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【Vision of an Alternate Future】

Arc 2: Return of the Crystal Guardians

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【VAF】Chapter║: 49 ─ A History Lesson

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Meanwhile on Atlantis at the United Atlantic Federation Defence Academy an instructor tries to explain Crystalorb to a class of Cadets completing their basic training. This generation of cadets had little understanding of Crystalorb and that was because most Human Federations did not have the history of Crystalorb as part of its popular narrative; leaving the story of Crystalorb out of human popular culture.

The United Atlantic Federation usually gave children an account of Crystalorb as a highly advanced sophisticated separatist faction of the African Federation of City States that gained advanced technology from making contact with the O'con Federation. Most saw Crystalans as no different from Hodians and Lodians, but at the United Atlantic Federation Defence Academy Cadets would receive a brief account of Crystalorb’s military capabilities.

The objective of the Class on Crystalorb was to examine the military achievements and Failures of Crystalorb. However since most of the military capabilities of Crystalorb is considered part of classified military secrets the military achievements of Crystalorb could not be examined in their entirety. The lessons would focus on known archival material and the strategic political military decisions that accompanied the available information.

After a long lesson a video image appears on the display and the Cadets listen to a Crystal Guardian’s address to the UHC security conference taking place on 15-01-2455 at the UHC headquarters.

And the Crystal Guardian said:

Cyron : " We either stand together or fall separately! Crystalorb has grown weary of inadequate UHC contributions to the fight against the Migon. For 200 years we at Crystalorb have watched as the UHC reduced their combined military contribution to regional security; electing to focus the bulk of their activities on expanding their territories and commercial interests. You have all chosen to expand your territories to unsustainable levels, and now you can barely meet the basic security requirements of your territories."

Amb-Cain : " I’m sorry Guardian; We can’t all be monolithic and unitary like Crystalans. Our people demand the expansion of territory, and they elect people who espouse their views. So our expansionism is demanded by our people, and even the Africans are having to rethink their positions, but the main issue here is that we can’t follow Crystalan example like the Africans; we treasure our sovereignty."

Amb-Patel : " I can concur! We are a free people!"

Amb-Lao : " The people decide the destiny of our Consortium; not some obscure unchangeable Council"

Amb-Ishmael: " Our people won’t accept external masters!"

Amb-Tadu : " I resent the implications of my counterparts; The African Federation made a choice, and that choice has ushered in the longest period of prosperity for our people, but as we explore a limited decoupling from Crystalorb we will have to undertake a very limited territorial expansion program to diversify sources of revenue."

Cyron : " Crystalorb is independent now, and things inevitably have to change. At the moment Crystalorb spends 70% of its resources on security while the other Human Federations spend just 20% of their resources on security. This strategic imbalance is unsustainable; we can’t continue to carry more than our fare share of the load."

Amb-Patel : " We are not unaware of Crystalorb’s enormous contribution to Human security, but we’re in the Galactic Alliance now, and our security is guaranteed by our membership."

Amb-Lao : " We are also aware of Crystalorb’s lack of confidence in the ability of the Galactic Alliance to guarantee Human security, but we don’t share Crystalan apprehension. Our analysis indicates that it would take more than 5000 Migon BattleSpheres to overcome the current security infrastructure, and the Migon Federation has not mobilized such a large force in over 1500 years. Besides 5000 Migon BattleSpheres is far too large a force to mobilize through the borders without the Galactic Alliance detecting its movement."

Cyron : " I’m glad you’re so confident about your security. I hope it means that you won’t mind when we withdraw 30% of Crystalorb’s forces from UHC space and reassign them to support our contingency measures."

Amb-Ishmael: " What? You already have the O’con federation as a contingency! Why disturb what’s already working?"

Cyron : " Well; it’s not working for us! Crystalorb’s location amongst the rest of Humanity compromises our long term security, and because all of you refuse to invest more of your resources in security we at Crystalorb have to start building Contingencies into our security planning. We could build a new Crystalorb capital near Entig Republic space so we could be close to our Entig allies, once complete we would then move 80% of the Crystalan population to the area. Crystalorb will not depend on the Galactic Alliance for security, we are a member through the African Federation’s portion of the UHC, but we don’t plan to become full members like the other Human Federations."

Amb-Cain : " So you’re going to abandon Humanity! And all this trouble just because you can’t get your way; or we won’t let you have your way!"

Cyron : " We’re not abandoning Humanity; all that we’ll be doing is what all Human Federations have been doing, and that’s building a colony of sorts. Crystalorb will not tie the fate of Crystalorb to the fate of the 5 UHC Federations; the fate of Crystalorb will be determined by Crystalans. We are pleased that the 5 UHC Federations have such confidence in the technology they’ve received from the Galactic Alliance, and that some of you feel that you no longer need Crystalorb’s assistance, but we worry that Human innovation has been sidelined in favour of Galactic Alliance Technology."

