Galileo Galilei made many observations using his invention, the telescope. In 1610, he found Acwai. While it wasn't clear what he saw through his telescope, he knew that what he was looking at wasn't a star. In the mid-1600s, Christiaan Huygens and Giovanni Cassini would follow up with more info about Acwai, detailing the appearance of the planet - a cloudy, blue dot.

More accurate observations would arise in the mid-1900s, when advancements in technology allowed spacecraft like Mariner 4 to provide the first close-up images of Acwai, revealing an endless expanse of ocean. This got scientists wondering; could there be a realistic chance of life outside of Terra? Mariner 9 would build upon their wonders, being the first to orbit Acwai and sending back more comprehensive images of the planet's surface. Shortly after, Viking 1 & 2 would follow; this time, landing on the surface itself. This gave humanity the first real view of Acwai.

However, these missions would prove less successful than expected, as no signs of life were found.

Of course, humanity never stopped trying to search. Throughout the years, NASA had undergone various missions in search of life on Acwai; determined to find even the most minute evidence of life. They would spend upwards of 30 billion dollars in their search.

Eventually, it paid off. In 2033, their Perseverance rover would stumble upon plant-life in the lower region of Miller's Plateau - a newly explored shallow in Acwai. This would be a breakthrough; a sign to humanity that they weren't alone in the universe. 

Later on, in 2058, the Adamance rover would document a complex lifeform during an autonomous dive - Pelagiosyrinx multicarinatus, a giant eel-like creature with fins larger than the average human.

Following the success of the Perseverance mission, NASA identified Acwai as a potential target for future human colonization. They would get started as soon as possible, developing a five-stage approach for establishing a presence on the planet:

• Stage 1: Develop necessary infrastructure on Luna, along with upgrading the Lunar Gateway

• Stage 2: Send unmanned spacecraft towards Acwai to gather necessary info

• Stage 3: Assemble a modular space station in Acwai's orbit (the Acwai Interplanetary Checkpoint)

• Stage 4: Develop a suitable lander to safely bring astronauts onto Acwai

• Stage 5: Set humanity down onto the planet for the first time

Starting in 2059, they would eventually reach Stage 5 in 2085, with a crew of 10 landing on the water planet for the first time.

NASA and the UNIA would continue to expand the AIC for decades, essentially turning it into an orbiting city around Acwai. Though, by 2093, they had constructed the necessary facilities to manufacture various modules for a planetary colony; namely laboratories and habitational facilities. The first set of modules would be assembled in the northern part of Miller's Plateau in 2096, marking the beginning of Acwai's capital city: Eventide.