Earth Calendar, the year 4908, half a century after the Garden Campaign.
On days filled with anxiety, Andre, CEO of the Antonios Consortium, liked to visit the observation deck on the Tower of Stars.
The distant, chilly glow from the stars always provided him with momentary relief.
There's an old tale that claims that, at any given time, standing on the top of the Tower of Stars grants you the best view of all the stars in the galaxy.
Yet, many believe that the stars can still be viewed from Carilion Boulevard due to the vast aperture in the dome above it which grants anyone in the vicinity an unimpeded view of the starry expanse.
Andre, however, knew the old tale was true. When the City of Antontas moves to the sunny side of the Garden Planet, just as the Roland District is about to turn its face to the Garden Planet, brilliant starlight briefly skims across Antontas' grand, disc-like structure. For a brief moment, the galaxy fades into the blinding luminance of these stars. If you stand on the top of the Tower of Stars, you'll see a handful of stars peeking through the opening of the dome.
It's a short walk from the Tower of Stars conference hall to the observation deck. You simply pass the hallway on the right and take the elevator. The City of Antontas can technically be considered a satellite of the Garden Planet. The city's center axis runs parallel to the Garden Star's rotational axis, and the city gracefully moves around the planet in a low orbit.
The first time the Antonios headquarters passed through the Stargate to the Garden Star System, the board immediately saw an opportunity to refurbish the spaceport. The Consortium positioned its headquarters within the Garden Planet's orbit. Then they built a bridge linking the giant pillar in the center of the city to the Garden Planet Spaceport, thus laying the foundation for the City of Antontas.
It was a wise decision. At that time, the Garden Planet Spaceport was the most well-preserved structure on the Garden Planet. It was capable of harboring battleships and housed the main maintenance department of the Sacrum Chu Imperium.
After sixty years of dedicated effort by the Antonios Consortium, the City of Antontas had finally emerged as one of the galaxy's most thriving and illustrious cities.
The Tower of Stars, a prominent landmark in the Crux Business District, has an unobstructed panoramic view. The observation deck is surrounded by smart reinforced glass with a refractive index that can be adjusted to zero, allowing for an undistorted view of the outside world. If you stand on the observation deck and look south toward the outer star system, you can see the entire Milky Way. It looks like a river composed of slowly flowing stars, with peculiar nebulae meandering through the galactic expanse.
When all three of the Garden Planet's moons appear together, it's a breathtaking sight. Astarte, tinged in a pale red shimmer, is the moon closest to the Garden Planet. It can be spotted approximately once a month. When it graces the sky alone, its crimson luminescence bathes the City of Antontas in a dreamy red glow. Nero is a different story altogether. It's regarded as the most captivating satellite in the Garden Star System. Its surface boasts a unique mineral, also called Nero, that's likely the result of ancient volcanic eruptions that covered the whole planet and solidified over time. This mineral exudes a magnificent blue color when observed from space, leading the first explorers to mistakenly think that the surface of Nero was covered in water. Nero's ethereal blue hue contrasts sharply with Astarte's pale red glow. If one were to liken Astarte to a fiery inferno, then Nero would be its cold, regal counterpart. The third satellite of the Garden Planet, Galanodel, is the one that's least often seen. Galanodel shines silver-gray. Its emergence in the sky sends a torrent of silver beams spilling over the nooks and crannies of the City of Antontas. Some said that Galanodel resembles the Earth's moon. However, having never visited Earth, Andre had no means to verify such claims.
Yet, there was so much more to be seen atop the Tower of Stars. Turning his head east, Andre's eyes navigated through the maze of steel jungles to Leaper Street's imposing skyscrapers. South of Leaper Street, the Nakhla Bystreet reached far into the ocean of stars. In the distance, buildings lined up closely on both sides of the street, and the massive arched ring harbor could be seen. Numerous ships were making their way in and out of the port.
To the north lay a somewhat uninspiring sight. The towering central pillar, rising thousands of meters, resembled a massive wall of metal connecting the spaceport to the layered, disc-shaped City of Antontas. Some areas close to the central pillar were still under construction and had not been filled in yet. Peering through these holes, one could see through to the bottom layer of the pillar.
Looking westward, Andre could see the Caldwell District in the distance. It was also still under construction. Brightly lit drone ships darted between the unfinished buildings, buzzing around like a swarm of bees. There was a large space directly between the Caldwell District and the Tower of Stars, a large plot of undeveloped land. At a board meeting, Morian, the Minster of the Ecological Construction Department, proposed turning this area into a biosphere. Artificial terrain, such as hills, deserts, and even lakes, would be constructed in an attempt to emulate Earth's native ecosystem. Yet, his proposal was opposed by other members, especially President Cain of the Property Development Corporation, who angrily retorted: "Are you out of your goddamn mind? Do you even know the value of that piece of land? It's grade-A prime Antontas real estate! And all you wanna do there is plant trees and raise fish?"
To this, Morian calmly responded, "The steel jungles of Antontas are lush enough already. What we need is to give our children some greenery."
