CHAPTER 1
THE MYSTERIOUS GUESTS
Continued...
She almost ran along the rocky shore of the fjord, then through the city streets, pausing every now and then to catch her breath. She unlocked the door with her key and, taking two steps at a time, rushed up the stairs.
Olaf was in his room. He stood motionless, lost in thought, his right hand resting on the computer monitor. At the creak of the doorknob, he startled violently, turned around, and looked at her with slightly clouded eyes.
Without a moment’s hesitation, Arina lunged toward him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She had to stand on her toes to do so, as the Norwegian was much taller than her. She pressed herself against him tightly, with all her strength.
“I missed you so much, Olaf!”
“But why did you miss me?” he replied, bewildered. “We only saw each other last night.”
She laughed, and it was a pure, joyful laugh. There was not a trace of her recent tension left in her voice. Oh, that Olaf! He would never change, not even for her, and she wouldn’t try to force him anymore.
She let go of him and sat down on the bed.
“Listen, Olaf,” she began. “I’ve been on a long journey. Not in the physical sense, though I did take a long walk by the sea today, but that’s not the point. For the past few months, I’ve felt like I was in another dimension, but now it’s all over. There’s something I want to tell you.”
“No, I want to tell you something first,” he interrupted. He went to the computer and took a disc from the drive. Arina didn’t even need to look at the title to know which movie it was.
“Yes, I did it,” he continued. “I really wanted to understand you. To know what you think, what you feel when you hear those words, when you see those images. This movie drove us apart, so I thought: why couldn’t the same thing bring us back together?”
“And...?”
“You see... none of it really matters.”
“So you also think I’m crazy for believing in these lies?”
“I didn’t say they were lies or that you’re crazy. I only said it doesn’t matter.”
“How am I supposed to understand that?”
He sat down beside her on the bed, still holding the disc between his fingers.
“I dug a little deeper online, mostly on American sites – which we usually ignore – and found quite a few interesting references to those events. But first, let me remind you of a few historical facts* that every kid learns in school here. Ignoring the distant past, the idea of a united Europe appeared in the speeches of many politicians and intellectuals as early as the beginning of the 20th century. Have you ever heard of the book The Old Earth by Jerzy Żuławski, the third and final part of his famous Lunar Trilogy? He was, after all, Arina, your fellow countryman.
The girl sharply shook her head, indicating she had never read the book or even heard of it.
“That’s where, probably for the first time, the concept of the ‘United States of Europe’ appeared – a term later advocated by Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, a few decades later. Granted, it wasn’t portrayed as an entirely positive solution in that book, but that’s beside the point. The outbreak of World War II interrupted these still purely theoretical considerations, though even during the war, the idea of integration had its supporters. We’ll never know how it would have turned out in practice without American intervention, though.”
Seeing his companion’s eyes wide with astonishment, he quickly added:
“I’m referring to the famous Marshall Plan, proposed by the U.S. Secretary of State, George Marshall, and directed at all European countries in need of financial support to rebuild after the war. I won’t go into details – you can find them in any history book. Suffice it to say that the funds from the Marshall Plan were transferred to an account set up for the European Organization for Economic Cooperation, which we can probably consider the first community institution.”
“A lot was happening in Europe itself on this front. You’ve certainly heard of Robert Schuman, often called the ‘father’ of a united Europe, though in reality, he was just one of many – no single person could have achieved such a great work alone. On May 9, 1950, in Paris, he delivered a famous speech, later known as the Schuman Declaration, in which he stated, among other things, that the driving force behind further integration of the continent had to be the elimination of the age-old rivalry between two great nations: France and Germany. That’s why, almost three hundred years later, we still celebrate Europe Day on that date.”
“The first of the great European treaties, the Treaty of Paris, established the European Coal and Steel Community, while the Treaty of Rome created two more: Euratom and the European Economic Community. Besides France and West Germany, four other countries were involved: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy. That’s why they’re called the founding members of the EU. The following decades were a history of both crises and failures, as well as successes of the Community. Through further integration, divided into several stages, six more countries joined: Denmark, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. From the very beginning, there was a dispute between supporters of a federal Europe and those who advocated for a Europe of homelands. These two extreme approaches to integration – and all the intermediate positions between them – became the main axis of debate among Europeans of different nations for nearly half a century.”
“At the end of the 1980s, something happened that, while not directly related to the EEC itself, forever changed the face of our continent. Across the entire bloc of Central and Eastern European countries, the communist system gradually collapsed. Germany, torn apart by the war, reunified, tearing down the infamous Berlin Wall, and just a year later, the Soviet Union disintegrated. These countries, of course, quickly began looking to the West, and joining its structures became a matter of just a decade and a half.”
“What seems so obvious to us today – the ability to move and stay freely across the entire territory of the Federation – was not at all obvious to the people of that time. In 1985, five of the founding countries – excluding Italy – signed the Schengen Agreement in the Luxembourg town of Schengen. It provided for the gradual elimination of border controls between the internal borders of the Union’s member states. This border-free area was named the Schengen Zone. Other countries joined this agreement later, each at its own pace and according to its own capabilities.”
“Another important treaty was the Treaty of Maastricht, also known as the Treaty on European Union, signed in 1992. This is how the organization that shaped the fate of Europe for the next sixty years was born. A few years later, three more countries joined its structures: Austria, Sweden, and Finland.”
“This treaty also included a provision for the creation of a common European currency – the euro, the same one we use today. The euro officially entered circulation at the beginning of 2002, replacing national currencies. Not all EU countries adopted the euro at the same time, and the last ones did so only after the intervention of the Travelers – those mysterious guests from the ship featured in that cursed film. I’ll call them Travelers, as I believe this name best captures both their nature and the unexplained history of their journey through the Cosmos.”
“At the beginning of the 21st century, the Community experienced its largest expansion, adding thirteen countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, in three separate stages. In 2004, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta joined the Union. Three years later, in 2007, Bulgaria and Romania followed, and in 2013, Croatia became a member.”
“During this period, as the ever-evolving and expanding European Union continued to grow, many community institutions were established, and a vast number of legal acts – treaties, regulations, and directives – were signed, applying to all member states. Among the most well-known institutions, which have operated with only minor changes to this day, were the European Commission – often called the ‘government’ of the EU, now also known as the Council of Commissioners, led by its president – the European Parliament, which now has nearly a thousand members from every corner of the Federation, and the European Council, which once brought together national leaders or heads of government and now consists of regional administrators. We also have a president, shared by all nations. The first President of Europe, as you surely remember, was Elena Vella of Malta, formerly President of the European Commission, who delivered her famous Founding Manifesto in 2050. This document became an integral part of the latest Constitutional Treaty, which remains in force – with amendments – to this day. Its significance was comparable to that of the Schuman Declaration, proclaimed exactly a century earlier.”
“I dug a little deeper online, mostly on American sites – which we usually ignore – and found quite a few interesting references to those events. But first, let me remind you of a few historical facts* that every kid learns in school here. Ignoring the distant past, the idea of a united Europe appeared in the speeches of many politicians and intellectuals as early as the beginning of the 20th century. Have you ever heard of the book The Old Earth by Jerzy Żuławski, the third and final part of his famous Lunar Trilogy? He was, after all, Arina, your fellow countryman.
The girl sharply shook her head, indicating she had never read the book or even heard of it.
“That’s where, probably for the first time, the concept of the ‘United States of Europe’ appeared – a term later advocated by Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, a few decades later. Granted, it wasn’t portrayed as an entirely positive solution in that book, but that’s beside the point. The outbreak of World War II interrupted these still purely theoretical considerations, though even during the war, the idea of integration had its supporters. We’ll never know how it would have turned out in practice without American intervention, though.”
Seeing his companion’s eyes wide with astonishment, he quickly added:
“I’m referring to the famous Marshall Plan, proposed by the U.S. Secretary of State, George Marshall, and directed at all European countries in need of financial support to rebuild after the war. I won’t go into details – you can find them in any history book. Suffice it to say that the funds from the Marshall Plan were transferred to an account set up for the European Organization for Economic Cooperation, which we can probably consider the first community institution.”
“A lot was happening in Europe itself on this front. You’ve certainly heard of Robert Schuman, often called the ‘father’ of a united Europe, though in reality, he was just one of many – no single person could have achieved such a great work alone. On May 9, 1950, in Paris, he delivered a famous speech, later known as the Schuman Declaration, in which he stated, among other things, that the driving force behind further integration of the continent had to be the elimination of the age-old rivalry between two great nations: France and Germany. That’s why, almost three hundred years later, we still celebrate Europe Day on that date.”
