The volume of space claimed by the Terran Empire holds four million stars. Two million have been visited at least once. A hundred thousand properly belong to the Empire although for most the contact is slight. (The Empire is at the end of one of those spiral arms.)
Imagine if something like this happened to us:
a faster-than-light spaceship enters the Solar System and Earth orbit;
we are informed by radio and in every major Terrestrial language that Earth is now a province of an interstellar empire;
the ship departs;
there is no further contact for several centuries.
What happens on Earth?
An urgent international effort to develop an FTL drive now that it is known that such is possible;
Terrestrial equivalents of Merseian Star Believers and Demonists;
fanatics claiming direct contact with the Galactics;
new fashions, trends, sociological theories and social movements;
maybe enough momentum to overthrow some local dictatorships even without extra-solar intervention?
2 comments:
Kaor, Paul!
I would like to comment at greater length, but I don't have time for that. I will only say those 100,000 planets are those worlds which acknowledged Imperial rule and had entered into a formal, official relationship with the Imperium. And also had at least SOME fairly regular contact with other parts of the Empire.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
An announcement by briefly visiting aliens that Earth was claimed by an interstellar empire might lead to an international effort to develop a FTL drive men now KNEW was possible. Or at least some nations who think of themselves as natural partners (such as the Anglosphere). I don't believe, however, that will end all rivalries and jealousies. So I would expect multiple efforts to develop FTL.
And we already have equivalents of Merseian Star Believers with the UFO believers and those who believe ETIs have visited us (see Anderson's story "Peek! I See You!"). And human Demonists are all too likely.
I can see the turmoil caused by KNOWING both that FTL is possible and intelligent life existing on other worlds leading to the collapse of some dictatorships. I also think this turmoil is at least as likely to cause new despotisms to arise.
Ad astra! Sean
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