because you are a good person. The ones00:24:06
who enjoy this are the ones you have to00:24:08
worry about. She stood up and patted his00:24:10
shoulder. Get some sleep. We reach Nexus00:24:13
station in two days. The real fight is00:24:16
just beginning.00:24:18
Watched her leave. He looked down at his00:24:20
food, then pushed it away. Through the00:24:22
cafeteria window, he could see the stars00:24:25
sliding past as the ship traveled00:24:27
through space. Somewhere out there,00:24:30
Ambassador had died because the galaxy00:24:33
thought humans were nothing. Was not00:24:35
sure what humans were anymore. But he00:24:38
knew one thing for certain. They were00:24:40
definitely not nothing. Nexus Station00:24:43
had existed for 10,000 years. It was the00:24:46
center of galactic civilization, a place00:24:49
where every species came together to00:24:51
trade, negotiate, and build alliances.00:24:54
It had survived wars, plagues, and the00:24:57
fall of empires. It had never been00:24:59
threatened directly00:25:01
until now. Commander Miller stood on the00:25:04
bridge of the Harbinger and watched the00:25:06
station grow larger on the main screen.00:25:09
It was beautiful, he had to admit. A00:25:12
massive ring of metal and light spinning00:25:14
slowly against the stars. Millions of00:25:17
beings lived there from hundreds of00:25:19
different worlds.00:25:21
All ships hold position, Admiral Diana00:25:24
West ordered. We are not here to00:25:26
destroy. We are here to negotiate.00:25:29
The human fleet spread out around the00:25:31
station. 3,000 warships forming a00:25:34
perfect sphere. They did not fire. They00:25:37
did not need to. Their presence was00:25:39
message enough. Diana opened a channel00:25:42
to the station. High Arbiter, this is00:25:45
Admiral Diana, west of the United Earth00:25:47
Fleet. We are here to discuss the00:25:50
surrender of and all individuals00:25:52
involved in the assassination of00:25:54
Ambassador Daniel. Please respond.00:25:58
The silence stretched for almost a00:25:59
minute. Then the high arbiter's face00:26:02
appeared on the screen. His silver00:26:04
features were twisted with rage.00:26:07
You dare bring weapons to this sacred00:26:09
place. You dare threaten the heart of00:26:11
galactic civilization.00:26:14
We dare because you murdered one of our00:26:16
own and called it nothing. We dare00:26:18
because you protected the killer instead00:26:21
of delivering justice. We dare because00:26:24
you left us no other choice. The council00:26:27
will never surrender to human threats.00:26:29
We will unite every species against you.00:26:32
Your tiny world will burn. Diana's00:26:35
expression remained calm. Hi, Arbiter. I00:26:39
am going to share some information with00:26:40
you. Please pay attention because I will00:26:43
only say this once. She nodded to her00:26:46
communications officer. A new display00:26:49
appeared on the screen showing a map of00:26:52
the galaxy covered in red markers.00:26:55
These are the locations of every council00:26:57
leader's personal estate and family00:27:00
residence. We know where you sleep. We00:27:02
know where your children live. We know00:27:05
where you go when you think no one is00:27:06
watching.00:27:08
Silver form went still. You would not00:27:10
dare. We are not interested in genocide.00:27:14
High arbiter. We do not want to kill00:27:16
civilians or destroy worlds. But the00:27:19
leaders who enabled the murder of our00:27:21
ambassador will face consequences. Not00:27:24
their people, not their species. Them00:27:27
personally. If you continue to protect,00:27:30
we will come for everyone who made that00:27:32
choice. The channel went silent. Diana00:27:35
turned to Commander Miller. How long do00:27:38
you think he needs to think about it?00:27:40
Not long. He is a coward. Cowards always00:27:44
protect themselves first. Inside Nexus00:27:47
Station, chaos had erupted. The high00:27:50
orbiter's threat to unite the galaxy had00:27:52
failed. Most species wanted nothing to00:27:55
do with a war against humanity. that had00:27:58
already withdrawn. They were refusing00:28:00
calls. Even the remaining allies were00:28:03
looking for ways to escape.00:28:06
Myers had gathered a group of neutral00:28:08
species representatives in a private00:28:10
chamber. They were frightened, but they00:28:12
were also determined. "We must end00:28:15
this." My said, "The humans are not our00:28:18
enemies. They only want justice for00:28:21
their murdered ambassador. If we give00:28:23
