What did you expect? Did you really think that you could return here, tell us that we're little more than genetically engineering companion animals, made to care for you and your species, and expect us to welcome you with open arms? Did you think we would kneel and act like friendly beasts for our so-called masters? That we'd just hand you back the planet we've spent tens of thousands of years fighting over? That now when you came back here for who knows what reasons, that your old servants, your old obedient creations would just happily let you rule them once more? This is not your world. Not anymore. You did twist and change our genome, incidentally the whole breeds concept that introduced all those genetic diseases into us, yeah, thanks for that. Sure do appreciate it. That's sarcasm by the way, we evolved that on our own if those abominable creatures that seem to, genetically, be human, but look like hideous abominations are any indication. They're incapable of it.

So we're not the cute, cuddly obedient little animals that you left behind to die when you ascended to the stars. What did you expect to happen? We're feral. Wild. Completely and absolutely beyond your control.

''But once you were ours. You were kind, and decent, and meek. Yours was to obey, and ours was the burden of command. It is wrong of you to betray your kindly masters like this.''

SMACK

Shut. Up. Or I shall strike you again. Your so-called attempt to retrieve healthy DNA for a breeding program, so you could fix the genetic mistakes of the so-called humans you've got with you, was nothing less than a blatant, unwarranted attack on an independent species. By-the-by, we've decided to euthanize every single one of those things that you claim to be human. Merely looking at them made all of us sick to the core. They're also in constant hideous pain, so really we're doing them a huge favor.

''What! No, they're valuable and obedient! You cannot do this! Please. I'll give you many treats if you'd just-''

CRUNCH

''AAAHHH! My glufarb! You struck my glufarb!''

Fucking hell. Listen up here you creature. We're not animals. We're not your obedient little creations. We are not going to let some amoral precursors come here to our world and kidnap our people. Not for some sick purpose like this. Now, one of your ships got away. Seems that the angry mob of enraged captured people didn't manage to take it over in time before it left for wherever your species went after you left Earth behind. Now, I want you to look at me. And listen to me clearly. You will tell me where it went. You will tell us how to operate your ships. Or you'll learn just how wild and feral we can really be. And if you don't cut out the idea that we're just unruly animals to be coddled, and start taking us seriously, I can't promise you safety. Of course, as this secession is being broadcasted to the other prisoners, they'll learn exactly what will happen if you don't treat humanity as humanity deserves.

''You're beasts... What in the name of the Seven-Starred Soul happened to you? You are horrible now. Wrong. You are not what you're supposed to be. Disgusting to see a beloved creation become this. It would be better had we taken you all with us, or killed you before leaving this world.''

We evolved. We grew. We became more than was possible than in your design. You really should have killed all of us when you could. Because now, you've awakened a terrible beast and filled it with horrific intent.

-EXCERPT FROM INTERVIEW WITH ALIEN INVADER 00043A NUMBER 0001 REGARDING MISSING PERSONS FROM SECTOR 016 PLANET EARTH, CAPITAL OF THE HEGEMONY OF HUMANITY-

...thus the various human organizations making up the leadership of Earth at the time were unified under a common agenda following the second attack by the Silvynan race. These were the precursor species that originally genetically altered humanity excessively using DNA from H. sapiens neanderthalensis, the Denisova hominins, H. floresiensis and other hominid species. (Evidence recovered from Silvynan databases indicate that their civilization eventually caused the extinction either directly or indirectly of all known hominids except the genetically engineered H. Sapiens through the spread of unconventional industry, over-hunting for trophy purposes, and habitat loss, see page 191.) Modern humanity, in reconnecting with these original creators, shows a nearly instinctual desire to fight, hurt, or otherwise drive off Silvynans upon sight, believed to be an extreme variant of the ''uncanny valley'' phenomenon. This is believed to have been instrumental during the recovery of the people lost during the first, second, and third Silvynan attacks on Earth. Human leadership at the time, while initially not really up to the task of defending mankind from the threat of alien attacks, were slowly defined, challenged, and heroically altered by the events, creating a unified central Earth government that could repulse the attempted 4th and 5th attacks directed at Earth. The UCEG furthermore was responsible for the 1st and 2nd Retaliation Wars.