“The first of the great European treaties, the Treaty of Paris, established the European Coal and Steel Community, while the Treaty of Rome created two more: Euratom and the European Economic Community. Besides France and West Germany, four other countries were involved: Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy. That’s why they’re called the founding members of the EU. The following decades were a history of both crises and failures, as well as successes of the Community. Through further integration, divided into several stages, six more countries joined: Denmark, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, Spain, and Portugal. From the very beginning, there was a dispute between supporters of a federal Europe and those who advocated for a Europe of homelands. These two extreme approaches to integration – and all the intermediate positions between them – became the main axis of debate among Europeans of different nations for nearly half a century.”
“At the end of the 1980s, something happened that, while not directly related to the EEC itself, forever changed the face of our continent. Across the entire bloc of Central and Eastern European countries, the communist system gradually collapsed. Germany, torn apart by the war, reunified, tearing down the infamous Berlin Wall, and just a year later, the Soviet Union disintegrated. These countries, of course, quickly began looking to the West, and joining its structures became a matter of just a decade and a half.”
“What seems so obvious to us today – the ability to move and stay freely across the entire territory of the Federation – was not at all obvious to the people of that time. In 1985, five of the founding countries – excluding Italy – signed the Schengen Agreement in the Luxembourg town of Schengen. It provided for the gradual elimination of border controls between the internal borders of the Union’s member states. This border-free area was named the Schengen Zone. Other countries joined this agreement later, each at its own pace and according to its own capabilities.”
“Another important treaty was the Treaty of Maastricht, also known as the Treaty on European Union, signed in 1992. This is how the organization that shaped the fate of Europe for the next sixty years was born. A few years later, three more countries joined its structures: Austria, Sweden, and Finland.”
“This treaty also included a provision for the creation of a common European currency – the euro, the same one we use today. The euro officially entered circulation at the beginning of 2002, replacing national currencies. Not all EU countries adopted the euro at the same time, and the last ones did so only after the intervention of the Travelers – those mysterious guests from the ship featured in that cursed film. I’ll call them Travelers, as I believe this name best captures both their nature and the unexplained history of their journey through the Cosmos.”
“At the beginning of the 21st century, the Community experienced its largest expansion, adding thirteen countries, mostly from Central and Eastern Europe, in three separate stages. In 2004, Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Cyprus, and Malta joined the Union. Three years later, in 2007, Bulgaria and Romania followed, and in 2013, Croatia became a member.”
“During this period, as the ever-evolving and expanding European Union continued to grow, many community institutions were established, and a vast number of legal acts – treaties, regulations, and directives – were signed, applying to all member states. Among the most well-known institutions, which have operated with only minor changes to this day, were the European Commission – often called the ‘government’ of the EU, now also known as the Council of Commissioners, led by its president – the European Parliament, which now has nearly a thousand members from every corner of the Federation, and the European Council, which once brought together national leaders or heads of government and now consists of regional administrators. We also have a president, shared by all nations. The first President of Europe, as you surely remember, was Elena Vella of Malta, formerly President of the European Commission, who delivered her famous Founding Manifesto in 2050. This document became an integral part of the latest Constitutional Treaty, which remains in force – with amendments – to this day. Its significance was comparable to that of the Schuman Declaration, proclaimed exactly a century earlier.”
In the name of uniting forever into a whole what has for so long been divided,
It was Elena Vella, elected by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament, who became the first President of the Federation. She held this office for two full terms – ten years – without ever compromising her impeccable reputation. The position of President of the European Commission, now also referred to as the First Commissioner, was taken over by one of the former Vice-Presidents, Wolfgang Neumann of Germany, a member of the Renew Europe group.
“Two years later, the final expansion of the Community took place, adding two wealthy countries that had long remained distant from Brussels: Switzerland and Norway. After all, it would not do to have a blank spot in the very heart of the continent. Norway… Do you think this new Federation really needed our poor lands, our cold homeland, covered mostly by mountains, fjords, and glaciers? As it turned out, Norway became a strategic country due to its geographical location. On our coast, two of the fifteen generators of the immense force field were hidden. The same kind of field, in fact, that had surrounded that first spaceship.”
“The third country to join the Federation at this decisive, perhaps final possible moment was Belarus, which rapidly democratized after the death of dictator Lukashenko. This meant that everyone who should have been on board the Ship of Europe was now aboard.”
“In 2055, under the leadership of Prime Commissioner Neumann – who managed to hold his position for three consecutive terms – the Commission issued a directive to reduce funding to the development of new technologies. Two years later, the Barrier was created. The project required all fifteen identical devices to function without disruption. The failure or disconnection of one or even two generators would not cause the Dome to shut down. The other components would take over their work, operating under increased load. This was a necessary safety mechanism, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the field in case of an attack on any of the generators. But what kind of attack are we talking about? No European would be foolish enough to risk damaging the Barrier. That’s why the generators are unguarded, and although their locations are not publicly disclosed, they can be easily determined.”
“Even now, united and strong, Europe still struggled with the legacy of centuries of planet’s ruthless exploitation. The Barrier had helped slow the climate crisis, but it had not reversed its effects entirely. The powerful energy field in the troposphere stabilized the continent’s natural west-to-east airflow, blocking the influx of hot air masses from Africa and Asia. At the same time, the Barrier itself did not disrupt global atmospheric circulation. Additional incentives came from necessary reforms initiated by the federal government: a near-complete shift away from fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy and nuclear power, a turn toward more ecological agriculture, and the promotion of vegetarianism. No country resisted sustainable development any longer. Though it brought temporary losses to some regions and professional groups, in the long run, it benefited the well-being of our entire society.”
“There was still the unresolved issue of migrants from outside Europe. Some chose to return to their homelands, knowing that once the Barrier was raised, they would never be able to leave again. Those who stayed fully assimilated over the course of a few generations. That’s why, especially in the southern regions, there are still so many people with darker complexions and unusual-sounding names than the average European. But they pose no problem or threat now. No new migrants arrived, so Europe had to increase its birth rate to fill all the key jobs.”
“We also halted the development of computer technology and artificial intelligence, but only as tools for managing complex systems and streamlining tedious tasks that would otherwise take too much of people’s time. We did not create new, ever more powerful models, did not humanize our AI, and did not develop a peer relationship with it.”
“So, does that mean we condemned ourselves to isolation because of this Barrier?” Arina asked, shaking her head doubtfully.
“From what I remember of history, our ancestors didn’t feel like prisoners. Most of them fully approved of this new element of reality. The Barrier primarily protects us from the outside world and eliminates the need for a new arms race.”
“But that’s like the Travelers brainwashed them without their consent…”
“Arina, let me finish this story. I know it’s long, but only then will you understand what truly happened. The alien invasion did occur – just not in the form anyone expected. It was a ‘silent invasion’. A powerful, ancient, and wise spirit – the essence of all that the inhabitants of that barren, dead planet had ever been, the quintessence of their entire being – merged with human bodies, establishing its own order in our world, realizing its dreams of peace, harmony, and happiness. The changes ran deep, not limited to politics and the economy. These macroscopic changes, in fact, stemmed from microscopic shifts that took place in the mind and heart of every European. A transformation occurred: millions of selfish individuals, who had hurt others without hesitation to achieve their own goals, became brave, noble, and creative people – the kind we always should have been, but weren’t, due to our flawed human nature.”
“Such a profound change could not go unnoticed in the world. Perceptive people realized that Europe’s apparent idyll was the result of extraterrestrial influence. Attacks began – and they continue to this day – aimed at the final annihilation of the Travelers, at eradicating the star-born intruders from the face of the Earth.”
“But how is it possible that Europeans themselves remained unaware of this event? There are no accounts of the ‘silent invasion’ or the Travelers. Nothing. No materials from which we could learn about these events.”
“Do you think the Travelers wanted people to start obsessing over the changes, analyzing them in depth, and ultimately rebelling against themselves? The spirit desired a peaceful and friendly world, not one torn apart at the level of individual egos. We never question the changes in ourselves, others, or the world that make the world a better place. Only evil is perceived as a threat. The spirit exploited this simple fact to achieve its goal. Remember, our ancestors faced an absolute, collective, and abstract being – not flesh-and-blood creatures. Something omnipotent, something the human mind cannot comprehend. They assumed the changes stemmed from their own attitudes and the changing world around them, so they never entertained any fantastical suspicions. The spirit simplified their lives, and they embraced this simplicity with joy.”
“Of course, Europe did not become a paradise on Earth, and its inhabitants did not turn into angels in human skin. All existence, after all, is based on contrasts – the duality of good and evil, light and darkness, joy and sorrow. A unipolar world in any of these aspects would be unbearable. The change, therefore, was that since the ‘silent invasion’, there has been decidedly more good than evil among us.”
“And what do you think, Arina, why is American cinema reviled in modern Europe? Is it just for cultural reasons? No, it’s about closing off a certain channel of information. It’s not hard to deduce that this, too, is the work of the Travelers’ collective spirit. But there was a leak, and as you can see, it has brought nothing good. The Americans must have assumed they were helping us wake up from our lethargy and throw off the yoke of servitude. But what can we do today? Attack the Travelers, destroy them once and for all, killing our own bodies in the process? No, that’s not a solution.”