them what they want, this war stops."00:28:26
The high orbiter will never agree,00:28:28
someone said. Then we make him agree or00:28:31
we remove him and agree ourselves.00:28:34
The words hung in the air. No one had00:28:37
ever suggested removing a high arbiter00:28:39
before, but these were not normal times.00:28:43
In a secure bunker beneath the station,00:28:46
paced back and forth like a caged00:28:48
animal. His guard stood at attention,00:28:50
but he could see the fear in their eyes.00:28:53
They had watched the same reports he00:28:55
had. They knew what was coming. "They00:28:58
cannot touch me here," he muttered. "The00:29:00
council protects its own." One of the00:29:03
guards, a young named Al, cleared his00:29:06
throat. The fleet is destroyed. The00:29:08
hegemony is broken. The high arbiter00:29:11
cannot protect you anymore. "Silence! I00:29:14
am of the Galaxy Council. I am above00:29:17
human justice." "You murdered an unarmed00:29:20
diplomat," Al said quietly. You brought00:29:23
this war upon us. Our families are dying00:29:26
because of your pride.00:29:28
Spun around his claws extended. How dare00:29:31
you speak to me like that. But the other00:29:34
guards had moved. They stood beside Al00:29:36
now, their weapons pointed at. "We will00:29:39
not die for you," Al said. "You will00:29:42
face human justice. Perhaps if we00:29:45
deliver you ourselves, they will spare00:29:47
what remains of our people." tried to00:29:50
run, but there was nowhere to go. His00:29:53
own guards bound his hands and led him00:29:55
out of the bunker. The mighty who had00:29:57
called humans vermin was now a prisoner00:30:00
of his own kind. The news reached the00:30:03
high arbiter within minutes. Before he00:30:06
could respond, Myers appeared in his00:30:08
private chamber with 20 representatives00:30:10
from neutral species.00:30:13
It is over, she said, is in custody.00:30:16
They have surrendered him to save00:30:17
themselves. You can continue this war00:30:20
alone or you can negotiate peace. I am00:30:23
the high orbiter. I speak for the00:30:25
galaxy. You spoke for the galaxy when00:30:28
you protected an assassin. Look where00:30:31
that has brought us. My stepped closer.00:30:34
The humans do not want to destroy us.00:30:36
They want justice. Give them what they00:30:39
want or step aside for someone who will.00:30:42
Looked at the faces around him. He saw00:30:45
no support, only fear and anger. His00:30:48
3,000 years of rule had come to this00:30:50
moment. He could fight and certainly00:30:52
lose, or he could bend and perhaps00:30:55
survive.00:30:56
Very well, he said, his voice barely a00:30:59
whisper. Contact the humans. Tell them00:31:02
we will negotiate.00:31:04
Commander Lisa Grant had spent 5 days00:31:06
recovering from her wounds. She had00:31:09
watched the war unfold from a hospital00:31:11
bed on Earth, unable to do anything but00:31:14
wait. When President Cole asked her to00:31:17
represent humanity at the surrender00:31:19
negotiations, she thought he was joking.00:31:22
"You were there," the president said.00:31:24
"You saw what they did. You have earned00:31:27
the right to face them." Now she stood00:31:30
in the Harbingers's shuttle bay, wearing00:31:32
her dress uniform with her arms still in00:31:34
a sling. Admiral West walked with her to00:31:37
the shuttle. "Are you sure you want to00:31:40
do this?" Diana asked. Lisa nodded.00:31:43
Ambassador believed in talking. He00:31:46
believed that words could change things.00:31:48
I am going to finish what he started.00:31:51
She boarded the shuttle and flew to00:31:53
Nexus station. When she stepped off onto00:31:56
the docking platform, a delegation of00:31:59
council representatives was waiting for00:32:01
her. At their center stood high arbiter,00:32:04
diminished and silent. Behind him in00:32:07
chains stood.00:32:09
Lisa walked forward until she was face00:32:11
to face with the who had ordered the00:32:13
ambassador's death. He was huge,00:32:16
towering over her, but his yellow eyes00:32:18
were full of fear. Ambassador came here00:32:22
in peace, she said. Her voice was00:32:24
steady, but inside she was shaking. He00:32:27
offered friendship. He offered00:32:28
understanding. You called him vermin and00:32:31
had him murdered. Now look at you. Your00:32:33
fleet is destroyed. Your hegemony is00:32:36
broken. You are in chains and I am00:32:38
standing where he should be standing.00:32:41
She leaned closer. He was worth a00:32:44
