Chapter VI — Footprints from 3.5 Million Years Ago
In half an hour, we reached the spaceport, the pod touching down firmly.
I unbuckled my seatbelt and got up, feeling great to touch down again. I walked toward Anton, signaling him it was okay to unbuckle his seatbelt. After that, I gave him a sincere—or perhaps professional—smile, "Anton, welcome to Earth."
We stepped out of the pod, one after the other, and made our way down a red-carpeted walkway to the spaceport's arrival hall. The hall was practically empty, with hardly any staff in sight, just a few tireless cleaning bots scrubbing away at the floor that was so shiny you could use it as a mirror. Across the hall was a row of neat, compact smart cars lined up, ready to zip over if summoned.
Anton was still looking around curiously. Sure, many tourists do the whole gravity prep thing, but there are always a few who end up wobbling their first time on Earth. Some don't really get comfortable walking around until day two. Now, this isn't to say they failed their gravity training or slipped the examiner some cash under the table. Their bodies can totally deal with a G of gravity. It's all psychological. Most of these folks from the cosmic sea have lived their whole lives in space cities, suspended in the cosmos where it's all about emptiness and silence. They've never actually set foot on real soil before, so when these tourists first land on Earth and encounter a completely unfamiliar setting, their brains start pulling all sorts of self-protective tricks. Some get dizzy, some puke, and there are even a few who are too scared to walk at all. That's what those smart cars are for—offering a crutch for those initial, wobbly hours. It looks like I won't need to call for one today, though.
Anton was clearly not bothered by any of that. He adapted to the gravity here on Earth pretty fast; his walk was almost entirely normal, and he had no signs of nausea or dizziness. That made me feel somewhat relieved. But it also sparked a bit of curiosity in me. If my guess is correct, this is Anton's first time standing on an actual planet. You'd think he'd be a little uncomfortable, at least a little.
"You doing okay?" I asked him.
"Yeah, why?" Anton countered.
"Some folks find it weird actually to walk on real soil," I mentioned, catching on that he liked to toss questions back, "They might run into a couple of... let's call them slight issues."
"I'm not like them," Anton said flatly, "Where to now?"
"Where do you want to go?"
"I get to decide?" The spark in Anton's eyes helped me piece together more of who he was: a descendant of some storied, distinguished lineage, rigorously tutored, always sticking to the rules, never a worry about the material things, yet lacking in freedom.
"Sure, why not?" I nodded, then elaborated, "Anton, wherever you want to go, we can go."
A look of joy instantly spread across Anton's face.
I raised my wrist, clicked around on my smart device, and suddenly, we had a hologram of Earth, about the size of a basketball, floating between us. It rotated gently, letting us see the brownish continents and blue seas, not to mention the sparkling ice and snow capping the poles. Dotted across this tiny globe were colorful rings—in blue, purple, yellow, and green—blinking softly. I told Anton these rings pointed out every tourist destination open on Earth right now, and the colors differentiated the types of places you could visit. For instance, areas marked with blue rings represent some of the iconic cities where humans lived before the mass exodus to the City of Dawn. These cities were left untouched by the Terran Sphere Government, preserving places like Rome, New York, Beijing, Paris, and more. Some humans decided not to leave Earth, making these areas a hotspot for tourists seeking an authentic Earth vibe. The purple rings, on the other hand, highlight natural wonders, such as Earth's most awe-inspiring waterfalls, highest mountains, most expansive deserts, primeval rainforests, and so forth. Then you've got the spots with yellow rings, pointing to even older ruins. They're the most strictly guarded spots. Take the El Castillo Cave on the northern Iberian Peninsula in Europe, for instance. It's got the oldest traces of human art, with some pieces dating back hundreds of thousands of years, making them priceless treasures of human civilization. And don't forget Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, thought to be the earliest place humans grew wheat, signaling the dawn of our agricultural age. The stone giants on Easter Island, always staring into the cosmos, are a fascinating destination. The Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and other famous ancient marvels are also on the list. Then there are the "modern" historical sites like the Baikonur Cosmodrome, where humanity's space age began; Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, the starting point for our first extraterrestrial journey; and the launch site in Xichang, Gansu, China, from where humans first launched to Mars... Generally, those last kinds of sites tend to be the least popular. Those tourists from the cosmic sea don't seem to have much interest in all the "first times" of humanity.
