The Inheritance

April 10th. 2021. Somewhere in Nevada.

Technology had been making steady advances throughout the years. However, Earth had to pay the price... Humanity paid the price. The cost was steep. Nowadays, people struggled and strove to discover something that would turn the tides. Rejuvenate the Earth. Revitalize Humanity. It was too early for the Pan-Human Timeline to end just like that, despite Humanity itself being the cause of its own imminent demise. Despite the odds, an excavator by the name of Harriet Li had discovered the traces of something truly miraculous. Excavators were one of the sole lights at the end of the tunnel for Humanity, being the only ones adventurous enough to desperately search for even the smallest hints of Humanity's savior.

Harriet Li had done it. Calling in a team of her colleagues and friends, they discovered the ruins of an unidentified vessel full of strange technology. Tech that they had never, ever seen before. Writings consisted of strange indecipherable symbols. The vessel itself resembled a stylish UFO. It definitely would have stirred up a storm in the early 2000's. Harriet had fidgeted about with the panels and circuits inside the empty vessel. She was searching desperately for any hints or any messages left behind by its previous owner. Surprisingly, a button she pressed by mistake had triggered a response from a strange pedestal in the center of the vessel, which did not have any rooms or partitions.

A hologram of an alien life form with lanky limbs, a lupine head, but with a seemingly tough looking body, manifested itself. It opened its mouth, as a dog would, given its shape, but the sound that came out of it was distinct. It was human language. English, even. Clearly, whoever was here had taken the time and effort to learn how to communicate with humans. "Humans... I have tried my best to warn you time and time again - your planet's downfall would be a result of your own greed. Intelligent life forms of the great cosmos need not subjugate you. However, I was touched by those of you who truly took the time to treat me as one of your own. After I finish this recording, I would have already been taken away, killed, dissected even... Yet I believe one of your kind would surely be intrepid enough to discover this."

Harriet quickly called everyone who accompanied her to listen to the recording.

"Once this recording concludes, several pods in this vessel will open by themselves. They contain resources and material for you to study. They will surely aid your kind in advancing themselves, reviving your planet, and most of all, realizing the lesson in suffering through these hardships... Learn, study, evolve! This is my earnest request to you who will inherit my legacy. Good and evil is not certainly black and white... There will be those of you who plan to use the ideas and fruits of my legacy to do harm... Yet I also believe that there will be those of you who will protect and uphold justice. Promise me, young inheritors - make good of this legacy... Do me proud."

After the recording finished with the words "do me proud," the sounds of mechanical pods opening, letting out steam, could be heard. Harriet and the others quickly rushed over to examine their contents. The alien did not lie. There were tons of manuals and reference materials, painstakingly hand-made in Human English so they could be understood.

"We did it. We... did it! Humanity is saved!" Harriet cried out in jubilation.