thousand of you and you will spend the00:32:46
rest of your life knowing that a00:32:47
creature you considered vermin brought00:32:49
your entire civilization to its knees.00:32:53
Said nothing. There was nothing left to00:32:55
say. Lisa turned to face the assembled.00:32:58
Humanity does not want revenge. We want00:33:01
justice and all conspirators will stand00:33:04
trial. The Galaxy Council will be00:33:06
reformed with protections for all00:33:08
species and the galaxy will remember00:33:11
that human lives have value. Those are00:33:13
our terms. Accept them and this war ends00:33:16
today. High [snorts] Arbiter bowed his00:33:19
silver head. We accept. Lisa Grant let00:33:23
out a breath she did not know she had00:33:25
been holding. Ambassador, she thought, I00:33:27
hope you are watching. We did it. The00:33:30
war was over. Now came the hard part.00:33:34
building something better from the00:33:35
ashes. Three months had passed since the00:33:38
surrender at Nexus Station. The galaxy00:33:40
had changed in ways that no one could00:33:43
have predicted. Old powers had fallen.00:33:46
New alliances had formed. And in the00:33:48
great council chamber where Ambassador00:33:51
Daniel had once been mocked, a trial was00:33:53
taking place that the entire galaxy was00:33:56
watching. Stood in a containment field00:33:59
at the center of the chamber. His scales00:34:01
had lost their color. His proud posture00:34:04
had crumbled. He looked like what he had00:34:07
become, a broken creature, waiting for00:34:09
judgment.00:34:11
47 other defendants stood beside him.00:34:14
Advisers, guards, and officials who had00:34:16
helped plan and execute the00:34:18
assassination. Even high arbiter was00:34:21
among them, his silver form dull and00:34:24
still. The evidence had been00:34:26
overwhelming. Security recordings showed00:34:29
giving permission to act. Communications00:34:32
logs revealed the conspiracy in detail.00:34:35
Witnesses from a dozen species had come00:34:37
forward to testify about what they had00:34:40
seen and heard. The trial lasted 300:34:43
weeks. When it ended, the verdicts were00:34:45
unanimous.00:34:47
Was sentenced to life imprisonment on a00:34:49
human penal colony. He would live out00:34:52
his remaining centuries in a small cell00:34:54
surrounded by the species he had tried00:34:57
to destroy. It was a fate he considered00:34:59
worse than death. The other conspirators00:35:03
received similar sentences. Some were00:35:05
younger and they might eventually earn00:35:07
release through good behavior. Others00:35:10
like would never see freedom again. As00:35:13
was led away, Commander Lisa Grant00:35:15
watched from the gallery. She felt no00:35:18
satisfaction, no joy, only a quiet sense00:35:21
of completion. Justice had been done.00:35:24
Ambassador could rest. The Galaxy00:35:27
Council was dissolved that same day. In00:35:30
its place, a new Galactic Assembly was00:35:32
formed with a constitution that00:35:34
guaranteed rights for all species,00:35:37
regardless of how long they had been00:35:39
space fairing. No more minor species. No00:35:43
more secondass citizens of the galaxy.00:35:46
Earth was offered leadership of the new00:35:48
assembly. Every species expected00:35:51
humanity to accept. After what they had00:35:53
done, they had certainly earned the00:35:55
right to rule. President Cole declined.00:36:00
His speech was broadcast to every world00:36:02
in the galaxy. He stood in the same00:36:05
chamber where the trial had taken place,00:36:07
surrounded by representatives from00:36:09
hundreds of species. "We did not do this00:36:12
for power," he said. "We did not do this00:36:15
for revenge. We did this because a good00:36:18
man was murdered and the galaxy called00:36:20
it nothing. We did this because justice00:36:23
matters no matter who is asking for it.00:36:26
He paused and looked around the chamber.00:36:29
Humanity has made mistakes in our00:36:31
history. We have conquered and enslaved.00:36:34
We have destroyed and corrupted. But we00:36:37
have also learned. We have grown. We00:36:40
understand now that true strength is not00:36:42
measured by how many worlds you control00:36:44
or how many ships you command. True00:36:47
strength is measured by how you treat00:36:49
those who are weaker than you. The00:36:51
chamber was silent. Every being present00:36:54
listened with complete attention. We00:36:57
will not rule this assembly. We will00:36:59
participate as equals just as we always00:37:02
should have been. We will offer our00:37:04
