Three standard months later.
The harbor buzzed once more. A fresh delegation fleet was gearing up for departure. History was being made. This was the first time Antonios had dispatched an envoy of this magnitude out to the Solar System.
Leading the fleet was a Constantine the Great-Class Battlecruiser, but it was reconfigured to strip away all its weaponry. The guarding fleet was made up of twelve Guardian-Class Destroyers, twelve Winged Hussar-Class Light Missile Destroyers, and six Jaeger-Class Heavy Aircraft Cruisers. As agreed, once these fleets traversed the Stargate, they were to dock at a nearby military port. The Constantine the Great-Class Battlecruiser would then charter its course towards the City of Dawn under the vigilant escort of the awaiting Alliance guarding fleet.
On the bridge, Andre and Anton stood shoulder to shoulder. Andre was to lead the envoy himself to engage in deliberations concerning the inception of the Arbiter Committee. These meetings were to take place at the Enlightenment Star Council in the City of Dawn. Factions such as NOMA Shipping Group, Ares Corps, and Germanicus Corps had already agreed to participate. Anton had also told Andre that he had decided to apply to Hermann University in the City of Dawn.
A month ago, Anton had returned from Earth without even a scratch on him. He told his father about the enduring pyramids of Giza, that have stood for eight millennia. He discussed the East African Rift, where mankind took its first breath. He talked about the Moai on Easter Island and a simple canoe showcased in a museum. He also shared tales of the deep blue sea, unspoiled white sands, the expansive desert, grand snowy mountains, the unending primeval forest, and verdant meadows.
As Anton was going through his story, Andre listened quietly; he did not interrupt.
Once Anton finished, they both found themselves enveloped in a prolonged silence. It wasn't the awkward kind of silence; it was peaceful and tranquil, filled with unsaid emotions that words fell short of explaining.
After a good while, Andre finally said, "I am proud of you, son."
A tender smile appeared on Anton's face, "I am proud of you too, Dad. You have made history."
"You got it wrong, son. I didn't make history. I just happened to be standing at the crossroads," Andre chuckled, "Had Constantine or Marshal Bali been in the same position, I trust they'd have acted the same way."
"Don't forget about Marshal Banus." Andre had already told Anton about the recent turn of events. "He's a remarkable man."
"Yes," Andre agreed.
"Did he really say that?" asked Anton.
"Say what?"
"You told me that Chairman Yue Wenfeng's words truly struck a chord with you. You told me he said trust is the essence of the sea of stars."
"That's right," Andre affirmed with a nod, "Without trust, peace will remain an unattainable mirage."
Anton gave a slight shake of his head, "Trust is vital, but Dad, I believe there's something even more significant in the cosmos."
"Huh?" Andre looked at his son, curiously, "And what might that be?"
"Time," Anton articulated, "Dad, should you ever venture to Earth and gaze upon those age-old monuments, you'll feel the ceaseless flow of time. Time, I believe, is the most precious treasure in this cosmos."
"Certainly, I agree." Andre's agreement seemed to contain a hint of ambivalence.
"Dad, you're missing my point," Anton grinned, "You once told me that the discovery of regulated nuclear fusion technology broke the energy shackles that held humanity captive, dramatically reshaping our economic structure. Before that, all human economic activity involved an exchange of energy in some shape or form. The advent of quantum storage technology ushered in a new epoch where technology truly became the bedrock of our economy, transforming every trade into an exchange of technologies. Yet, there's more where that came from. With ample time on our side, we could unveil more technical black boxes. So, in essence, our present-day economic system involves the buying and selling of time; time is the underlying essence, transcending even technology."
After a prolonged silence, Andre nodded contentedly, "It seems you've learned a lot from this journey."
"Dad, do you think the upcoming negotiations in the City of Dawn will be successful?" asked Anton.
"Success, my son, is in the eye of the beholder." Andre shook his head slightly. "This meeting marks the first large-scale conference after the disintegration of the Sacrum Chu Imperium. The Terran Sphere Government has managed to convince nearly every large faction and organization to take part in it. This, of course, is a good thing, but it also signifies that the divergences could be unprecedented, especially since many hostile organizations have been invited to participate. Reaching a total consensus, I fear, will be a journey laden with hurdles. All in all, it signifies the commencement of what's to be a grueling negotiation."
"What about the other factions, like those remnants of the Empire, are they invited too?"
"Yes. As I understand it, the Terran Sphere Government has invited all factions within their reach," Andre responded, "However, you must understand that total human unification is a bit more difficult than constructing a Stargate. Many Imperial factions and Privateer organizations declined their invitations to the talks." Andre chuckled lightly. "However, the galactic heavyweights—the Antonios Consortium, the Terran Sphere Government, and the NOMA Shipping Group—have pledged their attendance. Should these three entities forge a unity of purpose, the talks will put us quite far down the path to success."
"So... Do you believe it can be successful?"
