The shimmer of a hologram flashed momentarily, eventually taking form in the shadows outside the beam of light. The figure solidified into a man whose age was indiscernible from his features. Wearing a snug uniform with a round collar, he had a determined look and a broad jaw. This was none other than Yue Wenfeng, Chairman of the Centauri Alliance Solar System. He had bright eyes, and his cheekbones were highlighted by his unshaven stubble. He had hardly any wrinkles on his face and sported a neat, short haircut, yet there was a touch of silver at his temples. When he saw Andre, a slight smile spread across his face. His voice was deep, resonating, and full of power and dominance. "Greetings. I am Yue Wenfeng, Chairman of the Centauri Alliance Solar System. It's a pleasure to be speaking with you, esteemed CEO of Antonios."
"I am Andre Francesco Gustav, and the pleasure is mine, Chairman Yue," Andre said. He acknowledged Yue with a nod, but his demeanor remained stone-cold. "I assume you've been briefed about recent events?"
"Yes indeed," answered Yue Wenfeng, meeting Andre's eyes unflinchingly. The man who held the reins of the Centauri Alliance Solar System was surprisingly more disarming than overbearing. "Our fleet is making its way through the Stargate and into the Wasteland Star System as we speak."
"In that case, I require an official explanation," said Andre.
"We outlined our intentions in the first missive we sent," responded the man in the hologram. "The Alliance hopes for a joint venture with the Consortium to explore the X Star System."
"We never agreed to that," Andre protested.
"But you didn't reject it either, did you?" Chairman Yue chuckled. "Mr. President, in certain parts of Earth, silence is sometimes taken as acquiescence."
"By doing this, you risk losing everything," Andre warned, sternly. "At this very moment, I can give the command to open fire and wipe out your fleet before they even pass through the Stargate."
Surprisingly, Yue Wenfeng nodded, his gaze unfaltering. "You could indeed do that. Even if you attack us after our fleet passes through the Stargate, you would easily destroy us, because we would need time to reorganize and adjust our battle formation…. but I know you won't pull the trigger."
Andre knitted his brow. He couldn't quite discern Yue Wenfeng's true intentions.
"We are on a quantum-encrypted channel, Andre," Wenfeng said, addressing him by his first name for the very first time, "I'd like to engage in a private conversation with you. Rest assured, it will remain confidential."
Andre still didn't know what Yue was up to, but after the smart assistant's voice in his earpiece verified he was on a secure line, Andre nodded.
Wenfeng gave a slight smirk. "Lighten up, my friend! Here's an old joke for you. A historian, a politician, and a scientist are enjoying a hearty meal together. Once they've eaten their fill, the historian lifts his wine glass and announces, 'Human history spirals upwards.' 'Of course,' the scientist nods, eyeing the politician, 'we're the ones making it go up.' The politician wipes his hands clean with a silk napkin, lights a cigar, and says, 'Fair enough, and we handle the spiral part."
Andre didn't even crack a smile at the joke.
Yue Wenfeng laughed softly and went on. "From the get-go, I knew my future was in politics; it's a family tradition that goes back to the Earth days. My father taught me early on that if I wanted to make it in this game, I'd have to be skilled at masking my true feelings," he said, slightly shrugging as a brief look of resignation crossed his face. "I became quite adept at it. I learned to walk the walk and talk the talk of a successful politician. I was so good at it that I began to forget who was behind the mask. Andre, do you ever get that same feeling? Some politicians might find the joke I told offensive. To me, though, it's a compliment. It implies that we politicians have the power not just to spiral history upwards but to send it hurtling down as well."
His face turned serious. "We've been down this road before. The Great Lagrange Network was humanity's crowning achievement; humanity's footprints were all over the galaxy. So what did the politicians do? They took everything and flushed it down the drain. Their filthy agendas destroyed not just the Sacrum Chu Imperium, but also the golden era of human civilization. We've already let greed and desire ruin the Great Lagrange Network. Are we going to let continuous conflicts drag us further into the abyss? War has already ripped the Lagrange Network apart, yet we're standing at a crossroads where repair is still within reach. If the flames of war are fanned again, the galaxy will shatter into pieces. Treasured technologies will be cast into oblivion, and humanity will find itself adrift in the sea of stars. Andre, we can't continue to make the same mistakes over and over again. The Centauri Alliance Solar System and Antonios hold enough sway to tip the scales of human destiny. Together, we can stop the war and lay the cornerstone for a new era."