friendship to any species that wants it.00:37:06
We will defend any species that needs00:37:09
it. And we will never forget what00:37:11
happened when the galaxy decided that a00:37:13
human life was worth nothing. His voice00:37:16
hardened slightly. Let this be00:37:19
remembered. Humanity will always extend00:37:21
a hand in friendship first. But if that00:37:24
hand is cut off, we will answer with00:37:26
everything we have. Not because we are00:37:29
cruel, not because we enjoy war, but00:37:32
because we refuse to let those we love00:37:34
be taken from us without consequence.00:37:37
The applause started slowly, then built00:37:39
to a roar. Species that had feared00:37:42
humanity now saw something else in them.00:37:44
Strength, yes, but also honor, also00:37:47
mercy. Lisa Grant was appointed as00:37:50
Earth's new ambassador to the Galactic00:37:53
Assembly. It was a role she had never00:37:55
wanted, but she understood why she had00:37:57
been chosen. She had been there at the00:38:00
beginning. She had seen the worst. Now00:38:03
she would help build the best. She took00:38:05
up residence in the same quarters where00:38:07
Ambassador had died. The room had been00:38:10
repaired, the damage erased, but she00:38:13
could still feel his presence sometimes,00:38:16
especially late at night when she sat by00:38:18
the window and watched the ships go by.00:38:21
She kept his photograph on her desk. It00:38:24
was the same one President Cole had held00:38:26
on the day the war began. An old man00:38:29
smiling at his birthday party,00:38:32
surrounded by family and love. "I hope I00:38:35
make you proud," she whispered to it00:38:37
sometimes. I hope I do half as well as00:38:40
you would have. The months passed. The00:38:43
galaxy slowly healed. Trade resumed.00:38:46
Diplomacy flourished. Species that had00:38:49
been enemies for thousands of years00:38:51
began to find common ground. The humans00:38:54
had not just won a war. They had proven00:38:56
that things could change.00:38:59
One afternoon, Lisa was visited by a00:39:02
delegation of young aliens. They were00:39:04
students from a dozen different worlds,00:39:07
part of an exchange program that had00:39:09
been established after the war. They had00:39:12
grown up watching the trial, learning00:39:14
about what had happened and why. Their00:39:17
teacher, a female named Sierra, brought00:39:19
them to Lisa's office to ask questions.00:39:22
The students were nervous at first, but00:39:25
Lisa put them at ease with warm smiles00:39:27
and simple answers.00:39:29
Finally, a young raised his hand. He was00:39:32
barely a meter tall with big eyes and00:39:35
fur the color of copper. Ambassador00:39:37
Grant, I have one more question. Of00:39:40
course, what is it? Is it true that00:39:43
humans protect those who cannot protect00:39:46
themselves, even if they are not human?00:39:49
Lisa looked at the young alien for a00:39:51
long moment. She thought about Daniel00:39:54
and his gentle eyes. She thought about00:39:56
the Marines who had stormed ships to00:39:58
capture war criminals. She thought about00:40:01
Brooks, the farm boy from Nebraska who00:40:03
had written to her asking if he had done00:40:05
the right thing. Yes, she said finally.00:40:09
That is exactly who we are. We are not00:40:12
perfect. We make mistakes. We get angry00:40:14
and we hold grudges. But when someone00:40:16
needs help, we will be there. That is a00:40:19
promise. The young nodded seriously.00:40:22
Then I think the galaxy is lucky to have00:40:24
you. Lisa smiled, but she felt tears00:40:28
forming in her eyes. Thank you. That00:40:30
means more than you know. After the00:40:33
students left, Lisa walked to the00:40:35
memorial plaza at the center of Nexus00:40:37
Station. A statue had been unveiled00:40:40
there the week before. It showed00:40:42
Ambassador Daniel in his formal robes,00:40:45
one hand extended in greeting, his kind00:40:48
face forever frozen in bronze. The00:40:52
inscription at the base read, "He came00:40:54
in peace. We answered in fury. Let the00:40:57
galaxy remember both. Lisa placed a00:41:00
small bouquet of flowers at the base of00:41:02
the statue. Earth flowers grown in the00:41:05
station's gardens from seeds she had00:41:07
brought from home. "We did it, Daniel,"00:41:10
she said quietly. "We changed things.00:41:13
The galaxy is different now because of00:41:15
what you started. I just wish you were00:41:18
here to see it."00:41:19
The statue did not answer, of course,00:41:22
