That big leap...

...and every once in a while technology makes a leap. Some leaps are pretty small, some are big, only few leaps are truly huge and shake existence...

Among the really huge and existence shaking leaps are the wheel, the art book printing, the computer and the intersplit engine, the last one giving the human race the power to explore beyond our Earth and our solar system...

The intersplit engine brought unrivaled possibilities to our race, even to the point where it would change us - both physically and psychologically.

These days we see - and have accepted - a wide range of changes in our race. Superficial changes like the changes in skin tone due to different light spectra on our skin and more prominent changes like the white skin of the Phalax and the spiky white pins on their scalps, in stead of hair. Or profound changes in human spirit for that matter, like the inhabitants of Ys who are known to practice sibling marriage.

In a way, exploring the stars and has made the human race much more tolerant towards differences within its own species, both physical and psychological. There's now an accepted attitude of "live and let live", possibly because of the endless supply of resources space travel has brought to our species, possibly because we're no longer confined to the limited "lebensraum" on Earth... and possibly because we matured to a next level....

- Rommert Beauchamps, part of his inaugural speech for the Sea Province University, Avente, Alphanor