Andre cracked his first smile of the evening. "That's music to my ears, but how do I know you're not just sweet-talking me like any other politician?"
Yue Wenfeng wasn't surprised by Andre's comment; he exhaled softly. "In this day and age, honesty is a rare virtue, but it shouldn't be. Andre, we have the chance to write our names in the history books. When future historians chronicle this era, at the very least, we won't be lumped in with the politicians that caused the spiral."
"I see," Andre nodded, "Chairman Yue, it's clear you've got some talented strategists on your team. If I'm not mistaken, you've already told everyone that the Antonios Consortium has agreed to cooperate with the Alliance. Should we open fire, the entire galaxy would see us as the villain."
"Yes," Yue Wenfeng concurred, "You see, in bygone eras, countless explorers set sail to uncharted galaxies, leaving no stones unturned. Their dauntless spirit has led us to the Great Lagrange Network. Once our new organization is in place, we will relaunch the Explorer Operation to break the cycle of self-destruction and patch up our fractured galaxy, piece by piece. War is not only foolish but also utterly unnecessary. In unity, humanity can amass untold wealth, whereas war digs us deeper into a pit of devastation and death. The Lagrange Network is nature's greatest gift to mankind, a gift we've already frittered away once. We can't afford to go down the same path again."
After taking a brief pause, Yue Wenfeng spoke again, with the utmost sincerity, "Mr. President, let's lay our cards on the table and work together. In this vast, unforgiving cosmos, unity is not a virtue but a necessity for human survival. Otherwise, we'll see more Stargates deteriorate, ultimately leading to humanity's dispersion across the Lone Island Star System. We'll be separated by thousands, if not millions, of light-years. We've already lost many of our great technologies; losing the ability to create new Stargates would be utterly devastating. Our current Stargates will decay over time and eventually fail. Without them, we might be stuck in a twilight zone with no escape, sentenced to an eternity of darkness.
Andre gave a slight smile. "Impressive speech, I'll give you that. Yet, I still have one question: why should I trust you? What if you're just stalling until your fleet is fully assembled? What if, as soon as the fleet is ready, you launch an assault on Antonios? After all, everyone wants to get their hands on the X Star System."
"Andre, let me ask you a personal question: what do you deem to be the most precious thing in this ocean of stars?"
"Technical black boxes, of course," Andre answered without hesitation.
No faction would turn a blind eye to the potential technological windfalls hidden in the X Star System, left behind by the fallen Empire.
"No, I disagree with you. Technical black boxes may be priceless, but technology itself can be recreated by mankind, given enough time." Chairman Yue Wenfeng stated solemnly. "What's really invaluable in this starry expanse is trust. Endless war has eroded all trust among humans; I can't blame you for that. In these times, betrayal is as common as stardust. Today's allies could become tomorrow's enemies on the battlefield. A faction that just signed a treaty with you today might turn their guns on you tomorrow. The galaxy is nothing but a hive of scheming and betrayal; everyone is walking on eggshells, trusting nobody but themselves. It's as if we've forgotten that we all originated from the same cradle of life; we are, after all, branches of the same tree, deeply rooted in unity."
For some reason, Andre found himself thinking about LUCA, the name the old gardener had mentioned before. On a whim, he looked over at the old gardener, who appeared deeply engrossed in their discussion, a barely-there smile gracing the corner of his mouth.
"We'll lose the present if we lose our technology, but we'll lose our entire future if we lose our trust. Mr. President, as the Chairman of the Alliance, I formally invite you to join us in the City of Dawn. Let's join forces and establish an entirely new organization. Let's put an end to war, once and for all, and reignite the Great Lagrange Network. Every faction that joins this organization will share access to the Stargates. We will draft a fresh agreement and set new rules for the game. Just as our forebears once did, we will relaunch the Explorer Operation. Together, we'll rebuild the once-majestic Lagrange Network."
"Someone has to make the first move," Andre said, breaking the contemplative silence. "Trust should be mutual, but someone has to break the ice."
