Prologue - A New Horizon

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Headlines:

Notorious Thief 'Lex' has struck again! Nelscrieg Galactic Bank loses 17 trillion Star Dollars

Songstress Ai'Tei Kai gives an exclusive tell-all interview on her new album 'Water Star'

Lochran (27.411) Mining Colonies continue Strike

Will continued delays in Mevalian Supplies lead to increased tensions in the O.S.L.A Trade Alliance?

Beckenham Corporation discovers established civilisation 732.62, planet natively named 'Earth'

'Earth' (732.62) to be inducted into the Lusvellan Galactic Empire as an F Class III Grade Planet

We were an after-thought on the day our presence became known to the Universe. The fact that a Corporation had founded us was more exciting news. They called it 'The Planet Hunt'. The O.S.L.A Trade Alliance's way of expanding their territories quickly by making somebody else do the hard part of searching, and them paying out reward money once something was found.

We did not constitute a 'Technologically Advanced' nor an 'Intelligent Species', but we weren't Barbarians by Intergalactic standards either. Considering we were F class, we were one grade up from Barbarians.

Faced with overwhelming force, even if it was from a corporate giant, the world leaders of Earth didn't really have much choice but to surrender. Besides, the Trade benefits would far outweigh any war efforts. Of course, no one mentioned that it could be a century or more before any Earth government or business qualified to Trade at a Galactic level, let alone had the capability to.

We were suddenly very obviously at the bottom of the food chain in a universe that was greater in size and scale than anything we ever dared to imagine.

Dayton Harris was just three years old when it happened. Playing with toy planes on the end of his mother's hospital bed. Quietly making the sounds of a jet engine as he trailed the plane through the air, the young Dayton was not immune to the sudden change in atmosphere as everyone in the shared hospital ward, the patients, visitors and nurses, all turned to look at the screen. Someone said to turn it up, and Dayton wondered what the commotion was about.

The image on the screen was of an older man in a suit, surrounded by several other men and women in suits. He was shaking hands with a tall…man? Creature? Its neck was particularly long, and its skin was mottled shades of blue. Dayton frowned. Was there a new movie coming out?

"The Earthsphere has been officially inducted into the Lusvellan Galactic Empire. The Empire promises that within the next five years, Earth's atmosphere will be purged of its high levels of Carbon Emissions using Air-Scrubbing Technologies. In addition, Earth will begin its transition to the Star Dollar, as well as implement several governmental and societal changes that are norms of the Empire. More information on the changes are to be compiled and distributed to all those above the age of 18 in the coming days…"

Dayton frowned, turning to his mother, "What's air-scrubbing, mum? Is the blue man going to clean the air with soap?"

Dayton's mother held out a hand to her son, and he moved up the bed to sit on her lap, "Maybe not with soap, but they are going to make the air cleaner…"

"At what cost?" muttered one of the nurses nearby.

Nobody knew the answer at the time.

Dayton had heard it though, "Is the blue man wanting to be paid?"

"Probably," his mother replied.

Dayton looked up at the screen, "Where is he from, mum? I've never seen anyone like him before".

"No one has, honey," his mother replied, "He's from another planet, far, far away".

Dayton turned back to his mother quickly, eyes wide in shock, "Did he come in a space ship? Can I ride in it? Please?"

His mother, seeing the utter excitement on his face, smiled with a roll of her eyes, "Maybe one day you'll get to ride one, but for now, we might just have to stick with your planes there".

Dayton pouted, then perked up a little, "We're still going to the air museum this weekend, right?"

"I might not be able to come, but your father did promise to take you," said his mother, brushing his brown hair out of his eyes.

"Can I call him and ask?" asked Dayton.

His mother reached over to the side table, "Sure, you can ask".

Dayton called his father quickly, knowing how to work the phone. His father picked up after a few rings, "Allison, are you seeing this? The Government is practically bending over with their asses in the air to-"

"Hi dad," said Dayton.

His father paused mid-sentence, "Hey buddy, what's up?"

"Are we going to the air museum this weekend, you promised, remember?"

