VttP - MQo class: Congressus

What is 'The Voyage to the Planets'?

I've always loved to create stories to my pictures, they really help me during creation process. When I started illustrating planets of different classes some time ago (I've showed you only a few of them), and idea of a long, one spaceship trip popped in my head. So, the Voyage to the Planets is a journey of one spaceship to visit planet of each class. I'm almost sure that I won't be able illustrate all classes, but as long as I'll enjoy writing down these stories and creating these worlds, I'll continue it (and of course if you like my stories and planets) I'll reveal more details about the Ship, the Crew, and the Journey itself in future stories, so stay tuned

So, here is the story (I'm sure I'll make some changes to it, I'll edit that post, but don't worry, I'll let you now about it).


All ship's passengers was silently observing the dawn of the planet, slowly coming out of the darkness. Green crescent, an island on the black carpet of Space. Only the Captain was quietly moving among people, hypnotised by the charming view. He have already seen all worlds they are visiting during The Voyage. A young woman as everybody was standing still and looking through the window made of thick reinforced glass.
'Captain? May I ask you something?' - the woman whispered suddenly, when Captain approached her.
'Of course, my dear.' - he replied.
'Why are we visiting this world in our Journey? Why it's so special? As I know, there are plenty of similar worlds, much closer than this one, the planet almost on the edge of galaxy. It took us more than 5 jumps to get here.'
'Why this one, you ask? Haven't you ever heard any of those stories about first Explorers who arrived here? Stories about The First Encounter?'
'Of course I've heard them, but they're only mumble of drunken Travellers who have seen too much Space...'
'Oh no my dear, you are completely wrong. Most of people do not know, or do not want to know the truth about it. First of all that planet's name, Congressus Prime commemorates that events - in one of the Old Earth's languages it means The First Encounter.
'I didn't know that. But what exactly happened there?'
'It was nearly 500 years ago, during Golden Age of Space Exploration. We found thousands of worlds, most of them was dead, lifeless rocks, only a few could sustain a life. A real life, not just simple bacteriae or algae. Worlds where conditions coincidence let life to develop into something special, to create complicated ecosystems. We have always have hoped (or feared) to find an intelligent life also. But most intelligent life we had found were not smarter than animals called dolphins, from Old Earth. But when the Explorers had landed on Congressus Prime, what they found was completely different. Deep in the jungle they've found huge shiny disk-shaped object. It was covered with many layers of creepers and other plants. It was sure that it's very old. But just when they wanted to take some images of the object it disabled all their equipment and devices, and started to make strange buzzing sound. After a few seconds it just dissapeared, leaving nothing but a hole in the ground. When they reported it to The Academy, no one belived them. Only a little mention in vast Archives in Academy and Travellers' stories have left after that event. We discovered and explored hundreds of thousands new worlds after that event, but we have never encountered anything simillar so far.'
'Do you think they will return someday?'
'I am certain about that. The creatures that left the Disk, were here a long time before us and they were powerful. We should not ask if or when they will come. Ask rather what they will do with us when they find the Mankind on their throne of the Galaxy.'

congressus - latin; [a meeting]; either [a friendly meeting , social intercourse] or [a hostile encounter, combat].

Inspired by '2001: Space Odyssey' ,'The Sentinel' by A.C. Clarke, and Asimov's Foundation series.

Hope it's not boring, and you'll enjoy reading it, as I enjoyed writing it
I've practiced some things like clouds and atmosphere, I thinks they're better now, I've also added starfield and a nebula

So, remember - if you want me to continue this series, I need to know that you like it