"I couldn't agree more," Yue Wenfeng affirmed, nodding. "Once Antonios and the Centauri Alliance Solar System shake hands on this, the others will fall in line."
Andre pondered this for a moment, then asked, "So, between the two of us, who makes the first move?"
"If I may," interrupted the old gardener, raising his hand to catch Andre's attention. His tone was assertive, but not overbearing. "Andre, may I say a few words here?"
Andre nodded.
The old man made his way to the front of the room and entered the projection area, nodding at Yue Wenfeng. "Chairman, it's a pleasure."
Yue Wenfeng looked taken aback. He glanced at the old man and then back at Andre, "And who might this be?" It was only at that moment that he seemed to notice that Andre was standing in the eco-pod. This made him even more confused.
"Don't worry, Mr. Chairman. I'm just an old gardener, tending to what remains of a fading garden," the old man said with a chuckle.
Yue Wenfeng nodded, clearly touched. "Aren't we all just gardeners of some sort?"
"Well said. I'm glad you understand," the old man responded, facing Andre. "You see, Andre, the Alliance has already made the first move."
"How so?" Andre asked, puzzled.
"Imagine, if you will, two ferocious beasts of equal strength meeting in the wilderness. They each have two options: to fight or to steer clear of each other. Both beasts understand that the wilderness is no place for the weak. If they engage and get injured, other predators will seize the opportunity for an easy meal. In the same vein, if Antonios' fleet attacks, they'll likely secure their dominion over the galaxy, making the already wounded Alliance an easy target for other factions. After a brief pause, the old man resumed, "There's a third path that these beasts could take: cooperation. As you've said, making the first move is crucial but fraught with risk. Stuck in a deadlock of distrust, neither side wants to show their weak spot to the other. Essentially, they find themselves in an unbreakable loop of suspicion. The simple, but also odd, way to break this cycle is for one to show the other their weak point, their vulnerable underbelly, even though it's an act that completely defies the laws of the wild. That, gentlemen, is precisely the card the Alliance is playing at this moment."
"Exactly," Yue Wenfeng cast a thankful glance at the old man before turning back to Andre. "Mr. President, this gentleman here is 100% correct. We, the Alliance, are indeed showing you our vulnerable side. If we join together now, it will be a clarion call to all the other ambivalent factions to fall in line. We could become the light at the end of the tunnel in this harsh, unforgiving wilderness." He grinned, "You're at a watershed moment, Andre; make the right call, and you'll be on the right side of history."
"This could be a Trojan horse," said Andre. Clearly, he was not buying into this so easily. "You might have secret agreements with other factions."
"Please give me your trust, Andre." Yue Wenfeng pleaded earnestly.
"Actually, someone's already taken that leap," the old gardener suddenly interjected.
"How so?" Both pillars of galactic power swung their gazes toward the old man.
"A choice has already been made," he continued. "Andre, remember the Garden Campaign?"
"Absolutely."
"Do you know what happened at the end of that battle?"
"I do," Andre recounted, "Marshal Assanes tried to obliterate the Stargate, but General Palmer Lloyd put a stop to it."
"That may be what it says in the history books, but that's not the full story." the old man stated with a heavy sigh. "Indeed, Marshal Assanes received the command to destroy the Stargate if things went south. The Empire was of the mind that, should their fleet fall, wrecking the Garden Stargate and effectively cornering the Antonios Consortium inside the Garden Star System would be their trump card. In the battle's eleventh hour, Palmer attempted to sway Marshal Assanes into disarming. However, the Marshal opted to charge the energy weapon. That left Palmer no choice but to take out Marshal Assanes' flagship. Just think about it: Marshal Assanes knew that the energy surge from his weapon was going to be detected by Antonios' fleet, didn't he? Of course, he did. He was fully aware his ship would meet its end before that weapon could fully charge, yet he persisted."
"Because he had already lost; he had no other choice," Andre said coldly.
"Not exactly," the old man countered, shaking his head. "He had one last trick up his sleeve to wreck the Stargate, and Palmer had no way to stop it."
Andre's heart skipped a beat, and his face went pale. "God bless Lagrange! The Warp Drive?"
With a nod, the old man responded, "Yes, the Warp Drive."
