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We are not the only Humans?
Day 1: The Directive
Today, I received an assignment that could change everything. The President called a classified briefing in the West Wing. Only a handful of people were present, which included senior advisors, intelligence chiefs, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The mood was heavy, every word weighed and deliberate. I’ve been in high-level meetings before, but never like this.
The Omnium has requested formal diplomatic contact. We do not know anything about them. There have been rumors about this mysterious interstellar nation, but nothing was confirmed until they reached out to us.
The President tasked me with organizing the first official meeting. The location would be the Systems Embassy on Terra Secundus. It’s a significant choice, both as a neutral location on a planet with deep political ties to all major spacefaring nations as well as maybe keeping the location of Earth secret. The meeting would have to be perfect. The Omniarch, the mysterious leader of the Omnium, would be attending in person.
Day 3: Setting the Stage
I’ve spent the last 48 hours coordinating with State Department officials, military liaisons, and intelligence operatives. Everyone’s on edge. We know so little about the Omnium, only fragments of information pieced together from encounters and sightings. The logistics are complex, but the security measures are the most difficult. How do you protect against an unknown entity with superior technology?
We chose the embassy’s central conference hall, a location that speaks to both diplomacy and significance. This meeting needs to be seen as a gesture of trust and cooperation, but we also must be prepared for anything. I’ve worked with the ambassador to ensure the hall reflects a sense of mutual respect, a balance of formality and openness.
The Omnium has also presented a strict protocol, and we have to get every detail right. I’ve studied their communication style based on prior interactions, but it’s still a mystery what their leader, the Omniarch, will be like. Is this just a show of power, or a genuine outreach?
Day 5: Arrival
We received word from the Omnium this morning, one of their diplomatic envoys is en route. It’s happening faster than expected. The embassy on Terra Secundus is preparing for their arrival, but the tension is almost unbearable. The staff is running on adrenaline and nerves.
The Omnium delegation arrived, silent and precise. Their ship, sleek and almost seamless, touched down on the embassy landing pad with an elegance that contrasted sharply with our normal operations. There were no escorts, no grand display of force, just a quiet entrance.
I coordinated with Ambassador Greene, who expressed the same unease I was feeling. This wasn’t a meeting between nations; it was a meeting between humanity and something far beyond our experience. As we led the President into the conference hall, I felt the weight of history on my shoulders.
Day 6: Face-to-Face with the Omniarch
The meeting room was silent when the Anirans entered. The vanguard was a small entourage of figures draped in reflective cloaks, each movement deliberate and purposeful. And then there was the Omniarch. It’s difficult to describe his presence. He stood a bit taller than an average human, his cloak shimmering like liquid metal, reflecting the room in a distorted, almost ethereal way. The Omniarch, followed by the members of his delegation, proceeded to lower the hoods of his cloaks, and all appeared human. There was an obvious gasp that echoed throughout the room.
The President extended his hand, and for a moment, I thought the gesture might fall flat. But the Omniarch inclined their head in what appeared to be a sign of acknowledgment. A simple gesture, but it conveyed an understanding beyond words.
The conversation was surreal. The Omniarch’s voice, translated through a sophisticated device, was deep and resonant, carrying a cadence that felt ancient yet familiar. Then he spoke in English. We were all astounded.
The two leaders spoke of shared futures and the responsibilities of sentient species. The Omniarch warned of greater threats lurking beyond known space and described the place of humanity within the greater galaxy as an open book. It was clear he saw what he referred to the peoples of Earth as a potential partner.
The President, to his credit, navigated the conversation masterfully. He acknowledged humanity’s current limitations but emphasized our resilience and adaptability. The Omniarch responded with what almost felt like acknowledgement, a hint of intrigue beneath the formal tones. It was a two-hour dialogue, full of implications and subtle tests. When it was over, the Omniarch expressed a desire to address the United Nations at a future summit.
Day 7: Aftermath and Debriefings
We spent the day debriefing in the Situation Room. The President’s senior advisors were divided. Some saw the Omnium as a potential ally against external threats, an advanced civilization offering a lifeline in troubled times. Others were deeply suspicious, warning that the Omnium’s motivations were still unclear and their power too great.
I found myself somewhere in the middle. The Omniarch’s words were carefully chosen, their demeanor measured, and their expressions guarded. It was impossible to tell if their offer of cooperation was sincere or if there were ulterior motives at play. We’re venturing into uncharted territory, with stakes higher than ever before.
Officially, the President remains optimistic. The diplomatic channel with the Omnium are now open, and we’ve been tasked with maintaining that connection until the U.N. summit. The world needs to know that we’re not alone in this galaxy, and more importantly, that we’re not defenseless.
Day 10: Preparations for the U.N. Summit
With the Omniarch’s address to the United Nations confirmed, the scale of my task has expanded dramatically. The U.N. is an entirely different playing field, full of competing interests and historical rivalries. Many of the older member states are struggling to accept the reality of an interstellar community, let alone a direct address by an entity as powerful as the Omniarch.
I’ve been working with representatives from the Security Council, trying to ensure that the summit remains focused and productive. The Omniarch’s representatives have been remarkably patient and precise in their communications. They seem to understand our diplomatic protocols better than some of our own staff. It’s unsettling, and yet oddly reassuring. They are not here to impose, but to cooperate.
Or at least, that’s the image they want to project.
Day 12: Reflections Before the Summit
It’s hard to believe how quickly everything has changed. Just a few months ago, the Omnium was a shadowy presence on the fringes of our understanding. Now, their leader is preparing to address the most powerful nations on Earth, offering an olive branch at a time when humanity is at a crossroads throughout the expanded space.
I can’t help but wonder what this means for the future. The situation between nation states and hyper-corps is escalating, especially between the United States and Keo Terra, and now the Omnium is stepping out of the shadows. We’re on the cusp of something unprecedented, and it’s my job to help navigate it.
As I look over the final preparations for the summit, I find myself filled with a strange mix of excitement and dread. This meeting could be the beginning of a new era for humanity, or it could be the spark that sets our sliver of the galaxy ablaze.
Tomorrow, the Omniarch addresses the world. And I will be there, watching as the future unfolds before us.
---Journal of Samuel Collins, Senior Aide to the President of the United States, 2154---