I Am The Swarm

Two hours later, in the conference room at the bow of the spaceship, Captain Reggie, clad in a sleek uniform, surveyed the 20-odd crew members present.

With a serious expression, he began, “Everyone, apart from the first and second navigation teams and the security team, all other personnel are now gathered here. This marks the first time since our mission began that so many of us have been awakened at once. I believe you all already understand the reason for this emergency assembly.”

After a brief pause, Captain Reggie continued, “Over sixty years ago, our most advanced observation technology detected an anomalous energy burst on Planet T853 in the T85 star system. The news brought us both excitement and anxiety. We were thrilled because, amidst the vast cosmic sea, we are not alone. But we were also uneasy because we know nothing about the nature of these potential neighbors.”

“Judging by our own history, and considering that this is an entirely unknown species, we can imagine the range of possibilities. While a small minority called for peaceful coexistence, fortunately, most of us remained rational. That’s why we initiated Operation Cat’s Ear and built this very Cat’s Ear spacecraft.”

“Over fifty years ago, each of you, elites among the Riken people, boarded this ship for various reasons to embark on a mission estimated to take about 130 years. Although most of your time has been spent in stasis, life for our loved ones on our home planet has continued to move forward.”

His gaze swept across the room, where many crew members were lost in thought, their memories stirred. He continued, “Even though the Riken people’s lifespan has extended to over 300 years thanks to advances in genetic technology, and our homeworld’s science and technology may have advanced further during our journey, things will inevitably have changed when we return. It will no longer be the world we left behind.”

“But if we succeed in this epic mission, wealth, power, and everything we’ve sacrificed will be returned to us many times over.”

Captain Reggie painted a grand vision for the crew, stirring their enthusiasm. The adrenaline of those just awakened began to surge as they imagined the future.

Once he had lifted their spirits, he continued, “After the initial energy burst observation, the Federation took this matter seriously and convened a team of nearly 10,000 experts across various fields. Their analysis concluded that the energy burst on Planet T853 was likely a small-scale nuclear explosion caused by intelligent beings.”

“While some speculated that the species might already possess advanced fusion technology that we had previously failed to detect, the consensus among most analysts was optimistic. Judging by the intensity and frequency of the bursts, it was inferred that the species was still in the early stages of studying fusion reactions.”

“Based on our own technological timeline, this placed their technological development roughly 300 years behind ours. Our mission, therefore, is to confirm this hypothesis.”

“However, after we departed, there were no further energy bursts observed from Planet T853. This was highly unusual. A civilization undergoing development invariably produces experimental anomalies that register abnormal energy signatures.”

“I have maintained communication with the homeworld after each awakening. Over time, as interest in the anomaly waned, some scholars even proposed that the initial energy burst was a rare natural phenomenon. The lack of subsequent bursts led to declining attention, and perhaps soon, we might have been completely forgotten.”

The room, initially brimming with optimism, grew somber as Reggie revealed classified information. Only the captain and the ship’s primary AI had access to such knowledge.

“But fate has smiled upon us. Recently, Planet T853 exhibited another energy burst. This time, at a closer range, our data collection was more comprehensive. We can now confirm that this is not a natural phenomenon—it is artificial. If we seize this opportunity and uncover more information, the Riken people may gain an extraterrestrial colony, heralding a new chapter for our civilization. And every one of you here will be immortalized in history.”

The room erupted into applause as the crew rose to their feet, energized by the captain’s words.

Reggie motioned for silence and continued, “Before we celebrate prematurely, let us focus on our mission. Victory is within reach, but complacency is not an option.”

The crew nodded solemnly. The examples of others who had failed at the final hurdle were fresh in their minds. Completing this mission would make them heroes of their civilization, granting them immunity to any future repercussions.

“Captain Reggie, should we transmit the collected data back to the homeworld?” someone inquired. Given the immense energy costs of interstellar communication, only the captain had the authority to decide.

“During the time before all of you were awakened, I instructed Celia to transmit the observed data to the homeworld. The homeworld should soon detect this anomaly as well and send us a response. However, considering our communication speed, it will take years for their message to reach us,” Reggie explained.

The Riken people’s communication relied on electromagnetic waves traveling at the speed of light. While delays were negligible within their home star system, interstellar communications faced significant latency.

The Cat’s Ear ship, the pinnacle of Riken technology fifty years ago, housed a range of facilities: observation rooms, communication rooms, the captain’s quarters, command centers, rotational crew rooms, weapon bays, and various recreational areas including gyms, restaurants, baths, cinemas, and hospitals.

Its weapons system, limited by its non-combat designation, comprised space torpedoes, close-defense cannons, two laser main guns, and multiple secondary guns. Its propulsion relied on massive solar sails crafted from ultra-thin, self-repairing imide resin, capable of gradually accelerating the ship to one-eighth the speed of light.

Having traveled 4.3 light-years from their home star system, a one-way message took over four years to reach home. Round-trip communications now required about nine years due to their continued travel.

“Captain, what are our immediate tasks?” someone asked.

“We are currently 1.1 light-years from Planet T853. In five years, we will begin decelerating, requiring a total of 11 years to reach the planet. During this time, I want all of you to stay vigilant. Navigation teams three and four will merge, as will teams one and two, each rotating every three years. Research teams must maintain at least one active group. The security team will fully awaken in eight years for recuperative training. As for me, I will alternate six months of wakefulness with six months of stasis. Are there any questions?” Reggie outlined the tasks.

“Captain, no questions,” the crew replied in unison.

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