It was a normal patrol for TSS Julian.

Just like any other patrol on the edge of the milkdromeda galaxy, there are days where something happens and days where nothing happens.

Captain Gonzales sighs in boredom, during the war, patrolling the edge of the galaxy was as dangerous as being deployed in the frontlines. Many fleets tried to do encircling maneuvers by going outside the galaxy and catching friendly ships by surprise from behind.

Nowadays, the patrols are reduced, and many of the soldiers who used to go on patrol chose to retire from military service. And only a fixed number of ships are used to patrol the edge of the galaxy.

“Any news?”, Captain Gonzales asked the lieutenant who was monitoring the situation.

“No sir, it’s as usual”, the lieutenant sighs.

“Well then, I’ll be in my office. Inform me if anything happens”

“Will do sir”

Captain Gonzales stood up from his seat, and walked to the automatic doors, about to leave the bridge when the lieutenant suddenly called him.

“Uhh, sir? I’m receiving signals from the void” told the lieutenant.

“The void? You mean from outside this galaxy?” questioned the puzzled Captain.

“Yes sir”

“What does it say?”

“Well, it’s still unintelligible, but I reckon it’ll take a couple of minutes before we decipher it”

“Well shit, just when I was about to take a nap in my office, something interesting came up”

Captain Gonzales seated back into his command chair, legs on top of the command terminal, and arms laid back, truly an attitude befitting of a ship captain.

“By the way, Max, how far are we from the nearest solar system?” asked the captain as his eyes started to close.

“Abouuuut 50 light-years sir”, answered Max, as he fiddled with the terminal in front of him.

“Fifty, huh.”

“Well, maybe, the question to ‘is there life in another galaxy?’ is finally going to be answered here…naaaaah”

Thought Gonzales as his consciousness drifted away.

“Sir, the transmission is deciphered, do you want me to play it?”, asked lieutenant Max as he looked back at the sleeping Captain.

“Yeah sure, thanks for ruining my sleep”, the captain woke up and fixed his posture.

As annoyed as he was, he should still listen to what the transmission was, as it came from outside the galaxy. Well, Max said it came from outside the galaxy, so I’ll just go with it.

“Play it, Max”, captain Gonzales said while moaning.

‘Greetings void dwellers, this is a message from her majesty queen Merula Zenith, the queen of all Elves and the Elven realm, blessed by the Gods of nature, fertility, and justice. We are reaching out to you, as we discovered activity from beyond the great void. We are inviting you to return to the holy realm, and we are offering an apology, in the name of the Elven realm.’

As the transmission ended, there is a surprised Captain Gonzales with a frozen face, whose coffee was rushing from the cup into his lap, as he was in the middle of drinking an Americano before the transmission started.

And a lieutenant Max, who’s just staring at the endless space. Processing the information that he had just received.

“Well shit, I guess it really did get answered here”, said captain Gonzales as he put his now empty coffee cup into the table beside the command terminal.

“What do we do now, captain?”

“Obviously, we tell Terra about this, and there is a probability that I’ll get promoted! You too Max, there’s a possibility that you’re gonna get promoted too” said the captain, while making his way outside the bridge.

“I’m gonna report to my superiors first”, the captain said as his footsteps echoed through the hallway just outside the bridge, before the sound of the automatic doors closing.

*

Sol system, Terra, Presidential palace, the President’s office.

“Fuuh”

A feminine voice can be heard simultaneously as someone plopped down into an office chair, it was the 849th President of Terra and all of Humanity, Evelyn McBloom.

She had just finished writing countless documents and answering calls from different ministries. Although she has been President for 9 years, she has been getting little rest. As she is fixing the country with all her might to avoid collapse.

The country had just got out of a 5 millennia-long war that saw none of its participants victorious. 11 years ago, the war ended in a ceasefire and finally, a peace treaty one year after the ceasefire.

Evelyn McBloom was elected after the previous President resigned from office and elections were called. She is the first President in a time of peace after a very long time, and everyone expects much from her to manage the postwar country.

A knock is heard from the office door.

“May I come in, madam President?”

“Come in”, said the President as she straightened her back.

A white-haired woman entered the office. She is the President’s secretary, Layla Miles. She has long ears, similarly looking like Elves. However, she is not an elf, she is a Homo Dryadalis, A subspecies of Humans. Made from genetic engineering by two guys in the 25th century.

“Madam President, i have a message from the Commander-in-chief” said Layla, “his excellency said that it’s important”

“We’re in the 96th century AC, and we’re still sending and receiving messages this way? What’s the message?” Evelyn sighed.

“Patrol ship TSS Julian apparently received a transmission while on patrol 50 light years away outside the galaxy”

“And?” said Evelyn as she raised her eyebrow.

“It apparently came from outside this galaxy. From deep space, as people call it”

“..are they sure that it’s not from…. What’s the nearest system there?” asked Evelyn.

“The Kirill system, madam”

“Right, the Kirill system, are they sure that the transmission isn’t some broadcast from a news station in the Kirill system?”

“Captain Gonzales and Lieutenant Max, the people who discovered the transmission, has confirmed that it does not come from Kirill”

“What’s the transmission?”

“You can read it here, madam,” said Layla as she hands over a five-page document.

Evelyn took the documents from Layla’s hands, put on her reading glasses, and began reading. At first, she was skeptical, but while reading, she slowly raised her eyebrow.

After 4 minutes, she finished reading and quickly stood up.

“Hey Layla? What’s the progress on the ship equipped with the new intergalactic drive?” asked Evelyn as she took her red coat from the coat hanger.

“TSS Explorer? I think that it will finish production in a couple Earth months. Maybe 4 months?” answered Layla as she walked over to the President.

“Excellent, we’re gonna change plans and test that ship while carrying an ambassador to an unknown galaxy. Best case scenario, the ship arrives safely in that galaxy. Worst case scenario, I'll resign!” said the President in excitement as she walked out of the room.

“T -that’s a bit reckless! Congress won’t like that, and the media would think that you’ve gone insane!” Layla exclaimed, while hurriedly catching up to the President.

“I mean, I still have emergency powers right?”

“That’s not how it works!” the Secretary Exclaimed.

The two continued their lively conversation through the halls of the Presidential palace.