the message came through at exactly midnight ship time breaking the usual quiet of the earth federation's seventh fleet command Bridge Captain Tom West was finishing his coffee when the emergency lights started flashing sir we're picking up a distress signal said officer Mike from his communication station his eyes widened as he studied the readings it's not like anything I've seen before Tom walked over his heavy boots making solid thuds against the metal floor the gravity on the bridge was set to Earth normal just like everywhere else on the ship they had learned long ago that keeping
their bodies used to full gravity was essential for combat Readiness put it through he ordered setting down his coffee mug the air filled with a strange musical sound that somehow carried desperate fear in its tones after a few seconds it transformed into broken English to any civilized species this is the bright Star Alliance our home system is under attack the Swarm comes please we need the message crackled with static before continuing we are surprised to detect a flei death worlders in range if no other help is available even primitive assistance would be more static interrupted
Tom's first officer Linda raised an eyebrow death worlders they're talking about us run a full scan of the signals origin Tom commanded the bridge crew moved with practice deficiency their fingers dancing over holographic controls sir the sensor officer called out the signals coming from the centory 80047 system about two days jump from our position reading massive energy signatures consistent with the space battle the message continued becoming clearer our energy based weapons prove ineffective the Swarms biological ships adapt tooo quickly our worlds burn if any species can hear us even the Primitive death worlders Tom straightened
his uniform he'd been in the Federation Fleet for 20 years but this was the first time he'd encountered aliens who needed Humanity's help usually the advanced species they met look down on Earth's primitive technology and violent culture show me the sensor data from their system he ordered the main screen lit up with a tactical display the situation was clear and bad a massive Fleet of organic looking ships surrounded several crystall likee vessels that glowed with pure energy the crystall Lan ships were beautiful but were being systematically destroyed by the organic Fleet those must be the
bright star ships Linda said pointing to the crystal vessels their design is incredible but they're losing badly Tom Tom nodded send a message back use all available frequencies he cleared his throat and spoke clearly Bright Star Alliance this is Captain Tom west of the Earth Federation seven Fleet we are receiving your distress call be advised we are indeed what you call death worlders we are capable and willing to assist please transmit tactical data for your situation the response came quickly tinged with both hope and doubt death worlder Fleet we are grateful but please understand our
conflict involves Technologies far beyond we notice your ships still use physical materials instead of pure energy construction the Swarm is highly Advanced perhaps you should Tom cut in bright star alliance with respect we've reviewed your Tactical situation the seventh fleet has extensive combat experience physical materials have their advantages transmit your data and we'll demonstrate there was a long pause before the alien response came data transmitting we appreciate any help even from we mean no offense but our civilization has moved Beyond physical combat Millennia ago the swarm's biological weapons are unlike anything understood Tom replied simply
he turned to his crew sound General quarters all hands to Battle Stations plot a jump course to centory 80047 the bridge erupted into activity warning claxons blared throughout the ship Tom could feel the excitement building among his crew this was what the seventh fleet trained for message to All Ships he commanded War jump in 5 minutes these bright star aliens think we're Primitives let's show them what Earth's Primitives can do Linda smiled as she checked the fleet's readiness reports they're in for a surprise aren't they sir Tom picked up his coffee mug and finished it
in one gulp they called us death worlders like it's a bad thing by the time we're done they'll understand why Earth's gravity and harsh conditions created a force to be reckoned with the fleet's engines began powering up creating a deep hum that resonated through the ships the seventh fleet Humanity's finest prepared to show the Galaxy why being primitive death worlders had its advantages the jump into the centur 80047 system was perfect all 30 ships of the seventh fleet arrived together their metal holes gleaming under the light of three Suns what they saw made even veteran
officers pause huge organic ships looking like giant space insects swarmed around beautiful Crystal vessels that sparkled like diamonds the crystal ships fired beams of pure energy but they passed through the organic ships without doing much damage it was like watching butterflies fight against hornets and the Hornets were winning status report Captain Tom ordered standing at the center of his Bridge sir reading 57 swarm vessels and only 12 bright star ships still intact officer Mike said the bright star ships are gathered around a crystal space station looks like their last stronghold before Tom could respond a
