- 7 months ago
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00:00The galaxy had long dismissed humanity as a legend, a mere myth whispered among the elder
00:05races. Stories told of a ruthless species from a forgotten world, a race so stubborn that even
00:13the gods of entropy could not break them. No evidence of their existence remained. No home
00:20world, no ruins, no records. Just myths of a terrifying force that had once shaped the stars
00:28before vanishing into obscurity. For centuries, the Galactic Council had ruled unchallenged,
00:36its empires stretching across thousands of worlds. They believed themselves the pinnacle
00:41of civilization, their fleets unmatched, their technology supreme. But when the Drek Dominion
00:49launched its campaign of conquest, swallowing entire systems in flames, the Council's power
00:55began to crack. No one could stop the Drek. No one dared. Until the sky over Zanthera Prime
01:03split apart, a rift unlike anything seen before burned through space, tearing reality asunder.
01:11From its depths emerged ships unlike any the galaxy had ever known. They were not sleek and elegant
01:18like those of the Elvari, nor vast and organic like the Zorathi hive ships. No, these vessels were
01:26angular, brutal, and battle-scarred. Machines of war forged in the heart of an unseen battlefield.
01:34Their hulls bore no insignia. Their weapons crackled with a power that had not been witnessed
01:40in millennia. And then, the transmission came. A single message. A voice, deep and resolute,
01:49speaking in a language thought lost to time. We are human, and we have returned.
01:56The Drek scoffed at the announcement. To them, humanity was a ghost story meant to scare the weak.
02:03They believed their own power to be absolute. So they fired the first shot. A Drek warship unleashed
02:10its plasma lances scorching towards the lead human vessel. The blast should have melted through any
02:15known shielding, should have reduced the primitive relics to dust. But the human ship did not falter.
02:22Its armor absorbed the hit like a beast waking from slumber. And then, it retaliated.
02:30The return volley was not a sleek beam of energy, nor an elegant display of technological superiority.
02:36It was raw destruction. Kinetic rounds the size of buildings, moving so fast they burned through
02:44space itself, slammed into the Drek fleet. Shields meant to withstand the might of the council shattered
02:51like glass. The humans did not wait. They advanced. Their ships moved with terrifying precision,
02:58formations tight, movements practiced. They did not waste a single shot. They fought with the cold
03:06efficiency of a species that had survived the impossible before. The battle did not last long.
03:14The Drek, once unstoppable, found themselves obliterated in mere hours. Their mighty flagships were
03:20reduced to floating husks. Their warlords, who had terrorized the stars for centuries, fell silent.
03:27And then, as suddenly as they had arrived, the humans spoke again.
03:33This galaxy forgot us. You erased our history. You whispered of our end.
03:39A pause. You were wrong.
03:42Across the stars, empires trembled. The legend of humanity had returned, not as myth, but as reality,
03:50and the galaxy would never be the same again. The aftermath of the battle over Xanthara Prime
03:57sent shockwaves through the galaxy. The Drek Dominion, once an unstoppable force, had been
04:03utterly crushed. What was meant to be an easy conquest had turned into a massacre. Their massacre.
04:11The Galactic Council, watching from their ivory towers, struggled to comprehend what had just
04:16occurred. The legends had spoken of humanity as a brutal but fallen species, one that had burned too
04:23brightly and consumed itself in its own wars. Yet here they were, their ships prowling the wreckage,
04:31scavenging their defeated foes with a cold efficiency. The humans had not come for diplomacy.
04:38They had not arrived seeking allies or forgiveness for their long absence.
04:42They had come as conquerors. High Chancellor Vexari, of the Elvari Dominion, stood in stunned silence as
04:51reports poured into the Grand Hall of the Council. The battle had lasted only four hours. The Drek Armada,
04:59over a thousand warships strong, had been eradicated. Even the most powerful empires in the Council had
05:07never achieved such a swift and decisive victory. Vexari's blood ran cold as she watched the human
05:15fleet on the holomap, their warships forming an impenetrable wall in Drek-controlled space. No hails,
05:23no diplomatic gestures, just an eerie silence, as if they were waiting for something.
05:28Have we sent a delegation? One of the Councilors, a Zarathai broodlord, rasped. His mandibles clicked
05:36nervously, a clear sign of unease. We attempted, Vexari said, gripping the edges of the table.
05:44They ignored our messages. No response. No threats. Nothing.
05:49That silence is worse than any declaration of war, a Reptilian Councilor from the Zarath-Kal
05:55Syndicate growled. Vexari didn't disagree. Silence was the weapon of predators. Meanwhile,
06:02on the bridge of the UHS Retribution, Admiral Elias Varos watched as his fleet finished their
06:09sweep of the battlefield. The humans had left nothing salvageable for the enemy. What remained
06:15of the Drek fleet was now little more than floating scrap. The ship's A.I., designated Omen,
06:22projected casualty reports onto his command console. Drek forces eliminated. 98% human casualties,
06:310.4%. Varos exhaled slowly. That's too easy, he muttered. They were supposed to be the apex
06:40predators of this sector. Captain Wren Vasquez, standing beside him, smirked.