"One of the focal points of this conference is to dampen the flames of war," Andre remarked, his smile appearing once more. "It boils down to mutual recognition of each faction's standing, carving out established spheres of influence, and sorting out the sovereignty over star systems earmarked for future expansion. These are tricky topics, leading to what I foresee as a tough negotiation ahead, but an agreement is within reach. Furthermore, the factions want to reboot the Dawn Accord and restore the Lagrange Network, which presents a real challenge. The task of re-establishing the Stargates will be a protracted and intricate one. We'll need all the factions to cooperate. Humanity last forged a new Stargate before the war. We haven't even been able to construct one new one since the war started."
"Dad, I've been wondering, can Antonios build Stargates by itself without the support of other factions?"
After a brief pause, Andre shook his head, "Honestly, it might be feasible, but it would likely consume a considerable amount of time. The technology required to construct stargates is scattered across different factions. Of course, this can be overcome. With an agreement in place, there will surely be technology exchange and collaboration among the factions. Yet, there is still the issue of the space seeds."
"Space seeds?" Anton furrowed his brow.
"Yes, space seeds or space oscillators. This problem traces back to the Gold Rush Era and the early days of Sacrum Chu Imperium exploration," Andre sighed slightly, "The space oscillator is a core component of a Stargate. It needs to be charged for a long period before it can activate a Stargate. During the Gold Rush Era, the Terran Sphere Government hit a wall with space seed technology, forcing them to reveal some pivotal technologies to a handful of major patrons who had been backing the Lagrange Institute since the beginning, including the Phaethon Family. After decades of extensive experimentation and testing, a set of detailed industrial preparation methods and processes for space seeds was finally confirmed. This epoch witnessed the emergence of the first generation of space seed charging equipment, yet this initial equipment could only charge one space seed at a single Lagrange point. By harnessing first-gen space seed technology, humanity set sail towards the sea of stars. The Phaethon Family was among the factions that had mastered the production technology of the first-generation space seeds during that era. After the founding of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, the Trujillo Clan, borne from the Phaethon Family, exploited their knowledge of space seed production technology to erect a multitude of Stargates, vastly enlarging the scope of the Lagrange Network. One could almost say that the Sacrum Chu Imperium single-handedly spearheaded the second Gold Rush Era of human space exploration. This new era was far different from the first Gold Rush Era, which was pushed forward in a chaotic and disorderly manner by a multitude of organizations and factions. The establishment of the Sacrum Chu Imperium spurred many substantial advancements in the research on Lagrange points. The Sacrum Chu Imperium's St. Triumph Scientific Institute had managed to accurately identify the Lagrange points suitable for Stargate construction. Rumor has it that the St. Triumph Scientific Institute even drafted a star map of a Lagrange Network that spanned the entire galaxy. Indeed, the Empire was planning to annex the entire galaxy and acted upon this ambition. The Sacrum Chu Imperium embarked on a large-scale Stargate construction campaign, venturing into many regions hitherto unexplored by humans, thereby extending humanity's reach to a third of the galaxy. If it weren't for the sudden collapse of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, this campaign would probably have persisted. Obviously, carrying out such a campaign required more than merely mapping stars. The Sacrum Chu Imperium had already forged ahead and developed second-gen space seed technology. This new technology enabled humans to use one Lagrange point to charge multiple space seeds. It also allowed the Sacrum Chu Imperium to manufacture a large amount of new space seeds. In other words, the vast number of space seeds in the Empire's inventory confirmed the authenticity of its exploration."
"The Sacrum Chu Imperium treated the second-gen space seed production technology as a top imperial secret; they strictly prohibited its dissemination. Of course, this was a no-brainer; as long as this technology remained in their hands, they could control the Lagrange Network. The Sacrum Chu Imperium produced a multitude of space seeds and stashed them in several crucial nodes within the star system. Later on, when the war broke out, the Empire could no longer access the vaults storing the space seeds. Many of these vaults were then looted during the war. However, the legendary star map's whereabouts remained a mystery to all. Some speculated that it was secretly taken by the Trudecim. This was hardly surprising, as the war led to the loss of lots of valuable intel and tech... Possessing that map would greatly shorten the initial reconnaissance phase when constructing new Lagrange Gates."
"We don't have the technology to produce space seeds?" asked Anton.
Andre shook his head, "We have some bits and pieces, but it's all first-gen space seed tech, and it's far from complete. So, this is my point: the Antonios Consortium may have the capability to build Stargates independently, yet we will need time to fine-tune the space seed production technology."
"I see," Anton nodded, pondering over his father's words, "So, in a united effort to reconstruct the Lagrange Gate, every major faction would need to contribute their own space seed production technology, right?"
"Exactly, and that's the toughest part. Besides, second-generation space seed tech has been lost to time. Our scientists estimate that, if we solely rely on first-generation technology, the pace of exploration will be ten times slower once the space seed stock runs out, compared to using second-gen tech."
"So, Dad, this is the thing I want to work on, something more meaningful for human civilization—fostering tighter bonds. Surely, we don't need another Sacrum Chu Imperium, but we can't afford to continue the disintegration. We should aim to forge a real, global, human community."
