Inherited War 1: Retribution by Eric McMeins Read Free Book Online Page B

expectancy was so high they ended up with low birth rates.  Compared to the rest of the galaxy, there were very few humans to begin with.  There were a few other races who sided with the Esii and Roche but most of them met their ends at the hands of their allies.”
    “Wait, what about Earth?  Why didn’t they level Earth with the rest of the planets controlled by humanity?” Asked Cole.  “Get us all at once, so to speak.”
    “Simply put , until about fifty years ago no one knew you existed out here on the fringe of the galaxy.  We knew the last surviving humans had devised a plan they thought would save them, but rightly so, they kept it secret.  I think that Earth was a part of that plan.  We may never know for certain but I believe that humanity had singled out Earth years before to study aided evolution and had already been manipulating creatures on your Earth.  They would have already had facilities in place there to plant the dormant genes in the earliest homosapiens.  At their level of mastery, they could have easily programmed the early Earthling’s genetic structure to eventually bring about you, Cole.  Granted, I think it was still years away from happening naturally but it was coming.  You have the genetic memory of the most learned beings this galaxy has ever seen deep within you Cole, and over the rest of your life it will be coming to the fore.  I believe that you will start remembering things from the distant past, sciences, mathematics, medicine, information about every possible subject will sooner or later start bubbling up in that head of yours.  I hope you are ready for it.”  She said with a slight smile.  “I would give anything to know the things you may come to learn.”
    Cole whistled, “Man that’s a lot of pressure to put on a guy. Heir to all the knowledge in the galaxy. So what’s the situation like out there now? Everything fall apart without us around? Or did the universe just continue humming right along.”
    “Well the humans knew they were going to lose so they made all their close allies, us included, distance ourselves from them so we could save our own people , but they promised that if they could they would come back again.  So the galaxy basically fell apart.  The destruction of so much of the human knowledge databases started a slow process of regression, technologically speaking, for some of the furthest planets from the core systems, and much general knowledge was lost as well.  Whole systems and clusters pulled away from long time friends and allies.  War was reintroduced to the galaxy and everyone scrambled to build their own fleets and armies.  Dictators and tyrants arose, kingdoms formed and fell, and chaos reigned for years afterwards.  Finally, with alliances formed and pacts signed, from one once great civilization dozens of small nations arose.  Democracies and dictatorships, kingdoms and empires, the strong dominating the weak in some cases, and others working together to reclaim what they had lost.  It is still the same today, from single planets and systems to whole sectors controlled by a few.  My world and a few nearby allies stayed together through our shared experience with the first humans.  We aided and defended each other, shared technology and ideas and still do to this day.  We have grown powerful enough that most everyone else is wary about attacking us.”
    “I am sorry Doctor.”  Cole finally said after a few moments of silence.  “That would be a truly horrible thing to lose like that.”
    “Never apologize Cole.  If it hadn’t been for your people, who knows what, if anything, would have become of my people.  You personally have nothing to be sorry for.  You…well, you may just be more than you think you are.”
    After a few moments Cole asked “Okay, on to a lighter subject.  As far as Earth scientists are concerned nothing can go faster than light.  So how do we seem to be moving around so fast and what the