After laying it all out for Anton, I reminded Anton again, "Your package is the ultimate free-for-all itinerary; you can head to any spot you fancy."
Anton looked genuinely surprised, something I figured he hadn't experienced much during his life—having the chance to make his own choices. He reached out with both hands and started spinning the holographic Earth to get a better view of the destinations. By selecting a ring, a new three-dimensional holographic frame would pop up, offering him the place's written details and holographic images.
I checked out this trip's schedule last night in advance. It's a premium custom trip without any specified destination, meaning if Anton wants to, he can visit any place he likes. Throughout my many years as a tour guide, I've yet to see such a high-end tour. Usually, tourists looking to visit Earth have to submit their request via Ring Net (Note: the communication network that covers the entire human society) at least six months ahead. Apart from preparing tons of documentation like proof of funds and a clean criminal record, they also have to arrive in the City of Dawn at least one Earth month (30 standard days) beforehand to undergo stage-by-stage gravity adaptation training. Only after adjusting to Earth's gravity are they permitted to make the trip to Earth. Plus, it doesn't stop there. Because of the strict Earth's ecological conservation regulations, there are tight restrictions on the maximum number of visitors allowed at each destination on Earth, which means tourists can't freely choose their preferred destinations. They must pick from the preset travel packages the Dawn Tourism Bureau offers.
"Who is this guy, really?" I pondered quietly, feeling a bit of pleasure at the same time. Seeing how clueless this kid seemed, how could he possibly decide where he wanted to go? If I "kindly" offer some professional advice, wouldn't that basically turn into my own little Earth vacation? Thinking this, I am in a much better mood.
On the other side, it looked like Anton had picked his spot. He pointed at a yellow ring on the globe, saying, "I want to go here."
I looked closer, a bit surprised. Anton had chosen Easter Island in the South Pacific, a location that's pretty secluded and not very well-known, rarely chosen by visitors.
"Is there a problem?" Anton asked, "Jason?"
"No problem, no problem at all." I said, "You've got a very distinct taste for things."
Anton glanced at me, "I'm not all that familiar with Earth culture. Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Yes, it definitely is." I shrugged, trying to hide my unease, "Anton, this way, please."
As we approached the tarmac, a streamlined silver-white craft was parked there. I instantly knew it was the Yuanchu Stratospheric Shuttle, a product of Jupiter Industries. It features fully automated piloting and excellent performance and promises to reach any point on Earth within two hours.
Tsk, which prestige family does this boy belong to? He's loaded. It's no surprise that the director was all worked up.
As we walked toward the shuttle, it auto-detected our access codes and opened its door. I input the destination to Easter Island into the shuttle's autopilot AI. Shortly after, we were airborne, dashing off the spaceport.
I comfortably sank into the spacious seat, free from babbling couples, bickering children, and complainers... just a stern, mysterious, rich kid by my side. This was turning out to be a delightfully peaceful trip. Anton was sitting across me, resting his head on his hand. He gazed out the window with a trace of sadness, wondering about something.
Driven by curiosity, I asked, "Anton, have you heard about Easter Island before?"
He turned from the window to look at me, shaking his head.
"Then why did you pick it as a destination?"
"I was curious about the stone giants," Anton explained. "I saw the panoramic images of the island earlier. It's filled with stone-carved giants. It seemed really interesting."
"Good choice," I said sincerely, "It was a well-known landmark even in the Dawn Era."
"Really?" My comment caught Anton's attention, and he looked at me curiously, "Are you saying those stone statues weren't built in the Dawn Era?"
"Nope," I responded, shaking my head, "By the time of the dawn era, those statues were already ancient. Actually, it's always been a mystery who the creators were."
"How is that possible?" Anton looked puzzled.
