First Contact: The Fractured Hello
"We thought we were alone until the silence answered back."
Humanity’s first contact with alien life was not a singular event — it was a scattered, chaotic phenomenon that unfolded over decades during the Second Wave of the Great Exodus. With Arkships and Terraform-Class vessels scattering across unknown galaxies, the first alien encounters happened far from Earth, and with no coordination between ships.
Timeline of Early Interactions
2239 — The Caerali IncidentThe Arkship Helix-9 made contact with the aquatic Caerali species after crash-landing on a tidal moon orbiting Tzyeer VI. Communication was slow—based on biochemical signals—but peaceful. The Caerali introduced the concept of communal neural dreaming, forever altering human neural research. Helix-9’s survivors were among the first transhumanist enclaves.
2242 — The Shavari WarNot all encounters were diplomatic. The Vanguard Eternum settled on what they assumed was an unclaimed, resource-rich planet—only to find it occupied by the insectoid Shavari, a hive-mind species. Miscommunication led to open conflict. The war lasted three years until a ceasefire was forced by a third-party mediator.
The Aelari Intervene: The Arrival of the Starbinders
“They came not as conquerors, but as custodians. We were the child left playing with fire in the dark.” — Archivist L. Muwanzi, The Concord Archives, Vol. I
In 2245, as human activity in multiple galaxies grew increasingly erratic—causing skirmishes, border disputes, and accidental violations of alien sanctums—the Aelari made their first official appearance to humanity.
They did not arrive with fleets or weapons. Instead, they appeared simultaneously at multiple human outposts and vessels across known space as shimmering, bipedal beings of translucent light and sound. Their language was harmonic and complex, but they quickly interfaced with human AI systems to bridge communication.
They called themselves Caretakers of the Starveins.
What the Aelari Offered:
- Access to the Starvein Network — Aelari-controlled wormhole gates offered safe and instant galactic travel. Entry required abiding by Concord law.
- Mediation Rights & Galactic Citizenship — Humanity gained observer status in the Concord Assembly as a sapient spacefaring species.
- Integration Guidance — Cultural exchange programs, trade access, and a permanent human embassy were established on Galdran IV.
Controversy Among Humans
- The Vanguard Accord rejected Concord law and became a militarized, self-governed force. They remain tolerated but monitored.
- Freeborn Arks considered the Concord a new form of tyranny and chose to live as smugglers, traders, or nomads beyond mapped space.
- Fringe Sects and Gene Cults saw the Aelari as false gods and rejected the Starveins as unnatural constructs.
Still, a majority of surviving human enclaves saw no choice but to accept the Aelari’s offer and join the Concord.
The Modern Era: Humanity in the Concord
Today, humans are scattered across Concord territories as merchants, diplomats, scientists, smugglers, and ambassadors. They live in hybrid cities that blend alien and human architecture and culture, form interspecies families, and speak a common galactic pidgin.
However, cultural unity remains elusive. Many cling to Old Earth identity, while others fully integrate into new galactic paradigms. The human diaspora is both diverse and divided.
The Aelari's True Intentions?
- They claim to be caretakers, not creators, of the Starvein Network.
- They appear only when a species reaches a dangerous threshold—toward collapse or ascension.
- Their history spans countless civilizations, most now forgotten.
For now, humanity is just another entry in their archive. Whether they are worth preserving—or containing—remains to be seen.