new message came through the musical alien voice now showed clear surprise death worlder Fleet your vessels they're made of dead matter how do you even travel through space in such primitive containers Tom smiled those primitive containers are about to save your lives all ships battle formation Delta load kinetic rounds the human Fleet moves smoothly into position spreading out in a wide Arc the Swarm noticed them but seemed confused by the human ship's simple metal construction sir Linda said the Swarm is turning to face us they're ignoring the bright Starships now good Tom replied let's show
them why sometimes the old ways work best All Ships fire on my mark the Swarm ships moved closer probably expecting the same kind of energy weapons the bright starred used they were in for a surprise fire hundreds of tungsten rods shot out from the human ships at incredible speeds the swarm's organic hulls designed to reflect energy weapons did nothing against solid metal moving at near light speed five swarm ships exploded immediately impossible came the bright stars voice you're damaging them with physical projectes sometimes The Simple Solution is the best solution Tom replied All Ships continue
firing Target their engine clusters the space battle looked strange to anyone watching on one side beautiful Crystal ships firing colorful energy beams that did little damage on the other plain metal human ships shooting solid bullets that tore through the swarm's biological armor like paper the Swarm is changing formation Linda reported they're trying to adapt their outer layer Tom nodded that's fine switch to Explosive Rounds when the next volley hit the shells exploded inside the Swarm ships instead of passing through more enemy ships burst apart their organic Parts floating in space the bright star sent another
message this is remarkable but surely your primitive weapons will run out of ammunition soon we brought plenty Tom answered we're death worlders we always prepare for a long fight now would you like to coordinate our attacks there was a pause before the bright star replied yes yes we would though we don't understand how you fight so well with such basic technology basic doesn't mean weak Linda said quietly and Tom agreed the battle continued for another hour the human Fleet moved with practiced skill their primitive ships proving far more agile than either the crystal bright star
ships or the organic swarm vessels every time the Swarm adapted to one type of Human Weapon the fleet switched to another finally the remaining swarm ships retreated jumping away into deep space the bright star Crystal ships glowed with different colors their way of showing amazement death worlder Fleet Captain Tom we owe you our gratitude the bright star message came through we had not imagined that physical weapons could be so effective would you doctor with our station we have much to discuss glad to help Tom replied and yes we'd be happy to meet though I should
warn you we'll need gravity generators and Air in any meeting room we deathworlders have some special needs of course the bright star answered now sounding genuinely curious we have many questions about how your species survives in such challenging conditions as the human ships move toward the crystal station Tom looked at his crew get ready for some interesting cultural exchange and someone tell engineering to bring some basic tools I have a feeling our new friends might learn to appreciate primitive technology Lieutenant Anna Reed checked her combat suit seals one last time before stepping onto the crystal
surface of the bright star space station the artificial gravity was set to less than half of Earth normal making her feel light and bouncy behind her 20 Earth Marines in full combat gear followed their boots making soft clicks on The Shining floor this way death worlders said their Bright Star Guide a tall thin being who seemed to float rather than walk its skin shimmered like mother of pearl and its voice came directly into their minds though I warn you the next section has what we consider extremely dangerous conditions Anna checked her tablet you mean the
air pressure and gravity are close to Earth normal yes the guide's thoughts showed concern we had to create special reinforced Chambers just to handle such extreme conditions are you certain your bodies can handle it one of the Marines chuckled inside his helmet and a smile too what the bright star considered extreme was just a normal day on Earth they entered a large chamber where hundreds of bright star civilians huddled the elegant aliens looked scared they're normally glowing skinned him with fear several children or what Anna assumed were children hid behind the adults the Swarm will
