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The original was posted on /r/hfy by /u/Poseidon___ on 2024-06-17 02:27:26+00:00.

The Terrans are an old and powerful lineage, though were something of an anomaly among the galactic community. While each and every Terran can trace their roots back to one planet, Earth, a newcomer would be forgiven for thinking each of them came from separate corners of the cosmos. The Canids, Felids, Cetacae, Mollusci, various Simi, and countless others were all tribes of Terrans that bickered and fought over territory, technology, and riches. Some were aquatic, some arboreal, the Corvous could even fly. But between all of them, there is one world that is off-limits for conflicts. One world that is neutral territory, even between tribes with blood feuds going back generations.

Earth. The birthplace of them all. It is common for Terrans to make pilgrimages to Earth at least once in their lives, and entry is forbidden to all non-Terrans. Sol is one of the most heavily fortified systems in the galaxy, with one unified military authority protecting it and other star systems within 30 light years. The Grand Army of Sol consisted of all tribes of Terrans, and the worlds under their protection were the most peaceful in all Terran space. The Terran philosophy of “speaking softly while carrying a Big Stick” enabled these systems to become hubs of commerce and innovation, forming what is now known as the Terra Firma. Species from all over the galaxy had come to live in the Terra Firma systems as well, though none were allowed on Earth.

In the last 6,000 years, only one species has been foolish enough to try to see Earth with their own eyes. The Ythfaki, a species of bulbous heads and beady eyes, coveted knowledge. The forbidden nature of Sol only served to elevate its value in their eyes, and with each passing cycle their desire to see it grew. It began small, with stealth craft attempting to penetrate the Terran line of defense. Spies would attempt to stow away on ships bound for Earth. Large telescopes were constructed to peer towards the Sol system, if only to observe how it existed hundreds of thousands of years in the past. All attempts ended in failure. The stealth craft were destroyed, the spies expelled from Terran space or killed, and the telescopes destroyed just before they would have become operational.

Each failure drew more of the Terran’s ire, with sanctions being heaped upon the Ythfaki. Being punished for seeking knowledge of Earth only served to elevate knowledge of Earth from being an intense desire to an obsession. With subterfuge having failed, the Ythfaki prepared for war. They stoked the divisions between the tribes of Terrans, hoping to take advantage of their disunity. They built fleets far from Terran space to avoid detection. They transitioned their economies to boost production of war material. When they were satisfied with their preparations, one of the largest fleets in galactic history set out for Fortress Sol. The first line of defense they encountered in the Lofian system was far stronger than they expected, but the element of surprise was on their side. They obliterated the fleet of the Grand Army stationed there, but only after a week of grueling battle.

The wars and skirmishes stoked by the Ythfaki evaporated overnight. In the time it took for the Ythfaki to eliminate the 4th fleet of the Grand Army of Sol, every Terran on every world became aware of what was happening. The Ythfaki’s thirst for Earth at this point was common knowledge, and all knew what their objective was. The results of the Ythfaki invasion still reverberate to this day, and the Ythfaki are still confined to their home planet under careful watch of the Terrans.

The Ythfaki fleet was one of the largest ever assembled for battle in the galactic history. The Terran Fleet that assembled in response remains the largest fleet ever assembled for battle in galactic history, dwarfing the record-holder for second place by orders of magnitude. All Terran militaries, whether multi-tribal or single, quickly mobilized for the next Terra Firma system in the Ythfaki path: what is now know as Terra Victoriam. When asked why they assembled in the next system, any Terran alive today will still be able to tell you why, or rather, show you.

Admiral Markus Cercanium, upon engaging the Ythfaki fleet in the Lofian system, sent an emergency broadcast to the rest of the Grand Army. In one of the most famous holocasts ever, he stated that “The Ythfaki have appeared in Lofia, with a massive fleet. Do not send reinforcements. I repeat, do not send reinforcements. They are headed for Earth. We’ll buy what time we can. Avenge us.”

