As Aron settled into his seat, the sound of applause filled the council chamber. The ministers and councilors rose to their feet in unison, clapping enthusiastically in recognition of the emperor's speech.Gaia, maintaining her usual composed demeanor, raised her hand, motioning for silence. Gradually, the applause quieted, and the chamber returned to its calm, formal atmosphere.{Thank you, everyone,} Gaia said, her voice gentle but commanding. {Now, we’ll begin with the first item on the agenda. The Imperial Health Agency. Councilor Ross, the floor is yours.}A podium was elevated in front of Councilor Nathan Ross, who then rose from his seat to present his agency's progress report. “Having successfully established a solution for maintaining the health of our citizens, our agency has transitioned its focus. We are now concentrating on researching the distinctions between humans and Proximians, aiming to leverage these differences to enhance the well-being of all races within the emp
The reporting proceeded swiftly, with many agencies delivering concise updates. As most of these agencies operated on a day-to-day basis, they had few long-term projects to discuss. Some had already achieved their major objectives, allowing them to keep their reports brief. In under five minutes, many agency heads summarized their current progress before yielding the floor to the next speaker, maintaining the meeting's steady pace.There was no shame in delivering brief reports, as it was far more detrimental to drag out presentations with unnecessary details. The agencies with fewer ongoing projects understood that efficiency was key, especially in the presence of the emperor. Everyone in the room was acutely aware that attempting to prolong a report without substance would not only fail to impress but could lead to swift repercussions. The emperor’s keen insight into such matters meant that any attempt to waste time would likely result in immediate replacement.After about six hou
Councilor Ross's report followed the usual pattern but highlighted a notable development: the percentage of awakened individuals among humans had increased from the initial two percent to ten percent. This was a significant rise, reflecting the raising in the age of people who were awakening due to the continual increase of mana density in the planet's atmosphere. In contrast, all Proximians had been awakeners from the outset, so their numbers remained constant.Ross also addressed the decline in unsanctioned vigilantism. The numbers had consistently dropped as the empire took a firm stance against such activities. The government had made examples of those who attempted to engage in vigilante actions, reinforcing the rule of law and ensuring that such behavior was deterred effectively.Councilor Ross then shifted to discussing the advancements made in the study and application of mana. He expressed his gratitude to the Empress and the tree folks, acknowledging their critical contribu
In the silent darkness of space, if one focused on a specific point with utmost precision, they might notice the faintest distortion in the light—a subtle bending, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. It resembled the phenomenon of gravitational lensing, where light curves around a massive object. Yet, this was no ordinary lensing effect. Only the most sensitive instruments, positioned in close proximity, could detect the anomaly within the vast emptiness of the void.But that subtle light distortion would go unnoticed by most, as something far more conspicuous dominated the scene. A ship, large and unmistakable, coasted through space, its presence impossible to miss. It made no effort to conceal itself, traveling at sub-light speed in the same direction as the mysterious blobs that bent light around them. Its open, steady approach seemed to signal a lack of ill intent, as if the ship’s very demeanor was an attempt to assure any observers that it posed no immediate threat.“Okay, le
Earth, CUBE.In the expansive room atop the highest floor of the CUBE, Aron, Rina, Henry, his parents, her parents—his father recently released from prison a few months ago—the heads of the three ministries, Sarah, Felix, the head of all agencies collaborating with ARES on first contact, were gathered. Unlike their usual VR instances, everyone was physically present this time. The same with Nova, Nyx, Gaia, and Athena who were attending in their nanomachine bodies, seated around the massive table with the others.Despite their strong confidence in the security of the quantum network, they weren't willing to take the risk of being trapped in VR. The possibility of being imprisoned in a virtual space and used as leverage for an unfair agreement was not zero, especially when their lives, and not a random citizen’s, were on the line. Such a decision, if made under duress, would be far harder to resist when they themselves were the targets.As a result, Aron decided that all interactions
Outer space.In the ship’s control room, an air of tense silence prevailed as they awaited a response from the other side.Half an hour passed without a reply. Then an hour, three hours, and finally five hours went by with no indication of contact from the Visitors.“Is it possible that our assumption about their understanding of binary was flawed, or are they simply ignoring us?” the captain wondered aloud, his concern growing with each minute of silence.“Should we consider shifting to another means of communication?” the vice captain inquired, glancing at the captain as the waiting game continued.The empire, known for its meticulous planning and preparation, always ensured they had multiple backup plans when dealing with significant situations like first contact with extraterrestrial civilizations. In this case, they had more than just one method of communication, anticipating the possibility that their initial approach might not be effective.“Not yet. We will continue monitoring
The back-and-forth between the two AIs continued as they worked to establish a common foundation for communication. Although this could have been an ideal moment to probe each other, neither side attempted to do so, recognizing that the limitations of the communication medium made such efforts futile.To ensure the communication foundation would allow for the exchange of information with full context and minimize misunderstandings, the process would take several hours or even days. The outcome depended on how quickly each side could comprehend the other's approach. For now, it had become a game of patience, where haste could easily lead to complications.………….While those aboard the ship waited for progress in communication, the rest of the solar system remained in a state of high alert. Military bases across the system were operating at their highest situational readiness, a level they had never activated before. All forces, including those previously off duty, had been called back
“So, how is it going to work? Are there things I need to keep in mind during our conversation?” the ship’s captain asked the AI, concerned that the script might need revision. The captain wanted to ensure that there were no limitations or special considerations for communication, given the AI's understanding of the other side's system and any potential nuances that could affect the exchange.{You don’t need to worry about that. During your communication period, I'll serve as the translator, ensuring that all contexts and reasons for your statements are conveyed clearly so that they understand your intentions with minimal loss in translation. The same will apply in reverse. However, please note that at the moment, we’re limited to sound transmission. We can’t transmit large amounts of data through our current means, which allows us to communicate in real time without delay,} the AI clarified, adding a slight pause to distinguish between the two topics.“Okay, good. Send a request to st