Chapter 33: EARTH 2374
15 Years Ago.
Year 2374—EARTH
August 1st 2374.
A woman with neatly styled chestnut hair sat behind a crescent-shaped glass desk. Her navy blazer bore the silver emblem of the ’United Earth Broadcasting Network’ over one breast pocket. She smiled as the red recording light blinked on.
"Good evening, humanity. I’m Amelia Hart, and you’re watching The MorningSun Report."
The massive display behind her shimmered to life, revealing Earth suspended against a sea of stars. Three glowing lines stretched outward toward three distant worlds.
"Today marks a historic milestone."
The image shifted. Fireworks burst above Earth’s atmosphere while crowds celebrated beneath orbital elevators.
"Today, Earth celebrates the seventh anniversary of mankind’s successful expansion beyond our homeworld."
A montage rolled behind her. Children laughing beneath Meredith’s twin moons. Harvesters gliding across the crimson fields of Arcadia. The glittering oceans of Elysia reflecting foreign constellations.
"In over a hundred ears, humanity has transformed from a single-planet civilization into an interstellar species. What once existed only in science fiction now defines everyday life."
She smiled warmly.
"We’ve successfully established permanent colonies on three habitable planets, each thriving in its own remarkable way."
A transparent map rotated beside her.
Earth.
Arcadia.
Elysia.
Meredith.
"Scientific breakthroughs, faster-than-light travel, and unprecedented cooperation between the United Earth Government and the creation of the Universal Defense Force continue to push humanity toward a future once thought impossible."
She turned slightly toward another floating display.
"We’ve successfully made and built life on three different planets; Arcadia, Elysia and Meredith."
The display zoomed in.
"Speaking of Meredith..."
The image behind her dissolved into a live transmission.
"How’s the weather over there, Yelevitch?"
A young man stood atop an observation platform overlooking the sprawling capital city of Meredith. Small buildings sat beneath a pale blue sky while enormous transport crafts drifted lazily between aerial highways. In the distance, mountains shimmered beneath two small moons still faintly visible in daylight.
He straightened the microphone clipped to his jacket and grinned.
"Thank you, Amelia."
"The weather here on Meredith couldn’t be better."
He gestured toward the skyline.
"We’re currently enjoying a pleasant twenty-three degrees with clear skies and minimal atmospheric activity. The northern wind currents are expected to remain calm throughout the evening, making today one of the best days this month for civilian shuttle traffic."
Behind him, a family pointed excitedly toward a cargo cruiser lifting off from the city’s central spaceport.
"The city has been celebrating since sunrise. Public parks are packed, schools are holding educational events about humanity’s first expedition fleet. Even though civilization isn’t much here, development is at its peak here, and later tonight the governor is expected to oversee a synchronized orbital fireworks display visible across the entire hemisphere."
He laughed.
"And judging by the crowds behind me, I don’t think anyone plans on missing it."
Amelia chuckled softly back in the studio.
"It certainly looks lively over there, Yelevitch."
"It is," he replied. "And if the forecasts hold, everyone should have a perfect view of tonight’s celebrations."
"That’s wonderful. Thank you for your time, Yelevitch."
"My pleasure."
The transmission dissolved back to the studio.
Amelia folded her hands together.
"In other news, tonight will also be the award giving ceremony for the figures who made it possible for these feats we’ve achieved, passed down from generations to generations! Tune it to the MorningSun to stream it live. This is Amelia Hart, good morning from Earth."
...
"Edith, you have to touch up your makeup!"
"Please, no."
A woman in her mid 40s groaned as she peeled off her lab coat. The woman nagging her was her friend, Katie, who insisted she put on a little makeup to hide her severe exhaustion and look ’untouchable’ for the camera.
"Come on, you’re going on camera for the first time in what? Seventeen years of working your ass off and you don’t want to put on your killer look? I’m not having that!"
Katie wrestled Edith to the ground and popped open her pocket foundation.
"Roger! Help!"
Edith called out to the man stacking test tube racks with a data pad in his free hand, next to them.
"As much as I hate to admit it, honey, she’s right. ’Killer look’ not ’I’m begging to be killed’ look."
"Traitor!" She screeched and tried to wiggle out of her friend’s hold.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way, pick your poison babygurl."
Edith sighed and surrendered after many failed attempts.
"Fine."
"Yay! I’ll make you so pretty, Roger will have no choice but to put another cute kiddo in you!"