Today, the Lofian system is home to one of the largest war memorials in the galaxy. A solid wall of platinum orbits the Lofian star, with the names of each and every member of 4th Fleet engraved upon it. And avenge 4th Fleet the Terrans did. The Grand Army sent messengers to every Terran system with copies of Admiral Cercanium’s holocast. Battles were halted, wars were paused, and skirmishes ceased. Enemies joined fleets and beelined for Terra Victoriam. So many ships entered the system that several planetary orbits are permanently altered from the gravitational effects. Grand Army officers took temporary command of the other Terran star nation’s militaries, all to coordinate an overwhelming defense. Perhaps more terrifying than this being by far the largest fleet ever assembled, half of the ships never arrived in Terra Victoriam. Instead, they gathered in Arcturus, the third line of defense. If they had engaged in combat, they would have become the second largest fleet ever assembled for battle. However, the Terrans in Terra Victoriam ensured it never came to that.

Admiral Cercanium promised to buy time for Terrans to defend their ancestral home, and buy time he did. Outnumbered and outgunned, Cercanium pulled out every trick in the Terran book, and invented several more. Hit & run tactics, kamikaze attacks, and zombie ships all harried the Ythfaki, preventing the continuation of their quest for Earth. The civilians in the Lofian system took up arms as well, with vast stockpiles of weapons being unearthed from vaults and storerooms, and anything with a sub-light drive being mobilized off-planet. The scars are still visible on Lofian II from the orbital bombardment, proudly displayed by the people of that system even today. But in the end, Admiral Cercanium was killed along with the rest of 4th fleet, save the Enduring Wrath and Watchful Titan. As the last ships of 4th Fleet, they had been ordered to retreat and inform the rest of the Grand Army of 4th Fleet’s demise. When they arrived in Terra Victoriam, the Terrans gathered there knew that soon the Ythfaki would learn the error of their ways.

Ships clouded every vector into Terra Victoriam, blotting out the star in many places from their sheer numbers. While the Ythfaki enjoyed a 10:1 advantage in Lofia, they were outnumbered 100:1 upon arriving in Terra Victoriam. 1.3 billion ships were lying in wait. The fangs of the Canids and Felids were dripping with saliva, the hands of the Simi were clenched in fists of rage, and the Corvous’ tail feathers flittered in anticipation. Later, non-Terran witnesses would swear by whatever deity they believed in that they could feel the bloodlust emanating from the space around them.

It took a week for Ythfaki to destroy 4th Fleet. The Ythfaki fleet was destroyed in 1 day. So much ammunition flew through the system in those hours that a cloud of kinetics can still be found drifing through deep space below the galactic plane. Some will tell you that isolated Ythfaki ships broadcasted surrenders, and these rumors disquieted many a stellar neighbor of the Terrans. Many outsiders will point out the oddity of there being a grand total of zero prisoners of war taken from that battle. Very few ever raise the issue, having seen what’s become of the Ythfaki and wanting no part in it.

When the battle was over, many of the different tribes returned home. Some even resumed the battles they had put on hold to defend against the Ythfaki. But the remainder went to each Ythfaki system and research outpost, and returned them to their homeworld. Nominally, those systems still belong to the Ythfaki. However they are empty worlds, kept vacant by the Terran fleets that guard them. The Ythfaki have not left their homeworld in 1,200 years, though the Grand Army of Sol has stated that they will finally be released soon.

But why defend Earth so heavily? Why prohibit all non-Terrans from even setting foot in the system? The answer lies in the origins of the Terrans themselves.

How did Terrans come to be found in such a variety of shapes and forms? Is there a true, original form that some modified? What sane species would induce such radical changes, not just once but repeatedly?

Humans. Not Terrans, but Humans. The original species of Earth, they can no longer be found in the wider galaxy. Some theorize that their last vestiges are kept on Earth for safe keeping. What is known is that originally, the Terrans lived side-by-side with the Humans, who created them. Each tribe of Terran was a separate sub-sapient species on Earth. It was the Humans, one of the first species to reach the galactic stage, who uplifted them in their search of companions among the stars. Records of that time indicate a golden age of prosperity for Terrans, expanding and establishing the Terra Firma. However, upon contact with another species, a pla…

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