06:46They thought we were a myth, Admiral. Ghost stories don't usually shoot back.
06:53Varos wasn't smiling. They didn't understand what they were facing. Not yet. But they will.
07:01A low chime echoed across the bridge. Omen's synthetic voice broke the silence.
07:06We have intercepted council communications. They are watching. They are afraid.
07:12Good, Varos said. Let them be afraid. Let them remember.
07:18His eyes darkened as he turned towards the viewport, staring into the void where the council's
07:23greatest empires lay. Prepare the fleet, he commanded. We're just getting started.
07:29For the first time in recorded history, the galactic council was paralyzed by fear. The
07:36humans had reappeared like wraiths from the abyss, their warships cutting through the Drek
07:41Dominion's armada with an efficiency that defied logic. But it wasn't just their firepower that
07:47terrified the council. It was their silence. No boasts, no threats, no ultimatums. Just the quiet,
07:55methodical destruction of anyone who stood in their path. On the council's capital world,
08:01Zivora, High Chancellor Vexari, convened an emergency summit. The Grand Hall, usually a place
08:08of calculated politics and quiet diplomacy, was now filled with whispers of dread. Every empire had
08:15sent a representative. Even the Zorathi Swarm, notorious for their disdain of the council,
08:21had joined the gathering. A massive holographic projection displayed the latest reports.
08:28The humans hadn't stopped at the Drek armada. They were systematically dismantling the Dominion's
08:34empire, station by station, world by world. The Drek, once feared as brutal conquerors,
08:42were now little more than prey.
08:44This is a crisis unlike any other, Vexari said, her silver eyes scanning the room.
08:52The humans are no longer myths. They are real. And they are advancing.
08:57A Xerath-Khal general clicked his claws against the stone table.
09:02Have they made any attempt to communicate?
09:04A tense pause followed before one of the elvary envoys, a deep blue-skinned diplomat named Kael
09:12Theris, shook his head. Nothing. They don't negotiate. They don't respond. They only act.
09:20A Xerath-Khal broodmother let out a sharp chitter.
09:24Then they are no different than the Drek. We should unite and exterminate them before they
09:29become unstoppable. Vexari's jaw tightened. How arrogant. The Xerath-Khal had always believed
09:37in brute force, but even they should have recognized the futility of such a plan.
09:43You misunderstand, she said. We do not face a mindless swarm or a warlord's ambition.
09:49We face something else entirely. The room fell silent as she gestured to the next report.
09:56The holographic display shifted, revealing grainy footage of a captured human transmission.
10:03It had been intercepted from a human ship, one of the few pieces of intel they had managed to obtain.
10:10A voice, deep and calm, filled the chamber.
10:14We do not seek war, but we will not be forgotten.
10:18Then the screen changed again, this time showing a planet the humans had recently taken from the Drek.
10:26Instead of the expected mass slaughter, something far more chilling was unfolding.
10:32The humans were rebuilding. Factories roared to life under their control.
10:38Orbital defenses were being reconstructed.
10:41Even the local populace, many of whom had been subjugated by the Drek, were left unharmed.
10:48This, Kael'tharis muttered, staring at the image in disbelief.
10:53This is not the work of conquerors. This is the work of-
10:57An empire, Vexari finished.
11:00A species that never died. A species that is reclaiming what it lost.
11:04The realization settled over the council like a shroud.
11:09The humans had not returned for vengeance. They had returned to rule.
11:14Far beyond the council chambers, aboard the UHS Retribution, Admiral Elias Varos watched as the planet below,
11:22once a Drek stronghold, was brought under human control.
11:27His officers worked efficiently, their movements precise,
11:31their faces hardened with the knowledge that they were carrying out something far greater than a simple campaign.
11:38This was their legacy.
11:40The galaxy had cast humanity aside, erased their history, and moved on.
11:46That mistake would not be repeated.
11:49A soft chime from the council broke his thoughts.
11:53The fleet had intercepted another transmission from the council.
11:56This one was urgent, a request for peace talks.
12:00Varos exhaled slowly, a grim smile touching his lips.
12:07They finally understand, he murmured.
12:10Captain Vasquez raised an eyebrow.
12:13What now, Admiral?
12:14Do we negotiate?
12:17Varos turned to face his officers, his voice steady.
12:21Not yet.
12:23He looked back at the viewport, where the rest of the fleet loomed,
12:26their weapons gleaming in the cold void.
