Truehearts & The Escape From Pirate Moon by Jake Macklem (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

and nebulas hung everywhere. The children sat at their desks, watching the teacher.

“Wars, famine, poverty, disease and sickness, and less than equal ideas had brought the Earth to the brink of complete devastation. Then something changed everything. What happened?”

Hands shot up. Mrs. Cho pointed to a child, who said “In 2098 The Last Predecessor appeared to Earth and sent out its message.”

“That is correct. Now lots of things on Earth changed—almost overnight. What were some of them?” Mrs. Cho asked with a smile.

Again, hands shot up and she called on the children in turn.

“Most of the wars stopped, not because of the governments, but because the soldiers stopped fighting.”

“There was a meeting of all 214 nations on Earth.”

“New governments were created as old ideas and feuds were seen in a new light.”

“New combined research led to hundreds of major breakthroughs in engineering and science.”

“There was a cultural awaking that brought a new sense of hope and wonder.”

“All very good. Ace, add you add another a major effect of The Last Predecessor?” Mrs. Cho asked.

The eleven-year-old girl looked up from her vid-screen doodle of a skull smoking a cigar. “We haven’t mentioned yet the hundreds of thousands of people that either lost their faith, joined radical armies or cults, went on horrific crime sprees, or just killed themselves.”

“Those were unfortu—” Ms. Cho started.

Ace continued, “We haven’t mentioned the ultrarich that built control domes and decided who could stay and who had to leave, breaking society and sending us back to feudalism. We are only mentioning the good things that came from the broadcast. Let’s not forget the atrocities we were capable of as humans and still are as Sols. Sometimes I’m amazed the human race was called upon at all.” Ace looked at her vid-screen. “We didn’t deserve it. We aren’t good.”

The other students stared at Ace as Mrs. Cho closed her slack jaw. “We can always count on you, Ace, to see both sides of a situation. While lots of things changed for the better, it did take time, and not everyone thought the new direction of humanity was a good one. That’s a little ahead of what we are talking about, but we all know what that conflict grew into, don’t we class?”

“The Final War of Earth,” The class responded.

“Very good, but before we get into that, who would like to hear the original broadcast from The Last Predecessor?” Excitement broke over the class as Mrs. Cho used her dataport and swiped the file to the children’s vidports. Ace went back to her smoking skull picture.

“Human race, we call on you.” There was no visual, just an audio feed. “We are the last of a dying species that has safeguarded the universe from threats. We have accomplished this with courage, a millennium of scientific understanding, and hard-earned wisdom. Of the eighteen thousand seven hundred and twenty-four technologically advanced races in the universe, eight have the potential capability to assume protection of the universe. By learning the knowledge contained in this vessel, the technology with are leaving for you—it is my hope, that you, with the other called races, will take our place as the vigilant defenders the galaxy needs.”

“The time for you to solve your political and social grievances and join the galactic community has come. When the nations of your world agree with each other to advance their awareness and knowledge, this vessel will continue to Earth and send further instruction and assistance. Instruction on how to begin this process will be sent following this broadcast. Until these instructions have been completed, this ship will consider any vessel that approaches to have hostile or selfish intent and will protect itself, this system, and the universe as a whole.”

“I speak this message knowing it will ripple through your people, shaking your core beliefs and understanding of the universe. To learn that you are not alone and that your people have a destiny among the stars is not an easy thing. The challenges facing your people might seem insurmountable, but the human race has been chosen for many reasons, among them, your ingenuity and perseverance. Your ability to look past the moment and into the future to see what it may hold. Your people have hope. You must bring that hope to the eighteen thousand seven hundred and twenty-four civilizations of the universe.

“One hundred years from today you will have your opportunity to enter your place in the galactic community. I hope the people of the Sol system rise up to the challenge and take your place in the cosmos. The task thrust upon your people and those that will stand with you is a heavy responsibility and one of great honor.”

When the recording finished, a grainy picture opened, showing a sphere-shaped ship orbiting Neptune. “That, children, is the first picture taken of the ship by a satellite sent by the governments of Earth to see what was really there. After this photo hit the network, at the time called the intertube, there was no doubt, and the people of Earth united to become Sol.”

Ace looked outside at the sky.

I hated school. They’d ask me to read a book, then we’d talk about it. I already read it, I know what happens, why do we have to talk about it? Schools only ever teach want they want you to believe. I didn’t like school until…

The dreamscape shifted and darkened. Ace walked down an alley, a shortcut to the club. Mick had told her many times not to take it home, but Ace did anyway; it was faster. It was not dangerous, but some of the girls would take customers into the alley. Mick did not want Ace to see that kind of stuff, but she did not look, and none of the girls told.

Sobs cut through the alley, bouncing off the walls. Ace crept up