"Many years ago, a starship appeared over Earth—a vessel belonging to a massive galactic syndicate."
"The people of Earth were thrilled because the visitors didn't attack upon arrival. Humanity believed it was a fresh start—a bridge to the stars for those who wanted to venture forward and explore the cosmos."
"But it was a trap—the exact same deception used by foreign invaders throughout human history. Some of these aliens looked strikingly human, which made us trust them all too easily. Step by step, they established a headquarters on our planet, seized vast territories, and flexed their superior technology."
"They could have destroyed Earth on day one if they wanted to, but destruction wasn't their objective. Earth—home to two billion people back then—had valuable resources that a full-scale war would have ruined. Humans weren't powerful, but we were reckless enough to launch nuclear weapons at our own soil rather than surrender."
"Destroying the planet meant losing the prize. A slow, calculated takeover was the far smarter play. After all, in the galaxy, just because something seems useless to you doesn't mean it's worthless to someone else."
"You can see this principle right in Earth's own oceans. Ocean water might be undrinkable for humans, but it's home to massive aquatic beasts like sharks and whales. Harnessing seawater takes immense effort for humans, but the reward makes it worth the struggle."
"Likewise, conquering Earth took patience and strategy: building trust, trading technology, and sharing basic galactic knowledge."
"Years after our enslavement, the truth finally came out about why they came and what they were after. They were a contract army—mercenaries who carried out missions based on the client's demands. Their assignment? Find a planet rich in oxygen and raw minerals."
"Earth was roughly 25 percent landmass and the rest water—far from a perfect world, but valuable enough to command a high price in the galactic market."
"The buyers from Planet Blue Eye (who commissioned the search) and the Black Emerald Army (the mercenaries who took the contract) both walked away satisfied. The mercenaries got paid, and the inhabitants of Planet Blue Eye secured a brand-new home."
"And what happened to us? We became slaves to the Blue Eye species—though we were practically useless to them. The inhabitants of Planet Blue Eye were an amphibious, fish-like humanoid species with blue skin and red eyes. Their native planet was larger than Earth, but its landmass was scarce, fragmented into tiny scattered islands."
"These fish-men were surprisingly powerful and intelligent, somehow managing to carve out a dominant presence in the galaxy. They had even built a lucrative intergalactic restaurant franchise by hunting and culinary-processing the giant sea beasts from their homeworld!"
"They purchased Earth from the local galactic sector overlord for 3.2 billion Tox—the standard galactic currency. There was no question about their power; humanity was completely helpless against them. Their homeworld was vast, but lethal—every hunting expedition claimed the lives of several fish-men."
"Though small in population, their sheer strength kept them alive. Their primary goal on Earth was population expansion, as Earth's oceans posed zero threat to them. The human population, however, was far too dense. The Black Emerald Army rounded up a chunk of us to sell on the galactic slave market, while the fish-men handled the rest as they saw fit—ruthlessly."
"Around 10 million humans were shipped off into deep space—a number neither too high nor too small. The Captain of the Black Emerald Army received a handsome sum for the main mission, plus a neat kickback from selling human slaves as spoils of war: 3 Tox per human, pocketing an extra 30 million Tox as a lucrative side income."
"Now, you're probably wondering who I am and how I know all this detail. Well, all of this information is preserved on the galactic net to keep planetary histories alive. That's where I dug it up—though uncovering the Captain's secret side income took a little extra digging."
"My name is Yuta. A bit strange, I know, but odd names aren't uncommon out here in the galaxy, so I roll with it. After the slave auctions, a few humans got lucky, and my family line happened to be one of them. Our buyer was the master of an agricultural planet. He extended an offer to us—one he certainly didn't owe us."
"Thanks to his generosity, my ancestors earned their freedom after a few years of labor and settled down on that farm planet. Two entire generations passed with my family working the land."
"Two generations later, someone finally decided to step out of the fields and try a different career path. But that someone failed miserably, and now he stands falsely accused of embezzlement. You've probably figured out by now... I'm talking about myself."
Zyora Planet Police Headquarters.
A young man stands in handcuffs while a middle-aged woman frantically pleads with a police officer.
"Sir, my son could never do something like this! He's just an ordinary worker at a company!"
"Ma'am, your son is accused of concealing the truth and defrauding his investors," the officer replies coldly. "He was the CEO of that firm! People poured their savings into it, and as a citizen of this planet, it was his duty to ensure no fraud took place!"
A man standing next to Yuta's mother speaks up. "Granted, he might have been careless, but the fault lies with the company itself! Why is he bearing the punishment?"
"It was a share-trading firm operating on high risk," the officer states. "In an enterprise like that, one officer's mistake tanks the entire company. Your son's crime was distributing inflated, fake stock information. The stock crashed, and countless investors lost everything!"
So, what happens next? Is Yuta headed straight for prison... or destined to become a slave once again?!