The First In A Long History Of Injustices

Sharon was proud of all the drugs she'd done. Enough drugs to supply a hospital or fund a revolution in Eastern Europe. Enough drugs that her memories of the last seven years had melted together like the rainbow of candle wax she'd made for her fifth grade science fair.

Sharon still thought of herself as the hero in her fucked-up drama of a life. At the meetings she occasionally attended, they preached shedding your ego. They preached a lot of nonsense.

Sharon did not win that science fair, an injustice she still clings to even in her most lucid moments.

Wars Have Been Started Over Less

When we first encountered the Alavariuum, great expectations immediately spread across Earth. Not only were they a technologically-advanced extraterrestrial race from a thirteen-planet civilization 23 light years away, but they were friendly and offering to help us expand beyond our martian colonies.

Lately, many of the negotiators have admitted their enthusiasm is dampened. While still congenial, most of the committees and protocol meetings have become bogged down in naming conventions. The Alavariuum insist that every significant planet and star be referred to using their complicated symbology, and we'll be damned if we'll let anyone tell us what to call Earth.