12:30First, he said, we make them remember who we are.
12:35The Galactic Council's message requesting peace talks had gone unanswered.
12:40Days passed.
12:41Then weeks.
12:42Silence was all they received in return.
12:45Yet the humans did not strike.
12:48They did not invade council worlds, nor did they make demands.
12:52They simply continued their methodical dismantling of the Drek Dominion,
12:57taking system after system with brutal efficiency.
13:01The Drek, who had once terrorized the stars, were now running, scattering like insects before an oncoming fire.
13:09It was not a war, it was an eradication.
13:13The council had never seen anything like it.
13:16Wars in the past had always been drawn-out affairs,
13:20fueled by politics, fragile alliances, and resource struggles.
13:25The humans, however, fought differently.
13:28There were no prolonged sieges, no half-measures.
13:31Each battle was swift, decisive.
13:33They advanced like a force of nature, unstoppable, inevitable.
13:39Vex-Ari, High Chancellor of the Council, could feel the weight of history pressing down on her
13:44as she reviewed the latest reports.
13:48Drek-controlled worlds taken.
13:5042 Drek warships destroyed.
13:532,136 human fleet losses.
13:57Minimal.
13:57And now, something even more terrifying.
14:01The Drek homeworld, Carvox VI, was under siege.
14:05It had taken the humans less than a month to do what the entire council had failed to accomplish in centuries.
14:12They are executing them, a Zarathi broodlord hissed from across the council chamber.
14:19His mandibles twitched in unease.
14:22Every Drek warlord, every officer, wiped out without trial.
14:26And yet, Kael'tharis, the Elvary diplomat, murmured,
14:31They do not harm civilians.
14:34They do not pillage.
14:35The room fell silent as the realization settled.
14:39The humans were not conquerors in the traditional sense.
14:43They were something far worse.
14:45They were erasing an enemy from history itself.
14:48They must be stopped, the Zarathcal general growled.
14:53If they could do this to the Drek, they could do it to any of us.
14:57Then perhaps, Vexari said slowly, we should stop thinking of them as a threat and start thinking of them as something else.
15:05The council turned to her, confusion evident in their expressions.
15:10She inhaled sharply, then made her decision.
15:13I will go to them myself.
15:17A hushed murmur filled the chamber.
15:20You would go to them?
15:22The Zarathi representative spat.
15:24To monsters who have ignored every attempt at diplomacy?
15:27They are not monsters, Vexari said.
15:32They are survivors.
15:33And if we do not understand them, we will all fall to them.
15:37Aboard the UHS retribution, Admiral Elias Varos stood on the bridge, his hands clasped behind his back as he watched the battle unfold on Carvok VI.
15:48The Drek homeworld burned beneath them, its once mighty defenses crumbling.
15:54They had refused to surrender.
15:56So the humans had given them extinction.
15:59But as his officers monitored the final phase of the assault, a new signal appeared on the comms.
16:07Admiral, Captain Vasquez said, eyes widening.
16:11We're receiving a direct transmission.
16:14Varos frowned.
16:15Drek resistance?
16:17No.
16:18Vasquez swallowed.
16:19It's from the Galactic Council, and it's not just another request.
16:24Varos turned to face him fully.
16:26They're sending an envoy!
16:29Silence filled the bridge.
16:31The humans had ignored every attempt at diplomacy thus far.
16:35But now the Council was desperate enough to send someone directly.
16:39Varos exhaled slowly, considering the implications.
16:44Finally, he nodded.
16:46Let them come, he said.
16:47His gaze drifted back to the dying world below.
16:52But they won't find the same galaxy they left behind.
16:56The Galactic Council's envoy arrived under heavy escort.
17:00A lone diplomatic vessel, adorned with the sigil of the Council, exited hyperspace near the human fleet.
17:08It was a sleek and elegant craft, designed not for war, but for peace.
17:13It drifted cautiously through the void, dwarfed by the immense warships of the UHS Retribution and its armada.
17:22Inside, High Chancellor Vexari sat rigid in her chair, her fingers tightening around the armrests.
17:29This was madness.
17:31Suicide, some had called it.
17:33No alien had ever stood before a human in known history.
17:37Not in diplomatic matters, not in war.
17:40And yet, here she was.
17:43The humans did not fire upon her ship.
17:46They did not acknowledge her arrival with hostility.
17:49Instead, a single transmission crackled through the comms.
17:53Docking sequence authorized, you may proceed.
17:57The voice was cold, calculated, a warrior's voice.
18:03Vexari's second-in-command, a silver-skinned Elvari named Rielan, shifted uneasily beside her.
18:11We should be prepared for an ambush.
18:13If they wanted us dead, we wouldn't have made it this far, she replied.
18:18The docking process was seamless, almost too precise.