Amb-Cain : " By Human innovation you mean Crystalan innovation right? We all know that for 500 years Crystalorb has led Human innovation, and Crystalorb has never been willing to share its most advanced technology. Crystalorb supplies 65% of all human minerals; that’s a monopoly! Your Bioships mine and produce refined minerals more efficiently than anything available in the Galaxy, and that’s the technology we would like Crystalorb to share, but you’ve consistently refused to sell us the Intrepid Class, the Indigo Class and the Nalen Class SkyGarrison. For a hundred years we have worked with the Bitori Conclave, the Azleck Republic and the Nabi Federated Kingdom to produce a workable SkyGarrison platform, but we haven’t been successful; the various prototypes produced have been far too costly to implement full scale production. We have however benefited from the projects, and we’ve gained valuable technical know-how in the area of energy weapons Crystal production; an area of expertise that Crystalorb has consistently refused to share its knowledge with the rest of us.”

Cyron : " You make it sound as if you’re entitled to Crystalorb’s knowledge; well you’re not! Crystalorb’s knowledge belongs to Crystalans; our technical knowledge is our own to do with as we see fit! We can’t sell you Crystalan Ships because we don’t own them; we don’t own them because the Ships are Crystalans!"

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Amb-Cain : " What about the Nalen Class SkyGarrison? The way I understand it the Nalen Class SkyGarrison are not Crystalan ships? So why can’t you sell the Nalen Class SkyGarrison to us?"

Amb-Tadu : " The truth is what we want is access to Crystalorb’s Crystal technology"

Cyron : " Yes; the first few Nalen Class SkyGarrisons were not Crystalan ships, but we realized that they were lacking in capabilities and could not be Fragment Carriers. Naole’s first design of the Nalen Class SkyGarrison required that we drill into an egg of an Intrepid Class Crystalan Ship and collect developing genetic material, and coupled with the specific energy of the fragment of the Spirit Stone we were able to stabilize growth. A Five Brain Hive Mind configuration was chosen as optimal! It turned out that for the Nalen Class SkyGarrisons to be Fragment Carriers they had to have a Spirit! The Spirit Stone needs a Living Spirit to focus its energies; it is the Spirit Stone after all! So Guardian Naole reworked his construction method and rebuilt the existing Nalen Class SkyGarrisons to be Fragment Carriers. Naole’s new method Fuses a modified 200km asteroid with the egg of a Crystalan Ship; essentially transforming the entire asteroid into an egg. Initially the 200km asteroids are tunnelled and coated with Crystalorb’s Crystals and then energy weapons crystals are positioned at optimal locations, Crystalorb Nuclear Fusion Reactors are installed, Energy storage systems installed and later Four of the Five Brain Hive Mind configuration Brains are put in place; the fifth Brain will come from the developing mind of the egg of the Crystalan Ship. The egg of a Crystalan Ship is placed at the centre of the four Brains, and once it is opened the Four Brains fuse with it in a process which also fuses the asteroid with the egg; essentially transforming the entire asteroid into an egg. 20 years later the egg hatches from the inside outwards and produces a fully developed Nalen Class SkyGarrison. So you see; Nalen Class SkyGarrisons are Crystalan Ships!”

Amb-Cain : " Why does that sound like more Crystalan excuses for not sharing and transferring technology? This is why Our Governments prefer to invest in joint development programs with other Galactic Alliance Nations rather than continue to depend on Crystalan Technology. We need to have some ownership of the Technology; why can’t you understand this?"

Cyron : " Try and Understand who we are! Clearly you don’t understand Crystalans; so let me explain! Lesedi is our ancestor, but he wasn’t a Crystalan; we only became Crystalans after Lesedi’s death. What you must understand is that Lesedi’s death gave birth to the Spirit Stone; Lesedi’s will was given substance, but that substance also became a vessel for Lesedi’s Spirit and in time a vessel for the Spirits of all those who follow from Lesedi’s bloodline! Crystalan Ships were made from Crystalan DNA, and then given free will by the Spirit Stone; making them the equal of any Human Crystalan. Therefore Crystalorb has an obligation to protect the rights of all Crystalan Ships. It is because of those inalienable rights that Crystalorb developed the Crystalorb Ships; since Crystalan Ships being Crystalans could not be Warships, and so Crystalorb developed the Crystalorb Ships to be Warships. Therefore you can forget about Crystalan Ships!"

