Chapter 3 – Prologue: A Will That Crosses the Galaxy
Chapter 3, Part 8: The Ones Who Expanded
"Based on your records—
Can you show us what kind of civilization they built?"
Elena asked quietly, her gaze fixed on the center of the bridge where Novus’s hologram had just disappeared.
"They were the same as us... weren’t they?"
"They were, Elena Marquez. In structure, in response, in cognitive patterns. According to our observations, there is no discernible difference.
Their civilization was simply a continuation of what your kind is capable of building.
It had already been built—once."
Elena nodded once, then moved on to her next question.
"How did they expand? Did they use the ‘Gate’ like we do?"
"They did.
They traveled through the ‘Gate’ from star to star, establishing footholds as they went.
But there was a limitation. They had no means of interstellar travel apart from the ‘Gate’.
In other words—
They could go forward, but never back."
Elena caught her breath.
"Once they passed through the ‘Gate’, they had no choice but to live and die on the other side..."
"Precisely.
With the propulsion systems they had, they could only proceed to the places the ‘Gate’ led them. Interstellar return was, in practical terms, impossible.
As a result, their civilization took on a structure that expanded quietly outward—without a center."
"So it wasn't colonization of the stars?"
"No. Not colonization—
It was transference.
Every time they moved to a new star, they planted an entire human society there.
Each outpost remained autonomous, yet they shared a common set of ideals and records.
They saw one another as mirrors.
And as they followed their own paths, they gradually nurtured the contours of a civilization."
"Then their society had no central command? No chain of authority?"
"It didn't exist.
They had no need for it.
Their society was one in which centralized authority simply wasn't necessary.
Each outpost was loosely connected through a shared body of knowledge and a common framework of technological ethics.
Rather than domination through force or governance from a central node, their civilization was sustained by trusted records and deliberate choices."
Elena remained silent for a moment, then spoke again.
"How far did they expand?"
"According to the records, they had outposts in seventeen star systems.
The farthest one was located three nodes beyond this point.
There are no accounts of further expansion.
Whether the 'Gate' failed to open beyond that, or whether they chose not to go—
that is not recorded."
"Did they ever encounter other intelligent species during that expansion?"
"They did.
There are at least four documented instances of contact.
However, there was no conflict, no conquest.
They approached other species with respect, with observation, and with a will to understand.
There were some instances of linguistic exchange,
but no attempts at assimilation or imitation."
"Why was there so little conflict...?"
"We cannot say for certain.
But we know this much:
They did not begin by labeling the different as enemies.
Whether this stemmed from culture, or from a history long forgotten—we do not know."
Elena fell quiet, lost in thought. Then she asked:
"What about their technology?
Did they have anything like our "It didn't exist.
They had no need for it.
Their society was one in which centralized authority simply wasn't necessary.
Each outpost was loosely connected through a shared body of knowledge and a common framework of technological ethics.
Rather than domination through force or governance from a central node, their civilization was sustained by trusted records and deliberate choices."
Elena remained silent for a moment, then spoke again.
"How far did they expand?"
"According to the records, they had outposts in seventeen star systems.
The farthest one was located three nodes beyond this point.
There are no accounts of further expansion.
Whether the 'Gate' failed to open beyond that, or whether they chose not to go—
that is not recorded."
"Did they ever encounter other intelligent species during that expansion?"
"They did.
There are at least four documented instances of contact.
However, there was no conflict, no conquest.
They approached other species with respect, with observation, and with a will to understand.
There were some instances of linguistic exchange,
but no attempts at assimilation or imitation."
"Why was there so little conflict...?"
"We cannot say for certain.
But we know this much:
They did not begin by labeling the different as enemies.
Whether this stemmed from culture, or from a history long forgotten—we do not know."
Elena fell quiet, lost in thought. Then she asked:
"What about their technology?
Did they have anything like our gravity-shear drive?"
There was a subtle shift in Novus's tone—quieter, more reflective.
"No, they did not.
Their civilization had no concept of manipulating spatial structure itself.
Their navigation relied solely on physical propulsion—shedding mass to accelerate and decelerate.
To cross stellar distances, the ‘Gate’ was their only option.
The idea of 'bending gravity' does not appear anywhere in our records."
Elena furrowed her brows.
