Us

"Pose query: Humanity"

Humanity began on quite the speck of dust. We had it all. We had a thriving ecosystem, air, water, and land to expand. We stayed confined to old blue, fought among ourselves over what we didn't possess, despite its abundance. Something united us. It must have, but our history has some missing pieces. It is a rather irritating puzzle.
We know not why we ventured out, or how we came to lose our speck of dust. I have theories. Sadly, needs and wants are not the same thing. Desire is relative. We looked to the sky, and we felt a familiar sting. Earth, as it was, offered little to satiate this hunger. Why would it? For the better part of centuries, all scientific endeavors centered on leaving it.
Perhaps we destroyed it out of spite, or maybe something came and did it for us. The records we have from this dark time mention a phrase concerning an event. "We broke into heaven," whatever that means. Religion by this point was at an all time low, so I doubt it's literal. Perhaps it's a code, or some sort of trigger. None the less, all those who survived the earth's fall know the phrase well.

"Focused Query: Diaspora"

Humanity scattered about the void. Some ventured in premade Arks, vessels made by many of The Sol System's rich and powerful. The Arks only housed scientists, cultural figures, doctors, and engineers. Only those believed to better mankind were allowed aboard. How does someone make such a decision? Does a farmer not turn the gears of society any more than the renown chef who uses their crop? What of the one who repairs and operates the machines an engineer created? It matters not. When the Arks arrived at Safeharbor, we felt the void, all the same.

The Arks took vast collections of data, much of which I sort through to find what can be of use. The data neglects to mention how the earth died, or why our colonies in the system were unsuitable for relocation. It was a massive effort, but not all humans were willing to stay behind. Most lived in struggling nations, those unable to produce an ark. They began construction on fleets of transports, our first colony ships.
A few of these vessels made it to Safeharbor. They were poorly constructed, and poorly designed. They were thrown together in haste. The safety checks were completely bypassed, as if someone was in an awful hurry to leave. Those that didn't make it to Safeharbor drifted in the void. Some found other worlds, most of them claimed by one species or another. Others found a home on space stations, the residents ignorant of how new we were to the galaxy.

"Focused Query: Biology"

Humans were discovered by the galaxy, and it caused a panic. We were gathered up, studied and experimented on in secret. We were isolated, placed in zoos and farms across the void. As cruel as these projects were, they have revealed much about us we never knew before. Humans who left Earth are not quite the same as their ancestors. Evidence of genetic manipulation was found, tampering centered around our senses, the density of skin, and bone.
The changes were small, barely noticeable in most cases. Other races call us "twitchy." Have you ever wondered why? We humans avoid staring for too long a time. Our eyes are not our own. Those responsible for this tampering instilled a delayed reaction, like an overexposure effect. The more we stare, the more our eyes adjust. The more we stare, the more we see.
This can include Subtle changes in elevation, discoloration, asymmetrical forms, and even non-visible light. It's why stargazing is such a common pass-time. Our neighboring nebula. We called it "The Eagle Nebula," which is a sight to behold when the eye adjusts. The vibrant colors radiating from it are mesmerizing, something that took special equipment to see beforehand.

"Focused Query: Touch"

We are a pathetic species. Humans have always been social creatures. We need to connect, to experience Intimacy... to touch. I do not know if it was intentional, but genetic modification to our sense of touch did more than enhance our bodies. It's common for humans to express an aversion to physical contact, not just with each other, but with anything.
It's a horrible fate to desire your lover more than anything else, but be unable to muster the resolve needed to simply hold their hand. It's another reason we love to take our loved one's stargazing. The visual overload is essential. It overwhelms all other senses, allowing for the simplest of life's many pleasures.
Humans tend to be more sensitive to touch. For us, most tactile stimuli is abrasive. Humans often wear gloves they developed with interior layers of aerogel to avoid having to feel the fabric. In older generations, humans suffer from a debilitating case of haphephobia.

by Greg Rakozy

"Focused Query: The First War"

The Silieu were one of three races who took notice of our species. They were the most aggressive in their study of us. Others were relatively gentle, but The Silieu knew we were a threat. Our biology is a death sentence for them. Should humanity reach a seat of power in the galaxy, the Silieu would be cornered. A single human caught by the Silieu caused a massive outbreak of disease that nearly purged their planet by the time it was contained.

The Silieu launched a preemptive strike on us, assaulting Safeharbor and destroying several vessels, we only just finished building. They sent a fleet to wipe us out, but this was not to be our end. In a battle on unity, our moon, our species fought with weapons they barely understood. We held our ground, protected what was ours, and allies we never knew we had, came to give the final push we needed to win.
Across the galaxy, the Silieu tracked down and killed humans by the thousands. While not against galactic law, purging a species is widely considered a war crime. The Eden heard of this racial cleansing, and enforced a racial cleansing of their own. It's how they learned humanity existed. They were marked for death, their worlds barraged by asteroids, thrown by a fleet comprised of the infamous judgment class cruiser.

"Focused Query: Human Ethnicity"

Humanity numbers less than a few million. The bulk of our species remains scattered, spread out across the galaxy. If you find humans on a distant station or world, it's not likely to find more than a handful. This makes coming together in distinct communities impossible. Once, we divided ourselves into countless cultural groups. Some were based on skin color, nationality, and any other demographic. Now, being human is the only identity we have left.
Safeharbor grew, refugees coming from all corners of the galaxy. The next generation was born, and it became clear the genetic alterations made on our species altered our ageing as well. This led to the greatest generational gap in our history. The older generations of earthborn and void-born humans were content to keep their heads down and forget there was an entire galaxy out there filled with wonder and terror alike.
Their children were far less inclined. They are where our hope lies. The older generation is traumatized. They are broken. Whatever happened to earth ruined them, only made worse by their experiences in the void. They refuse to speak of it. The second generation is responsible for progress. We can't survive without them. These children discovered Caydie's Cradle, and continue to work about bringing it to full operation. They never knew earth, a fact that causes a rift between them and those who came before.