"Humanity has been adrift amidst the starry expanse for ages now; pulling everyone back together will be no small task. However, we've already seen the beginning of progress; the road ahead is a long one, but at the very least, we've started our journey. Rebuilding the Lagrange Network could take ten generations or more; the future of humanity rests on the shoulders of you, the young."
"Absolutely, Dad," Anton affirmed, "I have faith that the meeting will pave the way to success. We will lead humanity to a new golden era."
Father and son lingered in silence for a while before Anton finally said, "Oh, who was that old man, anyway?"
"I have no idea." Andre shook his head.
"You don't know?"
"Nope. It wasn't until after the crisis was fully resolved that I realized I never got his name, and so, I went back to that eco-pod..."
Andre made his way to the entrance of the eco-pod—only this time, the door was tightly shut. He lifted his hand and knocked on the door. Shortly after, someone opened it. To Andre's surprise, he was greeted by someone new. In the old gardener's place, there stood a handsome young man.
"Ah!" The young man recognized Andre and was caught off guard, "Mr... Mr. President... what brings you here?"
"Don't be nervous," Andre said softly, "I came to visit an old friend."
Upon entering the eco-pod, Andre was surprised to find that the little pods had been cleared out and the dead plants were gone. Also, the power had been restored. Through their conversation, Andre learned that the young man was Arnold Galanodel of the famous Galanodel Family.
"Who was the old man who used to work here?" Andre queried.
To Andre's surprise, Arnold shook his head, "I apologize, Mr. President, but I don't know."
"You don't know him?" Andre said, astonished. "Isn't he a member of the Galanodel Family?"
"No," Arnold informed Andre, "he was a long-time employee of the Ecological Construction Department, and I heard he retired a few days ago. He was indeed in charge of this eco-pod before, but now it has been handed over to me."
"Where might he be now?"
"I'm not sure," said Arnold, shaking his head. Observing the change in Andre's expression, he gingerly added, "Though, I'm sure Minister Morian knows. The database contains information on all the employees; I just don't have access to it."
Andre didn't engage in any further conversation with Arnold; he took a brief walk around the facility and then made his way out. Before leaving, Andre told Arnold, "Take good care of these plants; they are the hope for the future."
Arnold appeared to be somewhat puzzled by Andre's words, but he nodded anyway. Then, he suddenly seemed to remember something, and yelled out, "Oh, Mr. President, please wait a moment."
He dashed into the storage area, and before long, he came back holding a delicate glass orb.
"I just remembered that the gardener left something here. He said it was for his old chum." Arnold cautiously presented the glass orb to Andre, "I guess it's intended for you."
Andre accepted the glass orb, inside which two small fish were energetically frolicking amidst the green weeds.
"Thank you. This is by far the best gift I've ever received," Andre said, his voice full of emotion.
"Afterwards, I sought out Morian to inquire about the identity of that old man," Andre went on, "Morian ordered a check of the database; the name listed was Brant Galanodel, but clearly, it's a fake name. There's no one with that name in the Galanodel Family."
"Dad," Anton said, "it all adds up. Based on your description, that old man couldn't have been just a gardener. Tell me, would someone from the Galanodel Family know the details of what happened in the Garden Campaign fifty years ago?"
"Huh?" Are you suggesting...?"
"He was a part of that war, and he was likely aboard General Palmer Lloyd's flagship then," said Anton.
Andre knitted his brow. Suddenly, it came to him. "God bless Lagrange," he exclaimed, "could... could it be Palmer, Palmer Lloyd?"
Agitated, he began to pace up and down the bridge, countless scenarios zipping through his head. The old man had an aura of serenity about him, a sort of quality innate to those who have looked death straight in the eyes. Moreover, from his later actions, it was clear he had likely known Andre's identity all along. His respectful yet unyielding demeanor when engaging with Andre and Yue Wenfeng seemed to indicate that he was no ordinary gardener. "It's possible! God bless Lagrange! If I recall correctly, upon the conclusion of the Garden Campaign, Palmer submitted his resignation to the board, choosing to become an ordinary worker. He told the board that his orders during the Garden Campaign had spelled doom for countless Antonios soldiers. Although the board understood and approved his decisions, Palmer himself couldn't forgive himself. He refused other official posts, choosing to vanish into obscurity as a humble worker... And then, he vanished from the public eye... I must find him..."
"Dad," Anton interrupted his father's muttering, "Dad."
Andre looked at Anton, "Yes?"
"Dad, you won't find him," Anton stated, "Besides, he might not be the general himself. He could be Palmer's lieutenant or anyone from the flagship. Seriously, does it matter who he is?"
Andre froze; the truth in Anton's words hit him like a bolt of lightning. "Yes, it doesn't matter anymore. Even if he was Palmer, he certainly wouldn't want me to intrude upon his peace again."
"That's it, Dad," said Anton.
Andre stepped beside Anton. The battleship had already embarked on its voyage. He gazed through the porthole. Southwest, near the Tower of Stars, a myriad of utility ships were in the midst of construction, and a gigantic dome was taking shape.
The End