return the guides thoughts were heavy with worry they always return with new adaptations even your impressive weapons might not a loud alarm cut through the station alert alert swarm biopods detected in sectors 7 through 12 they're cutting through the crystal walls Anna snapped into action Marines form up looks like we get to show our new friends how deathworlders handle ground combat they rushed to the threaten sectors through the transparent Crystal walls they could see ugly organic pods attached to the station's surface the pods were melting through the crystal using some kind of acid fall back
the bright star guards called out the acid atmosphere will kill anything living not us Anna said checking her suit readings this is nothing compared to some of Earth's volcanic vents Marines breach and clear the human soldiers moved forward while the bright star guards watched in amazement the acid atmosphere that would dissolve their delicate bodies couldn't penetrate the humans combat suits the first pod broke through and horrible insect-like creatures poured out they were twice as tall as a human with sharp claws and armor-like skin the bright star weapons elegant energy beams passed right through them old
school time anac commanded bullets and Blades people the Marines opened fire regular bullets didn't do much against the creature's armor but that's why they packed special rounds explosive shells tore through the insect Warriors and when they got too close the Marines pulled out their vibr eyes the bright star watched in shock as the humans engaged in close combat with the monsters on their low gravity whs physical combat was almost unknown but humans evolved in Earth's High Gravity were stronger than they looked Lieutenant called private gym they're retreating from our section similar reports came in from
other areas the Swarm creatures used to fighting the physically weaker bright star didn't know how to handle enemies that could match their strength how the bright star gues thoughts were confused how are you even moving in these conditions the gravity the acid the physical combat Anna Shrugged while reloading her weapon we're death worlders remember our games are rougher than most species Wars and this she gestured at the corroded walls and acid atmosphere on Earth we have places called high schools that have tougher environments the guide's thoughts showed disbelief but also growing respect more swarm pods
were attaching to the station but now the bright star civilians looked less afraid they watched the human Marines with hope as they prepared for the next wave I think I understand now the guide transmitted when your captain said primitive doesn't mean weak that's right Anna replied checking her ammo Earth threw everything it had at us High gravity bad weather dangerous animals You Name It We didn't just survive we thrived and now she pointed at the new pods breaking through we get to show the Swarm while picking a fight with death worlders is a really bad
idea the Marines moved out again ready for another round behind them the bright star began to understand that sometimes being primitive just means being prepared for anything engineer Jack m wasn't supposed to be in the bright stars main research lab the aliens had called it too dangerous for primitive beings but Jack didn't care he had a theory about the Swarm and he needed the lab's equipment to prove it your presence here is most irregular said the lab's crystal computer in its musical voice this facility handles Pure Energy formations that could harm beings of solid matter
yeah yeah Jack muttered setting up his equipment he brought simple tools from the human Fleet things the bright star had called outdated just need to test something play back those recordings of the Swarm ships again the air filled with Holograms showing the organic ships in battle Jack watched carefully then adjusted some dials on his frequency analyzer A Primitive device that still used physical switches and buttons stop he suddenly shouted there play that part again the Hologram showed a sworn ship taking damage from Human weapons Jack turned to his analyzer eyes wide with excitement I knew
it every time they get hit they make this weird vibration computer why didn't anyone notice this before the frequency Falls outside our normal observation parameters the computer replied energy-based civilizations typically don't monitor such primitive physical vibrations Jack grm well this primitive just found the swarm's weakness get me Captain Tom now 10 minutes later the command center was full of both humans and bright star the elegant aliens floated nervously while the humans stood firmly their heavy boots making soft sounds on the crystal floor show them Captain Tom ordered Jack pointed to his analyzer the Swarm ships
aren't just organic they're all connected by sound very lowf frequency sound that travels through space every time we hit them they send warning signals to each other that's how they adapt so fast the bright star leaders thoughts showed confusion sound but that's such a basic form of communication our civilizations abandoned physical vibration Communications Yan ago sometimes the old ways work best Jack said echoing his Captain's favorite phrase look we can use this if we broadcast the right frequency we could disrupt their whole network Tom finished good work Jack but we'll need to get close really