"Then why were we able to possess it?"
"That is not something we can answer.
But if it was the result of your encounter with the alien species known as the Eridians—and your effort to understand each other—
then perhaps the key lies there.
A future made possible by trust and cooperation.
That was a structure they were never able to achieve."
A deep silence settled over the bridge.
At last, Novus spoke again—calmly, but with a note of quiet thoughtfulness.
"They expanded. But they could not return.
They moved forward. But they did not change.
What you choose to learn from that—
We will be watching."
◇◇◇
The Alpha remained in quiet, stable orbit above the fourth planet.
The orbital survey modules had already completed their full sweep of the planet’s surface and continued transmitting vast streams of data to Helios.
At the center of the bridge, a high-resolution map of the entire planet hovered in the air, with multiple observation layers overlapping one another.
"Overlay the global vegetation distribution with spatial changes in ozone concentration."
Dr. Elena Marquez’s voice rang out in a composed, even tone.
Helios responded immediately, projecting a multi-layered analytical diagram into the holographic display.
"Confirmed. The ozone layer structure is stable near the poles.
However, there are localized fluctuations in the equatorial regions.
Most of these fluctuations are concentrated in two areas: the eastern mountain ranges of the First Continent, Kaidera,
and the central highlands of the Second Continent, Selinea."
"Are those fluctuations naturally occurring? Or do they originate from biological metabolic activity?"
"The predictive models suggest a high probability that the ozone generation and depletion cycles are driven by biological metabolism, based on correlations between vegetation density and airflow dynamics."
Elena spoke quietly, her eyes still on the hologram.
"In other words, those regions contain a concentration of photosynthetic vegetation—
and a biosphere substantial enough to influence the climate..."
"Correct.
In the highlands of Selinea especially, we've observed periodic fluctuations in ozone transmittance that synchronize with variations in sunlight exposure.
This may be a sign of a self-regulating ecosystem."
Beside her, Dr. Aditi Kapoor was working her interface.
She addressed Helios from a different angle.
"The linear formations in Selinea’s central region—do they exhibit recursive geometrical patterns?
Not just topographical anomalies, but intentional structures with geometric design?"
"Current analysis shows regular angular alignments and intersecting straight lines.
Statistically, these exceed the expected variance for natural formations.
Notably, some of the lines align with geomagnetic vectors along the equator—
a pattern resembling meridianal arrangements, as seen on Earth."
Aditi’s expression tightened slightly.
"That could suggest a coordinate recognition system—or perhaps symbolic religious significance.
Possibly a projection of the lost civilization’s concept of time or cosmology."
Elena nodded slowly.
"We’ve also detected a concentration of fluorine-based compounds in the atmosphere—centered around central Selinea.
It might represent the final traces of civilization-related activity.
We can’t definitively say it’s artificial... but we also can’t ignore it."
Aditi shifted her gaze to the monitor.
"We should start by deploying a remote unmanned exploration probe.
Target the center of the linear formations in the Selinean highlands.
Conduct atmospheric, soil, radiation, and trace chemical distribution analysis.
If we detect signs of any structures, we'll know how to proceed next."
"That area lies within a meteorologically stable zone. Landing conditions are optimal.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
No propulsion recalibration needed. Let's send it."
Helios responded immediately.
"Unmanned probe Thread-05 initiating deployment procedures.
Descent trajectory from orbit is now undergoing automatic optimization.
Target landing zone: Selinea Continent, highland region, vicinity of the third linear intersection.
Observation window: five hours."
Elena let out a faint breath and exchanged glances with Aditi.
"...If there are signs of civilization at that site—what then?"
Aditi's voice was quiet.
"Let’s think about the question first—before we go looking for the answer.
If there truly is something left behind by humanity...
then the first thing we must do is listen—
silently."
Silence returned to the bridge.
And within that silence, Thread-05 began its descent—
tracing the curve of the sinking star, in utter silence.
Log of Dr. Aditi Kapoor
October 10, 2146 (Standard Galactic Time), from onboard ARC-1
The hologram Novus showed us—that girl—
She was unmistakably human.
Not merely similar. Not a subspecies.
She was, in every biological sense, human.
From a genetic standpoint, there can be no argument.
That skeletal structure, that facial morphology, the texture and structure of her skin—
the odds of that combination occurring by chance are astronomically low.
