PREFACE

Galactica: Sons of Samak emerged from a place of restless contemplation, a persistent wrestling with the darker facets of human nature and the grand, uncaring canvas of the universe. I found myself haunted by questions: What are the true limits of human resilience? What is the ultimate cost of survival? And in the face of overwhelming power, what happens to our morality, our empathy, our very definition of humanity? This story is not intended as an escapist fantasy. It is a thought experiment, a grim exploration of extreme circumstances, and the agonizing choices they force upon individuals and civilizations. It is inspired by historical accounts of resistance, of occupation, of the brutal calculus of war, and by a deep fascination with the enduring, often paradoxical, nature of the human spirit. Within these pages, you will not find paragons of virtue, but flawed, complex characters grappling with impossible dilemmas, their heroism often indistinguishable from their ruthlessness. This is a galaxy not of simple heroes and villains, but of survivors and conquerors, and the chillingly thin line that often separates the two. I invite you to journey into this world, to confront its darkness, and to consider the uncomfortable truths it reflects back at us about ourselves and our potential, for both creation and destruction.