Another pause, "Oh, yeah…listen, buddy, we might have to postpone. Dad has a lot going on right now".

Dayton's excited expression dropped, "Oh…"

His mother frowned and motioned for him to hand the phone over.

"Mum wants to talk to you," said Dayton. He heard his father sigh as he handed the phone over to her.

"Max, he's been looking forward to this for months," his mother said. She paused as his father replied, "Yes, I'm well aware that we've just become a part of an Alien Empire, there are few that could miss that kind of news".

Another pause. During which his mother smiled at Dayton and raised a hand to brush her fingers through his hair.

"You're kidding?" She didn't sound impressed, nor amused, "Max, what the actual duck? The world is still spinning, there is no imminent war, your son is wanting to spend time with you and you would rather hoard bunker supplies?...Yes, that's exactly what it is!...no I don't want to share-have you even bought the tickets for this weekend?" His mother listened to the reply and closed her eyes sadly, "Then what exactly are you expecting to do with him this weekend?"

Allison Harris sighed when she heard the reply, "Fine, I'll call my dad and ask him if he can take Max for the weekend".

She hung up as she looked sadly at Dayton.

"He's not coming, is he?" asked Dayton. It wasn't exactly a new development.

His mother attempted a smile, "I'm sorry, Day, really. How about I talk to Grandpa and see if you can spend some more time with him?"

Dayton, seeing the sadness in his mother's eyes, just nodded, "Okay…maybe we can go fishing again?"

"That's sounds fun," she smiled.

Just because aliens had made contact, didn't mean that Dayton's world changed in an instant. It didn't mean that his father was present in his life more often. Nor that his mother was any less sick. Dayton was too young to remember a time before the aliens came anyway. To him, the world had always been under the influence of the Lusvellan Galactic Empire. The change between the old era and the new was as simple as one day to the next in his young mind.

The thing that really changed his life was when his mother died six months later.

By that time, his father had been arrested as a Terrorist. His beliefs about their new alien overlords causing him to take even more extreme measures than prepping doomsday bunkers.

Dayton never did get to go to the air museum with him.

Suffering under the weight of unpaid hospital bills, Dayton's grandfather sold his country home to pay them off, then moved into Dayton's mother's apartment in the city as his full-time guardian.

All in the space of a fortnight, Dayton's life had changed drastically.

His grandfather, Niklaus Wayfinder, found himself the carer of a grandson who had lost what little he had in life. Unable to take the silence of his grandson a moment longer, Niklaus had taken the age old pendant he'd worn since the time of his father's passing, and clipped it around Dayton's neck. Dayton looked down at the symbol, like a small metal coin, with a V shape that had a line in the centre as well, all housed in a circle. He'd looked up at his grandfather in question.

"My father told me that that necklace has been passed down in our family for so many generations he wasn't entirely sure of the exact number. He didn't remember whether our bloodline had made it, or bought it or won it as a prize or been given it as a gift. But what remains is that every eldest son or daughter has worn this necklace in our family. It would have passed to your mother too when I died," Niklaus paused, "It may break tradition, but she would have passed it to you, as is tradition. Can you carry it for her? Can you carry it when she didn't get the chance to?"

Dayton wiped his nose on his sleeve, sniffing as he did so, then held the pendant tightly in his hands. He nodded, "Okay".

Niklaus nodded, placing a warm hand on his grandson's head, "Come on, how about some fish stew, it was your mother's favourite".

Dayton frowned, "Mum's favourite was spicy pork rolls".

Niklaus paused, frowning, "You like fish stew, don't you?"

Dayton grimaced, "Sorry Grandpa…but no".

Niklaus looked to all the world like the rug had been pulled out from under him. Dayton stood and took his grandfather's hand, "But we can eat it".

"But…you don't like it".

"But you do".

Niklaus smiled, "Okay, we'll cook what your mum liked tomorrow, deal?"

"Can we have icecream the day after?"

"Icecream?"

"It's what I like".

Niklaus chuckled, "Maybe for dessert, pick something else for your meal or your teeth with rot".

"That's what mum used to say," said Dayton.

"She was a good mum then".

Dayton nodded in agreement.