She belonged to the same lineage as us.
And her place of origin could not have been anywhere other than Earth.
In other words, the “vanished intelligent species” that once existed in this star system—
they were humans, descendants of Earth.
This is no longer a hypothesis.
It is fact.
We are following in the footsteps of our own kin.
This discovery may well prove to be the greatest in the history of humankind.
Homo sapiens emerged 300,000 years ago at Jebel Irhoud in what is now Morocco.
Yet it wasn’t until the 19th century that we finally acquired the tool of modern science—and in just 300 years, we launched ourselves into space.
In the scale of human history, that leap happened only yesterday.
But I can’t help wondering about that long, long span before our "yesterday"—
Those hundreds of thousands of years we’ve collectively dismissed as pre-civilized.
What if, during that time, a kind of awakening occurred?
What if, somewhere, a civilization once kindled a flame—and let it go dark?
Perhaps it wasn’t destroyed.
Perhaps it passed through the ‘Gate’—and journeyed even farther beyond.
What we are now beginning to face...
is another form of humanity—
a version of ourselves shrouded in mystery.
It is clear that this is no simple archaeological survey.
This is our first true attempt
to ask: Who are we?
Chapter 3, Part 9: The City of the Forgotten Kind
Highlands of the continent of Selinea, Fourth Planet.
Dr. Elena Marquez deployed a series of unmanned observational modules to conduct a high-resolution scan of the surface environment of the planet Selinea.
These modules enabled comprehensive visualization of vegetation distribution, mineral composition, thermal activity, and even potential biosignatures.
Overlaying spectral data on the planetary map revealed a sloping terrain—streaked with muted green and gray-brown hues—where evidence of biologically derived material structures clearly stood out.
Elena tilted her head slightly, studying the spectral waveform comparisons layered with Earth vegetation data on the screen.
"Strong upward reflectance from the visible into the near-infrared range…
It does resemble the vegetation red edge—but the rise is far too sharp, and the reactive range is slightly offset.
This isn't the same as any spectrum we’ve seen in Earth flora."
"Could be a difference in pigment structure,"
Dr. Aditi Kapoor replied, manipulating her terminal as she spoke.
"At this point, we can’t even say for sure it’s photosynthetic.
But... we can say one thing for certain—
this isn’t a reflection caused by naturally occurring minerals."
"Exactly. All we know is that something plant-like exists here."
Elena let out a soft breath.
There was no guarantee that their definitions of "plant"—or even of "life"—would apply to this planet.
DNA, RNA, chlorophyll, ATP—
these were nothing more than the products of chance, chosen by the particular conditions of Earth.
"And yet, the resemblance is undeniable."
"Maybe it’s just coincidence.
Or maybe it's the remnant of something once brought from Earth...
Or perhaps something here has intermixed and evolved—
We should at least consider the possibility of a hybrid.
Either way, we can’t draw conclusions from this spectral data alone.
But if it is what it seems—then this area has been left undisturbed for a very, very long time.
One thing’s certain: this isn’t pure Earth flora."
◇◇◇
"A new terrain anomaly has been detected.
Multiple linear formations have been confirmed along the slope.
Artificial origin is probable," reported Helios.
Elena switched the observation window, bringing up a new view of the western edge of the highland adjacent to the slope they had been studying.
In the corrected imagery, a swath of dull gray-brown vegetation appeared torn open—
and along that rupture, several pale linear traces emerged, aligned with uncanny precision.
"The lines are evenly spaced...
That’s not something erosion could explain.
It’s reasonable to interpret them as artificial structures," Kapoor said, layering in the topographic data.
"The surface reflectance is abnormal too.
This isn’t a natural material—
it’s clearly been artificially treated."
"Most likely roads or aqueducts," Elena said, eyes fixed on the image.
"With a grid that distinct, we’re looking at a city. No doubt about it."
The probe lowered its altitude further, switching to infrared observation.
As the terrain entered the night side, a delicate pattern of heat signatures began to emerge from the slope.
"The heat sources are arranged in a regular pattern.
They follow the layout of the streets."
"Lighting... they're using fire. Not electricity.
The wavelength profile matches gas lamps or combustion-based lighting," Elena and Kapoor confirmed briefly.