“Or maybe the Travelers are a great lie? We have no proof of their existence.”
“We don’t have direct proof, no. But we have circumstantial evidence. The very nature of today’s Europe is proof. You, me, other people – we are the proof. Do you really believe that the divided, darkly passionate continent of pre-2048 could have achieved all these great things on its own? According to all reasonable calculations, history would have unfolded entirely differently without the Travelers. That’s why we must not doubt their existence. We must not, even though we will never find any physical evidence, any fossils, any records, any life forms. The film tells the truth.”
“Then we have to spread the word, warn people…”
“Warn them about what, Arina? What would we achieve by causing panic? Only chaos and more suicides. What good would come from terrifying people with the Travelers?”
He gently touched her forehead, then her chest.
“They live, Arina! They live here – and here. We made a trade with them. They needed a warm, green, and bright land, and beautiful, strong bodies to inhabit. We needed peace and justice. They didn’t harm us – they saved us from a fate worse than the ‘silent invasion’. They arrived just in time.”
Again, he touched her forehead and chest.
“Only this matters – what you are here, and here. Nothing else. Forcing the search for absolute truth, reaching for some imagined core, reclaiming our lost humanity – what have we lost, and in whose name are we to reclaim it? – only leads to great pain, the kind you’ve already experienced. Don’t believe those who tell you that only this truth matters, and that everything else – happiness, goodness, peace, love, the absence of suffering – are insignificant, or even evil, because they were imposed by an ‘invader’. What matters is who you are, what you love, what you believe in, what you live for. Don’t let anyone take that from you. Don’t fall into the abyss from which there is no return. Is pure, untainted humanity supposed to be the ultimate value? Tell me, would you really want to return to the world before 2048? Would you want to live in it?”
She slowly shook her head.
“No,” she replied thoughtfully. “I wouldn’t.”
“We need to talk about it, but in a completely different way. We need to make people aware of the immense good we have received from the Travelers. Let the last secrets disappear, the last bastions of fear crumble. Let the light of knowledge and understanding reach where it has never been before. This will be the first thing I take on when I become a Member of the European Parliament. We must speak the truth, but gently, so that the truth multiplies goodness, not brings suffering.”
He remembered the disc he had been holding in both hands. He lifted it to eye level and, with a decisive motion, snapped it in half. He placed the now useless halves on the table.
“We won’t need this anymore. Not today, not ever.”
He took her hands in his and leaned toward her, a playful glint in his eyes.
“And now, we can be together as we should be. As we haven’t been in a long time. Too long.”
He began kissing her. She returned his kisses hungrily, free from all that was evil, wanting only to love. They nearly tore the clothes from each other and collapsed laughing onto the wide bed.
Olaf gazed into her eyes the entire time, and she did not look away, mesmerized by the blue of his irises. They united absolutely – through the ecstasy of their bodies and the unity of their spirits. They merged into that self, which had absorbed them both, passing itself down from generation to generation through a series of mortal beings.
They live! The thought exploded like the sun, spreading through her body in a spasm of incomprehensible bliss. I am doing this for them now, for the Travelers. I worship life in our human, eternal, and most magnificent way. I offer my love for Olaf as a tribute on the altar of their greatness, which allowed them to survive despite all odds. A greatness that did not hesitate to take the form of our imperfect earthly shells.
I am now a celestial being in you and through you, O magnificent ones. Spirit, who did not hesitate to fragment your power into small, vulnerable flames that sanctified each of our fathers and each of our mothers, bless me now. I do this for you, for all of you, Travelers. I will praise the mystery until the last day of my short life, which will become eternal through your gift.
They, too, made love in the flesh while they still had bodies. And now, I do this for them and because of them. For I am a Traveler, and I am Arina. I am what I am. I am light, I am fire, I am ecstasy. Nothing else matters, and nothing else ever will.
At the peak of the world, they exploded simultaneously. She clung to him tightly, and they remained like that – embracing, exhausted, savoring the warmth and closeness. A moment ago, they had spoken in a language that was neither Polish, nor Norwegian, nor English, nor any other. It was their language, the language of infinite beauty.
And now, they were Olaf and Arina again, and despite all the dark whispers, they wanted to live their lives as beautifully and fully as possible.
in the name of peace, truth, justice, and beauty,
in the name of our Greco-Roman-Judeo-Christian heritage, as well as that drawn from other sources,
in the name of a shared and radiant future toward which our continent is resolved to strive –
we hereby establish, by the will and in the name of the aspirations of all citizens of our nations,
the European Federation, which shall endure all storms of history yet to come. (...)
“It’s hard not to mention the sad event from that time, commonly known as Brexit. In 2016, the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the European Union, and four years later, this decision took effect. However, within a few more years, a significant portion of the British population began to regret this choice. Their island nation, now even more isolated from the rest of Europe, suffered economic decline as a result of leaving the EU. British society split into two factions with opposing views: the rejoiners, who dreamed of reintegrating with the Community, and the brexiters, who upheld the referendum result. It was not until the early 2030s that they managed to return to the Union through a simplified accession process, thanks to their previous membership.”
“Like the biblical parable of the prodigal son, returning to his father after trying to live by his own rules…” Arina whispered.
“In the first decade of the 21st century, one of the most emotionally charged issues on our continent was the adoption of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. It was adopted by the European Council in 2004 and later approved by the European Parliament. Its purpose was to consolidate previous EU treaties into a single document, creating a more united European Union that could represent all member states on the international stage. As you can see, even then, there were projects to transform the bloc of states into a true federation. However, the project never came into force, as it was rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands in 2005. The document was discarded, but many of its ideas were later incorporated into the Treaty of Lisbon, which became the most important legal act of the Community just a few years later.”
“It was not until the late 2030s, after countless political debates and overcoming resistance in many societies, that a true Constitution for Europe was finally adopted. However, it was the result of compromises that satisfied no one completely and did not represent the voice of the majority of citizens, so it failed to solve the continent’s problems.”
“This period in history brought many new, unprecedented challenges. In the east, the Russian empire once again began to pose a threat to the rest of Europe, shedding its brief two-decade facade of democracy. In 2014, the Russian Federation illegally annexed Crimea, and just eight years later, it launched a full-scale war in Ukraine, which claimed many lives on both sides of the conflict. Despite various sanctions imposed on Russia, as well as financial and military aid for Ukraine, and numerous attempts to achieve lasting peace – both from European countries and the U.S. administration – this devastating war lasted until 2028, as long as World War II, and became a source of tension and deteriorating relations within Europe itself. Poland, for example, initially very supportive of Ukraine – welcoming refugees and aiding the attacked nation – experienced one of the most difficult external conflicts in its modern history when the Ukrainian authorities’ attitude toward their neighbor unexpectedly changed. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of politicians and people of goodwill on both sides, this dangerous dispute was eventually resolved.”
“During this time, most European countries began intensive armament efforts, supported by the EU’s SAFE program, which became necessary as the U.S. gradually withdrew its military presence from Europe. Fortunately, thanks to effective deterrence, it was possible to prevent further Russian attacks – still hostile toward the West – against other European countries, at least until the Barrier began to fulfill its purpose.”
“At the turn of the second and third decades of this eventful century, the entire world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan under circumstances that were never fully explained. The disease claimed millions of lives globally and profoundly altered the daily lives of many Europeans. Mobility restrictions were introduced, along with mandatory mask-wearing in public spaces. Remote work and education became widespread on an unprecedented scale, exacerbating mental health issues due to isolation. The pandemic also triggered a severe economic recession, leading to the collapse of many businesses and job losses. Conspiracy theories flourished, particularly regarding the rushed introduction of vaccines.”
“Another major point of contention was the mass influx of millions of people into Europe, primarily from poorer regions of Africa and the Middle East. Among them were war refugees, job seekers, and those simply looking for living off the state, as well as a growing number of climate refugees. Most of them ended up in Western and Southern European countries, creating an uneven burden on EU member states in terms of integration costs and security concerns. This fueled enormous political tensions, both within individual countries and between member states, especially regarding the forced relocation of migrants. Many citizens blamed EU institutions for the situation, which eroded trust and support for European integration. Some countries, like Poland and Hungary, distanced themselves from the migrant issue, and voices began to rise – initially only in far-right and populist circles – about following the UK’s example and leaving the Union.”
“At the same time, climate change was intensifying worldwide, driven by fossil fuel use in energy and transport, as well as rapid industrial and agricultural development. The concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was rising quickly, leading to a global increase in average temperatures. Europe was not spared from these changes. Prolonged heatwaves exceeding 40°C, violent storms and hurricanes, deepening droughts in many regions, and wildfires consuming vast areas of forests in the south of the continent became increasingly burdensome for millions of residents. Extreme heat posed a serious threat, causing thousands of excess deaths. Summer, once associated with happiness, fun, and outdoor relaxation, was slowly turning into a deadly trap. There were no easy solutions or hopes for a quick way out of this crisis. According to climatologists’ forecasts, the situation was only expected to worsen in the coming decades. Human plans, dreams, and hopes meant little in the face of the merciless power of nature, which humanity had recklessly provoked since the Industrial Revolution.”
