Echoes from Earth [ENG]

Prologue

By 2132, humanity was on the edge of collapse. Earth, once a thriving planet, had been scarred by endless conflicts and environmental disasters. But the worst was yet to come, from the depths of space. A coalition of extraterrestrial life forms, calling themselves "The Collective," approached humanity with a warning: an unstoppable enemy, hell-bent on wiping out all life, was speeding toward them.

In a desperate attempt to ensure humanity's survival, the world's last standing governments came together to organize a massive evacuation. The Collective offered their advanced ships and helped to rescue about 500 million people, guiding them to the far reaches of the universe. But as the survivors fled into the dark unknown, Earth fell to the attackers. Most of humanity perished in brutal slaughter, while the few who escaped faced an uncertain future.

On their journey to a distant star system, the survivors split into two factions. The first, calling themselves the "Free States of Earth," settled on a planet they named New Earth. There, they tried to preserve their old cultures and societal structures. Yet, shadows of the past crept in fast, turning New Earth into a breeding ground for corruption and crime.

The second faction, known as the "Consortium of Free Peoples," settled on the planet Kon Alpha. Here, they built a rigidly egalitarian system, with the ruling "Consorts" keeping a tight rein on corporate power. Survival and collaboration were paramount, but it came at a steep cost: the Consortium didn't shy away from using exile or even execution as punishment for severe rule-breaking, all in the name of the common good.

Two hundred years after the exodus from Earth, both factions had grown strong and forged alliances with cooperative alien life forms. But peace was fragile. Political tensions, both within and beyond each faction, kept conflict brewing. New Earth had become a hub of corruption and organized crime, steeped in the traditions of old ways of life. Meanwhile, on Kon Alpha, people from all backgrounds had united to build a system that offered opportunity but only a modest nod to democracy.

The future of humanity was once again on the line as it struggled to carve out a place in the galaxy. Fresh starts, threats, and annihilation loomed constantly in this unforgiving universe. As humanity fought to redefine itself, the question remained: would they rise from the ashes of their past, or spiral into darkness once more?

Now, in the year 224 after the Exodus from Earth, a young soldier of German descent named Johanna Marie Johns—better known as Jo Ann—set out to find her place in the Consortium's military. Her journey would be one of opportunity, temptation, danger, love, and hatred—a journey that would push her to the very limits of her skills and convictions. Amid the chaos and uncertainty, whether she'd find her place in this new world was anyone's guess.