"Nothing's impossible," I chuckled, "You have to remember, there's a long history of humanity before the Dawn Era. Back then, civilization was more primitive, and many things didn't make it through to today. Earth is actually full of these kinds of ancient sites, like Stonehenge in England, Göbekli Tepe in Turkey, among others, all built by unknown peoples."
"Wait a second, you're telling me a bunch of stuff went down before the Dawn Era?" He appeared lost.
"Yeah, definitely," I said, "You didn't have history classes?"
"Sure, we did," Anton explained, "but we mainly focused on the Great Navigation Era. Not much on the Dawn Era, and regarding the time before it..." He frowned, "No one's really interested in that part of history."
"That means your history books pretty much skip over anything before the Dawn Era," I said with a smile. The truth is that humans have an extensive history before the Dawn Era. Most of it went unrecorded because there was no writing." I shrugged, mentally frowning at the state of historical education these days. I wondered if kids raised in the cosmic sea ever learned about history before Dawn Ear. "It might sound dull, but that part of history is much longer than we thought. And, more importantly, we wouldn't be here without it."
"Oh?" Anton seemed interested, "Can you tell me more about it?"
Great, I just dug a hole for myself. I started looking outside, thankfully spotting the renowned Great Rift Valley. Perfect, I pointed outside the window, "Look there."
Anton leaned over to see, his brow furrowing slightly, "Is that... a valley?"
"Yes, more precisely, it's the famous Great Rift Valley. It's about 2,000 meters deep at its deepest and stretches around 6,000 kilometers long. It's the biggest rift on our planet, and it's still expanding. Millions of years from now, it'll actually tear Africa apart, forming the youngest ocean on Earth."
"It's indeed breathtaking," Anton looked at me again with a sly look, "Still, you're not off the hook. How does this relate to the history before the Dawn Era?"
"Of course, they are related; as a matter of fact, they are deeply connected."I replied with a slight smile. "I know humanity has spread across the stars, reaching its zenith within the Sacrum Chu Imperium, having explored nearly a third of the Milky Way. Such a feat was unimaginable in earlier times. But no matter the distances we travel, everyone needs to remember this exact spot." I pointed below, "Great Rift Valley, the birthplace of all human beings."
Clearly, my statement made an impression. Anton straightened up, his gaze returning to the window, but now it carried a sense of awe, quite the difference from his earlier casual look.
"Are you saying humanity originated from this valley?" It was hard for Anton to believe.
"Yes," I affirmed, "You might not have noticed, but there's a yellow ring in the valley. We've built a museum there, housing some of the oldest human fossils and other relics found in the valley. However, it's rarely visited by tourists, and frankly, I wouldn't suggest wasting your time—it's not all that interesting..."
"No, let's head there right now!" Anton interrupted, "To that museum."
"What?" I was shocked.
"You heard me," Anton frowned slightly with a decisive tone, "We're going to the museum in the Great Rift Valley. Is there an issue?"
"No, not at all." I snapped back to the moment, knowing well to listen to the words of the one who pays. Without delay, I issued a voice command to the shuttle's auto-pilot system, prompting it to make a sharp left, drawing a huge arc in the sky as it turned toward the Great Rift Valley.
Shortly after, we landed smoothly right in front of the museum complex. Officially named "The Museum of Human Origins," the name might carry weight, but the museum's size doesn't quite match its grand title. The so-called complex merely consists of a few small buildings interconnected by see-through walkways, with several exhibit spaces arranged in chronological order, featuring fossils and archaeological finds of early humans from the rift. Like any other historical site, the museum complex is covered by a huge, transparent, bubble-like dome. Don't be fooled by its delicate appearance; this bubble is made from the strongest material humankind has ever produced. It's extremely tough but also has the characteristics of Newtonian fluid. For instance, it softens to a cotton-like texture when a bird flies into it, preventing any injury to the bird. On the other hand, it hardens like a diamond upon impact with meteorites or other potentially destructive, unnatural objects. Interestingly enough, natural elements such as wind and rain can effortlessly penetrate the shield. The science behind it is beyond me, but it certainly does the trick. And speaking of age, the museum itself is nearly a historical artifact, having stood for several millennia, if I recall correctly.