“Political transformations around the world and rapid technological progress also shaped Europe at the time. In the first decades of the 21st century, political and social attitudes in the U.S. began to shift slowly but steadily to the right. The powerful country was increasingly distrustful of the ideology known as ‘woke’ culture – a term referring to heightened social awareness. Instead, religion, particularly various forms of Christianity, regained significance, as did a return to traditional ways of life, especially regarding gender roles. Some even spoke of a ‘culture war’, which spilled over to some extent into Europe, fueled by movements like MAGA (Make America Great Again), a political phenomenon that gained massive influence during Trump’s presidency, promoting nationalism, skepticism toward global institutions, and a return to conservative values. These ideas resonated with some European political groups, further deepening societal divisions.”
“A consequence of these changes was the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President for two terms – a businessman and Republican politician surrounded by controversy, both in his own country and abroad. While his first term caused relatively little damage, thanks to reasonable advisors, resistance from Congress, and U.S. courts, despite his eccentric statements (such as those about the pandemic), his second term – when Trump was already an elderly man with rapidly deteriorating health – proved to be a true test of endurance for the rest of the world.”
“During Trump’s second term, another war broke out, instigated by the United States and its ally Israel against Iran. The real cause of this conflict was the struggle for influence in the region, as well as the plan to destroy Islamist militias backed by Iran and prevent the country from developing its own nuclear program. Unfortunately, one of the unintended consequences was the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transport route, by the Iranians, which led to a global surge in fuel prices. For a time, European countries even feared a complete fuel shortage. This war, marked by dramatic moments and brief, unstable ceasefires but no lasting peace, dragged on for over two decades, spanning both Republican and Democratic presidencies, until the moment our ancestors raised the Barrier. So, we still don’t know how it ended or what is happening now in the Persian Gulf region.”
“For Europe, the worst moment of this presidency was probably the threat of a forced takeover of Greenland, an island that had belonged to Denmark for three centuries. European states had not acted so decisively and unanimously in a long time, repelling Trump’s sinister intentions. Ultimately, thanks to the combined efforts of Europeans and reasonable people on the other side of the ocean – who did not support their president’s aggressive aspirations – Greenland was saved. However, the EU continued to face threats of trade tariffs from the U.S., imposed and lifted at a moment’s notice by the impulsive leader. These were times of trade wars between the world’s greatest economic powers – Europe, the U.S., and the ever-rising China.”
“Paradoxically, Donald Trump’s second term, which aroused such fear and anger in many people, may have done more to unite Europe than anything else. Previous Democratic presidents, like Barack Obama or Joe Biden, had already signaled that the Old Continent needed to rely more on itself, especially in defense. But it was Trump who articulated this demand so ruthlessly that it finally woke Europeans up and pushed them to gradually implement changes.”
“There was a lot of talk and writing at the time about Europe’s sovereignty – which meant nothing less than independence from the U.S., China, and other world regions in defense, energy, industrial production, and digital technologies. Who knows if, had a Democrat like Kamala Harris – Trump’s rival in the 2024 election – been the president instead, with her less aggressive stance toward the EU, whether all those grand words about unity would have been spoken or whether various actions, more or less significant, would have been taken to finally free Europe from its ‘big brother’ across the ocean.”
“Trump’s successor, Marco Rubio, another leading Republican politician, did continue the course set by his mentor. But even after the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2032 – the first female U.S. president, whose presidency marked a shift toward a milder, more left-leaning political climate – most Europeans no longer wanted to return to their old dependence, even if it meant greater security. The changes were too deep, too far-reaching for anyone on this side of the ocean to agree to revert to the old asymmetrical transatlantic relationship.”
“These were the years when some Europeans began thinking about federalization and taking their place among the world’s greatest powers, while others still saw their nearest neighbors as the main threat. These ambitions would eventually be realized, but in a completely different way than people of that time had imagined.”
“The second and third decades of the 21st century saw the rapid development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The global leaders in this field were, of course, the U.S. and China, while Europe lagged far behind. Europeans, therefore, decided to develop their own independent software and AI models, which began to emerge one after another in quick succession. While they still couldn’t match the computational power of American or Chinese products, even these less perfect models were a significant step toward technological independence for our continent – a key part of what came to be known as Europe’s strategic autonomy.“
“Another area where Europe sought sovereignty was energy production, without which modern life is unimaginable. Relying on a single fuel supplier – whether Russia, the United States, or the Persian Gulf states – had become too risky. Europe, therefore, sought to diversify its supplies, but above all, it focused on electrifying everything possible and producing homegrown energy, both in nuclear reactors and through renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. All these events – from trade wars to energy crises – convinced Europe that strategic autonomy was not a choice, but a necessity.”
“Reducing combustion processes was also crucial for environmental reasons. As you surely remember from school, the final product of burning any carbon-based substance is carbon dioxide – the main ‘culprit’ behind the excessive greenhouse effect.”
“In the late 2020s and 2030s, further planned expansions of the European Union took place. The first, in 2028, saw Montenegro join, followed a few years later by the remaining Balkan countries, Moldova, Iceland, and even the returning United Kingdom. Ukraine, despite its initial enthusiasm and President Zelensky’s attempts to accelerate membership, was the last to meet all the 1993 Copenhagen criteria. Meanwhile, Türkiye never joined the EU – or the later Federation – even after the arrival of the Travelers.”
“Paradoxically, it might have seemed that things were going in an excellent direction, but beneath the surface, something entirely different was happening. Despite the expansion of the Community to include all these countries, and even the adoption of the Constitutional Treaty, which reformed EU institutions, old demons were reawakening in many states. International relations were fraught with tensions, as for many Europeans, the well-being of their own homelands was the only thing that mattered, while they remained indifferent – or even hostile – toward other member states. Economic difficulties deepened, parts of society grew poorer, and it was the poorest who blamed their misfortunes on the very process of European integration. Far-right, nationalist, and xenophobic parties stormed national parliaments and even won many seats in the European Parliament. Borders were closed out of fear of an influx of foreign labor, which might take jobs from locals. Meanwhile, EU institutions were riddled with corruption. They grabbed more and more power, yet at the same time, they became increasingly powerless. Few still believed in the lofty ideals of European unity. Ideas faded, and the fire died out. Instead of solidarity, there was greed; instead of cooperation, selfishness of individuals and nations. Finally, by the mid-2040s, the disintegration of the Community seemed all but inevitable. Europe was about to lose everything that generations had worked for over the past century.”
“But we know that didn’t happen…” Arina finally interjected, taking advantage of the fact that Olaf, exhausted by his own verbosity, had to catch his breath.
in the name of our Greco-Roman-Judeo-Christian heritage, as well as that drawn from other sources,
in the name of a shared and radiant future toward which our continent is resolved to strive –
we hereby establish, by the will and in the name of the aspirations of all citizens of our nations,
the European Federation, which shall endure all storms of history yet to come. (...)
“It’s hard not to mention the sad event from that time, commonly known as Brexit. In 2016, the United Kingdom voted in a referendum to leave the European Union, and four years later, this decision took effect. However, within a few more years, a significant portion of the British population began to regret this choice. Their island nation, now even more isolated from the rest of Europe, suffered economic decline as a result of leaving the EU. British society split into two factions with opposing views: the rejoiners, who dreamed of reintegrating with the Community, and the brexiters, who upheld the referendum result. It was not until the early 2030s that they managed to return to the Union through a simplified accession process, thanks to their previous membership.”
“Like the biblical parable of the prodigal son, returning to his father after trying to live by his own rules…” Arina whispered.
“In the first decade of the 21st century, one of the most emotionally charged issues on our continent was the adoption of the Treaty Establishing a Constitution for Europe. It was adopted by the European Council in 2004 and later approved by the European Parliament. Its purpose was to consolidate previous EU treaties into a single document, creating a more united European Union that could represent all member states on the international stage. As you can see, even then, there were projects to transform the bloc of states into a true federation. However, the project never came into force, as it was rejected in referendums in France and the Netherlands in 2005. The document was discarded, but many of its ideas were later incorporated into the Treaty of Lisbon, which became the most important legal act of the Community just a few years later.”
“It was not until the late 2030s, after countless political debates and overcoming resistance in many societies, that a true Constitution for Europe was finally adopted. However, it was the result of compromises that satisfied no one completely and did not represent the voice of the majority of citizens, so it failed to solve the continent’s problems.”