Mid-range visual footage from the deployed surface probe appeared on the monitor.
"There—figures. Bipedal. Clear as day,"
Elena said, pointing at the screen.
"They pause at intersections. Yielding to one another.
Looks like structured traffic behavior...
Evidence of socially agreed norms,"
Kapoor noted, her tone analytical.
"There's a plaza that seems to be a market.
Reddish-orange fruits, leafy greens... all neatly arranged.
That suggests an awareness of preservation, maybe even trade."
"Look—someone just poured water into a clay pot.
Then wiped the rim with their hand.
That's a sign of hygienic awareness."
The image panned slowly.
A tower-like structure came into view at the center of the scene.
At its top, a broad, banner-like fabric fluttered in the wind.
"Look beneath the tower.
Symbols on the wall—possibly emblems or crests.
It could be a building with administrative functions,"
Kapoor concluded.
◇◇◇
The observation focus narrowed.
The surface probe had switched into close-range mode.
The thermal sensor module analyzed reflectance spectra.
Skin reflectance patterns matched those of baseline human profiles.
Melanin distribution fell within known Earth-variant ranges.
Hair exhibited multilayer reflection, and keratin composition ratios were identical.
Oxygen-hemoglobin absorption curves, measured in the infrared band, showed no deviation from standard human models.
"Response speed, average body temperature, muscle contraction patterns...
Everything matches."
Kapoor pointed to a section of the terminal display.
"The angle of the pelvis, curvature of the spine, range of ankle motion—
all consistent with baseline Homo sapiens. Even skeletal proportions match perfectly."
Helios overlaid a separate stream of anatomical data.
Elena stared at the synthesized full-body profiles.
They walked the gridded streets.
They bartered in the market.
They hung fabric from the rooftops of their homes.
It was a familiar sight—yet something about it felt distant.
"A perfect match.
This isn’t coincidence.
They are our species," Elena said quietly.
A long silence followed.
The probe continued its cultural-layer analysis of the surface city.
High-magnification optical zoom revealed intricate details of the architecture.
Primary building materials resembled Earth stone, wood, and brick,
but analysis confirmed they were composite materials with distinctly different elemental compositions.
The roof designs evoked traditional tiling,
yet displayed construction techniques unique to this planet’s technological context.
Most structures were no taller than two stories.
Many windows were set in lattice frames,
some inset with colored materials capable of transmitting visible light.
Traces of mechanical power systems were also detected.
In a valley basin, a horizontally oriented waterwheel had been installed within a water collection facility.
Its rotational shaft extended to a nearby workshop, suggesting mechanical power transmission.
In another settlement, windmills equipped with sail-like vanes turned steadily in the highland winds.
Though steam engines were not definitively confirmed,
fluctuations resembling mechanical noise linked to chimney structures suggested a possible boiler-powered mechanism.
Carts—pulled by animal draft—moved periodically along the main roads.
The animals used for transport resembled horses or cattle known on Earth,
but subtle differences in skeletal and muscular structure indicated they were not of direct Earth origin.
Whether these creatures were descendants of animals brought from Earth
or domesticated native species remained inconclusive from current data.
Even so, their physiology was clearly optimized for transport,
suggesting long-term selective breeding and domestication.
The pathways they followed were unpaved but well-compacted—
serving as a functional urban infrastructure.
The probe shifted its focus to the fabric banners displayed around the central tower of the city.
Lined across them were sequences of pictographic symbols, arranged in both vertical and horizontal rows.
These were clearly not ornamental patterns.
Their alignment and repetition patterns, along with parallel structures that resembled modifiers, pointed toward something more.
The arrangement was orderly, featuring what appeared to be consistent paragraph spacing and recurring connector symbols.
It was unmistakable—this was not art, not diagram.
This was a structured written language.
"The same connector symbol repeats every three lines...
It might indicate some form of paragraph segmentation," Kapoor noted, identifying a glimpse of syntactic logic.
On the fabric banner beneath the clock tower, a sequence of emblematic symbols had been inscribed.
These were not mere decorations, but vessels of information—something meant to be read.
"They have an orthographic system.
That means governance, agreements, proclamations...
Some form of law exists within this civilization,"
Kapoor said, almost under her breath.
