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the grand chamber of the galactic Council resembled a massive Amphitheater with curved rows stretching up towards a ceiling that sparkled like a Starlet Sky hundreds of alien species filled the seats their forms ranging from crystalline structures to gaseous clouds contained in environment suits today's agenda discussing Humanity's petition to join the galactic Defense Force high counselor zaxor a towering figure with ir ENT scales and multiple sets of arms leaned forward on his Podium so Ambassador Stone you mean to tell us that your species wishes to contribute to our military forces the question triggered a wave of

clicking sounds and high-pitched whistles the alien equivalent of laughter Ambassador Marcus Stone stood at the center of the chamber hands clasped behind his back wearing an expression that could only be described as pleasantly amused War Master python a being composed osed of Shifting metallic plates projected his voice across the chamber perhaps they could serve as practice targets their soft exteriors would make excellent training dummies for our Cadets more laughter erupted echoing off the chamber walls or better yet chimed in strategic adviser claxon his crystalline form refracting light across the chamber we could use them as

decoys their natural tendency to run from danger would surely distract our enemies Stone's shoulders began to shake the aliens initially mistook it for fear or embarrassment but then a sound filled the chamber deep genuine laughter the Ambassador was laughing so hard tears were forming in his eyes the chamber fell silent confusion rippled through the alien Representatives like a wave is the human malfunctioning zior whispered to his Aid Stone wiped his eyes still chuckling I apologize esteem members of the council it's just when was the last time any of you actually studied human history what's there

to study python scoffed your species has barely mastered faster than light travel you have no natural armor no claws no Venom your reaction speed is laughable compared to the rexi your strength pales against the morthor you can't even survive in space without technology Stone's laughter subsided replaced by a smile that would have sent chills down a human's spine it was the kind of smile that had preceded some of Humanity's greatest military victories the smile of someone who knew something others didn't council members Stone said his voice carrying an edge of anticipation I'd like to present

exhibit a of our military capabilities but first let me ask you something have you ever heard of a little thing called psychological warfare the silence that followed was deafening and somewhere in that silence vience Humanity's reputation in the Galaxy was about to change forever warm Python's metallic plates shifted in agitation psychological warfare is that supposed to impress us the VX SE can literally Drive their enemies insane with telepathic attacks fascinating Stone replied tapping his wrist device then you won't mind if we demonstrate our capabilities in a series of combat trials the council chamber erupted an

excited chatter high counselor zaxor raised all four of his arms for silence you dare to challenge our military might very well we accept your proposal but on one condition when you fail Humanity will serve as support staff only no combat roles agreed Stone said his smile never wavering though I should mention our demonstration team is already here the massive doors at the far end of the chamber swung open a woman in a crisp naval uniform strowed in her boots clicking against the polished floor her silver hair was pulled back in a tight bun and her

posture radiated Authority four golden stars gleamed on her collar council members may I present Admiral Jennifer Hayes commander of the third Fleet the alien Representatives exchanged glances strategic adviser claxon's crystalline form pulsed with barely contained mirth this is your military leader she appeared appears to be in the latter stages of her life cycle her pigmentation has already begun to fade hay stopped beside Stone her weathered face impassive actually I dyed it this color helps me stand out at parties she winked at claxon whose confusion was evident in his flickering patterns I've reviewed your species combat

capabilities Hayes continued pulling up a holographic display impressive stuff the Rex X's telepathic abilities the morg Thor strength the Z saar's plasma weapons she paused studying the data almost makes me feel bad about what's coming warm python surged forward his metallic form expanding threateningly you mock our powers I have personally LED campaigns that conquered entire star systems star systems Hayes raised an eyebrow how quaint tell me war Master have you ever heard of something called The Art of War another Human Weapon zior asked multiple eyes narrowing no just a book written about 2,500 Years Ago

by a fellow named SSU here's one of my favorite quotes Supreme Excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting the chamber grew quiet as Hayes pulled up another holographic display now these are the parameters we propose for the combat trials three scenarios ground combat Space Warfare and strategic planning Winner Takes all Python's metallic plates rattled with laughter you expect us to waste resources on such a display our smallest battle group could annihilate your entire fleet Hayes turned to stone they really don't know do they not a clue stone replied struggling to keep a straight

face no what claxon demanded his crystalline form now pulsing with agitation Hay's expression turned serious though there was a glimmer in her eyes that made several alien Representatives shift uncomfortably that humans have been preparing for every possible type of warfare since we first picked up a rock and thought hey this could be useful and the best part we've mostly been practicing on ourselves she gestured to her Aid who began Distributing data tablets to the council members these are just the Declassified files from Earth's military history I suggest you review them before accepting our challenge particularly

the sections on Guerilla Warfare nuclear deterrence and something we like to call asymmetric Warfare the council chamber erupted in Urgent Whispers as the aliens began reviewing the data and in the midst of it all Admiral Hayes stood quietly a small smile playing at the corners of her mouth the kind of smile that suggested the real show hadn't even begun the holographic display in the center of the chamber flickered to life projecting a three-dimensional map of Earth Admiral Hayes stepped forward her hands clasped behind her back let's start with something simple computer display the Vietnamese terrain