“This period in history brought many new, unprecedented challenges. In the east, the Russian empire once again began to pose a threat to the rest of Europe, shedding its brief two-decade facade of democracy. In 2014, the Russian Federation illegally annexed Crimea, and just eight years later, it launched a full-scale war in Ukraine, which claimed many lives on both sides of the conflict. Despite various sanctions imposed on Russia, as well as financial and military aid for Ukraine, and numerous attempts to achieve lasting peace – both from European countries and the U.S. administration – this devastating war lasted until 2028, as long as World War II, and became a source of tension and deteriorating relations within Europe itself. Poland, for example, initially very supportive of Ukraine – welcoming refugees and aiding the attacked nation – experienced one of the most difficult external conflicts in its modern history when the Ukrainian authorities’ attitude toward their neighbor unexpectedly changed. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of politicians and people of goodwill on both sides, this dangerous dispute was eventually resolved.”
“During this time, most European countries began intensive armament efforts, supported by the EU’s SAFE program, which became necessary as the U.S. gradually withdrew its military presence from Europe. Fortunately, thanks to effective deterrence, it was possible to prevent further Russian attacks – still hostile toward the West – against other European countries, at least until the Barrier began to fulfill its purpose.”
“At the turn of the second and third decades of this eventful century, the entire world was grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic, which emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan under circumstances that were never fully explained. The disease claimed millions of lives globally and profoundly altered the daily lives of many Europeans. Mobility restrictions were introduced, along with mandatory mask-wearing in public spaces. Remote work and education became widespread on an unprecedented scale, exacerbating mental health issues due to isolation. The pandemic also triggered a severe economic recession, leading to the collapse of many businesses and job losses. Conspiracy theories flourished, particularly regarding the rushed introduction of vaccines.”
“Another major point of contention was the mass influx of millions of people into Europe, primarily from poorer regions of Africa and the Middle East. Among them were war refugees, job seekers, and those simply looking for living off the state, as well as a growing number of climate refugees. Most of them ended up in Western and Southern European countries, creating an uneven burden on EU member states in terms of integration costs and security concerns. This fueled enormous political tensions, both within individual countries and between member states, especially regarding the forced relocation of migrants. Many citizens blamed EU institutions for the situation, which eroded trust and support for European integration. Some countries, like Poland and Hungary, distanced themselves from the migrant issue, and voices began to rise – initially only in far-right and populist circles – about following the UK’s example and leaving the Union.”
“At the same time, climate change was intensifying worldwide, driven by fossil fuel use in energy and transport, as well as rapid industrial and agricultural development. The concentration of CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was rising quickly, leading to a global increase in average temperatures. Europe was not spared from these changes. Prolonged heatwaves exceeding 40°C, violent storms and hurricanes, deepening droughts in many regions, and wildfires consuming vast areas of forests in the south of the continent became increasingly burdensome for millions of residents. Extreme heat posed a serious threat, causing thousands of excess deaths. Summer, once associated with happiness, fun, and outdoor relaxation, was slowly turning into a deadly trap. There were no easy solutions or hopes for a quick way out of this crisis. According to climatologists’ forecasts, the situation was only expected to worsen in the coming decades. Human plans, dreams, and hopes meant little in the face of the merciless power of nature, which humanity had recklessly provoked since the Industrial Revolution.”
“Political transformations around the world and rapid technological progress also shaped Europe at the time. In the first decades of the 21st century, political and social attitudes in the U.S. began to shift slowly but steadily to the right. The powerful country was increasingly distrustful of the ideology known as ‘woke’ culture – a term referring to heightened social awareness. Instead, religion, particularly various forms of Christianity, regained significance, as did a return to traditional ways of life, especially regarding gender roles. Some even spoke of a ‘culture war’, which spilled over to some extent into Europe, fueled by movements like MAGA (Make America Great Again), a political phenomenon that gained massive influence during Trump’s presidency, promoting nationalism, skepticism toward global institutions, and a return to conservative values. These ideas resonated with some European political groups, further deepening societal divisions.”
“A consequence of these changes was the election of Donald Trump as U.S. President for two terms – a businessman and Republican politician surrounded by controversy, both in his own country and abroad. While his first term caused relatively little damage, thanks to reasonable advisors, resistance from Congress, and U.S. courts, despite his eccentric statements (such as those about the pandemic), his second term – when Trump was already an elderly man with rapidly deteriorating health – proved to be a true test of endurance for the rest of the world.”
“During Trump’s second term, another war broke out, instigated by the United States and its ally Israel against Iran. The real cause of this conflict was the struggle for influence in the region, as well as the plan to destroy Islamist militias backed by Iran and prevent the country from developing its own nuclear program. Unfortunately, one of the unintended consequences was the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transport route, by the Iranians, which led to a global surge in fuel prices. For a time, European countries even feared a complete fuel shortage. This war, marked by dramatic moments and brief, unstable ceasefires but no lasting peace, dragged on for over two decades, spanning both Republican and Democratic presidencies, until the moment our ancestors raised the Barrier. So, we still don’t know how it ended or what is happening now in the Persian Gulf region.”
“For Europe, the worst moment of this presidency was probably the threat of a forced takeover of Greenland, an island that had belonged to Denmark for three centuries. European states had not acted so decisively and unanimously in a long time, repelling Trump’s sinister intentions. Ultimately, thanks to the combined efforts of Europeans and reasonable people on the other side of the ocean – who did not support their president’s aggressive aspirations – Greenland was saved. However, the EU continued to face threats of trade tariffs from the U.S., imposed and lifted at a moment’s notice by the impulsive leader. These were times of trade wars between the world’s greatest economic powers – Europe, the U.S., and the ever-rising China.”
“Paradoxically, Donald Trump’s second term, which aroused such fear and anger in many people, may have done more to unite Europe than anything else. Previous Democratic presidents, like Barack Obama or Joe Biden, had already signaled that the Old Continent needed to rely more on itself, especially in defense. But it was Trump who articulated this demand so ruthlessly that it finally woke Europeans up and pushed them to gradually implement changes.”
“There was a lot of talk and writing at the time about Europe’s sovereignty – which meant nothing less than independence from the U.S., China, and other world regions in defense, energy, industrial production, and digital technologies. Who knows if, had a Democrat like Kamala Harris – Trump’s rival in the 2024 election – been the president instead, with her less aggressive stance toward the EU, whether all those grand words about unity would have been spoken or whether various actions, more or less significant, would have been taken to finally free Europe from its ‘big brother’ across the ocean.”
“Trump’s successor, Marco Rubio, another leading Republican politician, did continue the course set by his mentor. But even after the election of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2032 – the first female U.S. president, whose presidency marked a shift toward a milder, more left-leaning political climate – most Europeans no longer wanted to return to their old dependence, even if it meant greater security. The changes were too deep, too far-reaching for anyone on this side of the ocean to agree to revert to the old asymmetrical transatlantic relationship.”
“These were the years when some Europeans began thinking about federalization and taking their place among the world’s greatest powers, while others still saw their nearest neighbors as the main threat. These ambitions would eventually be realized, but in a completely different way than people of that time had imagined.”
“The second and third decades of the 21st century saw the rapid development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. The global leaders in this field were, of course, the U.S. and China, while Europe lagged far behind. Europeans, therefore, decided to develop their own independent software and AI models, which began to emerge one after another in quick succession. While they still couldn’t match the computational power of American or Chinese products, even these less perfect models were a significant step toward technological independence for our continent – a key part of what came to be known as Europe’s strategic autonomy.“
“Another area where Europe sought sovereignty was energy production, without which modern life is unimaginable. Relying on a single fuel supplier – whether Russia, the United States, or the Persian Gulf states – had become too risky. Europe, therefore, sought to diversify its supplies, but above all, it focused on electrifying everything possible and producing homegrown energy, both in nuclear reactors and through renewable sources, such as wind and solar power. All these events – from trade wars to energy crises – convinced Europe that strategic autonomy was not a choice, but a necessity.”
“Reducing combustion processes was also crucial for environmental reasons. As you surely remember from school, the final product of burning any carbon-based substance is carbon dioxide – the main ‘culprit’ behind the excessive greenhouse effect.”
“In the late 2020s and 2030s, further planned expansions of the European Union took place. The first, in 2028, saw Montenegro join, followed a few years later by the remaining Balkan countries, Moldova, Iceland, and even the returning United Kingdom. Ukraine, despite its initial enthusiasm and President Zelensky’s attempts to accelerate membership, was the last to meet all the 1993 Copenhagen criteria. Meanwhile, Türkiye never joined the EU – or the later Federation – even after the arrival of the Travelers.”