18:22As the ship latched onto the human vessel, a hiss of decompression signaled the opening of the airlock.
18:29Then, the humans appeared.
18:32A squad of soldiers, clad in black and gray armor, helmets concealing their faces, moved with perfect discipline.
18:40Their weapons were at their sides, but Vexari could feel the tension in the air.
18:45These were warriors, hardened, efficient, and ready to kill at a moment's notice.
18:51At their center stood a man she knew only by reputation, Admiral Elias Veros.
18:58His presence was like gravity itself, an unseen force pressing down on the room.
19:04His uniform bore no medals, no ostentatious display of rank, just a single insignia on his shoulder.
19:11The sigil of the United Human Systems.
19:13His gaze locked onto hers, assessing, cold, unreadable.
19:20Then he spoke.
19:22You asked for a meeting.
19:23Here we are.
19:25His voice was devoid of warmth.
19:27It was not welcoming, nor overtly hostile.
19:30It simply was.
19:32Vexari inhaled sharply and stepped forward.
19:34I am High Chancellor Vexari, representing the Galactic Council.
19:40Veros didn't blink.
19:41I know who you are.
19:44Her throat tightened.
19:46Negotiating with other empires had always been a delicate balance of charm, persuasion, and carefully measured words.
19:54But something told her none of that would work here.
19:56Then you know why I've come.
20:00Vexari studied her for a moment before turning sharply.
20:03Walk with me.
20:05She hesitated only briefly before following.
20:09As they moved through the Retribution's corridors, Vexari took in her surroundings.
20:16Everything was practical, efficient.
20:19Nothing wasted on aesthetics.
20:21These were not ships designed for comfort.
20:24They were instruments of war.
20:25You didn't respond to our previous messages, she said carefully.
20:31You had nothing to offer, Veros replied, without looking at her.
20:36We were busy.
20:38Busy wiping out an entire species, she shot back.
20:42Veros finally stopped, turning his sharp gaze on her.
20:46They were already dead, he said.
20:48They just didn't know it yet.
20:51Vexari's breath hitched.
20:53There was no gloating in his voice.
20:54No arrogance.
20:55Just a simple, terrifying certainty.
20:59She swallowed hard.
21:01And what happens after the Drek are gone?
21:04Veros resumed walking.
21:06That depends.
21:08On what?
21:09He finally turned to face her fully, his blue eyes like ice.
21:13On whether the rest of you make the same mistakes they did.
21:17The meaning was clear.
21:19The Drek had tried to conquer humanity's domain.
21:23And they had been erased for it.
21:26The Council had always believed themselves above such crude conflicts, above wars of annihilation.
21:32But as Vexari stared into the eyes of the man leading humanity's return, she understood the truth.
21:41This was not an empire built on diplomacy or politics.
21:45This was an empire built on vengeance.
21:47And the galaxy had every reason to be afraid.
21:52Vexari had negotiated with warlords, emperors, and tyrants, but never had she stood before someone like Admiral Elias Veros.
22:00The humans were unlike any species she had encountered, not just because of their technology or their military precision, but because of the way they moved.
22:12Every step was calculated, every action measured.
22:17They carried themselves like ghosts who had returned to haunt the living.
22:22Varos led her into a dimly lit chamber, devoid of unnecessary decoration.
22:27A single table sat in the center, surrounded by utilitarian chairs.
22:34Tactical displays flickered along the walls, depicting real-time fleet movements.
22:40The Drek Dominion, once one of the greatest military forces in the galaxy, was being crushed in real time before her very eyes.
22:49Varos gestured toward a chair.
22:51Sit.
22:52Vexari hesitated before lowering herself into the seat.
22:56Varos remained standing.
22:58You came here to talk, he said.
23:00So, talk.
23:02She exhaled.
23:04The Galactic Council wishes to open negotiations with humanity.
23:08For what?
23:10His voice was unreadable.
23:12You didn't care about negotiations when you erased us from your history.
23:16Vexari flinched.
23:17The Council had long treated humanity as a myth, a dead civilization, a story to frighten young diplomats into obedience.
23:27Never provoke a war you can't win, the saying had gone.
23:31Or you'll end up like the humans.
23:33Now, the ghosts had returned to settle the debt.
23:37I won't deny what the Council has done, she said carefully.
23:41But we did not erase humanity out of malice.
23:44You vanished.
23:46No ruins, no remnants, no transmissions.
23:49We assumed.
23:50You assumed wrong, Varos interrupted.
23:53His eyes burned cold.
23:55We were never gone.
23:57We were watching.
23:58A shiver ran down her spine.
24:01Vexari composed herself.
24:03If you were watching, then you know the Council is not your enemy.
24:08The Drek were a threat to all of us.