Circa 1955 the projection zoomed in on a small country in Southeast Asia strategic adviser claxon's crystalline form brightened with interest this appears to be disadvantageous Terrain for Warfare dense vegetation difficult topography numerous waterways exactly Hayes nodded now imagine you're the most powerful military force on the planet you have air superiority Advanced weapons overwhelming numbers and nearly unlimited resources how long would it take you to win a war here War Master Python's metallic plates shifted in contemplation given those advantages no more than a few solar Cycles 20 years Hayes stated flatly that's how long the Vietnam

War lasted a technologically Superior force with every possible Advantage fought against local Guerilla forces using improvised weapons and underground tunnel networks want to guess who won the chamber erupted in murmurs as the display showed footage of simple puni traps camouflage soldiers and the intricate cooi tunnels High councelor zaxor scales flattened against his body body a sign of distress but but that's just one example claxon protested surely computer display Afghanistan all conflicts from 1700 to 2024 the map shifted again we call it the graveyard of Empires multiple superpowers tried to conquer it every single one failed

know why Hayes paused letting the question hang in the air because humans are remarkably good at adapting improvising and most important ly learning from our defeats the display changed again showing various Warfare techniques improvised explosive devices trap making camouflage tactics while you were developing plasma weapons we were perfecting the art of hiding in plain sight while you were building telepathic defenses we were learning how to wage war with nothing but sheet metal and fertilizer warm Python's form had contracted to half its original size these are primitive techniques they would never work against our advanced technology

Hayes smiled computer display the Battle of Endor simulation the Hologram showed a forest Moon where primitive creatures using Stone Age weapons defeated a technologically Superior Force using nothing but logs Vines and clever trap placement several alien Representatives shifted uncomfortably in their seats oh sorry Hayes chuckled that's actually from a popular entertainment video but you get the point never underestimate a species that can turn household cleaning products into explosives she walked around the holographic display her voice taking on a more serious tone but here's the really interesting part every time we fought ourselves we got better

at it each conflict taught us new lessons the Germans invented Blitz cre we adapted the British mastered Naval Warfare we studied and improved upon it the Russians perfected winter Warfare we learned from that too the display began cycling through historical footage tanks rolling across deserts submarines gliding through dark Waters satellites tracking movements from space we fought in every terrain every climate every possible condition we've waged war with sticks and stones and we've waged war with nuclear weapons we've fought conventional Wars uncon conventional Wars cold Wars and proxy wars Admiral Hayes paused letting the images sink

in and the best part what you're seeing is just the Declassified material the stuff we're willing to show potential adversaries strategic advisor claxon's crystalline form had dimmed considerably you mean there's more oh much more Hayes replied her smile reminiscent of a predator showing its teeth but that's classified though I will say this everything you've seen so far that's what we came up with while fighting other humans imagine what we've developed while preparing for potential alien threats the silence that followed was broken only by the soft hum of the holographic projector several alien representatives were frantically

reviewing their data tablets their previous mockery replaced by growing concern high counselor zaxor cleared his throat perhaps perhaps we should proceed with the combat trials after all wonderful Hayes responded her eyes gleaming and trust me you haven't seen anything yet the council members found themselves transported to an observation deck overlooking a massive enclosed Arena Lieutenant Commander Alex Rodriguez stood at the control panel his dark eyes focused on the Tactical display ladies gentlemen and various other forms of sentient life Rodriguez announced his fingers dancing across the holographic interface welcome to what we call a standard combat

Readiness demonstration nothing fancy just a simple Showcase of basic human tactical capabilities warm Python's metallic plates rippled with skepticism your Arena appears empty does it Rodriguez pressed a button and suddenly the air shimmered 20 human soldiers in combat gear materialized their active camouflage deactivating they had been standing there the entire entire time several alien Representatives jerked back in Surprise strategic advisor claxon's crystalline form flickered rapidly but but our sensors detected nothing yeah we figured out how to fool those about 30 years ago Rodriguez Shrugged pretty basic stuff really now let's move on to something more

interesting computer initiate scenario Delta 7 The Arena transformed into an urban Warfare environment building Rose from the ground streets formed and holographic civilians began populating the space a squadron of rexxy shock troops materialized at the far end the most elite fighting force in the known Galaxy standard extraction Mission Rodriguez explained our team needs to rescue a high value Target while facing Superior numbers and Firepower beginning in three 2 1 what followed left the alien observers in stunned silence the human soldiers moved like water through the Urban Terrain using techniques that seem to defy conventional military

