Sounds like you're from a lot further along than we are, technology-wise. [ Humanity as Bean knows it has only just figured out faster than light communication. And even that is kept secret from the majority of the human race. ]

I don't know if I would call several billion "small." But compared to a whole galaxy, I suppose it makes sense.

[ That was the direction his world was heading in, he would guess. Earth can't support its growing population forever. As soon as technology catches up and becomes widely available, humanity will spread to the stars.

That's not Bean's concern, though. He's not sure he'll live long enough to see it play out. ]