‘The Persolus Race’ was an idea I had with one simple premise: Imagine a future where the human race went out into the stars, only to find that there is no intelligent alien life to be found, anywhere at all? What would this mean for the human race?
I pitched this idea to my family, who suggested that I run the idea past other writers. I joined a group on Facebook called ‘The Sci-Fi and Fantasy Writer’s Guild’, who I believed had a suitably cool name. The idea started to take shape of an anthology of short stories all set in this universe, for which I provided a story bible in the form of a prologue. After proposing the idea to them, about twenty members of the page said that they would be interested in creating short stories to then set in this universe. Some have already provided a summary, or an opening page or two of the stories they intend to write.
I sent them all a prologue, which is as follows:
“In 1969, the human race, found on the planet Earth, sent a man to the moon. In 2029, they landed on Mars.
In 2036, they built great Geo-engineering projects to slow the effects of climate change, allowing the economy, and therefore scientific research to grow, without any further worry.
In 2040, the space agencies of countries within the United Nations got together to created the Integrated Space Agency, or ISA.
The human race advanced, and advanced a reached out into the stars.
They developed the first hyper-speed engine.
Earth’s best scientists set about understanding atmospheric science, botany and soils. They put together terraforming engines, known as ‘Edens’.
By the end of the 26th century, most of the Milky Way had been explored and many planets in nearby systems had been terra-formed to be livable for humans. Despite hopes, no alien life had been found yet.
In 2949, the human race developed the first faster-than-light speed engine.
By the turn of the year 3462, the human race had travelled out as far as the edges of the Virgo Super-cluster.
And they did not stop there.
The human race carried on expanding, landing on planets, using up their resources, water, fuel and air, to power their ships, to power their Edens, to run experiments.
It was not until the year 3999 when the ISA made an announcement. Despite the expansion, despite searches, despite attempts to make contact, no intelligent life had been found anywhere within the Virgo Super-cluster.
They stated that the human race must face the very real possibility that the human race is alone in the universe.”
Members of the group have now stepped forward to provide editing and publishing services, and I hope to publish the anthology following the summer, after the deadline for stories at the end of July. I have decided to write a short story (between 1,000 and 19,000 words) too, which will fit within this shared universe. The working title for the anthology is ‘The Persolus Race’.