Doctrine they split into smaller teams used the civilian population as concealment and employed tactics that seemed chaotic but were clearly coordinated notice how they're not just fighting Hayes pointed out they're manipulating the battlefield itself those civilians they're not obstacles they're assets every crowd provides cover every corner creates confusion every window becomes a potential firing position the vxy troops despite their Superior technology and physical capabilities found themselves consistently outmaneuvered the humans would engage briefly disappear then strike from an unexpected Direction impossible python protested the rexxy can predict enemy movements through micro expressions and Body Language analysis

Rodriguez grinned you can't predict what you can't understand fun fact we trained these soldiers to deliberately give off wrong physical cues those micro Expressions your troops are reading all fake the demonstration continued as the human Squad executed their extraction they used everything from improvised smoke screens to Sonic disruptors turning seemingly mundane objects into tactical advantages here comes my favorite part Rodriguez said leaning forward one of the human soldiers pulled out what looked like a small sphere the alien observers leaned in expecting some Advanced weapon instead the soldier simply threw it at a nearby window shattering

the glass was that a failure claxon asked confused watch Rodriguez replied the breaking glass had created a specific sound pattern that triggered a chain reaction local dogs began barking car alarm started blaring and the Entre entire Urban environment erupted in chaos the vexi troops with their enhanced hearing found their sensory systems overwhelmed we call that Urban acoustic Warfare Hayes explained turns out everyday noise can be weaponized if you understand Sonic patterns well enough the human Squad used the confusion to complete their extraction Vanishing into the urban landscape as quickly as they had appeared the simulation

ended leaving the alien observers in stunned silence high counselor zior scales had taken on a pale Hue this this was a basic demonstration oh yeah Rodriguez nodded shutting down the Tactical display we didn't even show you the cool stuff like our experimental quantum entanglement communication systems or those new nanite swarms we've been working on careful Commander Hayes warned though her eyes twinkled with Amusement that's still classified my apologies Admiral though I suppose I could mention project Thunderbolt that's been Declassified recently project Thunderbolt python asked his metallic form trembling slightly nothing special Rodriguez said waving dismissively

just a little something we cooked up for dealing with electronic warfare turns out if you modulate an electromagnetic pulse just right you can selectively Target specific types of Technology while leaving others untouched handy for dealing with say a species that uses metallic forms to manifest themselves warm Python's plates clattered audibly as he took several steps back from the observation window but hey Rodriguez continued cheerfully we're just getting warmed up who's ready to see what we can do in space Admiral Hayes gestured toward a new holographic display her expression turning grave before we move to space

combat let me share something about human history that might interest you computer display World War II statistics numbers and figures filled the air casting an eerie glow across the observer's faces in just 6 years this single conflict involved over 100 million military personnel the entire planet was at War fighting across land sea and air simultaneously L strategic advisor claxon's crystalline form pulsed rapidly surely these numbers are exaggerated no species would commit such resources to a single conflict oh but we did Hayes continued and here's the kicker this wasn't even our biggest advancement in Warfare computer

display Cold War timeline the Hologram shifted showing two massive power blocks facing each other across a divided world for nearly 50 years Humanity lived on the brink of total Annihilation we had weapons that could destroy our entire civilization many times over and you know what we did we got creative she walked through the Hologram pointing out key events proxy wars Espionage networks military deterrence mutually assured destruction we developed strategies so complex that the mere threat of War became a weapon itself warm Python's metallic form contracted Ed you threatened your own Extinction as a strategy precisely

Hayes smiled we call it Game Theory when both sides have Planet killing weapons Victory isn't about who strikes first it's about who can make the other side believe they won't hesitate to strike at all the display shifted again showing modern military installations but that was just the beginning these days we fight Wars in cyberspace using lines of code AS deadly as any bullet we've weaponized information itself remember those social media platforms you found so primitive each one is a potential Battlefield high counselor zor's scales rippled with disbelief you wage war through entertainment networks we wage

war through everything Rodriguez chimed in that's what makes humans unique we don't just adapt to Warfare we adapt Warfare to us the Hologram displayed a series of seemingly innocent objects cell phones traffic lights weather satellites Modern Warfare isn't about who has the biggest guns anymore it's about control one viral video can destabilize a government one well-placed rumor can crash an economy one coordinated Cyber attack can bring a civilization to its knees Hayes paused letting the implications sink in and the best part most of our Advanced military technology isn't even in these archives we learned pretty

