Humanity remains a unique creature, recognized throughout the universe, although often for less than-desirable reasons. Since their inception, a process that was both rapid and peculiar, some of us have had the responsibility of observing them. From the outset, we understood that they were unique, but their propensity for violence and their underdeveloped and unintelligent appearance intrigued us. We allowed them to evolve without direct intervention, but we monitored their progress through our spacecraft.
Today, humans have evolved into the last species of humans on the planet they have named Earth. However, we call it Savaria, a name that we find rather original. My name is Adifaih, and I am from Zunonet, a planet located in the same arm of the galaxy as Earth, although in the opposite direction. Earthlings call our galaxy the "Milky Way," a designation that I find curious and intend to ask them about during our meeting.
I have been informed that Earthlings will soon be ready to discover that they are not alone in the universe. However, I remain skeptical about their level of evolution. Although a small number of anonymous individuals and scientists are convinced of the existence of other forms of life, they remain a minority. The majority of the planets within the United Galaxies Organization believe that Earth and its inhabitants will never reach an advanced stage. The incessant wars of humans are often cited as evidence of this prediction, but it is essential to remember that Earthlings are still young, going through stages that we have also experienced.
Personally, I am convinced that one day, although distant, Earthlings will reach a level of evolution comparable to ours. When this happens, the future will remain uncertain, and our perceptions of them may change. But let's return to the present, as I wish to share my first encounter with humans, an experience that dates back a few days.
The President of the UGO [1] entrusted me with this crucial mission. Zunonet is tasked with meeting new intelligent species to determine if they are ready to join the UGO as ambassadors or simply to be recognized as intelligent species, accepting their place in the vast universe.
When my fellow Zunos learned that I was designated to visit Earth, many warned me to be cautious, claiming that I would encounter despicable and violent beings. However, some admitted that they were unsure of what I would find there, but were convinced that humans had changed.
Preferring to follow these optimistic intuitions, I took my spacecraft to cross the galaxy. The space journey was brief since we share the same galaxy. I arrived at the outskirts of their solar system, passing by the gas giants they call Neptune, Uranus, Saturn, and Jupiter, then the terrestrial planet they call Mars, finally beholding the Earth and its Moon. It was a magnificent sight, a blue planet, rich in water, a characteristic that not even Zunonet possesses in abundance. It is this uniqueness that makes the Earthlings distinctive, but also a source of caution and hostility.
Dzeta, the Artificial Intelligence controlling my spacecraft, allowed us to go unnoticed by radars during our approach to Earth. Despite my constant amazement, I was unable to land near a major city. My surprise was total when I heard a voice coming from my spacecraft, quickly realized it was a Human speaking to me through the communicator.
"You are on our radar, unknown vessel, please identify yourself," she declared.
"Dzeta, I asked you to conceal us from the radar!" I exclaimed, annoyed.
"It's very strange, sir, that's exactly what I did," Dzeta replied.
"Unknown vessel, please identify yourself," the voice reiterated.
"ZC-TH4, um, Zunonet vessel," I replied, caught off guard.
"Remain in orbit while we confirm your identification," she ordered, then cut off the communication.
"By the great minds, what happened, Dzeta?!" I asked incredulously.
"I don't know, sir. I did conceal our presence from the radars; normally, we should have been undetectable."
"It's impossible. Only more advanced technologies could have detected us... unless that's the case," I realized, murmuring to myself.
"ZC-TH4, you are authorized to land. Proceed to pole 4.8.1, landing zone 6. Since you are not from here, you will be greeted by the intelligence service," demanded the voice, ending the communication.
"Understood," I replied soberly.
Upon landing at the designated area, Dzeta discovered a grand city adorned with spaceships and vast welcoming structures. As Dzeta gently landed the spacecraft, I observed my welcoming committee consisting of men and women, marking my first encounter with Earthlings. They were nearly as tall as me, only a few centimeters shorter. As they waited for me outside, I hesitated inside my spacecraft. Was I frightened by them? It seemed so, perhaps influenced by the warnings of my fellow scientists.
