Me, a full-blooded Sadjim, reduced to eating energy bars?
I don’t hold it against the Confed. I get it—out here, alone in my ship in the middle of deep space, food options are… limited. Still, I’d trade half my gear for something twitchy to sink my teeth into. At this point, any creature with a few drops of blood would feel like a feast.
“Can you tell me more about the fourth planet? The one that also has life?” I ask, mostly to distract myself.
“Of course. That small planet already had an atmosphere, though too thin to be truly viable. But all the necessary conditions for life were there. So the usual process was launched. The Confederation initiated terraforming on Mars, which reached completion a few decades later—much faster than on other worlds with harsher conditions!”
That’s one of the more fascinating activities of the Intergalactic Confederation. In addition to cataloging lifeforms, they terraform planets when the circumstances allow. Most of the time, the worlds selected are small, rocky planets ideally located for life to emerge—but they simply lacked either time or luck. That’s where the Intergalactic Confederation’s tech steps in.
Gravity generators keep water and the artificially created oxygen layer in place long enough for a natural ozone barrier to strengthen permanently. Once the essential conditions are in place, they introduce seeds and the most adaptable pollinating insects to help the ecosystem take hold.
At first, the new world only hosts a few viable bases placed under an energy dome. The local AI then gradually expands the force field containing breathable air. Life begins to unfold. Plants deepen their roots, insects dig tunnels. And when the AI decides the planet can sustain itself without assistance, it slowly retracts the field until the planet’s natural gravity alone holds the atmosphere in place.
Even then, the Confederation waits another ten years or so before adding more complex lifeforms.
As for Mars, the planet already had its own atmosphere. So the initial phase must’ve been significantly shorter.
“You said Humans had colonized that world... Mars?” I ask again after a moment. “You got more info on that?”
“When a Confederation agent returned to SS-3954-4 to check on the progress of the initiated terraforming, he also noticed the rapid decline in livability on neighboring Earth. He alerted the Confederation authorities, who came to assess the situation.”
“What did they decide?” I ask, curious to know how my superiors handled that kind of mess. “I thought the Intergalactic Confederation never interfered in the conflicts or internal problems of the worlds it visits?”
“That’s still true. They simply issued a few warnings. The Human leaders protested, claiming they wouldn’t tolerate any advice on how to run their own affairs. They even called it interference! In any case, Earth had reached the point of no return. The Confederation limited its involvement to saving as many animal and plant species as possible—those compatible with long-distance travel and survival in Mars’s icy environment.
They also selected a few Human specimens. Not the richest or the most powerful, as you can imagine—but those with strong empathy and adaptive intelligence, to integrate into some Confederation crews. And they transferred just under fifty thousand Human colonists to the Martian infrastructures. That was the maximum limit.”
“That’s a dumb move. Why give a backup planet to a species that already proved it could corrupt a world to total destruction?”
“The Confederation found many individuals worthy and deserving, and recognized that the catastrophe wasn’t their fault—but the doing of powerful, unscrupulous people. But don’t worry—the Confederation only gave them a tiny portion of Mars. The rest is reserved for other animal species.”
As I’m about to protest, I remember Ileana. An exceptional Human. And I get it. How can you condemn an entire species for the mistakes of a few?
A planet suddenly appears at the edge of the now-depolarized main screen, yanking me out of my thoughts. This giant sphere, streaked with bands of orange in varying shades, is stunning. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of the incredible diversity of planets teeming across our galaxy. I’m pretty sure the same goes for the neighboring ones, too. From here, I can easily make out several moons orbiting around it.
“Azkarra, care to give me the grand tour?” I ask, sinking deep into my seat.
“Jupiter is the fifth and largest planet in solar system SS-3954, with an average diameter of 88,846 miles. It has no solid surface. Its gravitational pull is strong enough to keep a large number of satellites in orbit. So far, ninety-two have been identified—four of which are planet-sized—but none of those four moons were eligible for terraforming.”
“Right, so no chance of finding Bully there.”
“Confirmed. Your former associate would have no reason to be hanging around that sector.”
“In that case, drop vigilance level and dim the front panel. Cue up theTwo Steps From Hellplaylist—I’m gonna get some rest. Wake me at least two hours before we hit Mars. Even though our final destination is Earth, I’m curious to see what the place looks like.”
I leave my seat, pour myself a relaxing herbal infusion, and head to the rear compartment of theBakartia—a no-frills washroom.
I slip into the narrow shower stall and start a cycle. Normally, showers are limited to three minutes per person, per day, on all Confederation ships.
I failed to extend the length of each cycle—but fortunately, I managed to double the number of daily cycles. Which means I can wash up every ten hours.
Not ideal, but it’s something. Still, I’d gladly double that frequency again if I could. We Sadjims are extremely particular about hygiene—and we takeexcellentcare of our fur. And, not to brag, mine is especially soft and silky.
Once I’m clean and dry, I pull on a light pair of pants and stretch out on my bunk, just a few steps from the cockpit.
One forearm over my eyes, one leg bent, I sink into the bliss of this Human music. The Confederation was right. If some Humans are capable of the worst... others are absolutely extraordinary.
***
