[ WP ] Aliens have known of our existance for a long time , but have n't contacted us . Why ? They are scared . Scared ... of us .

`` Under the aegis of our gods we took to the stars. Under the guidance of the Pearl of Dawn we ranged out and met other species. With the kindness of the Keeper of Hearths we brought them to our fold. Behind the protection of the Sorrowful Matron we defeated their attacks. Under the gaze of the Shrouded Captain we accepted their gods alongside ours. And now, following the light of the Soothing Torch, we will bring glory to our empire.'' 
 
 It was a common prayer, and Alit spent a few moments meditating on its meaning before getting to his feet and walking out of the Chapel. It was about giving praise to the gods, of course, but not only. It was about trust. The gods had always stood by the Hiloi, from the founding of the First Empire, through the First and Second Interregnums and the Second Empire of today. The prayer was about reaffirming the Hiloi's commitment to the covenant between them and their gods, and most importantly trust that as long as that covenant held, nothing could shake the Empire. 
 
 Alit made his way to the *Emperor Hijraska*'s bridge, pausing only briefly when he came across the ship's Chaplain to kiss his ceremonial ring. He'd barely taken his station as the bridge's nav officer that Crusader Settn, the *Hijraska*'s XO, appeared, prompting the officers on the bridge to murmur a Psalm of Benediction as naval tradition mandated. 
 
 Settn's face was grim and his second pair of ears flat against the top of his head - a sure sign of the worry that ate him inside. He gestured to Alit first, then to Densk and L'citar, the ship's com and tactical officer respectively. 
 
 `` Officers, please, come with us. The Captain has requested all Bishop officers to join him for a briefing immediately.'' 
 
 That was out of the ordinary, so Alit jumped on his feet and almost rushed towards the briefing room. Densk was right behind him, but L'citar was a Byrhilf - a proud client race of the Hiloi - and noticeably slower, so he took more time to join them. Luckily, he was the only non-Hiloi officer on the ship, so everyone else was present and accounted for by the time he arrived, and the Captain started. 
 
 Captain Iltess was a man of few words, as befitted one born under the sign of the Sorrowful Matron. The Goddess of Victory gave her favorites a keen tactical mind, bravery and leadership, but no interest in making long-winded speeches. That belonged more to the Shrouded Captain's priestts and the Soothing Torch's politicians. Hence, it was no surprise to Alit that the Captain immediately laid out the problem. 
 
 `` We have received a transmission from Planet DX-2552 Threshold of Redemption, local name *Earth*. It's not unusual for us, we've received low-intensity waves, echoes of local communications, during our surveys of the sector before. In fact, they even sent out deliberate attempts to contact other races before. But this time it's different.'' 
 
 Densk shook his whiskers in an interrogative gesture. `` Threshold of Redemption? Is n't that the quarantined Class 3 planet with a sub-FTL civilization? The Heymans?'' 
 
 `` Humans, actually'', answered Captain Iltess. `` And they're not sub-FTL. Not anymore. Look:'' As he said these words, the Captain activated the briefing display. A human face sprang up between them all - Alit noted, with mild amusement, that Humans looked almost exactly like two-eyed Ine'l. The small patch of hair on the top of its head was the color of the morning sun, and the rest of its face was pale and hairless, with very pale blue eyes and round pupils. When it started speaking, its high-pitched voice was overlaid with a synthetised translation in Hiloira. 
 
 *'' This is Captain Lyudmila Dimitryevna Karpov, of the UNS* Lighthouse. *We're broadcasting this on all frequencies to let anyone in the vicinity know that we've just completed our very first hyperjump, or FTL jump, or whatever it is you people call it. There are more of my people preparing more ships, and we're going to meet very soon. I hope this message serves as a sample to work on interpreting our language, that'll be useful for our first meeting. I do n't know what kind of galactic community there is out there, but we're excited to meet you all! `` * 
 
 The natural voice under the synthetizer seemed sincere, almost eager. Alit could n't understand the Captain and XO's reluctance. `` This is good news'', he ventured. `` Now we can start negotiating with them to integrate them into the Empire, and bring their gods into our fol-'' 
 
 Before he could finish, Crusader Settn flattened his ears and almost bared his fangs at him, a reprimand so strong that it would usually be reserved for criminal misbehavior or negligence. Stunned, Alit was left wondering what had prompted that outburst. The Captain raised a calming hand and went on. 
 
 `` While it would generally be a good thing, the Emperor and the Cardinals have determined that Earth is to remain quarantined indefinitely. You see, the Humans have exhibited throughout history a peculiar taste for making war.'' 
 
 `` That's not exactly unusual, sir...'' Densk dared. And it was n't. A lot of civilizations encountered by the Hiloi had martial cultures. The Byrhilf had lived in warring clans, the system-spanning Dieppal had established clashing planetary kingdoms, and the avian K'K'kt'K has settled all their bloodline disputes in all-out aerial combat between the males of each involved family. The Hiloi themselves did not relish war, but they knew of it. `` I mean, Captain, our own Sorrowful Matron taught us the ways of war...'' 
 
 `` Perhaps, but the Sorrowful Matron teaches to strike quickly, cleanly and with resolve at the most valuable objectives. She never taught us savagery and destruction. Take a look at what information we have of their gods - artwork, video and other recovered media...'' 
 
 More images sprang up from the display. A painting of a city, destroyed by a rain of fire as hapless survivors cowered before the divine. A man, naked but for a loincloth, twisting with pain on a wooden cross as blood dripped down to be collected in a cup, his face raised to the sky in silent prayer. A many-armed being, blue-skinned and dancing on a dead body, holding an assortment of weapons and battle trophies. A priest in a feathered robe plucking out the heart of a bound victim as a sacrifice atop a blood-caked pyramid. Another questioning a screaming, broken victim of torture before leading him to a woodpile and setting it alight. And yet another ululating religious cries in apparent ecstasy as he sliced through the throat of a helpless captive in a desert. The images went on and on until Alit felt sick to his stomach... And he barely noticed when the Captain started speaking again. 
 
 `` They worship gods of savagery and bloodthirst, who teach pain and destruction to those who would serve them. Send a message to the Fleet, the Cardinals and the Emperor Himself. Quarantine of Threshold of Redemption is broken. Mobilize all ships. Their gods can not be allowed to join ours - they can not be allowed allowed beyond their planet. There is no solution other than total war.''