"Sir, you should go out. It's not like you to keep your hosts waiting," Dzeta reminded me.
"You're right, let's go meet them," I replied suddenly determined.
As I stepped out, my welcoming committee approached me. I was surprised to see how much we resembled each other as they got closer: the same beige skin, although theirs was lighter, humanoid shapes, what set us apart was their hair with multiple colors and shapes, while the Zunos sported bald heads adorned with technological devices. These devices allowed them to perform various tasks, including translating all known languages in the universe, which enabled me to understand their voice.
"Welcome, visitor!" greeted a man with a smile.
"What a welcome! Please forgive my surprise, but no one had informed me of your technological advancement," I replied with a smile. "All of this is quite surprising to me."
"No problem, it's normal. The President wishes to meet you if you don't mind. Or would you prefer to rest?"
"No, I'll be fine. The President himself? I'm amazed," I exclaimed.
"Of course! As soon as we were informed of your arrival, he insisted on meeting you," he added with a smile.
I eagerly accepted the invitation to meet the President of Earth in person, and it exceeded my expectations. I had initially come here to observe them, but the situation had taken an unexpected turn. The humans already seemed to know that they were not alone in the universe, and none of them had shown any fear or hostility towards me. This contradicted the UGO's predictions that humans were naturally aggressive towards outsiders. At that moment, I realized that I should no longer blindly rely on the UGO's statements about humans. Their warm and smiling welcome, filled with kindness, radically changed my perception of them. From now on, I had to eliminate all the preconceived ideas I had about humans and form my own opinion.
We boarded a shuttle that took us directly to what they called the Center. It was the seat of power, where the President and his ministers met to discuss the issues and requests of their fellow citizens. I had so many questions to ask, but I preferred to wait, hoping to address them directly to the President. I knew that when I returned to Zunonet and had to report to the UGO, no one would believe me. It was disheartening. We arrived at the Center, and although excitement was building within me, I forced myself to remain calm. Upon landing, the President and his ministers were standing before us. We introduced ourselves to them.
"Welcome to our beautiful planet!" said the President with a smile. "You must have many questions, just like us. So, come, let's go to a suitable place to discuss."
I nodded eagerly, eager to ask all my questions. We made our way inside, entering a vast complex adorned with imposing columns. The President informed me that this edifice had been erected by the Ancient Humans, symbolizing the first unified power. This was where the leaders of the ancient governments met to discuss global issues and their solutions. The complex had been expanded during the Unification. At that time, I didn't understand much. Who were these "Ancients" he was talking about? Why was he talking about "ancient governments"? And what was "the Unification"? Although perplexed, I took note of the significance of the latter term. After a short walk, we reached a magnificent room, that offered a breathtaking view of the city. A large oval table made of finely carved wood stood at the center of the room. The President invited me to sit across from him, and his ministers as well as my Intelligence service welcoming committee did the same. For a few moments, we remained silent, then the President spoke.
"I welcome you once again among us. We are honored by your presence."
"You may find this strange, but I don't understand how you knew about my arrival and how you..."
"We? Oh, how we are aware of the existence of other species than humans in the Universe? And how do we know about the United Galaxy Organization?" said the President naturally.
"You know the UGO?!" I exclaimed.
"You will be surprised by what we know, Mr. Adifaih Leeh."
The situation was becoming more and more strange. In addition to knowing about the UGO, the President seemed to be aware of my first and last name, even though I hadn't revealed them to him.
"But how do you know all this?! Do you have spies? Or maybe, you are not human!"
"Haha, no, none of that!" he laughed. "I think it's time to provide you with an explanation."
"I think so too."
"We know a lot of things. We are familiar with the OGU, we know that there are a certain number of intelligent species, and we know that there are billions upon billions of planets, of which only about half have been discovered," he said, pausing. "All of this, we know thanks to our Ancestors."
"Who are the Ancestors?" I asked.