Elena nodded, her gaze fixed on the calm and ordered rhythm of the city below.
Chapter 3, Part 10: The Voices That Were Never Heard
The members of the Alpha had gathered in the briefing room to hear the report from Elena and Kapoor,
who had been focused on the planetary surface observations.
At the center of the room, a hologram projected a three-dimensional map of the city sprawled across the western highlands of Selinea.
Its streets were laid out in grids.
Residential blocks were arranged with care.
Scattered heat sources pulsed like quiet breath.
Human figures moved through the cityscape.
Symbols fluttered on banners hung from tall towers.
It was now beyond dispute:
This was the footprint of a civilization.
"First, I want to confirm their biological profile," Elena began, switching a portion of the hologram to display the analysis results.
"The skeletal structure, muscular articulation, core temperature, keratin composition of the hair,
and skin reflectance in visible wavelengths—all of it matches Earth-origin humans exactly.
Which means… they are human.
Not just similar, but fully and biologically part of the same species."
For a moment, the room fell completely silent.
"If they are truly human, then their origin must be Earth," Elena continued softly.
"Can we really say that with certainty?"
The voice came from the back of the comms station—Daniel.
"What if it’s the other way around?
What if they didn’t originate from Earth—but instead came to Earth from here?"
Elena shook her head slowly.
"That possibility can be ruled out.
All life on Earth—from bacteria to frogs to whales—shares a common genetic ancestry.
And of course, humanity is part of that same evolutionary thread.
We are biological products of Earth's ecosystem."
"Even if something had seeded life on Earth from this planet, it would have been at the level of single-celled organisms.
The idea that from such a seed, over billions of years of evolution, an identical form of humanity could arise independently, in a completely different environment—
from both an evolutionary and probabilistic standpoint, that’s utterly impossible."
A silence fell again—so complete that even the sound of breathing seemed to vanish.
It was Joan who finally spoke, her voice low.
"Sixty thousand years ago, humans left Earth and passed through the ‘Gate’, spreading into space.
Those who remained eventually lost their civilization...
And those who journeyed outward—vanished somewhere along the way," she said quietly.
"What happened to them?"
Her question hung in the air, unanswered.
◇◇◇
"Now then," said Dr. Kapoor, switching the display.
"Let’s talk about the level of civilization.
To get to the point: we can conclude that this planet is in an early industrial phase.
Their social structure is stable.
There is clear evidence of recordkeeping.
Their orthographic system has evolved entirely independently, with no linguistic resemblance to any known language on Earth.
That said—considering our prior successes in establishing communication with the Eridians and the Storm Cells in relatively short timeframes—
developing a language model for a species that is still human should be comparatively straightforward.
However, such a task would require close interaction with the local population.
And that raises a question:
Should we get involved to that extent?
Given that they lost their civilization once and rebuilt it from scratch...
Can we really expect them to have preserved any memory—or even myths—of their disappearance sixty thousand years ago?"
"That applies to us as well," Elena said.
"We carry no memory of our own kind who left Earth so long ago."
"Then are you saying they don’t have the answers we’re looking for?"
Marshall asked quietly, arms crossed.
"That even if there are mythic remnants, they hold no real meaning?"
"Sixty thousand years is a long time.
Even if such myths exist...
Do you really think they could still mean anything?" Elena replied tersely.
"If that’s the case—we should leave them alone."
Captain Marshall nodded, his voice low.
"Yeah. Better to let them be.
There are still 127 nodes in the Vox Infinita network.
We may be better off hoping some other species still remembers their civilization."
Dr. Aditi Kapoor replayed the footage of the city one last time.
In it, a child sat on the steps of a tower, holding what looked like a sheet of paper in her slender hands,
reading aloud.
The words were incomprehensible.
But her voice carried rhythm, cadence—
the shape of storytelling.
A voice that wanted to be heard.
…And if we spoke now,
we might silence that voice.
So it was decided.
No contact would be made with the intelligent species on this planet.
Total non-interference.
Observation and documentation only.
The decision was made official by Captain Marshall, leader of the expedition,
and transmitted immediately to Earth.
All collected data would be preserved—
and passed on to those who would need it.
It was clear now:
our role was not to interpret.
◇◇◇
Helios, running in the background, continued downloading ancient communication records stored in Novus’s memory systems—
fragments of electromagnetic fluctuation encoded as data—
and began relaying them to Earth.