Amb-Patel : " Earlier you said something about withdrawing 30% of Crystalorb’s forces; Is that projected forces or current strengths? And does that include mineral production"

Cyron : " We have to draw down to 40% of current capabilities, but we’ll maintain that level indefinitely. And yes; that includes minerals."

Amb-Lao : " But that could weaken our economies?"

Cyron : " We can’t convince the UHC to commit more resources to its security so we’re going to force you to commit more resources! If you will not listen to reason then you’ll have to take heed of economic imperatives. Crystalorb will not support Human intransigence! The survival of the Human race is not just a Crystalan responsibility; it’s a shared responsibility!"

Amb-Ishmael: " I knew this would happen; that eventually Crystalorb would decide it doesn’t need the rest of Humanity! Now you want to cripple our economies as well as our security simply because we don’t agree with Crystalan analysis."

Amb-Tadu : " We have all grown dependent on Crystalorb."

Amb-Cain : " Some more than others!"

Amb-Patel : " Indeed!"

Amb-Tadu : " The point is we all depend on Crystalorb mineral production and Crystalan products. We’re all without exception dependent; Crystalorb encouraged that dependence. 50% of Human exports are Crystalan products, and they’re carried on Crystalorb Ships; to suggest that Crystalorb could somehow detangle from humanity without significant consequences for the UHC is not only ludicrous but also dangerous.”

Cyron : " We never encouraged dependence; we encouraged development! We had hoped that humanity would follow Crystalan example and reform their Federations to the Crystalorb model, but that was a monumental failure; instead the Human Federations have consistently moved to exploit Crystalorb’s developmental assistance for economic benefits. This singular pursuit of economic benefits cannot result in a viable and equitable society!"

Amb-Cain : " Crystalans can’t understand about commerce; you don’t even have a measurable GDP!"

Amb-Lao : " While their society is communal and thus has no need for currency if we extrapolate an equivalent quality of life amongst other Human Governments Crystalorb would have a GDP higher than that of the other 5 Human Governments put together!"

Amb-Cain : " Still they don’t know what its like for a Government to manage the desires and expectations of its Citizens! We would be in a much better position to sell a communal society to the Citizens of our respective Federations if Crystalorb was willing to be more open with the rest of Humanity. The fact remains we know almost nothing about Crystalorb; what we know is mostly speculative, and what we’ve seen only leaves us with questions. We see that Crystalorb Moon is now a Planetary City but we don’t understand how, we see the increasing sophistication of your technology but we have no understanding of its development. Why are you so secretive about who you are?"

Cyron : " We are only Secretive with those who are yet to gain our full trust; the Entig and the O’ltana come and go from Crystalorb as they please. I will admit that being Secretive has become a habit with Crystalans, but like you I take my instructions from my Principals, and they take their directions from Crystalans! What you must understand is that Crystalorb is a much more robust democracy than any other Human Government; the members of the Crystalorb General Council have an extremely active constituency. The Crystalan collective directs policy; by the time Crystalans reach the age of 18 they have an expert level understanding of all the sciences, politics, economics and sociology. Even now Crystalans are monitoring this conference, and a body of opinion is forming, but the role of the elected officials in these matters is to agitate for a particular position and follow the resulting consensus."

Amb-Tadu : " Crystalans call the source of their technology the Science of Elemental Energies. To understand its development you have to understand the Science."

Amb-Cain : " I’ve always found it interesting that Africans are always making excuses for Crystalans! Is this what Crystalorb expects from the rest of humanity? Are we all expected to bow down to superior Crystalan reasoning? Or can free man still think for themselves?"

Cyron : " You’re misunderstanding our objectives."

Amb-Patel : " Oh! God forbid we simple humans have an opinion!"

Cyron : " I don’t understand why it is so difficult for you to appreciate our perspective?"

Amb-Ishmael : " Of course not; how can we simple humans understand the highly evolved Crystalans? We are after all simple humans; no different from common apes!"

Amb-Lao : " And like good apes we should accept our stature as lower beings and do as our masters tell us!"

Cyron : " Is that what you think of Crystalans? You think we consider ourselves superior?"

Amb-Tadu : " Many of us sometimes feel inferior."

Amb-Patel : " Not so much that we feel inferior, but that Crystalans make us feel inferior."

Amb-Cain : " Or maybe it’s that at every gathering of the UHC the Crystalans go out of their way to point out that they’re the most important of all the Governments!"

Amb-Ishmael : " And that we are nothing without them!"

Amb-Lao : " Or that we depend on Crystalorb for our survival!"

Cyron : " Is that what you think of us? You think us so petty and small enough that we would constantly rub in your noses the fact that you’re all unable to defend yourselves without Crystalans support?"

Amb-Tadu : " When you put it that way it sounds like Arrogance!"

Cyron : " In that case I apologise; We were just trying to treat you like equals!"