early on that the best weapons are the ones your enemy doesn't know about you're bluffing claxon accused though his crystaline form had dimmed considerably are we Hayes raised an eyebrow tell me have you wondered why Earth's internet still uses such seemingly outdated protocols or why we maintain physical libraries in the age of digital storage or perhaps why we insist on keeping certain military installations completely off the grid the alien Representatives exchanged nervous glances here's something to consider Hayes continued her voice dropping to a near whisper everything you've seen so far that's what we developed while

fighting enemies we understood humans fighting humans now imagine what we've developed preparing for enemies we've never encountered the Hologram shifted one final time showing the Earth at night its cities gleaming like stars we may not have natural armor or telepathic abilities we can't shoot plasma from our hands or survive in vacuum but we've spent our entire history turning our weaknesses into strengths she turned to face the council members directly you mock us for being soft we invented body armor you laugh at our slow reaction times we created prediction algorithms you dismiss our physical limitations we

split the atom warm Python's metallic plates were now rattling continuously why why show us all this Hay's smile returned but it didn't reach her eyes because War Master there's an old human saying know your friend well but know your enemy better we're giving you the chance to decide which one you'd rather be the chamber fell into a heavy silence broken only by the soft hum of the holographic projectors and the nervous shuffling of alien Representatives warm python surged forward his metallic plates expanding to their full intimidating size enough of these presentations and simulations if humans

are truly worthy of joining the galactic Defense Force prove it here and now a new figure stepped through the chamber doors Commander Kiren walked with the Casual confidence of someone who had already won a battle that hadn't yet begun happy to oblige warmaster Admiral Hayes permissioned to proceed with a live demonstration granted Hayes replied trying to hide her Amusement Python's form Twisted into a combat configuration choose your weapons hum let us have one final test Chen looked around the chamber then picked up an empty water glass from a nearby table this will do the alien

observers burst into confused chatter High councelor zaxor leaned forward you mock these proceedings not at all replied studying the glass with exaggerated interest warm you mentioned earlier that your species can reconfigure into any metallic form correct correct python growled his surface Rippling with aggressive patterns fascinating and you maintain cohesion through electromagnetic fields before python could respond Chen threw the water in the glass at him the liquid splashed across his metallic surface but it wasn't water the war Master's form began to sputter and Spark salt water Chen explained casually surprisingly conductive currently disrupting your electromagnetic field

patterns basic chemistry really we learned that one in grade school python struggled to maintain his form parts of his metallic body already beginning to separate and drop to the floor this this is impossible no Chen corrected this is human Ingenuity we don't need fancy weapons or Superior technology we just need to understand the basic principles of how things work then we can turn anything into an advantage the war Master's form collapsed completely reducing him to a pile of inert metal plates within seconds a medical team rushed in to stabilize his electromagnetic field Chen turned to

face the council don't worry heun be fine in a few minutes the solution was diluted enough to avoid any permanent damage we could have used a stronger concentration of course but then this would have been a weapons demonstration rather than a tactical one the chamber was absolutely silent even the most skeptical Representatives stared in shock at how easily one of their most formidable Warriors had been defeated by a glass of salt water Ambassador Stone stepped forward still wearing that same amused smile from the beginning now then about our application to join the Defense Force one

week later the galactic Council reconvened the chamber once filled with mockery of humanity now held a very different atmosphere High councelor zaxor stood at his Podium his scales shimming with formal patterns after careful consideration of the evidence presented and the impressive demonstrations provided the council has voted to approve Humanity's application to the galactic Defense Force he paused his multip multiple eyes blinking rapidly furthermore we have decided to create a new division specifically focused on tactical Innovation and strategic development this division will be led by humans Ambassador Stone stood at the center of the chamber flanked

by Admiral Hayes Commander Chen and Lieutenant Commander Rodriguez the same smile he had worn during the initial mockery still played on his lips we accept this honor with gratitude Stone said his voice carrying a hint of that earlier Amusement though I must ask what changed your minds was it the historical archives the combat demonstrations or perhaps The Saltwater incident zior scales flattened slightly it was the realization that we had grown complacent in our technological superiority we had forgotten the most dangerous weapon of all adaptability Stone nodded then turned to address the entire chamber you know

there's an old saying on Earth the most dangerous enemy isn't the strongest one it's the one you underestimate he paused letting his gaze sweep across the assembled aliens though personally I prefer another human saying who's laughing now and this time no one in the chamber Dar to laugh at all