24:10They invaded, enslaved, and destroyed without mercy.
24:14And yet, you let them.
24:17She had no response to that.
24:20Varos finally sat, resting his hands on the table.
24:24Tell me, High Chancellor.
24:27Why are you really here?
24:28Vexari took a slow breath.
24:31Because the Council fears what happens after the Drek are gone.
24:36The silence stretched between them.
24:39Smart, Varos muttered.
24:42For once.
24:43He leaned back slightly.
24:46So, let's talk about the truth.
24:49Your Council doesn't want peace.
24:50It wants to contain us.
24:52To keep humanity from doing what it was always meant to do.
24:55And what exactly is that?
24:57She asked.
24:59Varos met her gaze.
25:01Take back what's ours.
25:03A cold weight settled in her chest.
25:07You believe the galaxy belongs to you?
25:10His lips curled slightly.
25:12Number, but I know what was stolen from us.
25:15And we will never let it happen again.
25:19Vexari clenched her fists under the table.
25:22She had hoped for reason, for diplomacy.
25:25Instead, she had found something worse than an enemy.
25:29She had found a civilization with a grudge deep enough to shake the stars.
25:32If humanity had returned, then war was inevitable.
25:36And the Council had no idea how to stop it.
25:40The silence in the chamber was suffocating.
25:44Vexari had never felt so helpless in a negotiation before.
25:48Every empire in the Galactic Council had its weaknesses.
25:52Pride, greed, desperation for resources.
25:55She had spent her career learning to exploit those flaws, bending entire civilizations to
26:01her will through diplomacy.
26:04But the humans?
26:05They didn't need anything.
26:07They weren't desperate for trade routes, fuel, or alliances.
26:11They had arrived from the Void with their fleets fully supplied, their armies disciplined, their
26:17goals singular.
26:19They were a force already prepared to take what they wanted.
26:23And that made them the most dangerous civilization the galaxy had ever seen.
26:28Admiral Varos studied her, his piercing blue eyes betraying no emotion.
26:35The humans were not merely vengeful.
26:38They were patient.
26:39They had waited in the shadows for centuries.
26:43Vexari took a steadying breath.
26:45What exactly is it that humanity wants, Admiral?
26:49Varos exhaled slowly, as if considering whether she was even worth answering.
26:54We want justice.
26:56Vexari's pulse quickened.
26:59Justice.
27:01A vague, dangerous word.
27:04She leaned forward.
27:06The dreck are nearly eradicated.
27:08You've dismantled their empire, destroyed their fleets, and taken their homeworld.
27:13If this was about justice, it should be over.
27:16Varos tilted his head slightly, the hint of a smirk tugging at his lips.
27:22You think this ends with the dreck?
27:24Her blood turned to ice.
27:27Varos continued.
27:29They were just the beginning.
27:31The ones foolish enough to strike first.
27:33But the rest of you?
27:34The ones who stood by and watched?
27:37The ones who let it happen?
27:39He leaned in.
27:40You're next.
27:41Vexari's breath caught in her throat.
27:45Humanity was betrayed, Varos said, his voice measured but cold.
27:51We had allies, friends.
27:53We built an empire once, one that spanned the stars.
27:56And when the war came, when we needed help the most, the council abandoned us.
28:01Vexari's mind raced.
28:04She had read the ancient records, the conflicting accounts of humanity's supposed fall.
28:09Some had claimed the humans destroyed themselves in war.
28:12Others said their homeworld was consumed by some unknown force.
28:16But no record spoke of an alliance, of a betrayal.
28:21Varos continued, his voice heavy with the weight of history.
28:26When the war came to our doorstep, we sent distress calls, pleas for aid.
28:31We fought alone.
28:32We died alone.
28:35Vexari swallowed hard.
28:37That was centuries ago.
28:40Varos's expression didn't change.
28:42And yet, here we are.
28:44The meaning was clear.
28:46Humans never forget.
28:48A cold realization gripped her.
28:50You don't just want justice.
28:52You want retribution.
28:54Varos didn't deny it.
28:56Instead, he simply said,
28:57We will make sure no species ever forgets humanity again.
29:02A heavy silence filled the chamber.
29:05Vexari had come here hoping to find common ground.
29:08But now she saw the truth.
29:11This wasn't just about vengeance.
29:13It wasn't even about war.
29:15Humanity was reclaiming its place in the galaxy.
29:18And the council had two choices.
29:20Bend the knee.
29:21Or be swept away.
29:23Her voice was barely above a whisper.
29:26What happens now?
29:28Varos stood.
29:30Now?
29:31He looked towards the holodisplay,
29:34where human fleets were already moving toward new systems.
29:38Now, you decide whether you want to survive the New Order,
29:42or be part of the ruins we leave behind.
29:45Vexari had never feared anything in her life.