close to their main High ship to broadcast with enough power the bright stars thoughts turned dark impossible the high ship is surrounded by thousands of Defenders no energy based ship could get through good thing we don't use energy based ships then Linda said from her position beside Tom our Halls are built to take hits and if Jack's right about the frequency Tom nodded we could make it Jack how long to modify our ship's communication arrays 2 hours for the whole Fleet Jack replied confidently it's not complicated we just need to make them vibrate at the
right frequency simple physics really the bright star leaders conferred among themselves their crystalline bodies glowing with different colors as they communicated finally they turned to Tom this plan is primitive they transmitted using simple sound waves against a highly evolved organic Network it goes against all advanced combat Doctrine but Tom prompted but we have seen that primitive does not mean ineffective we will support your Fleet with our energy weapons as distraction Perhaps Perhaps there is wisdom in maintaining connection to the simple forces of nature Jack started Gathering his tools I'll need some help modifying all 30
ships quickly any of your engineers willing to learn some primitive technology to everyone's surprise several bright star Engineers floated forward their thoughts showed excitement rather than their usual condescension we have watched your repairs one transmitted your use of physical tools is fascinating perhaps we have forgotten useful knowledge in our rush to advance Beyond matter as the humans and bright star began working together Tom looked at his first officer send word to the fleet in 2 hours we're taking the fight to the Swarms front door Linda smiled should I mention we're going to defeat their Advanced
organic network with something as simple as sound definitely Tom replied after all there's nothing more satisfying than solving a complex problem with a simple solution the next two hours were filled with activity as humans taught BrightStar Engineers about physical tools while the aliens shared their insights about energy manipulation together they prepared for the biggest battle yet one that would prove that true advancement means remembering where you came from major David Ross sat in his small attack ship checking the mission timer 5 minutes until they reached the swarm's high ship his team of six ships had
volunteered for what everyone called the suicide run remember Captain Tom's voice came through the Comm you just need to get close enough to broadcast the disruption signal the main Fleet will keep most of their forces busy David looked at the huge battle happening around them the human fleet's metal ships fought alongside the bright stars Crystal vessels drawing the swarm's attention his small team slipped through the chaos heading straight for the massive High ship major said his co-pilot Ben the Swarm hasn't spotted us yet the bright stars energy weapons are keeping them distracted the high ship
was enormous bigger than anything David had ever seen it looked like a giant living Mountain floating in space covered in organic armor and surrounded by smaller Defender ships All Ships activate stealth systems David ordered the ship's outer layers turned black absorbing light another primitive technology the bright star hadn't thought of sometimes being invisible was better than having fancy Shields they got closer and closer the high ship grew larger in their view screens David could see strange patterns moving under its surface like blood flowing through veins then everything went wrong incoming Ben shouted a group of
swarm Fighters had spotted them the organic ships moved to attack their weapons already firing evasive action David ordered but stay on course two of their ships exploded immediately David gritted his teeth and kept flying the Swarm Fighters were faster more agile but human ships were tough built to take hits we're hit Ben reported whole breach in section three seal it and keep going David said the high ship filled their entire view now we're almost there another explosion another human ship gone they'd lost four ships already but the remaining two kept pushing forward the bright stars
thoughts reached them pull back the acid clouds around the high ship will dissolve your vessels even your Hardy materials cannot survive that David ignored them all power to front Shields he ordered Ben start broadcasting the disruption frequency their ships plunged into the acid clouds warning alarms screamed as the acid ate into their Halls the other surviving ship exploded its Pilot's last transmission a thumbs up signal Hull integrity at 20% Ben shouted we're breaking apart keep broadcasting David fought the controls as their ship shuttered maximum power through their dissolving GE screen they saw something amazing the
