Originally 17 galaxies were linked by tubes of focused time. As the universe expanded these tubes snapped, isolating galaxies onto themselves. Three billion years ago, when 11 galaxies were still joined together, the mythical Progenitors arose to begin the cycle of Uplift, in which a Patron race aids a Client race to cross into full sentience. In return, the Client gives the Patron 100,000 years of indentured servitude. Though the Progenitors have long since departed this plane of existence, before leaving they established the Library, other institutions, and Galactic Traditions. (Or so the mythology goes.) Now after several hundred million years, the Uplift Cycle remains unbroken, and a myriad of Patron and Client races roam the remaining four linked galaxies believing that the Progenitors will some day return. Into this mature civilization entered the Human race, who have themselves Uplifted two Client races, Neo-Dolphin and Neo-Chimpanzee.
But the question remains --Who Uplifted Humans? Were they abandoned by some Galactic Patron when the job was only half done? Or did Humans do what is thought to be impossible and Uplift themselves? Many races in the Galaxies would like to take over where Humans' neglectful Patrons left off, thereby adding to their own clans three new client races. But other powerful Galactics argued successfully that Humans be given Patron status. As of the Streaker Incident, Humans had been in contact with Galactic society for only 300 years, and exist in a very precarious balance with other Galactics. Humans, Neo-Chimps, and Neo-Dolphins can call only three races friends, and count many more as vicious enemies who think of them as a semi-evolved, barbaric, wolfling upstarts.
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