The Galaxy Demanded Tribute from Earth Humanity’s Reply Changed Every

Humans had no known interstellar influence, no great fleets, no seats in the council. But it wasn't from the council's fleet, it was from Earth. Tracking systems found no ships, no debris, only empty space as if the attackers had slipped in and out of reality itself. Weeks later when the council met again no one spoke of tribute. No one even dared say the word earth, but the message remained burned into their archives left there by an unseen Terran hand.