"Katie!"
Her face flamed as she swatted at Katie.
"C’mon, sit here."
Roger, finished with his tasks, leaned against the table. His eyes fixated on his wife, a small smile played on his lips when their eyes met.
"Stop looking at me like that..."
Edith blushed harder.
"I’m proud of you, my love."
"Easy on the compliments, she might just explode."
"No. I mean it. You’ve achieved nearly the impossible...these compliments are not enough."
He knelt next to her.
"I’m glad you didn’t give up and kept fighting. I’m really proud of you and I want you to know that."
Katie stepped aside as she prepared her lipgloss mix, giving the couple space.
"I’m glad you stayed by my side through it all. I wouldn’t have made it to this stage without you guys. I love you so much, Roger."
"To avoid a full-on war about who loves who more, I’ll say I love you too, Edith."
The two burst into hushed snickers and giggles.
"Alright, break it up! I hate to be the third wheel but I will be the third wheel. Now shoo Roger!"
"Goodbye my love, I’ll see at the ceremony."
He kissed her and headed out.
"Sucks that I would be busy babysitting Xavier."
"Oh please, you hate crowded places."
"Let me sulk in peace!"
Edith rolled her eyes despite the smile tugging at her lips.
"There," her friend declared proudly. "Now you look like the brilliant scientist that’s about to make history...one milestone at a time."
"I’ve always been the brilliant scientist."
"And now the whole solar system gets to see it."
A sharp chime echoed through the laboratory.
Attention all personnel. The Seventh Interstellar Expansion Anniversary Ceremony will commence in twenty minutes. Award recipients are requested to report backstage immediately.
The announcement rippled through the research facility.
Scientists abandoned half-finished experiments. Engineers shut down humming workstations. Technicians hurried through spotless corridors, laughter replacing the usual work silence. White coats disappeared beneath formal uniforms and elegant dresses reserved for rare occasions like this.
Today wasn’t simply another ceremony.
It was proof.
Proof that humanity had survived and built what generations past had believed to be the impossible.
Proof that Earth had become more than a single planet.
Edith took one long breath.
Katie helped her tie the last knot of her backless silk gown.
"Ready?"
"As I’ll ever be."
Katie linked their arms together before escorting her toward the exit.
The two parted ways when officials came to escort Edith.
"Make sure he doesn’t stay up late. He’s six and cute but don’t fall for his tricks, he’s a real troublemaker!"
"Girl, this isn’t my first time babysitting that gremlin. I’ll be fine! Now go! Stop being a worrywart and enjoy yourself!"
Her painted lips pressed into a thin line, "..."
"Oh and by the way, I slipped you some—" Katie leaned closer, her voice lowered. "I slipped you some condoms so you and Roger can you know." She leaned back and winked at her red-faced friend.
"Why would you do that?"
"Hey, you can choose to use them or not...I don’t mind babysitting another little gremlin!"
"Oh God, please let us go!"
The scientist urged the officials, desperate to escape her shameless friend, who kept cheering her own even as they disappeared out of her sights, before she died of embarrassment.
"That’s the spirit."
Outside, the city had transformed.
Skyscrapers shimmered beneath thousands of holographic banners suspended between buildings. Gigantic screens floated high above the streets, replaying humanity’s greatest milestones—the first successful jump drive, the oceans of Arcadia, children laughing beneath an alien sunset, the founding of Meredith and many other achievements.
Everywhere, people celebrated.
Families packed public plazas.
Students waved miniature planetary flags.
Veterans stood proudly in polished uniforms while orchestras performed beneath glowing constellations projected across the evening sky.
Hovercrafts glided silently overhead, carrying distinguished guests toward the United Earth Stellar Convention Hall, where millions more watched from every settled world.
Inside a broadcast booth, red lights blinked to life.
"Cameras rolling in ten."
"Audio clear."
"Satellite relay synchronized across Earth and sister plantets."
"Five..."
"Four..."
"Is my makeup alright?"
"Yes..."
"That doesn’t sound very sincere."
"Amelia..."
"Three..."
The studio lights flared.
The familiar opening theme echoed across humanity’s colonies as the main camera focused on the smiling anchor seated behind a sleek glass desk.
"Good evening, everyone. I’m your one and only host, Amelia Hart, and welcome to the Seventh Anniversary of Humanity’s Stellar Expansion..."