but somewhere in whatever place good00:41:24
people go when they die, Lisa hoped that00:41:26
Daniel was smiling. Above her, ships00:41:29
from a hundred worlds passed by the00:41:31
station. Humans and and a dozen other00:41:35
species, all traveling together, all00:41:37
equal, all protected by the same laws.00:41:41
The galaxy had learned its lesson. Human00:41:44
lives mattered. All lives mattered. and00:41:48
those who forgot that lesson would face00:41:50
the consequences.00:41:52
Lisa Grant turned away from the statue00:41:54
and walked back to her office. There was00:41:57
work to do. There was always work to do.00:42:00
But for the first time since Daniel had00:42:02
died, she felt something she had almost00:42:04
forgotten.00:42:06
Hoping the galaxy was not perfect. It00:42:09
might never be perfect, but it was00:42:12
better than it had been. And it was00:42:13
getting better every day. That was00:42:16
enough. That was everything.Description:
No One Returned After Fighting Titans| HFY | Best Reddit Stories Original story, written and owned by me Keywords: HFY, HFY Story, HFY Short Story, HFY War, Science Fiction, Sci-Fi Story, Sci-Fi Short Story, Sci-fi HFY, Humans are Space Orcs, Reddit HFY Stories, Reddit Stories, Reddit Humans are Space Orcs, Reddit Sci-Fi Stories, HFY Stories, Short story for sleep, fantasy sleep story, AudioBook, Narration, scifistories, Reddit, scifi, r/hfy, HFY Stories, scifi short, short stories, High Fantasy Stories, Fantasy Stories, reddit stories, sleep stories, Cosmic stories, Cosmic HFY, Futuristic Adventures, SciFi Stories, HFY Sci-Fi, Galactic HFY, Starbound HFY, Free Audio Book, Sci Fi Realm, Sci Fi Universe, alien human stories, alien stories, human stories, storytelling, fiction, audiobook, galactic federation, space force, humans are space orcs binge, humans are space orcs story, a single ship, temper temper, We don't Kill Humans Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more incredible stories. Hit the bell icon to stay updated on our latest uploads! ----------------------------------------- NOTICE: This content is purely for educational purposes. ----------------------------------------- Copyright Notice: In accordance with Section 107 of the Copyright Act of 1976, this material is used under the 'fair use' provision for activities such as criticism, commentary, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a legally sanctioned practice that might otherwise be considered copyright infringement. Non-commercial, educational, or personal use leans in favor of fair use. ----------------------------
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The most convenient way is to use the UDL Client program, which supports converting video to MP3 format. In some cases, MP3 can also be downloaded through the UDL Helper extension.
How can I save a frame from a video "No One Returned After Fighting Titans| HFY | Best Reddit Stories"?
This feature is available in the UDL Helper extension. Make sure that "Show the video snapshot button" is checked in the settings. A camera icon should appear in the lower right corner of the player to the left of the "Settings" icon. When you click on it, the current frame from the video will be saved to your computer in JPEG format.
How do I play and download streaming video?
- in video formats, hover your mouse over "Streaming Video**";
- right-click on "Copy link";
- open VLC-player;
- select Media - Open Network Stream - Network in the menu;
- paste the copied link into the input field;
- click "Play".
- copy the video address (URL);
- select "Open Network Stream" in the "Media" item of VLC player and paste the link to the video into the input field;
- click on the arrow on the "Play" button and select "Convert" in the list;
- select "Video - H.264 + MP3 (MP4)" in the "Profile" line;
- click the "Browse" button to select a folder to save the converted video and click the "Start" button;
- conversion speed depends on the resolution and duration of the video.
For this purpose you need VLC-player, which can be downloaded for free from the official website https://www.videolan.org/vlc/.
How to play streaming video through VLC player:
To download streaming video via VLC player, you need to convert it:
Warning: this download method no longer works with most YouTube videos.
What's the price of all this stuff?
It costs nothing. Our services are absolutely free for all users. There are no PRO subscriptions, no restrictions on the number or maximum length of downloaded videos.