As Jason made his decision, a sudden realization hit him: he had been overthinking this. So had the conservative experts and scholars. They were all still acting from the mindset of a weak civilization, cautiously tip-toeing through their roles. How could they possibly pull off a convincing performance like that?
If humanity were truly a dominant interstellar power, they wouldn't be this timid and hesitant.
Think about it: if a global superpower fired a warning shot at a tiny rogue vessel crossing its borders, the smaller vessel wouldn't dare retaliate because the power disparity would be absolute. Similarly, the more aggressive humanity appeared, the more cautious the alien vessel would become, making them far less likely to test the Noah's defenses.
After all, the Federation could not withstand a real test. A single probe would expose them completely. They had to be domineering and uncompromising to truly project the aura of an advanced civilization!
