A month later, heeding the call of the Terran Sphere Government, factions across the galaxy made their way to the City of Dawn. The Antonios Consortium, the Germanicus Corps, NOMA Shipping Group, and the Ares Corps were all present at this crucial conference. The conference was held in the Enlightenment Star Council Chamber of the City of Dawn. It was humanity's first attempt to restore order since the Empire's collapse.
The process was grueling, yet the outcome was positive. After protracted and strenuous negotiations, all attendees managed to reach a consensus, which culminated in the formation of the Milky Way Arbiter Committee and the signing of the Dawn Accord. This marked the start of the mission to revitalize the Lagrange Network. It's worth mentioning that some factions, including Privateers, the remnants of the Empire, and the Star Libertadores, chose not to sign the Dawn Accord. Naturally, the reasons for their abstentions varied, injecting a measure of uncertainty into the planning of subsequent explorations. For instance, explorers might encounter fierce fleets of Privateers in the new star systems, which would pose a significant challenge.
Historians bestowed high praise on the new Dawn Accord. Historians would later recognize that at that point, humanity was on the brink of disaster; the remaining Stargates were under constant assault amidst the skirmishes among the factions, creating more and more "Lone Island Star Systems". Had it not been for the formation of the Milky Way Arbiter Committee and the relaunching of the Dawn Accord, Chairman Yue Wenfeng's warning at the Enlightenment Star Council Chamber would have become a reality: the galaxy would have shattered into pieces; treasured technologies would have been cast into oblivion, humanity would have found itself cast adrift in the sea of stars, and human civilization would have been plunged into an enduring age of darkness.
Hence, the enactment of the new Dawn Accord was a crucial milestone in the annals of human history.
However, many historians feel that the circumstances surrounding the Dawn Accord weren't as simple as depicted. These scholars believe that the impact of the X Star System incident and the influence wielded by Andre, the then president of the Antonios Consortium, as well as Chairman Yue Wenfeng of the Terran Sphere Government, have been greatly exaggerated. They point out that, at the time the Dawn Accord was signed, humanity had been enshrouded in chaos and gloom for an unbearable stretch. The yearning for a return to a serene and orderly existence was palpable. Therefore, the X Star System incident was just a spark. Individuals like Andre and Yue Wenfeng were at the right place at the right time. All they had to do was give history a gentle nudge, and it moved forward. Yet, one thing is for certain: the achievements of Andre and Yue Wenfeng, among others, are indelibly etched in history.
Some historians also feel that there were many behind-the-scenes deals and untold secrets. There were, undoubtedly, many secret agreements and handshake deals brokered among these formidable factions in addition to the Dawn Accord, agreements that might remain cloaked in secrecy forever. Furthermore, historians argued that the emergence of the Exiles was a significant catalyst, but until the archives are declassified, it will be very difficult to prove such claims.
The Dawn Accord set forth provisions regarding the ownership and the usage rights of existing Stargates, as well as those that would be restored thereafter. All signatories of the Dawn Accord were automatically granted the right to use Stargates discovered or restored by other members. This clause played a monumental role in quelling the raging wars.
A notable provision of the Dawn Accord was the relaunching of the Explorer Operation. It's essential to point out that over two thousand years prior when humanity first stumbled upon the Lagrange points, the task of building Stargates was fraught with peril. First, it was imperative to verify whether the Lagrange points could sustain Stargate construction, specifically, their ability to support bidirectional matter transmission. To build new, bidirectional Stargates, an unending stream of materials had to be dispatched to the construction site. These materials would be used to support Stargate construction on the other end of the Lagrange Point. Thus, explorers had to venture through the Stargates into remote, unexplored star systems, and many of them never returned... The valiant efforts of those dauntless pioneers and explorers allowed humanity to build the remarkable Lagrange Network.
In the new Explorer Operation, the Antonios Consortium designated the City of Antontas as the port and rallying point for the explorers. All explorers were to depart from the Stargate Hub situated in the Garden Star System and then make their way into uncharted star systems and the Lone Island Star System. Meanwhile, Andre, the President of Antonios, announced that the Garden Planet Stargate would officially be renamed the Explorer's Stargate, a nod to the new Explorer Operation. Shipping technology giants like Jupiter Industries, NOMA Shipping Group, Pangaea Corporation, and Roland - Carilion Industries promised to supply explorers with essential ships and technological aid.
Additionally, the Antontas Crux Biosphere Research Park was finally completed, and the blueprint for the transformation of the Garden Planet was officially set into motion. Under Andre's direction, the Garden Planet Transformation Committee was officially established; the Galanodel Family was tasked with overseeing the Garden Planet transformation plan. Andre also endorsed a directive to maintain the pioneer experimental eco-pod, which soon became a famed tourist attraction. Many organizations also constructed eco-pods within their own bases as a form of tribute.
Anton Andrejevich Gustav, the son of the President of Antonios, officially enrolled at Hermann University in the City of Dawn. He decided to study Earth's historical lineage and cultural wisdom. After graduating, Anton dedicated himself to the establishment of the Technology Legacy Operation. A few years later, the Lagrange Technology Legacy Memorial Hall, located at Mercury's north pole, was completed. As the visionary and cornerstone behind the operation, Anton's name was etched on the colossal stone monument in front of the hall.
Furthermore, at Anton's urging, the guide who welcomed him to Earth joined one of the first batch of explorers and made remarkable contributions to the subsequent explorations.
It's worth noting that after stepping down from office, Andre penned an autobiography. In it, he referenced the X Star System incident, including the Ecological Test Chamber. The book sparked a flurry of interest, with many people delving into the mystery surrounding the identity of the old man. Some inquisitive souls even embarked on self-funded investigations, to no avail. Many were inclined to believe the mysterious old man was the famed General Palmer Lloyd, while others suggested it was his lieutenant, Chris Chen. Some even hypothesized that the old man was just a junior officer on the flagship back then... However, with no concrete evidence to back any of this speculation, the true identity of the mysterious old man remained a mystery.
A year after the signing of the Dawn Accord, the first wave of explorers officially set sail from Antontas' Ring Harbor, embarking on a grand historical voyage through the Explorer's Stargate into the unknown star systems.
Moreover, as the number of explorers surged, the City of Antontas fashioned a segment of its lower district into Explorer Neighborhood, which offered explorers a stable home base and ample supplies. Thus, the City of Antontas blossomed into a true galactic hub, flourishing day by day.
The ceaseless stream of explorers would write new chapters of history amidst the starry vastness.