"The Ancestors are our forebears, the Humans of centuries past. They portrayed Man as a violent and aggressive species, but they had a profound understanding of the world and the Universe, which still surprises us in our studies. It was through this knowledge that the Ancestors evolved."
"Do you know about the UGO because of your Ancestors?"
"No, we learned about the UGO through other sources. But let's continue the story. In the year 2033, while Earth was engulfed in numerous wars, a species from elsewhere arrived: the Erlendis. They chose Earth as their home and were warmly welcomed by our ancestors. For years, the latter had been waiting for this moment, hoping for a sign proving that we are not alone in the Universe. The Erlendis were integrated into our society, and Mr. Adifaih Leeh, the Erlendis, are still among us today, informing us about all of this. They have been part of the UGO for a long time and consider their planet discreet and often overlooked."
I lost even more control of the situation. Everything had changed. I expected to teach them that they were not alone and to tell them about the UGO and the new technologies, but they already knew everything. Now, what should I do? Listen carefully and ask all the questions that come to mind.
"I'm having trouble assimilating all of this, please forgive me. When I was sent here, it was to inform you that you are not alone in the Universe. Today, upon arriving, I see that your technology is comparable to that of other species in the UGO. You are aware of this Organization, you know that you are not alone, and I presume that you still have a lot of knowledge," I said confidently.
"I understand that this may seem unreal to you, but there is an explanation."
"What is it? Because, to be honest, I don't see a plausible explanation."
"Since when has the UGO stopped monitoring Earth and its inhabitants?" one of the Ministers asked me.
"I don't know, for some time, I presume. In fact, I didn't even know that the UGO was no longer monitoring you until some of my fellow scientists told me."
"Earth and its inhabitants have not been monitored by the Organization since the early 2000s of our era, about thirty Earth years before the arrival of the Erlendis. That's why the UGO has remained stuck on the image of violent and aggressive Human," explained the Minister.
"Today, are Humans no longer like that?" I asked.
"No, it's not. Of course, the arrival of the Erlendis did not end the wars. It took until 2126 for the people to come together. The Unification is our greatest pride," the President explained.
"Excuse me, but what is the Unification? It seems to be very important to you," I asked.
"May I answer, Mr. President?" one of the Ministers asked.
"Of course! Go ahead," the President acquiesced.
"The Unification, Mr. Leeh, is the greatest achievement of our Ancestors. They managed to unify the peoples of Earth. There are no more wars, the people understand each other. The Unification has shaped us, and today, we strive to maintain this peace."
"Peace? Are you saying that the planet is at peace? But it never has been!" I exclaimed.
"Today, it is. The day Humankind became Human was the day of Unification and peace," the President replied.
"What year is it here?" I asked, struggling to believe what they had just revealed.
"2397."
I was speechless. The President had just assured me that Earth had been at peace since 2126, for over three centuries. It was unbelievable. No species had ever managed to maintain peace on their planet. How could beings like humans have achieved this? I couldn't believe it. Even on Zunonet, there was no peace. Humans were considered underdeveloped, young, and among the most violent beings in the known Universe. I doubted every word they had just told me, and yet, it seemed to be the true truth.
"I can't believe this. It would mean that you've been at peace for over three centuries... Nowhere else in the UGO has this happened. I can't believe it, I'm sorry," I declared.
"We knew you would react this way, Mr. Leeh, that's why I will prove it to you," the President said with a broad smile.
He was so cheerful, just like the other humans I had met. They seemed peaceful and serene. I needed to pull myself together. I was their guest, and my reluctance would not be welcome. I had to observe and ask questions. The President decided to resume the conversation when I was ready to believe in their words. Still smiling, he offered to show me around the city that evening. I replied that I would be delighted, and the appointment was set for 8:30 PM local time. Someone would come to pick me up from my quarters, which I had been allowed to join. For the rest of the afternoon, I rested, and then I returned to my spaceship. I needed to share all this information with Dzeta.
I had come on a mission, but everything had just changed radically.
[1] United Galaxy Organization
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