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ACT I 01.09 Interlude Just… be

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  You want to hear about Andallys?..

  It's one of those places that just sticks with you, you know? Nothing but farmland as far as the eye can see - no sprawling cities, just these family farms dotted across the landscape. But that's not what makes it special.

  The real story of Andallys? It's all about the Shaman. And before you roll your eyes - trust me, I get it. Every backwater's got its local legends. But this is different. The locals have plastered the Shaman's name across every mountain, sea, and creek on their maps, sure, but there's more to it than that. We're talking centuries of research expeditions, academic studies, the whole nine yards. The scientific community's tied itself in knots over this one - can't explain it, can't deny it exists. The farmers just get this knowing look when you bring it up. They don't need the validation.

  But here's the thing about Andallys that really gets under your skin - it might be the last place in the galaxy where humans can just... be…

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  Look, everyone knows how it is out there for humans. No citizenship in Council space, can't set up our own government thanks to the Galactic Code. Most folks end up with two choices: working themselves to death in the worst jobs imaginable, or... well, there's a reason human pirates are everywhere these days. Not that I'm defending it, but when those are your options…

  Andallys found another way. Though calling it high-tech would be generous. They're stuck with these ancient machines - some regulation about not selling humans any tech under 300 years old. You should see what these farmers work with. I swear I saw a steam-powered tractor out there, still running farm routes like it's the most normal thing in the world. They're keeping this ancient tech alive with duct tape and sheer stubbornness, paying crazy money for stuff that belongs in a museum.

  The people, though...

  I've never seen anything like it. Cross one farmer, and suddenly you've got problems with the whole damn planet. And every single one of them has this fierce pride about their Shaman. Half the galaxy's terrified of whatever it is, but to them? It's family. Weird, scary family, but family nonetheless.

  Sometimes I think about all those gleaming spaceports and high-tech worlds out there, and then I look at Andallys - this patchwork of ancient machines and stubborn farmers, all of them gathered around their mysterious Shaman like some kind of cosmic campfire. And you know what? Maybe they've got the right idea after all.

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