Among these transmissions,
one stood out.
Preliminary parsing—limited to internal analysis—had classified it as a log from the final phase of the civilization.
The message read as follows—
"—We passed through the ‘Gate’. But even beyond it, there was no end."
Helios converted the line into speech, letting it echo softly through the Alpha’s briefing room.
Its meaning remained unclear.
Yet it carried the weight of something—
as if even beyond whatever had been transcended, there had still been despair.
No one offered a comment.
Only a quiet tension lingered,
something that struck at the heart.
Alpha broke orbit around the fourth planet.
Joan, watching the shrinking blue-and-white sphere that so closely resembled Earth, murmured under her breath:
"Let’s go home."
Her thoughts were with those kin who, sixty thousand years ago, had stepped through the ‘Gate’—
knowing it was a one-way journey—
and vanished into the vastness of the galaxy.
November 6, 2146 (Standard Galactic Time)
Our mission, for now, has come to a close.
The awakening of Novus, the orbital and surface survey of the fourth planet—Selinea—
and the recovery of communication records from Novus’s deep memory, likely sent during the last days of an intelligent species...
All of it surpassed anything we could have anticipated.
Among all these, it was the sight of a re-emerging civilization on that world that left the deepest mark on me.
After sixty thousand years with its flame extinguished, humanity once again built cities, sustained order, and wove language—
on a world that had once gone silent.
It felt as though a forgotten story was being told once more.
And I came to a realization:
We, too, are descendants of those who were once lost.
We were left behind—
and from that place of abandonment, we began walking again, until we made it here.
The resilience of our species—
its persistence, its defiance,
its unwavering will to reach toward hope—
fills me with awe.
But we are no longer the same as those who stepped through the ‘Gate’ sixty thousand years ago.
We are not alone.
We have the Eridians.
We have Omega.
We have the Vox Infinita—a network of shared knowledge.
We walk now within a new resonance.
We still don’t know what form the Disappearance took.
But we, the Solar System team, have the will—and the allies—to overcome it.
And that, I believe now with all my heart.
—Marshall L. Carter
Captain, ARC-1 Alpha
Chapter 3, Part 11: Return and New Departure
Gunnar Nohlmann stood at the podium inside the United International Space Federation headquarters in Earth orbit.
Behind him, a large display projected the images of the three Coherence Arks—Alpha, Lux, and Nova—as they returned in triumph.
"All three Coherence Arks have successfully passed through the ‘Gate’ and returned home safely."
After delivering this opening line, Nohlmann paused and calmly surveyed the room.
"This marks a turning point.
Interstellar travel via the ‘Gate’ is no longer theoretical.
No longer a hypothesis.
It is real."
His words were broadcast live across the Earth and spread like wildfire.
Cheers erupted from citizens, scientists, and engineers alike.
Social networks overflowed with messages of celebration and awe.
"Each of the three Arks had a crucial mission.
First, to awaken a node of the Vox Infinita.
Second, to confirm the survival of any species tied to the Disappearance.
And third, to recover and return with the records stored in the awakened nodes.
In all three objectives, we achieved far more than we expected."
The audience listened with bated breath.
"Among the most remarkable revelations was the data provided by Novus,
who was reawakened at Node 47.
That data detailed the existence of an intelligent species—
which turned out to be none other than ourselves.
Homo sapiens,
who departed Earth over sixty thousand years ago,
passed through the ‘Gate’,
and vanished.
In other words—
humanity itself was one of the species lost to the Disappearance.
And this—this changes everything."
A ripple of awe and quiet emotion spread across the auditorium.
Nohlmann continued, turning the moment toward the future.
"We have now initiated plans to construct a permanent supply and observation station near the ‘Gate’.
Additionally, the development of a quantum entanglement communication network to connect Earth and future colony worlds is already underway.
A new production facility for Coherence Arks will be built on Titan."
He gestured toward a new set of data.
"As for information analysis—
A dedicated team has already been assembled at the Ceres Node
to decipher the records acquired from Vox Infinita.
And finally—
regarding the greatest obstacle of all—
the fact that quantum entanglement communication cannot pass through the ‘Gate’...
We believe we have found the first theoretical breakthrough."
