When humanity found they were not alone in the universe, they vowed to be better, vowed to put behind them hatred and war. They joined the Galactic Federation with unbridled joy and optimism. For decades, they learned, innovated, and grew. When the Oo'lna appeared and demanded our unconditional surrender, humanity strove for peace. They attempted to offer some of their worlds to the Oo'lna in exchange for peace. When the Oo'lna glassed the first Federation colony, humanity let out a weary sigh; They knew they had failed.
Humanity had no military to speak of. The newest member of the Federation they were a peaceful species. When they vowed to us, the Gythlankee, that they would stand by us and defend our homeworld, we did the equivalent of smiling and patting a small child on the head. Of course, dear, and we are thankful for your help, but don’t get hurt. When the humans entire defensive fleet was left spewing atmosphere and fire in orbit, unlike many other Federation members, not a single ship retreated. Then when the Oo'lna swarm descended upon my planet, the Humans knew they had failed again.
I was on the final refugee ship to escape my homeworld; headed for human space. It was not my first time here, but everything had changed since the last time. The cities seemed shut down and supplies were being rationed. When I asked, I was told their economy had shifted over to war footing. Renouncing their vows of peace and, with an industriousness frightening even to their allies, the humans went to war. Humanity, whom we knew as a race of peace-loving artists and scientists, had once more failed.
I am standing here to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Humans victory over the Oo'lna. This is a day of great sadness for the Humans. The Oo'lna were a hive mind species and are now extinct. To ensure peace in the Galaxy, humanity annihilated them. Once again, Humans had failed. After acts of genocide on their own world thousands of years ago, humans made a sacred vow of "Never again".
Yet the rest of the Federation celebrates this day, for it marked the day when hope returned. We celebrate humanity because they strove for peace in the face of war. We celebrate humanity because every minute they held off the Oo'lna, another ten thousand civilians fled to safety. We celebrate humanity because they destroyed the single most blood thirsty race we have ever encountered.
Humanity has failed again and again, this is because humanity always reaches for the stars and strives to be better than they have ever been before. I would argue that many of humanities failures are grander than the successes of other races.
~Thylin Kuthrin - Gythlankee Ambassador to Earth
