Terrain on The Horizon

Innovation

It was a busy day aboard the TISS (T7Z90 International Space Station). A group of researchers there had found a way to reach the Earth's abandoned ISS (International Space Station)'s signals and digital records from a long distance away. Many things about Earth's civilizations were discovered and several observations were made. It was time to tell the public about this breakthrough.

"I am John Crawnmiller, and I am welcome to be here today. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be here speaking for my organization, the Nova Space League, AKA the NSL." John Crawnmiller, an advisor of the NSL said, kicking off his speech.

"A lot of important discoveries were made aboard the TISS a few days ago. With your pleasure, I'll introduce and allow many NSL researchers to speak about such discoveries." He spoke. "I'm in charge of the Acadiemni sector of the NSL, but I'll be showing researchers from all over the west. Now, time for the first one."

"I'm Clover Gray, one of the ecology researchers aboard the TISS." A speaker said. "I discovered that most of the life on Earth is very similar to most of the life on T7Z90."

"Thank you, Ms. Gray. Next speaker, please." Crawnmiller said.

"I'm Netquin Sonander, one of the agriculture and history researchers aboard the TISS." Another speaker said. "I found out from records on the ISS that Earth's humans have domesticated different kinds of livestock and developed crops to use, so Earth's agriculture has been around for thousands of years. I also found out-"

"Next- Oh, do you have anything else to add?" Crawnmiller asked.

"Yes." Sonander answered. "I found out that our calendar system is different from the system that Earth's major countries use. We have the same names for the months, but theirs vary in length from 28-31 days. Also, they count years differently; our current year is 2016, but their current year is 2216."

"Very interesting, Mr. Sonander. Next speaker, please." Crawnmiller said.

"I'm Tuston Fernijen, one of the political researchers on the TISS." Another speaker said. "I found records showing and explaining many major countries' systems of government and politics. Along with that, I've been developing inferences as to why and how the ISS had gone abandoned."

"Intriguing, Mrs. Fernijen. Next speaker, please." Crawnmiller said.

"Um, Mr. Crawnmiller... The last researcher isn't present to speak today." A worker whispered to him. "Here, go on with the special guest we have speaking here. He isn't a researcher on TISS, but he'll contribute to this."

"Ok... What special guest?" Crawnmiller whispered back. "Ugh- just whatever. I'll go on with it."

"Okay." The worker whispered.

"The last researcher didn't show up to speak now, so that's it for the TISS researchers who came to speak today." Crawnmiller announced. "Now, we have a 'special guest' speaker who would like to contribute to this. Spectators, you can leave now if you'd please, although you shouldn't or whatever."

"I'm John House, and I didn't appreciate what you said about letting spectators leave here." The special guest asserted.

"Sorry, throw your attitude in the trash and go on with your statement, sir." Crawnmiller snickered.

"Anyway, I'm John House, the guest speaker here." House said. "I wasn't on the TISS, but I communicated with some researchers and made an inquiry about the situation here."

"Now, who here has been informed of MCPS Empire's plans to colonize Earth? If you have, raise your hand." House ordered. Many people raised their hands and he prepared a batch of new words. "Well, I doubt y'all know what their motive to colonize Earth is. But that's why I'm here."

"Let's start off where this all began." The eccentric speaker excitedly said. "Back in 1996, or Earth's 2196, a candidate known as Kimothy Streetlight won the presidential election for one of Earth's major countries, the U.S.A."

"Wait- what does that have to do with the race to colonize Earth?" A spectator asked.

"Shush, I'm getting there." House said.

"A decade later, Streetlight was assassinated by a mob of radical individuals who supported the opposing candidate. Following her assassination and the takeover of the office by the vice president, the political instability worsened." House spoke. "The instability was just enough to stir up a storm, and it caused a separatist movement to go too far and split the U.S. into two countries, Ecausia and Westark. Now, that created the perfect climate for colonization."

"MCPS Empire and its ally are the main enemies of the NSL." House said. "Westark's political ideals are similar to MCPS Empire's ideals, but that's not what they're after. Westark is too politically stable for colonization, but Ecausia's instability makes it a prime colonization spot."

"The whole of Ecausian ideals aren't conservative enough for MCPS Empire, but there is a solution. One of the Ecausian states, known as Florida, has many conservative districts, which is why MCPS Empire wants to colonize it in particular." House blurted. "MCPS Empire also wants to colonize Earth to escape, but that's not important now. What's important is the West's, more specifically Maddsolia's, reason for colonization."

"The geography of Florida makes it an adequate industrial power. It's a peninsula providing many seaports, and its subtropical climate similar to Maddsolia's makes it optimal for agricultural use." House stated. "Most importantly, it has a spaceport near its East coast that can be used as a destination for colonizers."

"Lastly, there's a catch: Earth's atmosphere is quite similar to ours, but it's too different for T7Z90's society to prosper in." John said. "However, NSL has trained its members to breathe in different atmospheres, so it can be done."

"And so, I've worn out my welcome here." House said as he left the stage.

"Finally, he's gone." Crawnmiller said under his breath.

"Now, I shall conclude this speech by inspiring and motivating the people here." Crawnmiller announced.

"You've seen how much innovation the TISS has contributed to T7Z90. Since the station started operating in 2007, lots of knowledge and wisdom had come." He spoke. "You've seen how the tension has risen between T7Z90's nations. You've seen how the future looks bleak."

"How does all the doom and gloom make you feel? That's right, it makes you feel hopeless." He spoke.

"But it doesn't have to be that way!" Crawnmiller drilled. "The people sitting in this crowd are people who will shape the future. The younger generations are our hope."

"When you have a dream, you've got to grab it and never let go." He spoke.

"Does that still not convince you to take initiative? Are you afraid to take risks? Well, taking risks is what it's all about." He asserted. "If you thought that destiny can't be changed, then you've thought wrong. Every person controls their fate, and if many people take action, it can change the fate of a nation."

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending!" Crawnmiller exclaimed with passion and the meeting was officially over.