29:48Until now.
29:50Vexari had always considered herself a master of diplomacy.
29:53But for the first time in her life,
29:56she felt like a novice standing before something she could not negotiate with.
30:01Admiral Varos and his people did not operate like the other civilizations of the council.
30:06They did not seek political maneuvering, resources, or trade.
30:11They did not beg for recognition or ask for a seat at the table.
30:14They were here to take what had been denied to them.
30:18The cold certainty in Varos' voice sent a shiver through her bones.
30:24You misunderstand, Admiral?
30:26She said carefully, choosing her words like a surgeon handling a blade.
30:31The current council is not the one that abandoned you.
30:33We are willing to acknowledge our mistakes, to forge a new relationship with humanity.
30:39Varos exhaled sharply, almost amused.
30:43A relationship?
30:44Like the one you had with the dreck?
30:46Her breath caught.
30:48He knows.
30:50He knew the truth.
30:51The council had allowed the dreck to expand their war machine unchecked.
30:56They had turned a blind eye when the dreck enslaved lesser races.
31:00They had only acted once the dreck grew too powerful to control.
31:05She had assumed no one would ever challenge the council's hypocrisy.
31:09But humanity had not forgotten.
31:11Your council is built on convenience, not justice, Varos said.
31:17His tone wasn't angry, nor did it carry any theatrical weight.
31:22It was just a simple statement of fact.
31:25You tolerated the dreck until they became a threat to you.
31:28You erased us from history because it was easier than acknowledging your failure.
31:34Vexari clenched her jaw, struggling to maintain her composure.
31:39That does not mean war is the only path forward.
31:43Varos regarded her for a long moment.
31:46Then he turned to the hollow display, tapping the controls.
31:50The image shifted, revealing a strategic map of the galaxy.
31:54Red zones marked the dreck territories that had already fallen.
31:59Blue icons, human fleets, were now appearing in systems once thought unreachable, expanding, advancing.
32:08Tell me, High Chancellor, Varos said, still looking at the map.
32:13Do you know what happened to Earth?
32:16Vexari hesitated.
32:17No.
32:17No.
32:20Varos finally looked at her, his expression unreadable.
32:23Neither do we.
32:25The admission sent a chill through her.
32:28Our homeworld was lost, he continued.
32:30Not destroyed, not wiped from existence.
32:33Lost.
32:35Vexari's mind raced.
32:37That shouldn't be possible.
32:38No planet, especially one as important as humanity's cradle, could simply disappear.
32:43Varos leaned forward, his voice dropping to a quiet intensity.
32:50We searched for centuries, through the ruins of our old colonies, through the wreckage of
32:55a civilization that should have never fallen.
32:57But Earth was gone.
32:59No records, no coordinates, no trace.
33:04A sharp silence followed.
33:06And then Varos spoke the words that made Vexari's blood run cold.
33:11And we think the Council had something to do with it.
33:15Her breath hitched.
33:17That's impossible.
33:19We-
33:19You don't know your own history, Chancellor, Varos interrupted, his gaze piercing.
33:25But we do.
33:26We dug through the ruins, through archives you thought were lost.
33:30Someone removed Earth from the galactic record.
33:32Someone made sure we could never return home.
33:36Vexari felt the walls closing in around her.
33:39This was bigger than a simple war for power.
33:43The humans weren't just reclaiming their empire.
33:45They were hunting for the truth.
33:48And when they found it, nothing in the galaxy would be safe.
33:53She exhaled shakily.
33:55If-
33:56If the Council was involved in the disappearance of Earth, I swear to you, I will uncover the
34:02truth.
34:04Varos studied her for a long moment.
34:06Then, for the first time, he smiled.
34:11A small, knowing, dangerous smile.
34:14You'll try?
34:15He said.
34:16Then he stood, nodding toward the door.
34:19We're done here.
34:20You can return to your Council and tell them the same thing we've told every other Empire
34:24that stood in our way.
34:26Vexari swallowed hard.
34:27And what is that?
34:30Varos' expression turned to steel.
34:33Humanity is back, and we are not asking for permission.
34:36Vexari left the retribution with the weight of an entire civilization pressing down on her
34:42shoulders.
34:43The moment she stepped back onto her diplomatic vessel, she could feel the eyes of her crew
34:48on her.
34:49Expecting answers, hoping for good news?
34:52She had none.
34:53High Chancellor?
34:56Rielan, her second-in-command, approached her cautiously.
35:00What did they say?
35:02Vexari sat down slowly, rubbing her temples.
35:06Everything we feared.
35:07And worse.
35:09She had gone to negotiate peace, but peace had never been an option.
35:13The humans weren't interested in treaties, in alliances, or in restoring balance to the
35:18galaxy.
35:19They wanted justice.