Walking into the museum with Anton, he stopped in front of an exhibit in the oldest hall. His attention was caught by a sandstone slab encased in a protective transparent material bearing a simple, blurred footprint. He asked with curiosity, "What's this?"
"That would be..." I ran a quick search in my head, "That's considered the oldest human footprint fossil found so far, from roughly... hmm... 3.5 million years ago."
Anton was shocked, "What? There were humans 3.5 million years ago?"
"That's correct. Genetic and archaeological studies indicate that humans appeared around four million years ago. Our journey to the stars began around ten thousand years ago. In other words, for the vast majority of human history, we've lived right here on Earth."
The sheer scale of time seemed to astonish Anton as he gazed at the footprint, silent, wondering something. The air turned a bit tense, and I made a joke, perhaps not at the best time, "Maybe the person who left this footprint is the ancestor of both you and me."
Unexpectedly, Anton glanced at me and asked seriously, "Really?"
"Huh?"
"Is she actually our ancestor? Could that really be possible?"
"Yes... it's absolutely true. She could very well be everyone's ancestor," I said, looking again at the footprint fossil. I imagined an ancient, hairy human walking on a beach millions of years ago. It, whether female or male, left a deep footprint in the sand. It had to be a dry season, with the river not reaching this tiny beach; therefore, the footprint remained. It hardened over the dry period, got buried under fresh sediment, and eventually became part of the earth's crust, turning into hard rock. Discovered by archaeologists of the Dawn Era about ten thousand years ago, it's now presented before us. After a pause, I added, "Really, it's possible. Think about it, whether he or she was crossing that beach, maybe heading out to hunt, perhaps gathering wild fruits, or even escaping a predator... They could never imagine that their descendants would be dispersed like gods among the stars."
Anton glanced at me and said, "You don't look much like a tour guide."
"Well, you're looking at it wrong then. I'm a top-rated guide within Dawn Tourism Bureau."
"Have you always wanted to be a tour guide?"
"No, there was a time..." I faltered, not used to such personal inquiries from tourists, yet I replied, "I harbored dreams of becoming an Explorer, but I didn't make it through the physical exams. The standards were quite stringent back then, and my luck wasn't the best. Some seemingly minor health markers were off. The doctors said my body couldn't handle passing through a Stargate."
"Explorer?" Anton frowned, "Is that still a thing nowadays?"
"That was something initiated by the Pangaea Group. The Arbiter Committee approved several new exploration operations backed by Jupiter Industries. But things didn't work out."I shrugged, "As you know, the war situation escalated, and the Arbiter Committee kept cutting the budget. Eventually, the project just fizzled out."
"That's a shame."
Shaking my head, I said, "I consider it the irony of fate. Later on, I wanted to try my hand at writing. I actually wrote quite a bit and even published a book, but it was a commercial failure. My publisher dropped me. So, here I am, guiding tours," I laughed, a bit embarrassed, "Sorry, I don't usually share stuff like this."
"It's okay," Anton waved it off, looking at me, "I can see you're fascinated by the cosmos, which is probably why you like being a tour guide. It lets you learn about the cosmic sea through the stories of travelers, doesn't it?"
"That's right," I was surprised at how perceptive he was, and then I admitted, "Being an Explorer was a dream of mine. I'm quite envious of you all."
"Actually, there's nothing much to envy," Anton remarked with a hint of detachment, "Not everyone is cut out to be an Explorer."
"I understand," I replied, "The vast majority of Explorers get swallowed by the vastness of space, with only a few ever managing to report back."
"Courage like that is rare these days," said Anton.
"How about you?" I asked, "Got any dreams?"
"Me?" A smile flickered across Anton's face, revealing a maturity in his eyes that seemed beyond his age, "My father wants me to pursue my studies in the City of Dawn, but I'm on the fence."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"The decision is ultimately mine to make," Anton's eyes drifted away, settling again on the footprint, "I've told him I need to get a feel of Earth first before making up my mind."
