Threestandardmonthslater.Theharborbuzzedoncemore.Afreshdelegationfleetwasgearingupfordeparture.Historywasbeingmade.ThiswasthefirsttimeAntonioshaddispatchedanenvoyofthismagnitudeouttotheSolarSystem.LeadingthefleetwasaConstantinetheGreat-ClassBattlecruiser,butitwasreconfiguredtostripawayallitsweaponry.TheguardingfleetwasmadeupoftwelveGuardian-ClassDestroyers,twelveWingedHussar-ClassLightMissileDestroyers,andsixJaeger-ClassHeavyAircraftCruisers.Asagreed,oncethesefleetstraversedtheStargate,theyweret
2023-10-20Theshimmerofahologramflashedmomentarily,eventuallytakingformintheshadowsoutsidethebeamoflight.Thefiguresolidifiedintoamanwhoseagewasindiscerniblefromhisfeatures.Wearingasnuguniformwitharoundcollar,hehadadeterminedlookandabroadjaw.ThiswasnoneotherthanYueWenfeng,ChairmanoftheCentauriAllianceSolarSystem.Hehadbrighteyes,andhischeekboneswerehighlightedbyhisunshavenstubble.Hehadhardlyanywrinklesonhisfaceandsportedaneat,shorthaircut,yettherewasatouchofsilverathistemples.WhenhesawAndre,aslightsmilesprea
2023-10-20Surroundedbyallthenoise,Andrecouldn'tmakearationaldecision.Andreneededsometimetothink.HewalkedoutontothebalconyoutsidetheTowerofStars.Hestoodtherebyhimself,gazingupatthestarsanddownattheemptysquarebelow.Hesuddenlyfeltaweightliftfromhisshoulders.Forsomereason,hethoughtofajoke.LegendhasitthatafterVictorChu,thefinalemperoroftheSacrumChuImperium,ascendedtothethrone,thecaptainoftheImperiumGuardsresponsiblefortheemperor'ssafety,Charles—wasthathisname?
2023-10-20Afterhisreturnfromtheeco-pod,Andrecouldn'tshakethefeelingthattherewasmoretotheoldgardenerthanmeetstheeye.Hisinsightswereunusualforsomeonewithgreenthumbs.However,hehadnotimetodwellonsuchmatters;tensionswererising.IntelligencereportedthatbusinessatthestargatescontrolledbytheCentauriAllianceSolarSystemwentonasusual.Shipscontinuedtocrisscrossbetweenthegates,oblivioustothebrewingstorm.Yet,thetensionattheothergateswaspalpable.NOMAShippingGroup,AresCorps,GermanicusCorps,StarLibertadores,EagleGuard...Al
2023-10-20Beforeheknewit,Andrefoundhimselfbackattheroundeco-pod'sentrance.Hepausedthereforasecond,thenknockedonthedoor.Ittookamomentlongerthanlasttime,buteventually,thedooropened.Theoldmandidn'tappearsurprisedbyhisvisitandgreetedhimwarmly."Goodevening.""Goodevening,sir,"Andrenodded.Andrerecalledthatduringhispriorvisit,theoldmanhadn'tbeencuriousabouthisidentity;Andrewantedtokeepitthatway."IhopeI'mnotbotheringyou,I...""Notatall!
2023-10-20ThevanguardfleetmadeitswayintotheWastelandStarSystem.ThefourbeaconsquicklypositionedthemselvesatthefourLagrangestabilitypoints,whichcouldpotentiallybeusedforjumping,andinitiatedcontinuousmonitoring.Meanwhile,Antonios'declarationwasbroadcastacrosstheLagrangeNetworktoeveryStargate,unsurprisinglysettingoffaflurryofreactions.TheNOMAShippingGroupreactedmostvehemently.TheyimmediatelysentastronglywordedmessagetotheAntoniusConsortium,statingthattheXStarSystem'ssignalwasawide-areatransmissionandthattheAn
2023-10-20Thefollowingdaybroughtashockingnewdevelopment.EachofthefourbeaconsdispatchedtotheXStarSystemhadrelayedinformationbacktothecenter.Oddlyenough,thebeaconsfailedtofindanytracesofman-madestructures,muchlessspacecities.TheXStarSystemwasclassic.Itconsistedoffiveplanetsthatsurroundedastar.Thetwoplanetsattheouteredgeweregasgiants,whiletheinnerthreewereterrestrialplanets.However,notasingleplanetwasinthecircumstellarhabitablezone.AfteranalysisattheStrategicCenter,expertsbelievedthatthisstarsystemmightnotbe
2023-10-20AllunfoldedasAndrehadforeseen.Intheboardmeeting,Clyde,CEOofAntoniosFinancialGroup,offeredAndrehisunyieldingsupport,andtherestoftheseniorboarddirectorsfromtheAntoniosIonGroupreluctantlycasttheirvotesinfavoroftheplan.Theresolutiontobeginmilitaryinterventioninthemysteriousstarsystemwasapprovedbyawidemargin.TheonlyslighthiccupwaswhentheCEOofMooreShippingGroupfinallyspokeup:"Igetwhereyouallarecomingfrom:weareacommercialconsortium,andwemustprotectourtraderoutes,butwhymustweresorttowar?
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