“Paradoxically, it might have seemed that things were going in an excellent direction, but beneath the surface, something entirely different was happening. Despite the expansion of the Community to include all these countries, and even the adoption of the Constitutional Treaty, which reformed EU institutions, old demons were reawakening in many states. International relations were fraught with tensions, as for many Europeans, the well-being of their own homelands was the only thing that mattered, while they remained indifferent – or even hostile – toward other member states. Economic difficulties deepened, parts of society grew poorer, and it was the poorest who blamed their misfortunes on the very process of European integration. Far-right, nationalist, and xenophobic parties stormed national parliaments and even won many seats in the European Parliament. Borders were closed out of fear of an influx of foreign labor, which might take jobs from locals. Meanwhile, EU institutions were riddled with corruption. They grabbed more and more power, yet at the same time, they became increasingly powerless. Few still believed in the lofty ideals of European unity. Ideas faded, and the fire died out. Instead of solidarity, there was greed; instead of cooperation, selfishness of individuals and nations. Finally, by the mid-2040s, the disintegration of the Community seemed all but inevitable. Europe was about to lose everything that generations had worked for over the past century.”
“But we know that didn’t happen…” Arina finally interjected, taking advantage of the fact that Olaf, exhausted by his own verbosity, had to catch his breath.
“It never happened. Instead, the most improbable events began to unfold. In 2048, an unknown flying object appeared near Earth. Of course, researchers from NASA, CNSA, JAXA, Roscosmos*, and other leading space agencies around the world had already attempted to establish contact with the visitors long before the craft came so close to our planet. But the ship remained silent. It hovered motionless in the upper troposphere near the North Pole, giving the impression that it was intently observing the eastern part of the Eurasian landmass. Suspended in orbit, shrouded in silence and majesty, it made no attempt to communicate with humanity – only stirring fear in their hearts. It seemed as though the Aliens had singled out Europe as the target of their invasion. Yet, the day of doom never came.”
“At that time, despite all the political and economic tensions of the past few decades, many Americans still believed it was their duty to provide military support to a weaker Europe. A crewless spacecraft – tellingly named Discovery – was launched from Cape Canaveral with the mission to investigate the object and establish first contact. But Discovery never reached the alien vessel. The object was surrounded by a force field of immense power, generated by technology unknown on Earth, repelling anything that attempted to approach. It was clear that this field served as protection. But who – or what – was it protecting, if the ship was most likely empty? Sensors detected no signs of life aboard. It belonged solely to machines.”
“And what happened next?”
“Next? Scientists proposed another hypothesis: that the entire ship was a kind of living entity, based on artificial intelligence. As it turned out, this theory was not far from the truth. Further contact attempts were not made, because one day, the ship simply exploded. Some debris was flung into outer space, while other fragments remained in Earth’s orbit to this day, and the rest burned up in the atmosphere. The Americans and Chinese immediately dispatched probes to study the orbiting remnants, but their efforts yielded no significant discoveries. Apart from confirming that the debris was likely standard equipment from their spacecraft, humanity still knew nothing – neither the origin of the Travelers, nor their intentions toward Earth, nor even who they were.”
“But we do know why they left their home planet…”
“You mean the film? That’s just speculation, Arina – though who knows how close it might be to the truth. Did you notice, by the way, that when I listed the organizations investigating the debris, I left out the European Space Agency? The Europeans did not join the frenzy of discovery, as they were occupied with entirely different matters at the time. Within the crumbling European Union, great transformations were underway, and the process of disintegration was swiftly halted. Never before in its long history had the nations of Europe acted with such unity, such solidarity. After a century of drawing closer and then drifting apart, Europe had finally achieved what visionaries, philosophers, and artists had dreamed of. The imperfect political construct, still under construction for decades, seemed at last to be moving toward its final form. The continent had become a true home for half a billion Europeans, and no one felt excluded or overlooked.”
“The Union transformed into the Federation. This great change was proclaimed to the nations in 2050, in the preamble of the new Constitutional Treaty – far superior to its predecessor. For the first time in history, the treaty established the office of the President of the European Federation as the head of the Community, thereby reducing the powers of the President of the European Council, whose role was now limited to convening and chairing summits of national leaders and mediating disputes between regions. The position of President of the European Commission was retained, though its function became equivalent to that of a prime minister of the College of Commissioners. Meanwhile, the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU – a long-standing source of pride for the member states that held it – was abolished. As for the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, that office would soon become obsolete.”
Arina recalled the image of the then-President of the European Commission, Elena Vella of Malta – the second woman, after Ursula von der Leyen, to hold that position. She had continued the legacy of another famous Maltese woman, Roberta Metsola, who, just two decades earlier, had addressed the European Parliament chamber. The moment when this politician from a now somewhat distant past solemnly read the preamble of the new treaty, standing under the open sky before Robert Schuman’s historic house in Lorraine, France, had been immortalized in countless recordings.
Professor Elena Vella was neither particularly charismatic nor representative. Short, slightly overweight, in her early sixties, with a neatly trimmed, uncolored short haircut, she was simply someone who found herself in the right place at the right time. Before that pivotal moment, she had steadfastly climbed the career ladder in Brussels for many years, fulfilling her duties conscientiously and never tarnishing her reputation with corruption. Before becoming President of the Commission, she had served two terms as Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, and in the previous term, as Vice-President of the Commission.
On that sunny yet mild day, President Vella, dressed in a simple light-pink suit, gently lifted a thin, hardbound book with a deep burgundy cover, embossed with golden letters reading ‘A Constitution for Europe’, and opened it to one of the first pages. She adjusted the microphone, knowing that millions of attentive eyes – citizens of what was still, at that final moment, the European Union – were watching her from screens across the continent. Then, in the silence of that solemn afternoon, interrupted only by the sounds of nature, she began to read:
INVOKING * the shared heritage of the nations of Europe and the need to finally overcome the hostile divisions among them,
CONCERNED with ensuring lasting peace on the continent, as well as deepening and strengthening cooperation and friendship among our nations,
EMPHASIZING the importance and relevance of the civic freedoms enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
RECALLING the respect for the ethnic and cultural distinctiveness of each nation, in the spirit of the motto In varietate concordia,
DETERMINED to establish a common citizenship for all inhabitants of Europe, which complements but does not replace their national allegiance,
DETERMINED to continue strengthening our economies in accordance with the principle of sustainable development, and to ensure a comparable standard of living across all regions,
REAFFIRMING our intention to maintain a common currency for existing eurozone members and to rapidly introduce it in countries not yet part of it,
UPHOLDING our commitment to the abolition of internal border controls and to ensuring the free movement of people, goods, and services,
RESOLVED to implement a common foreign and defense policy to promote security, lasting peace, social progress, and Europe’s independence from global powers,
DETERMINED to put an end to historical upheavals and to move together toward a peaceful and radiant future,
RECOGNIZING the imperfections and transitional nature of this Constitution, which will be further developed in the future,
WE HEREBY ESTABLISH, by the will of all participating nations, the united European Federation (…)
“At that time, despite all the political and economic tensions of the past few decades, many Americans still believed it was their duty to provide military support to a weaker Europe. A crewless spacecraft – tellingly named Discovery – was launched from Cape Canaveral with the mission to investigate the object and establish first contact. But Discovery never reached the alien vessel. The object was surrounded by a force field of immense power, generated by technology unknown on Earth, repelling anything that attempted to approach. It was clear that this field served as protection. But who – or what – was it protecting, if the ship was most likely empty? Sensors detected no signs of life aboard. It belonged solely to machines.”
“And what happened next?”
“Next? Scientists proposed another hypothesis: that the entire ship was a kind of living entity, based on artificial intelligence. As it turned out, this theory was not far from the truth. Further contact attempts were not made, because one day, the ship simply exploded. Some debris was flung into outer space, while other fragments remained in Earth’s orbit to this day, and the rest burned up in the atmosphere. The Americans and Chinese immediately dispatched probes to study the orbiting remnants, but their efforts yielded no significant discoveries. Apart from confirming that the debris was likely standard equipment from their spacecraft, humanity still knew nothing – neither the origin of the Travelers, nor their intentions toward Earth, nor even who they were.”
“But we do know why they left their home planet…”
“You mean the film? That’s just speculation, Arina – though who knows how close it might be to the truth. Did you notice, by the way, that when I listed the organizations investigating the debris, I left out the European Space Agency? The Europeans did not join the frenzy of discovery, as they were occupied with entirely different matters at the time. Within the crumbling European Union, great transformations were underway, and the process of disintegration was swiftly halted. Never before in its long history had the nations of Europe acted with such unity, such solidarity. After a century of drawing closer and then drifting apart, Europe had finally achieved what visionaries, philosophers, and artists had dreamed of. The imperfect political construct, still under construction for decades, seemed at last to be moving toward its final form. The continent had become a true home for half a billion Europeans, and no one felt excluded or overlooked.”
“The Union transformed into the Federation. This great change was proclaimed to the nations in 2050, in the preamble of the new Constitutional Treaty – far superior to its predecessor. For the first time in history, the treaty established the office of the President of the European Federation as the head of the Community, thereby reducing the powers of the President of the European Council, whose role was now limited to convening and chairing summits of national leaders and mediating disputes between regions. The position of President of the European Commission was retained, though its function became equivalent to that of a prime minister of the College of Commissioners. Meanwhile, the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU – a long-standing source of pride for the member states that held it – was abolished. As for the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, that office would soon become obsolete.”