huge High ship started to vibrate its surface rippled like water the sound frequency Jack had discovered was working it's working Ben yelled over the sound of their dying ship the high ship is losing cohesion David watched his cracks appeared in the organic Hull of the massive ship their simple sound waves were tearing apart the swarm's advanced biological Network Hull integrity at 5% the ship's computer announced calmly complete structural failure in 10 seconds broadcast sent been reported the disruption signal is at full strength we did it sir David smiled as their ship's Hall finally gave way
see you on the other side Ben the last thing they saw was the hive ship breaking apart its complex organic systems destroyed by simple soundways their primitive solution had worked perfectly back in the main Fleet Captain Tom watched The Hive ship's destruction with mixed feelings the Swarm was falling apart their Network disrupted but the cost had been high your people the bright star transmitted their thoughts filled with awe and sadness they flew into certain death how why because that's what death worlders do Tom replied quietly we Face death to protect others it's not about being
primitive or Advanced it's about doing what needs to be done the bright star were silent for a long moment then we have much to learn from Earth's death worlders Perhaps Perhaps true advancement lies not in abandoning our Origins but in understanding them as the remaining swarm ships fell into chaos without their hives guidance Tom ordered a moment of silence for David's Team Six ships 12 Brave humans had given their life using the simplest of weapons sound itself to defeat the most advanced organic Fleet in the Galaxy sometimes the most primitive solution was the most powerful
one of all the space around the destroyed Hive ship was quiet now pieces of organic material drifted past the fleet's sensors all that remained of the mighty swarm but Victory had come at a terrible price Captain Tom stood in the bright stars Crystal Memorial chamber looking at the holographic images of David Ben and the other 10 humans who had given their lives to end the war the chambers's walls reflected their faces in countless Crystal facets a tribute from the bright star to their saviors your people's sacrifice will be remembered for Generations the bright star high
council member transmitted its crystalline form glowing softly we did not understand before we thought being Advanced meant leaving behind physical form physical combat physical sacrifice sometimes the most advanced thing you can do is remember where you came from Tom replied touching the cold medal of his rank insignia Earth taught us that every day Linda entered the chamber her boots making soft sounds on the crystal floor sir the fleet reports the last swarm ships have been destroyed or driven off without the hive mind controlling them they're just animals the bright star Council memb thoughts showed surprise
you sound sad about this they were your enemies they were alive Linda said simply death worlders understand the value of life because we see death so often Earth isn't just about survival it's about respecting the struggle to survive more bright star entered the chamber including some of the engineers who had worked with Jack they had changed over the past few days learning to handle physical tools and understanding the value of primitive technology we have analyzed the remains of the Swarm ships one engineer transmitted their biological technology was incredibly advanced yet they were defeated by simple
sound waves we would never have thought of such a solution that's because you stopped looking for simple answers Jack said walking in with his favorite wrench still in his hand sometimes the old ways work best the Swarm forgot that too they made themselves so Advanced they became vulnerable to basic physics the memorial chamber filled with both humans and bright star the aliens had changed their environment settings making the gravity and air pressure closer to Earth normal they were learning to adapt just as humans had always done we have a request the council member transmitted to
Tom our civilization has pursued pure energy and pure thought for Millennia we abandoned physical technology physical weapons even physical bodies but we see now this made us vulnerable what are you asking Tom turned from the Holograms of his Fallen crew we wish to learn from Earth not just your technology but your way of thinking your what do you call it death worlder perspective will you teach us Tom looked at his crew the survivors of a battle that had proven once and for all that being Prim primitive didn't mean being weak we'd be honored but you'll
have to teach us too the best Solutions come from combining different ways of thinking the chambers crystals caught the light from the nearby Stars breaking it into rainbow colors that played across the faces of humans and Aliens alike in death David's team had not just saved the bright star they had changed them forever to the Fallen Tom said raising his hand in salute every human in the chamber did the same the bright star learning quickly raised their crystalline forms in similar gestures their thoughts joined together in a melody of remembrance that filled the chamber with
