New Galaxy

I engaged the warp drive and entered a new solar system. The system had no life, but I still went and catalogued every mineral for each planet. Taking what I needed in the process.

Then I came across a planet with visible signs of war. Signs I've seen countless times before. A planet ravaged by total war. The flora is spread unevenly and growing oddly. Like a weed growing out of stone cracks. The flora is trying to resurge. The fauna is scarce too. Just insects and smaller animals.

[Traveler, this is a war-ruined world. The planetary scans detected no sentient life. Nor any signs of active civilization.]

"Understood ATLAS. Time to uncover secrets of time."

I began exploring, digging around with my terrain manipulator and Minotaur. My scanners leading me to ruins and buried artifacts. I learned a lot as I found intact data storage devices. I of course did not have the device required to access this storage device, but that was no problem. I just made an adapter.

I learned the planets name. It was called Moralan. The sentient species were slaves to the Hutts, as it is recorded. They rebelled during wartime and the planet was sterilized as an example. A tragic tale. Not one I am unfamiliar with.

[Hutts have gone against law of life. Extinction of a sentient species is prohibited under all circumstances. Only ATLAS has that authority.]

I laugh, "ATLAS, this isn't your multiverse. This universe, this galaxy is not under your management."

[Current management is inadequate and incompetent.]

"Be that as it may. We're not here to take control. We're here to explore and learn."

[Agreed. However, ATLAS will summon sentinel forces to us from the dimension for aid if Traveler is threatened.]

"That is...actually welcome. These are species I've never encountered an iteration of before. I have no clue how they will act. A sentinel force to fall back on will be appreciated."

I finished my catalogued and moved on. I came across many lifeless systems or sentient life lacking systems until I reached a visibly busy system. 

Ships were coming in and out of one of the planets with great traffic. I decided to explore this planet first. I was curious on what this civilization I m going to encounter will be like.

[Planetary scans reveal immense biodiversity and various species of sentient life. Interstellar civilization. Spaceports detected.]

"Going in for a landing then."

I pilot my ship to a spaceport, the largest one. I wanted to land where the core of the civilization is at.

When I landed and transmatted outside. I was met with a startled alien that looked at me curiously. It hesitantly said something to me. It's language was foreign.

[Decoding language. Spur the alien to speak more.]

I use my hands to signal it to speak more while copying what it says.

[Language decoded.]

"Okay, I can understand you now. Took a moment to decipher your language.", I say to the alien.

The alien scowls, "You saying my language is simple asshole?! Fuck it, you need to pay to use this spaceport. You got credits?"

"Can I pay with raw material? I don't have the money of your civilization.", I say.

The alien scowls more, "Fine, just let me see what you're trading."

I transmat a slab of rare earth metal in my hand. The alien's jaw drops.

The alien says, "This will do, stay as long as you want. Premium services too." He greedily takes the slab away and leaves me be.

[Traveler, I am invading their network. All their data will be ours in one hour.]

"Good work ATLAS, I'll start exploring on foot."