Amb-Patel : " Is that what it’s called?"

Cyron : " To behave otherwise would mean massaging your egos, and that would be the equivalent of treating you like children. We give you an honest assessment because we expect you to have the intellectual maturity to accept it for what it is."

Amb-Cain : " Don’t patronize us! Crystalans are the strongest and wisest of all Humans! For generations you at Crystalorb have made it clear that you think you’re better than the rest of us!"

Cyron : " The fact that Hodians and Crystalans have a superior Physiology is without question, but Crystalans have never put much stock in individual or group physical capabilities; as always we praise Honour above all other virtues. From the beginning we sought to build a virtuous Nation; a Nation built on the highest Human Virtues. We’ve become a great people because we aspire towards the greatest of Values. There was a time when by any measure Hodians were superior to Crystalans, but because of who we had chosen to be; knowledge of the Science of Elemental Energies allowed us to eclipse Hodian capabilities and chart a new path for all of humanity. Through Knowledge our Crystal Guardians became a light through which we pierced through the darkness into the unknown. To understand who we are you must understand that the First to be Born with a Chest Crystal was not the Crystal Guardian the First was Kanu; a normal Human!"

They are shocked by the revelation that Normal Humans led Crystalorb.

Amb-Cain : " What are you saying? A normal man was the first Crystal Guardian?"

Cyron : " And his wife was the second; a lower cast woman born in India."

Amb-Cain : " How is that even possible?"

Cyron : " Kanu was the First to protect Crystalorb! First he protected Lesedi, then later Crystalorb; the Spirit Stone trusted him above all others. He was after all part of the First 8!"

Amb-Patel : " First 8?"

Amb-Cain : " What First 8?"

Cyron : " First 8 Elders!"

Amb-Cain : " Not only was a normal Human the first Crystal Guardian, but a Crystalorb Elder as well?"

Amb-Patel : " And you never thought it important to mention this to any of us? why?"

Cyron : " What possible difference could it make?"

Amb-Ishmael : " Can’t you see that it changes everything!"

Amb-Lao : " Is it at all possible that this Kanu was the first Elder?"

Cyron : " No! But he was at one time the Eldest Elder!"

The video display ends and the instructor begins to speak.

Instructor : “ What can we understand about Crystalans? In particular what it means to be Crystalan?”

Tristan : “ Being Crystalan is philosophical; more about beliefs than genetics. Well; at least in the beginning.”

Sarah : “ The Crystalans are not as supremacist as they come off; it is just that they believe that their way of life is more progressive than those of other human societies.”

Instructor : “ Can anyone tell me what led to their eventual defeat?”

Trudy : “ Pride! They believed that they could succeed where all others had failed; their overconfidence was their undoing.”

Chloe : “ For all their gifts they could not recognize the primary flaw in their philosophy!”

Bill : “ The Migon exploited their weakness!”

James : “ I’m sorry sir; I have to disagree! Crystalorb was defeated because Humans did not hold up their end of the bargain; while they fought the Migon at the border the rest of humanity were supposed to help protect Crystalorb, but at the battle for Crystalorb UHC fleets were nowhere in sight. Crystalorb was betrayed by the UHC and in doing so the UHC doomed itself!”

Instructor : “ WE are fortunate to have a Power Ring wielder amongst us! So tell us James; why do the remaining Crystalans blame the rest of humanity for the fall of Crystalorb? Was it not Crystalorb that courted destruction by engaging in a high stakes warfare with the most powerful Civilisation in the galaxy? Would it not have been prudent for them to wait until all the members of the Galactic Alliance were ready for war? Yes they wielded great power, but that power had its limits, and they found that out the hard way!”

James : “ With respect sir; had Crystalorb waited the Migon would have 20000 more BattleSpheres than they do today. All of us owe our existence to Crystalan courage! And while the Crystalans have been defeated they will rise again; Crystalorb will return, and the UHC that betrayed Crystalorb at the crucial hour will not find a friend or ally in the new Crystalorb.”

Louis : “ How could they possibly return with their power source destroyed?”

James : “ The Spirit Stone was merely a vessel; their true power source can never be destroyed.”

Instructor : “ And now we enter the realm of Crystalorb myths! They believed that the source of their power is spirit energy, and the remaining survivors believe that that Naole will somehow restore their power source.”

James : “ Naole is a legendary Crystalan! They called him; The Envoy of the Forbidden! Those who remain await his return, and they are confident that he alone has the power to re-channel the spirits into a new source. The message in the ring says that once they have a new source they will rebuild their society under the protection of their allies.”

Ivan : “ Sounds like too much for one man!”

Günter : “ Perhaps not too much for a Crystal Guardian!”

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