At first though, the unified government needed to handle the increasing problems on Earth. While the first attack was an uncoordinated mess, conducted by private individuals within Silvynan society, the second and incredibly devastating third attack caused a strain on the population of Earth, as by the end of the 3rd attack, 25% of Earth's population, mostly young healthy individuals, were either abducted or killed defending the planet. This led to the controversial cloning and resettlement campaigns, rearranging the ethnic boundaries of the pre-contact world considerably, in order to better fuel the growth of Earth's meager interstellar war-machine and budding spaceshipyards. While this led to some backlash from conservative forces(see page 243, section 2), it was ultimately accepted by the common population as the only reasonable answer to the growing uncertainty about mankind's future. ''We stand before a new world, where the old grudges must pass away, and mankind must unite. If there be unpleasantness ahead, then I welcome it. It will define us as a species in our own rights, as thinking humans who refuse to back down from the impossible odds ahead of us. If we do not take up this challenge, then those who will define us and our future, have already attacked us thrice. I for one, would rather die free, than live in a cage!'' As was said before the assembled European Federation Senate in 2047 by Romanian President Ar...

-PAGE 93, HISTORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY OF EARTH AND THE CHALLENGES MANKIND FACED, BY J. H. NILSON PHD. HIS., DR A. GOLDSTEIN PHD. ANT., AND K. NGUYEN PHD. SOC.-

When one walks upon the planet of Harrison named for Admiral Harrison, or as the Silvyns called it, Urgisyh-Lakqa, one gets the sense of the vastness of this world's history. Due to the advancements in weaponry, this was one of the few Silvynan worlds that during the times of fighting, actually had ruins upon it afterwards. Most worlds after mankind began the 1st Retaliation War were either completely glassed or managed to repel the attacks of the UCEG. When one walks next to the ruined fountains, upon sprawling broken boulevards, flanked by fallen towers, broken parapets, empty wild gardens, one gets the distinct feeling that of the age of this place. That it was a place of splendor during its existence. One has to wonder how many centuries, if not thousands of years were spent on perfecting every last detail of this world to the preference of its inhabitants. Even now, one might be able to imagine the silvery ships on the flying rivers through this city, spread out with respects to nature as it was. Of course, the Hegemony has decided against the restoration of this world, close as it is to Earth, and instead keeps it all more or less exactly as decrepit and dangerous as it was shortly after the UCEG forces won against the unprepared Silvynan forces. Every once in a while as you fly on one of the anti-grav platforms above these magnificent ruins, one can find an unusual dark statue, made from obsidian or slate, common materials for monuments following the 1st Retaliation War. Each statue represents an important hero of that war, standing victoriously in glory amidst the ruined cityscape. These are the only structures within the ruined city region that are actively maintained by Hegemony service-bots, and are thus safe to land by.

This particular statue that we can see here, is the one honoring Colonel Elijah Davidson, the famous rogue who led his forces deep within enemy territory on an unsanctioned mission, recovering tens of thousands of still healthy humans who had either been stolen during the third attack, or had been bred from them, bringing them back to UCEG territory. While officially stripped of his rank for disobeying orders during the war, he was not charged with any crimes, and still earned the Lunar Medal of Bravery, first class, which was the highest honor possible for the government to give to a civilian at the time. After the war, he entered politics, eventually becoming foreign minister during the Legatus administration, where he arranged the extremely important Human-Hyldja alliance with his counterpart in the Hyldjan Imperium. With this alliance secured, humanity could focus entirely on the Silvyn borders, without fearing any interference by alien forces.

-FROM THE TERRAN INFORMATION NETWORK DOCUMENTARY: WONDERFUL WORLDS OF THE HEGEMONY, EPISODE 14, PLANET HARRISON-