Andre smiled, recalling Cain's expression of disbelief.
Cain's reaction wasn't surprising at all. Everyone was well aware that the Antontas Property Development Corp. had their eyes set on that particular area. Even though the plot was relatively small, it was close to the ring harbor and right next to the grand Tower of Stars, making it an invaluable asset for commercial or residential development. However, the Antontas Property Development Corp. was far from the only group that was eyeing the land. Giants like Antonios Precision Manufacturing Company, Antonios Financial Group, Roland - Carilion Industries, and the Moore Shipping Group, among others, sought to build their headquarters there. Yet, Minister Morian was determined to turn it into a Biosphere and Research Center.
For many, it was nothing more than the usual argument between vested interests. It wasn't even an argument. At the very least, Cain was right about one thing—that piece of land was some of the most valuable real estate in the City of Antontas. Such a prime location could not just be used for some farming project, even if it was still undeveloped. Morian's voice was quickly overshadowed by waves of laughter. Andre started laughing as well. Still, for some reason, the debate made Andre feel uneasy. He decided to discuss this issue further with his fellow board members.
However, the board put the issue on hold for the time being. Given the other far more pressing concerns of the Antonios Consortium, it was a mere drop in the ocean.
The City of Antontas was a picture of tranquility. Ships with glowing engines passed by from time to time, and the beacon light atop the steel edifices flickered rhythmically, casting an almost hypnotic allure upon those who lingered their gaze.
Yet, it was clear to Andre that the calmness and peace he saw were brought by innumerable lives and bloodshed.
Like a boat floating through the ocean of stars, the Antonios Consortium sailed forth from the tumultuous imperial confrontations and braved many new crises, fierce tempests, and near-catastrophes. However, guided by the steady hands of leaders like Constantine and Crux Marshal Bali, Antontas persevered, maneuvering through death-ridden shadows, thorn-laden paths, relentless dangers, and the bloody onslaught of the Garden Campaign, ultimately anchoring itself within the distant Garden Star System.
Throughout its history, Antonios has faced many crossroads. One of the most crucial ones was the Antonios Consortium's decision to vacate the Star Crown System for the Garden Star System. In hindsight, this move was shrewd. If the Antonios Consortium had chosen to remain attached to the chariot of the Empire, they would have inevitably been dragged down along with it. Yet, the Empire viewed Antonios' move as an outright betrayal. After the Antonios Consortium took control over the Garden Star System, the Empire, rocked by insurrection, was pushed to the brink. During an emergency Imperial meeting, it managed to pull together an elite fleet led by the legendary Marshal Banus Assanes of the Assanes Clan. The Empire then began marching aggressively toward the Garden Star System.
The Garden Campaign was recognized as the pivotal battle that decided the fate of Antonios. In its century-long existence, the Antonios Consortium had never faced such a threat. During that monumental showdown, Antonios held its ground against the Empire's aggressive assault. Beyond the Stargate Clusters linked to the Garden Stargate, a multitude of other factions were converging, eyeing the battlefield like a pack of starving wolves. Had Antonios been defeated, these wolf packs would have rushed in and fought over the scraps. Luck was on Antonios' side in this chapter of history. The Empire's Expeditionary Fleet met its doom in that fateful clash, and Marshal Banus Assanes went down with the ship. Antonios also suffered heavy casualties, losing a majority of its capital ships in what can only be described as a bittersweet victory. In the aftermath, the Antonios Consortium closed the Stargate for 10 years, barring any factions from accessing the Garden Star System without authorization.
It's fair to say that the Garden Campaign marked Antonios' ascent onto the galactic stage. Even though many details about this battle remain hidden, it has become a legend to many. Prominent writers and poets have written grand epics and poems inspired by the battle.
Half a century of silence and peace had propelled the Antonios Consortium into a galactic giant, but Andre was fully aware of the uncertainties and threats that still lurked in the dark current among the ocean of stars. Moreover, the embers of past battles were still smoldering, and the relationship between Antonios and the Terran Sphere Government had grown increasingly delicate.
With the fall of the Empire's capital, St. Triumph City, many thought that the war had drawn to a close. However, it was just the start of a new chapter. The Terran Sphere and Antonios had made the same decision: shut down the Stargate connecting to their star system in the name of self-preservation. The emergent factions from the war and residual factions from the fragmented Empire became embroiled in fierce conflicts over the remaining Stargates. Pirates and privateers also swooped in, hoping to make a quick buck.
At that point in time, the Terran Sphere and Antonios had risen as the twin giants of the cosmos. Eventually, they became strong enough to deter any pirates from targeting their fleets. Yet, neither power was strong enough to bring all of humanity under their banner. Additionally, several emerging factions were making their debuts, such as the Ares Corps, the Eastman Family's Germanicus Corps, the Eagle Guard, who insisted on staying neutral, and the rapidly growing NOMA Shipping Group. There were also splintered factions in the outer star systems who continued to battle for control of the Stargates.
The Antonios Consortium was once again at a critical crossroads in its history, where a single misjudgment could lead to a catastrophic downfall.