Arina recalled the image of the then-President of the European Commission, Elena Vella of Malta – the second woman, after Ursula von der Leyen, to hold that position. She had continued the legacy of another famous Maltese woman, Roberta Metsola, who, just two decades earlier, had addressed the European Parliament chamber. The moment when this politician from a now somewhat distant past solemnly read the preamble of the new treaty, standing under the open sky before Robert Schuman’s historic house in Lorraine, France, had been immortalized in countless recordings.
Professor Elena Vella was neither particularly charismatic nor representative. Short, slightly overweight, in her early sixties, with a neatly trimmed, uncolored short haircut, she was simply someone who found herself in the right place at the right time. Before that pivotal moment, she had steadfastly climbed the career ladder in Brussels for many years, fulfilling her duties conscientiously and never tarnishing her reputation with corruption. Before becoming President of the Commission, she had served two terms as Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration, and in the previous term, as Vice-President of the Commission.
On that sunny yet mild day, President Vella, dressed in a simple light-pink suit, gently lifted a thin, hardbound book with a deep burgundy cover, embossed with golden letters reading ‘A Constitution for Europe’, and opened it to one of the first pages. She adjusted the microphone, knowing that millions of attentive eyes – citizens of what was still, at that final moment, the European Union – were watching her from screens across the continent. Then, in the silence of that solemn afternoon, interrupted only by the sounds of nature, she began to read:
INVOKING * the shared heritage of the nations of Europe and the need to finally overcome the hostile divisions among them,
CONCERNED with ensuring lasting peace on the continent, as well as deepening and strengthening cooperation and friendship among our nations,
EMPHASIZING the importance and relevance of the civic freedoms enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,
RECALLING the respect for the ethnic and cultural distinctiveness of each nation, in the spirit of the motto In varietate concordia,
DETERMINED to establish a common citizenship for all inhabitants of Europe, which complements but does not replace their national allegiance,
DETERMINED to continue strengthening our economies in accordance with the principle of sustainable development, and to ensure a comparable standard of living across all regions,
REAFFIRMING our intention to maintain a common currency for existing eurozone members and to rapidly introduce it in countries not yet part of it,
UPHOLDING our commitment to the abolition of internal border controls and to ensuring the free movement of people, goods, and services,
RESOLVED to implement a common foreign and defense policy to promote security, lasting peace, social progress, and Europe’s independence from global powers,
DETERMINED to put an end to historical upheavals and to move together toward a peaceful and radiant future,
RECOGNIZING the imperfections and transitional nature of this Constitution, which will be further developed in the future,
WE HEREBY ESTABLISH, by the will of all participating nations, the united European Federation (…)
It was Elena Vella, elected by an overwhelming majority in the European Parliament, who became the first President of the Federation. She held this office for two full terms – ten years – without ever compromising her impeccable reputation. The position of President of the European Commission, now also referred to as the First Commissioner, was taken over by one of the former Vice-Presidents, Wolfgang Neumann of Germany, a member of the Renew Europe group.
“Two years later, the final expansion of the Community took place, adding two wealthy countries that had long remained distant from Brussels: Switzerland and Norway. After all, it would not do to have a blank spot in the very heart of the continent. Norway… Do you think this new Federation really needed our poor lands, our cold homeland, covered mostly by mountains, fjords, and glaciers? As it turned out, Norway became a strategic country due to its geographical location. On our coast, two of the fifteen generators of the immense force field were hidden. The same kind of field, in fact, that had surrounded that first spaceship.”
“The third country to join the Federation at this decisive, perhaps final possible moment was Belarus, which rapidly democratized after the death of dictator Lukashenko. This meant that everyone who should have been on board the Ship of Europe was now aboard.”
“In 2055, under the leadership of Prime Commissioner Neumann – who managed to hold his position for three consecutive terms – the Commission issued a directive to reduce funding to the development of new technologies. Two years later, the Barrier was created. The project required all fifteen identical devices to function without disruption. The failure or disconnection of one or even two generators would not cause the Dome to shut down. The other components would take over their work, operating under increased load. This was a necessary safety mechanism, ensuring the uninterrupted operation of the field in case of an attack on any of the generators. But what kind of attack are we talking about? No European would be foolish enough to risk damaging the Barrier. That’s why the generators are unguarded, and although their locations are not publicly disclosed, they can be easily determined.”
“Even now, united and strong, Europe still struggled with the legacy of centuries of planet’s ruthless exploitation. The Barrier had helped slow the climate crisis, but it had not reversed its effects entirely. The powerful energy field in the troposphere stabilized the continent’s natural west-to-east airflow, blocking the influx of hot air masses from Africa and Asia. At the same time, the Barrier itself did not disrupt global atmospheric circulation. Additional incentives came from necessary reforms initiated by the federal government: a near-complete shift away from fossil fuels in favor of renewable energy and nuclear power, a turn toward more ecological agriculture, and the promotion of vegetarianism. No country resisted sustainable development any longer. Though it brought temporary losses to some regions and professional groups, in the long run, it benefited the well-being of our entire society.”
“There was still the unresolved issue of migrants from outside Europe. Some chose to return to their homelands, knowing that once the Barrier was raised, they would never be able to leave again. Those who stayed fully assimilated over the course of a few generations. That’s why, especially in the southern regions, there are still so many people with darker complexions and unusual-sounding names than the average European. But they pose no problem or threat now. No new migrants arrived, so Europe had to increase its birth rate to fill all the key jobs.”
“We also halted the development of computer technology and artificial intelligence, but only as tools for managing complex systems and streamlining tedious tasks that would otherwise take too much of people’s time. We did not create new, ever more powerful models, did not humanize our AI, and did not develop a peer relationship with it.”
“So, does that mean we condemned ourselves to isolation because of this Barrier?” Arina asked, shaking her head doubtfully.
“From what I remember of history, our ancestors didn’t feel like prisoners. Most of them fully approved of this new element of reality. The Barrier primarily protects us from the outside world and eliminates the need for a new arms race.”
“But that’s like the Travelers brainwashed them without their consent…”
“Arina, let me finish this story. I know it’s long, but only then will you understand what truly happened. The alien invasion did occur – just not in the form anyone expected. It was a ‘silent invasion’. A powerful, ancient, and wise spirit – the essence of all that the inhabitants of that barren, dead planet had ever been, the quintessence of their entire being – merged with human bodies, establishing its own order in our world, realizing its dreams of peace, harmony, and happiness. The changes ran deep, not limited to politics and the economy. These macroscopic changes, in fact, stemmed from microscopic shifts that took place in the mind and heart of every European. A transformation occurred: millions of selfish individuals, who had hurt others without hesitation to achieve their own goals, became brave, noble, and creative people – the kind we always should have been, but weren’t, due to our flawed human nature.”
“Such a profound change could not go unnoticed in the world. Perceptive people realized that Europe’s apparent idyll was the result of extraterrestrial influence. Attacks began – and they continue to this day – aimed at the final annihilation of the Travelers, at eradicating the star-born intruders from the face of the Earth.”
“But how is it possible that Europeans themselves remained unaware of this event? There are no accounts of the ‘silent invasion’ or the Travelers. Nothing. No materials from which we could learn about these events.”
“Do you think the Travelers wanted people to start obsessing over the changes, analyzing them in depth, and ultimately rebelling against themselves? The spirit desired a peaceful and friendly world, not one torn apart at the level of individual egos. We never question the changes in ourselves, others, or the world that make the world a better place. Only evil is perceived as a threat. The spirit exploited this simple fact to achieve its goal. Remember, our ancestors faced an absolute, collective, and abstract being – not flesh-and-blood creatures. Something omnipotent, something the human mind cannot comprehend. They assumed the changes stemmed from their own attitudes and the changing world around them, so they never entertained any fantastical suspicions. The spirit simplified their lives, and they embraced this simplicity with joy.”
“Of course, Europe did not become a paradise on Earth, and its inhabitants did not turn into angels in human skin. All existence, after all, is based on contrasts – the duality of good and evil, light and darkness, joy and sorrow. A unipolar world in any of these aspects would be unbearable. The change, therefore, was that since the ‘silent invasion’, there has been decidedly more good than evil among us.”
“And what do you think, Arina, why is American cinema reviled in modern Europe? Is it just for cultural reasons? No, it’s about closing off a certain channel of information. It’s not hard to deduce that this, too, is the work of the Travelers’ collective spirit. But there was a leak, and as you can see, it has brought nothing good. The Americans must have assumed they were helping us wake up from our lethargy and throw off the yoke of servitude. But what can we do today? Attack the Travelers, destroy them once and for all, killing our own bodies in the process? No, that’s not a solution.”
“Or maybe the Travelers are a great lie? We have no proof of their existence.”
