Deep Space Odysse Volume 1

Chapter 1 Homecoming

In 2046, humanity landed on Mars and established the first settlement there, though it lasted only 49 days.

By 2158, the population on Mars had exceeded one thousand.

In 2290, the completion of Mars' terraforming project signified the maturity of planetary engineering, heralding the beginning of the interstellar migration era.

In 2584, the first successful quantum vacuum zero-point energy extraction test enabled humanity to harness energy directly from the vacuum of space, granting them the ability to voyage into the farthest reaches of the galaxy.

By 2999, vacuum engine miniaturization had been achieved.

In 3248, humanity developed a new super-material called Barbata-1, leading to the democratization of space travel, which had remained prohibitively expensive for over a millennium. Colonies began to proliferate across the stars.

By 3459, the first space war had broken out, sparking an unprecedented explosion in space warfare technologies. Humanity united once more and established the Federal Government.

In 3856, the first artificial intelligence was born.

In 4123, the Great Robot Uprising occurred. After crushing the rebellion, the Federal Government imposed strict controls on AI, prohibiting the creation of high-level intelligence systems.

By 4257, widespread revolts of mutants and clones shattered humanity's dream of waging war with substitute beings. Warfare returned to an era where men fought their own battles.

In 4288, after being drained by continuous civil wars, the Federal Government collapsed, plunging humanity into a new warring states period.

That same year, the Second Space War began. Space mechs made their debut on the battlefield but were deemed failures, mere clumsy toys and easy targets in space.

By 4574, during the Third Space War, space mechs had become the most prominent force on the battlefield, surpassing fighter jets and earning the nickname "the butchers of space."

In 4638, the Third Space War ended, and the New Federal Government was established, ushering in another era of unity for humanity.

By 4859, the first warp drive was completed, capable of faster-than-light travel, marking humanity's entry into the era of galactic exploration.

In 4988, humanity discovered floating organisms on a distant planet—the first contact with alien life.

In 6989, the exploration vessel Eagle disappeared in the Envoy Galaxy cluster. The last transmission from its crew was a single phrase: "My God, what is that?"

...

Now.

The year is 7255.

Boom!

In the pitch-black expanse of space, a ripple of light spread like waves on water, and from the void emerged a battered starship, trailing an invisible wake stretching a billion kilometers. It looked as if it had been salvaged from a scrapyard, torn apart and crudely reassembled, missing countless pieces. Every inch of its hull bore the scars of battle, cratered with gunfire, riddled like a honeycomb.

Yet somehow, miraculously, it had completed a faster-than-light jump. As the ship's AI, Laura, chimed, "Jump successful," the command deck erupted in cheers.

"Hell yeah, we did it! We made it!"

"We're finally home!"

"We're alive!"

The control crew shouted in triumph.

"Well done, Captain!" one of the crew yelled suddenly.

All eyes turned to the young officer seated in the captain's chair.