beautiful light and sound Victory had cost them dearly but as Tom looked at humans and bright star standing together he knew something new had been born the Galaxy would never again mistake physical existence for primitive weakness the deathworlders had proven that true strength comes in many forms they died as they lived Linda said softly looking at the Holograms proving that being human being a death worlder means never backing down from a challenge no Tom corrected her gently they proved something more important they proved that being human means helping others no matter the cost that's not
primitive at all that's the most advanced thing in the universe one month after the defeat of the the Swarm the bright star's Crystal space station looked very different human Engineers worked alongside bright star scientists sharing knowledge and creating new technologies that combined both species strengths Captain Tom walked through a corridor that now had sections of metal reinforcing the crystal walls the bright star had learned that sometimes a physical barrier was better than an energy Shield they were changing adapting just as humans had always is done Captain Linda called hurrying to catch up the Earth Federation
council is ready for the video call the bright star High Council is waiting to they entered a new meeting room that showed how much things had changed one half had the floating Crystal seats the bright star preferred the other had solid metal chairs for the humans the gravity and air pressure could change in each section with the push of a button a design Jack had helped create this is a historic day the bright star Council leader transmitted as they activated the video link to Earth its crystalline form glowed with excited colors the first official alliance
between deathworlders and energy beings the Earth Federation Council appeared on the large screen they looked surprised at seeing humans and bright star working so comfortably together Captain Tom the Federation president said your reports about The Bright Star Technology are impressive but can We Trust former energy beings who once look down on us as Primitives before Tom could answer the bright star leader floated forward if I may respond it transmitted we were wrong about humans we thought advancing meant leaving behind physical form instead humans showed us that true advancement means understanding Both Worlds energy and matter
simple and complex Jack who was setting up some equipment in the corner spoke up you should see what we've made together Bright Star Energy Tech combined with human physical engineering ships with Crystal cores and metal hulls weapons that use both bullets and energy beams and more importantly Linda added we've learned from each other the bright star are learning about physical combat and survival we're learning about energy manipulation and pure thought Tom nodded the Swarm taught us all the lesson being ADV advaned doesn't mean forgetting your roots it means understanding everything from the simplest physical laws
to the most complex energy patterns the Federation council members talked among themselves finally the president spoke again the Federation accepts the alliance Captain Tom your Fleet will stay there as our first permanent mission to the bright star systems thank you sir Tom replied though you should know we're not just sharing military technology the bright star want to learn everything about Earth they're even building special Chambers where they can experience our gravity and atmosphere the bright star leader thoughts showed excitement yes some of our young ones can now endure 50% Earth gravity they call themselves death
worlder students they want to understand the forces that shaped Humanity after the call ended Tom looked around the room human tools next to Bright Star Energy crystals physical and energy technology working together making both species stronger did you ever think Linda asked when we got that distress call that it would lead to this Tom smiled A Primitive death worlder Fleet saving an Advanced Energy civilization and ending up teaching each other new ways to look at the universe no didn't see that coming the bright star leader floated closer we we have a saying now simple or
complex energy or matter all paths can lead to wisdom we learned this from Earth's death worlders Jack finished his work and stood up and we learned that sometimes the most advanced civilizations are the ones willing to admit they still have things to learn outside the station's Windows human and bright Starships Patrol together the metal holes of Earth's vessels gleamed next to the crystal shapes of bright star C craft different approaches different Technologies but now working as one the Galaxy was changing the word death worlder was no longer an insult but a mark of respect and
Somewhere Out There the Stars Shone on the quiet di bris field that had once been the swarm's high ship a reminder that Victory sometimes comes from remembering your roots no matter how primitive they might seem to others