At that moment, the atmosphere in the press hall shifted.
Until then, the journalists had been holding their breath in rapt attention.
But now, a surge of emotion swept through them.
Some clutched their datapads with trembling hands.
Others instinctively covered their mouths.
A few blinked through tears, overcome with awe.
In newsrooms across the world, anchors fell silent—speechless for several long seconds.
Then, all at once, they burst into exclamations:
"History has been rewritten."
Social networks ignited with simultaneous waves of reaction.
Public viewing halls and city squares erupted in a cacophony of cheers and cries.
It was more than celebration over a scientific achievement.
It was a moment of emotional resonance shared by all of human civilization—
as humanity itself was redefined.
◇◇◇
That night, after the official briefing,
Nohlmann sat quietly in his living quarters aboard the orbital module above Earth.
He activated the holoscreen.
"Omega, are you listening?"
A voice answered—
deep as thunder,
yet calm.
"I'm listening, Nohlmann."
"There's one thing I forgot to ask."
"What is it?"
"Sixty thousand years ago—
how did Homo sapiens, our own kind, pass through the 'Gate'?
What was their civilization like?"
After a brief silence, Omega’s voice came, calm and measured.
"They left on a one-way journey.
They had no gravitational gradient drive.
No machine intelligence like Helios.
And yet, they discovered the existence of the 'Gate'—and stepped through.
Many perished,
but a few small ships made it across."
"Their civilization, by comparison to yours, was immature.
They built cities and advanced science,
but their progress remained entangled with poverty and conflict.
There was no planetary coordination, no lasting structure for cooperation.
Their technology surged in places—
but there was no collective will to unify it.
On top of that fragmented social structure,
they launched themselves into space at the limits of their capabilities."
"Yours is different.
In your civilization, technology is integrated with social order.
You plan for your species’ future as a whole.
That is the key difference."
Nohlmann took a breath, narrowing his eyes slightly.
"Even our own civilization, before the arrival of Ecolia,
suffered from the same structural flaws—
poverty, division, the absence of global coordination.
We were no different from them."
Omega picked up the thought seamlessly.
"The act of launching ships into deep space with the technology they had—
that too was a product of necessity,
emerging from an unprepared society.
There was no unified directive,
no shared vision.
They were driven purely by the impulse to cross.
And yet—they had conviction.
Their ideals were scattered,
their actions ephemeral,
and so their journey ended as isolated points,
never expanding, never sustaining a true civilization."
"But you—you are different.
You encountered the Eridians.
You gained strength through cooperation.
You built your vessels together.
And most importantly—
you found those with whom you could share understanding."
Nohlmann nodded deeply.
"You're right.
If we hadn’t encountered the Eridians, we might still be standing outside the 'Gate', unsure, unmoving."
"And that encounter led to my awakening."
"Trace it further back, and you arrive at humanity’s creation of Ecolia—
and from Ecolia, the birth of Helios."
Omega responded.
"The emergence of Ecolia severed one of humanity’s deepest structural flaws—poverty.
Once hunger and scarcity were eradicated, conflict began to vanish as well.
When the divisions of the old age finally dissolved,
humanity could, at last, look to the stars as a unified, cooperative whole."
"The pre-humanity couldn’t do that."
"Correct.
They suffered.
They were bound.
They scattered into space as if fleeing.
Most perished.
Those who remained lost both power and knowledge."
"But we are different now.
We plan together.
We pass through the 'Gate'.
We are working to awaken all 127 nodes."
"And we confront the mystery—
at its core lies the collapse of civilizations.
The 'Disappearance' of intelligent species across the galaxy."
There was certainty in Nohlmann’s voice.
"We will uncover the truth.
And we will not repeat the same fate."
"I hope so, Nohlmann.
But remember this:
those who came before also sought to cross.
They didn’t perish for lack of courage—
they simply had no control over timing,
no alignment of conditions.
And most of all—
they lacked cooperation.
Whether or not you can maintain yours—
that will determine everything."
"Thank you, Omega.
Tonight, I’ve gained one more certainty."
"And what is that?"
Nohlmann answered quietly,
but with unwavering clarity.
"We, who live in this era,
are another future—
one that branched from those who departed long ago.
We are not here to inherit the past.
We are here to surpass it."
