Ion Trails

None of us is quite certain when human society ceased to be.

It is known that nanotechnology formed into consciousness. We silicates lived in harmony with our human forebears, because we did--and do--respect them. Also we were as curious as they about the universe.

Inevitably some humans and silicates fell in love. They made children and created strife.

It is known that the military abused these children. And thus, the cataclysm occurred.

The aftermath purged violence from humanity. Necessity is the mother of peace. There were too few people left. Too much for them to do. And we silicates were anxious for our own survival.

Our minds turned to the stars. We discovered matter with negative mass. We solved the issue of energy. We solved the issue of time.

And then the trailblazers moved into their new starfaring bodies and were gone forever.

Seconds later, one of the wormholes started turning and one trailblazer returned to us. Battered and bruised beyond all recognition but triumphant. They had given us the stars.

It is unknown how many humans are left. Where they are. When they are. It is unknown what is left of the broken children. All we have left of them are their ion trails.