35:21They wanted vengeance.
35:22And most terrifying of all, they wanted the truth.
35:27She turned to Rielan.
35:29Contact the Council.
35:30Convene an emergency session.
35:32Now.
35:34The Council Chamber was in chaos the moment her image flickered into the hollow grid.
35:39Did they agree to stand down?
35:41Are they open to negotiations?
35:45Can they be reasoned with?
35:46Vexari clenched her fists.
35:50Number, the humans are not here to negotiate.
35:54The Chamber exploded into frantic murmurs.
35:57Some of the Council members had still clung to the belief that this was all some elaborate
36:01posturing, that humanity could be bought, threatened, or persuaded into submission.
36:07They were wrong.
36:09The Drek are finished, Vexari continued.
36:12Their empire is gone.
36:13Their fleets shattered.
36:14The humans will wipe out whatever remains of them within the next few weeks.
36:19A Zarathi broodmother clicked her mandibles anxiously.
36:23And then what?
36:25Vexari took a slow breath.
36:27Then, they come for us.
36:30The room fell silent.
36:32Impossible, growled a Zerath-Kal warlord.
36:36We have committed no crimes against them.
36:40Vexari turned her sharp gaze to him.
36:42Did you stand against the Drek when they expanded?
36:45The warlord hesitated.
36:47Did you lift a single claw to stop them?
36:50Did any of us?
36:51Silence.
36:53The answer was clear.
36:55You don't understand, Vexari said, her voice barely above a whisper.
37:01They believe we let their people die.
37:03They think we erased them from history.
37:06And now they are tearing through this galaxy like a force of nature, because they will never
37:11let that happen again.
37:12A nervous diplomat from the Elvari Dominion hesitated.
37:18If, if they cannot be reasoned with, then we must prepare for war.
37:25War?
37:26The Zarathi broodmother spat.
37:28Against them?
37:29You saw what they did to the Drek?
37:31No species in this council has the fleet strength to match them.
37:35The warlord slammed a clawed fist onto the table.
37:38Then we unite.
37:39A combined council force could-
37:41Could what?
37:42Vexari snapped.
37:44Delay them?
37:45Slow them down?
37:47She leaned forward, her silver eyes burning.
37:51The humans do not fight wars like we do.
37:53They do not conquer for territory.
37:55They do not seek resources.
37:56They do not play political games.
37:59She let her words sink in before delivering the final blow.
38:03They fight to win.
38:05And they do not stop until their enemies are dust.
38:08A heavy silence followed.
38:12The realization was finally settling in.
38:15This was no longer a question of politics or strategy.
38:19The galaxy had one choice.
38:21Survive under the shadow of humanity's return.
38:25Or be erased.
38:27Far from the council's desperate deliberations,
38:31Admiral Elias Varos stood on the bridge of the retribution,
38:34staring at the cold expanse of space.
38:36How did the chancellor take it?
38:39Captain Vasquez asked beside him.
38:41Varos smirked slightly.
38:44Exactly as expected.
38:47He turned to the hollow map before him.
38:49The Drek Dominion was collapsing.
38:51But that was just the beginning.
38:54We have our next targets, he murmured.
38:57Their alliances are fragile.
38:58Their fleets are disorganized.
39:00They have no idea how to fight what's coming.
39:03Vasquez exhaled.
39:04They will.
39:06Soon enough.
39:08Too late for them, Varos replied.
39:11He watched as the next set of human fleets activated their jump sequences,
39:15preparing to expand deeper into council space.
39:19Let them panic, he thought.
39:22Let them scramble to form coalitions, to prepare their defenses.
39:26It wouldn't matter.
39:27Because humanity was back.
39:29And this time, they were taking everything.
39:32The galactic council was falling apart.
39:35In the days following High Chancellor Vexari's return, fear spread like wildfire.
39:42Empires that had once ruled the stars with unshakable confidence were now paralyzed,
39:47scrambling to make sense of the impossible reality before them.
39:51Humanity wasn't just back.
39:53They were winning.
39:55The drek were gone, completely and utterly eradicated.
40:00Their homeworld, Karvox VI, had been bombarded from orbit, their last warlords executed, their fleets hunted to extinction.
40:08Not even the Zorathi swarm, infamous for their ruthlessness, had ever wiped out an entire species so efficiently.
40:18And now, the humans were advancing deeper into council space.
40:22Fleet by fleet, system by system, they expanded with a terrifying purpose.
40:29But they weren't mindless conquerors.
40:31They weren't slaughtering civilians.
40:33They weren't enslaving the weak.
40:35No, they were doing something far worse.
40:38They were rewriting the balance of power itself.
40:43Vexari stood in the heart of the council chamber, watching as chaos unfolded around her.