"A wise move," I said.
Our journey through the chronological displays in the gallery felt like a voyage back through time, from the obscure beginnings of ancient history, crossing vast epochs of darkness and ignorance into the dawn of humanity.
We came across an early human jawbone from three million years ago and teeth from two million years ago. We walked softly, fearing to rouse the ancestors who slumbered in these ancient times.
Inside the Paleolithic section, Anton stared in wonder at the primitive stone tools. He read the explanations on the screen in front of the display carefully, with his face showing a mix of shock and awe, "These... These were tools used by early humans?"
Moving closer, "That's right, without the knowledge of metal smelting, early humans turned to the hardest thing available—stone. Therefore, they crafted tools by simply modifying stones. This one, with a wider edge and flatter surface, is an axe; the elliptical one over there is meant to be a hammer; and this long one, made from black volcanic rock, is a chisel, probably for digging up plants' roots; and see that diamond-shaped piece? Yes, the pointy one might be an arrowhead or the tip of a spear. They'd attach it to a shaft to create throwing weapons, allowing them to hunt down big predators..."
"Without seeing it for myself, it would be hard to believe," Anton mused, "People back then must have been really simple-minded to use stones as tools."
I chuckled, "You shouldn't look down on these primitive stone tools. The ability to modify and utilize tools is one of the things that sets humans apart from animals. And with these basic stone tools, our ancestors left the Great Rift Valley, left Africa, and started the epic conquest of the Earth. Believe me, Anton, the greatness of that journey is every bit as impressive as the Great Navigation Era that came after the Dawn Era."
Anton frowned, "So when they left Africa, they hadn't figured out metal smelting?"
"Absolutely not; they were far from it. Are you familiar with the main phases in human history?"
"All I know is the Dawn Era lasted roughly seven thousand years and then came the Great Navigation Era. It is split into the Solar System Era and the Milky Way Era, which has been going on for over three thousand years..."
"Exactly, though some refer to them by different names, like calling the Dawn Era and Solar System Era the First and Second Epochs," I nodded, "There's also a classification based on the tools used by humans, like the Stone Age, back when humans using stone tools. This era is further broken down into the Paleolithic, Mesolithic, and Neolithic periods based on the sophistication of the stone tools... And there are even more detailed subdivisions, like the early, middle, and late phases of the Paleolithic. After that, humanity learned to smelt metals, entering the Bronze Age and then the Iron Age. In a broader sense, after the Iron Age, we moved into the Industrial Age and now the Information Age, in which we're still living. In essence, from the early Paleolithic to today, human history has unfolded over about 3 million years, with the Stone Age continuing up until 5,000 years before the Dawn Era, or about 15,000 years ago."
Anton was shocked, "What? That long?"
"Right, it's a bit surprising," I was glad to see his reaction, "It suggests that almost the entirety of human history was spent in the Stone Age. And yes, our ancestors did indeed conquer the Earth with nothing but these primitive tools."
"Unbelievable." Anton shook his head.
Exiting the museum, Anton stopped before the dome to take in the rugged mountains and dense jungles surrounding the Great Rift Valley; he added, "I kind of knew that humans evolved from primates, but it was just a brief mention in our textbooks, so I'd pretty much forgotten all about it. Seeing this in person today... it's a whole different feeling."
"That's the whole reason the Tourism Bureau exists," I mentioned, "These relics on Earth are all digitized into a database, allowing anyone connected to the Galactic Data Network to see the holographic images of these relics and even touch them, making it literally no different from visiting them in person. However, how should I put in..." I paused, shaking my head, "While VR technology can simulate the finest detail to perfection, there are aspects it simply cannot replicate."
"You're the most special guide I've encountered," Anton said, looking at me.
"Thank you, I'll take that as a compliment," I couldn't help but feel a bit smug, though, of course, I was secretly hoping for a tip.
"Then again, you're the first tour guide I've ever met," Anton added quickly.
For the first time, I wished I hadn't been so quick to respond.