Andre felt the truth smack him between the eyes. The answer was glaringly obvious, yet for reasons known or unknown, everyone had chosen to ignore it. If Marshal Assanes' flagship had fired up its Warp Drive and aimed straight for the Stargate, the twist in space from the engine might have clashed with the space seed distortion, resulting in a catastrophic spatial implosion. In an early paper on the Warp Drive, a distinguished scientist had once sounded this alarm. This eventually led to an unwritten law in space exploration: Using Warp Drive near a Stargate is strictly prohibited.
"But... Why?"
"Marshal Assanes was more than just a soldier; he was a visionary with his eye on the horizon. He realized, from the moment the Emperor met his untimely end, that the Sacrum Chu Imperium had started its descent into chaos. After the war, all hopes for rekindling human civilization rested heavily on powers like Antonios and the Centauri Alliance Solar System, which remained relatively unscathed. The Marshal, therefore, was caught between a rock and a hard place. Destroying the Stargate wasn't an option, and yet, the call of duty, the soldier's unwritten code, didn't permit surrender. He chose, in the end, to lay down his life for the Empire." The old man sighed deeply, his words hanging heavy in the air. "Without Marshal Assanes, Antonios might never have risen to prominence, and his silent heroics would have remained an unsung tale."
"Though his name is forgotten, his deeds are eternal," murmured Yue Wenfeng, quoting an age-old Earth poem.
The trio was shrouded in a profound silence, enveloped by shifting patterns of light. Tiny space dust swirled in the golden beam, much like the spirits of those who had given their lives to the boundless cosmos. In that instant, Andre was overwhelmed by a strong feeling. He felt as if each twinkling star was a fallen warrior from eons past, casting their silent gaze upon him.
Time, for that moment, appeared to be suspended.
Different tales circulated about that very moment in the annals of time. Some said Andre remained silent for a good ten minutes, while others believed he made up his mind almost instantly. Nevertheless, the outcome was set in stone.
Cutting through the thick silence, Andre locked eyes with Yue Wenfeng, stating, "Mr. Chairman, it seems we've found our starting point. I won't have the fleet pull the trigger." After a brief moment, he added, "I've heard tales of the unparalleled beauty of the City of Dawn."
"Thank you, Andre. The City of Dawn boasts not just its beautiful vistas, but also extremely hospitable people," Yue Wenfeng responded, the weight lifting from his face as a relieved smile emerged. "I suspect we're about to have our hands full; there's a lot of details to iron out."
As the man faded away amidst the shadows and light, Andre shifted his attention to the old gardener. He really wanted to uncover the old man's true identity, but more pressing matters demanded his attention.
"Sir, my deep thanks to you," Andre approached, holding the rough hand of the old man. "I'll set things right here, and that's a promise. I'll give Morian's proposal the green light. The Crux Plaza will become a true ecological zone, and the kids will see a splash of real green in their lives."
"Good, very good." A contented smile etched its way onto the old man's wrinkled face. Letting go of Andre's hand, he gestured towards a pod behind him, remarking, "See that? Life has a way of hanging tough, come hell or high water. There's still a glimmer of hope."
Following the old man's gesture, Andre's eyes fell upon a tender green sprout pushing its way through the soil. Moisture clouded his eyes, and he felt a lump in his throat. In that fleeting moment, he did not doubt that this fragile bud was the most vulnerable life in the steel-clad City of Antontas. However, now, it also stood as its shining beacon, the city's very heart and soul.
"Speaking of which, I've managed to collect some seeds," the old man noted, pointing to a few boxes next to his feet. "I reckon they might be of use in the days to come."
"They most certainly will," Andre affirmed with a gravitas, nodding thoughtfully. "For we aren't merely planting seeds; we're laying down roots of hope for tomorrow. Some day soon, our children will dart through fields decked in blooms, sharing giggles under the cerulean canopy."
"Yes, that day will come," the old man assured.
Upon reaching the door, as if struck by a sudden thought, Andre turned back and asked, "By the way, what's your name?"
Illuminated by pillars of golden light, the old man's entire figure shimmered, and his silver hair appeared aflame. With a twinkle in his eyes and a broad smile, the weathered lines on his face seemed to soften. "What's in a name?" he mused, "As you can see, Mr. President, I'm just an old gardener."
That was the last time Andre ever saw the old man.