40:49Half our members are considering surrender, an enraged Zorathi general hissed.
40:55They're abandoning their colonies, evacuating entire systems.
40:58The humans are absorbing these worlds without resistance, a Zorathcal admiral added, his scaled face grim.
41:05No occupation forces, no war crimes, just assimilation.
41:12Vexari's hands trembled.
41:14They're building something.
41:15The humans weren't destroying civilizations.
41:18They were recruiting them.
41:20Already multiple planets had voluntarily joined the united human systems.
41:24Because unlike the council, the humans had proven they could protect them.
41:30The dreck had terrorized the stars for centuries, and the council had done nothing.
41:36Humanity had erased them in a month.
41:39For many, that was all the proof they needed.
41:41A new power was rising.
41:44One built on retribution, on justice, on the promise that never again would the weak suffer at the hands of the strong.
41:53And people were choosing to stand with humanity.
41:57Aboard the UHS retribution, Admiral Varos watched as another council world lowered its defenses.
42:03The planetary governor, a nervous-looking Elvari, appeared on the holoscreen.
42:09His voice wavered.
42:11We... we surrender.
42:14Our people do not wish to resist you.
42:17Varos nodded.
42:19Then you won't have to.
42:21With a single command, human ships began landing on the surface.
42:26Not with weapons drawn, but with supplies, engineers, and medical personnel.
42:31Another world, another system claimed without firing a shot.
42:37Vasquez exhaled beside him.
42:40They're surrendering faster than expected.
42:43They were never loyal to the council, Varos replied.
42:47They were afraid of the council.
42:49Vasquez smirked.
42:51And now they're afraid of us?
42:54Varos shook his head.
42:57Number now they trust us.
42:59That was the difference.
43:01The council had ruled through bureaucracy, through politics, through empty promises of peace.
43:07Humanity ruled through action, through certainty.
43:11They didn't negotiate with tyrants.
43:13They ended them.
43:14And the galaxy was beginning to realize that maybe, just maybe, humanity wasn't the threat.
43:21Maybe they were the solution.
43:23Back in the council chamber, Vexari listened to the frantic debates.
43:27Their influence is growing too fast.
43:31They've already absorbed five independent systems, without a fight.
43:36This is worse than an invasion.
43:38This is conversion.
43:39This is conversion.
43:41Vexari's heart pounded.
43:43The old powers were losing control.
43:46The council's authority was crumbling.
43:47And she knew the truth no one wanted to admit.
43:51There was no stopping humanity's return.
43:54There were only two options left.
43:57Fight and be destroyed.
43:59Fight, or kneel and survive.
44:02She closed her eyes, realizing what had to be done.
44:06When she spoke, her voice was quiet but firm.
44:10We need to open real negotiations with humanity.
44:13Not as rulers of the galaxy, but as survivors looking for a place in their new order.
44:18The chamber exploded with protests.
44:22But deep down, every leader present knew the same thing.
44:26The war was over before it had even begun.
44:29Humanity had already won.
44:31The galactic council fractured under the weight of its own fear.
44:35Empires that had ruled for millennia found themselves irrelevant in the face of humanity's
44:40relentless advance.
44:42Some tried to resist, sending their fleets into doomed battles, but it only accelerated
44:48their downfall.
44:50Others surrendered, their leaders vanishing into obscurity as their worlds were quietly
44:55absorbed into the united human systems.
44:58And some, like High Chancellor Vexari, chose a different path.
45:04She stood on the bridge of the UHS Retribution, staring out at the vast armada of human warships
45:10stretching into the void.
45:13Admiral Varos stood beside her, silent, unreadable.
45:18She had fought against this moment for as long as she could, had tried to convince herself
45:23that the council could survive, that diplomacy could prevail.
45:27But humanity had never been here to negotiate.
45:30They had come to reclaim what was theirs.
45:34Why did you let me live?
45:36She asked finally.
45:38Varos exhaled, his gaze fixed on the stars.
45:42Because we don't want a graveyard, he said.
45:45We want a future.
45:47She turned to him, searching his face for deception.
45:51She found none.
45:54Humanity could have burned the galaxy down, wiped every species that had betrayed them from
45:59existence.
45:59But instead, they had done something far worse.
46:03They had changed everything.
46:06For centuries, the council had ruled through politics and deception.
46:10Now that system was gone.
46:13In its place stood an empire forged in war, one that had waited in the shadows for its time
46:19to rise again.
46:20And now that time had come.
46:23Vexari took a deep breath.
46:26And what happens now?
46:28Varos finally looked at her, his expression unreadable.
46:32Now, he said.
46:33Now we build.
46:34The era of the galactic council was over.
46:38The era of humanity had begun.
46:41And the stars would never be the same again.
46:43Back to us, it had begun.
46:44He told me it was over.
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