by Noah Barnett
"So we actually hurt our chances?" someone near the front row asked.
"Quite the opposite." Blake shook his head. "We would have been completely without infrastructure otherwise, so the difference is really only a matter of technological position. Thanks to you, we will have better food, greater population density, and slightly-higher industrial output."
"You have dropships. Just go after the derelict," the same person shouted.
"I suggested the same thing, but sadly, I'm only the base commander. The political council overruled me, and my dropships are already headed back to Earth to help consolidate its strategic resources." Blake seemed to realize he was rambling, for he paused, his posture straightening.
"Regardless, I hope you enjoy your time in Star Nova. A celebration will be held in the mess if anyone is interested, and I promise that the food will be better than usual. There is still much to do, but I’ll leave you with a quote from Carl Sagan.
"The Earth is a very small player in a vast cosmic arena."
The commander tapped something on his wrist, then he too was gone in a flash of light.