“We don’t have direct proof, no. But we have circumstantial evidence. The very nature of today’s Europe is proof. You, me, other people – we are the proof. Do you really believe that the divided, darkly passionate continent of pre-2048 could have achieved all these great things on its own? According to all reasonable calculations, history would have unfolded entirely differently without the Travelers. That’s why we must not doubt their existence. We must not, even though we will never find any physical evidence, any fossils, any records, any life forms. The film tells the truth.”
“Then we have to spread the word, warn people…”
“Warn them about what, Arina? What would we achieve by causing panic? Only chaos and more suicides. What good would come from terrifying people with the Travelers?”
He gently touched her forehead, then her chest.
“They live, Arina! They live here – and here. We made a trade with them. They needed a warm, green, and bright land, and beautiful, strong bodies to inhabit. We needed peace and justice. They didn’t harm us – they saved us from a fate worse than the ‘silent invasion’. They arrived just in time.”
Again, he touched her forehead and chest.
“Only this matters – what you are here, and here. Nothing else. Forcing the search for absolute truth, reaching for some imagined core, reclaiming our lost humanity – what have we lost, and in whose name are we to reclaim it? – only leads to great pain, the kind you’ve already experienced. Don’t believe those who tell you that only this truth matters, and that everything else – happiness, goodness, peace, love, the absence of suffering – are insignificant, or even evil, because they were imposed by an ‘invader’. What matters is who you are, what you love, what you believe in, what you live for. Don’t let anyone take that from you. Don’t fall into the abyss from which there is no return. Is pure, untainted humanity supposed to be the ultimate value? Tell me, would you really want to return to the world before 2048? Would you want to live in it?”
She slowly shook her head.
“No,” she replied thoughtfully. “I wouldn’t.”
“We need to talk about it, but in a completely different way. We need to make people aware of the immense good we have received from the Travelers. Let the last secrets disappear, the last bastions of fear crumble. Let the light of knowledge and understanding reach where it has never been before. This will be the first thing I take on when I become a Member of the European Parliament. We must speak the truth, but gently, so that the truth multiplies goodness, not brings suffering.”
He remembered the disc he had been holding in both hands. He lifted it to eye level and, with a decisive motion, snapped it in half. He placed the now useless halves on the table.
“We won’t need this anymore. Not today, not ever.”
He took her hands in his and leaned toward her, a playful glint in his eyes.
“And now, we can be together as we should be. As we haven’t been in a long time. Too long.”
He began kissing her. She returned his kisses hungrily, free from all that was evil, wanting only to love. They nearly tore the clothes from each other and collapsed laughing onto the wide bed.
Olaf gazed into her eyes the entire time, and she did not look away, mesmerized by the blue of his irises. They united absolutely – through the ecstasy of their bodies and the unity of their spirits. They merged into that self, which had absorbed them both, passing itself down from generation to generation through a series of mortal beings.
They live! The thought exploded like the sun, spreading through her body in a spasm of incomprehensible bliss. I am doing this for them now, for the Travelers. I worship life in our human, eternal, and most magnificent way. I offer my love for Olaf as a tribute on the altar of their greatness, which allowed them to survive despite all odds. A greatness that did not hesitate to take the form of our imperfect earthly shells.
I am now a celestial being in you and through you, O magnificent ones. Spirit, who did not hesitate to fragment your power into small, vulnerable flames that sanctified each of our fathers and each of our mothers, bless me now. I do this for you, for all of you, Travelers. I will praise the mystery until the last day of my short life, which will become eternal through your gift.
They, too, made love in the flesh while they still had bodies. And now, I do this for them and because of them. For I am a Traveler, and I am Arina. I am what I am. I am light, I am fire, I am ecstasy. Nothing else matters, and nothing else ever will.
At the peak of the world, they exploded simultaneously. She clung to him tightly, and they remained like that – embracing, exhausted, savoring the warmth and closeness. A moment ago, they had spoken in a language that was neither Polish, nor Norwegian, nor English, nor any other. It was their language, the language of infinite beauty.
And now, they were Olaf and Arina again, and despite all the dark whispers, they wanted to live their lives as beautifully and fully as possible.
* * *
In the early evening, they went for another walk. First, they headed to the fjord, and she showed him the spot where her fate had changed. The wind had died down, and the world around Trondheim was cool, bright, and quiet. Then, they decided to visit the same restaurant from the night before, “The Star of the Sea”. They sat again in the garden, at the same table, holding hands and gazing tenderly into each other’s eyes. For a long time, they couldn’t take their eyes off one another, just like that pair of Italians (or Spaniards?), and the outside world ceased to exist for them.
A folk band from the Finnish region of the Federation played softly at the far end of the small open-air space reserved for the tavern’s patrons. The musicians hummed their tunes subtly – melancholic songs filled with a strange northern longing. Neither Arina nor Olaf understood Finnish, so they quickly lost interest. That evening, only the two of them existed.
An almost otherworldly brightness and gentleness hung in the air, neither evening nor night. At this time of year, one seamlessly blended into the other, merging into an almost eternal day.
Olaf reached into the small pocket of his backpack and pulled out a velvet heart-shaped box. He opened it carefully and lifted a narrow gold ring with an emerald gem.
“Arina, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice trembling.
“Yes, yes, yes…” she whispered, overcome with emotion. “I am yours, now and forever…”
The ring fit perfectly on the middle finger of her hand. The small sparkle sealed their fate in that moment. There was no other path for them, anyway. Every step they had taken together or apart since that memorable day at the Institute had led them to this decision.
Her thoughts returned to their act of love, made in such great passion. She didn’t doubt for a moment that in that complete surrender, she had conceived a new life – to the glory of the Travelers. And that was exactly as it should be, she thought with relief and happiness. She would give life, the most precious gift, and at the same time reach for all the other things she desired. One would not hinder the other. With Olaf by her side, nothing would be too difficult.
And so it was meant to be. The two of them, gilded by love and the light of the eternal day, enamored with the treasures of the North and South, East and West, like the king and queen of the seven corners of the world, of the sun and the moon, free from the fear of not being themselves, walked through life together. Like fire and water, heaven and hell, joy and sorrow, they were Olaf and Arina, they were the Unknown.
That night, she fell asleep safe in the arms of her beloved. The nightmare had vanished, dissolved forever into nothingness.
In the early evening, they went for another walk. First, they headed to the fjord, and she showed him the spot where her fate had changed. The wind had died down, and the world around Trondheim was cool, bright, and quiet. Then, they decided to visit the same restaurant from the night before, “The Star of the Sea”. They sat again in the garden, at the same table, holding hands and gazing tenderly into each other’s eyes. For a long time, they couldn’t take their eyes off one another, just like that pair of Italians (or Spaniards?), and the outside world ceased to exist for them.
A folk band from the Finnish region of the Federation played softly at the far end of the small open-air space reserved for the tavern’s patrons. The musicians hummed their tunes subtly – melancholic songs filled with a strange northern longing. Neither Arina nor Olaf understood Finnish, so they quickly lost interest. That evening, only the two of them existed.
An almost otherworldly brightness and gentleness hung in the air, neither evening nor night. At this time of year, one seamlessly blended into the other, merging into an almost eternal day.
Olaf reached into the small pocket of his backpack and pulled out a velvet heart-shaped box. He opened it carefully and lifted a narrow gold ring with an emerald gem.
“Arina, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice trembling.
“Yes, yes, yes…” she whispered, overcome with emotion. “I am yours, now and forever…”
The ring fit perfectly on the middle finger of her hand. The small sparkle sealed their fate in that moment. There was no other path for them, anyway. Every step they had taken together or apart since that memorable day at the Institute had led them to this decision.
Her thoughts returned to their act of love, made in such great passion. She didn’t doubt for a moment that in that complete surrender, she had conceived a new life – to the glory of the Travelers. And that was exactly as it should be, she thought with relief and happiness. She would give life, the most precious gift, and at the same time reach for all the other things she desired. One would not hinder the other. With Olaf by her side, nothing would be too difficult.
And so it was meant to be. The two of them, gilded by love and the light of the eternal day, enamored with the treasures of the North and South, East and West, like the king and queen of the seven corners of the world, of the sun and the moon, free from the fear of not being themselves, walked through life together. Like fire and water, heaven and hell, joy and sorrow, they were Olaf and Arina, they were the Unknown.
That night, she fell asleep safe in the arms of her beloved. The nightmare had vanished, dissolved forever into nothingness.
* Tomasz Panfil “The European Union. Everything you need to know”, Podsiedlik-Raniowski & Co., Poznań 2003
* NASA – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA)
CNSA – China National Space Administration
JAXA – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Roscosmos – State Corporation for Space Activities (Russia)
CNSA – China National Space Administration
JAXA – Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
Roscosmos – State Corporation for Space Activities (Russia)
* This text is based on the preamble of the Maastricht Treaty of February 7, 1992.
To be continued...
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