My Children Swarm the Cosmos – Chapter 93

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝟑: 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐧, 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐎𝐮𝐭𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐨 (4)

Gorgo’s Star is undergoing vigorous nuclear fusion reactions at its center of mass. The enormous energy thus produced propels the mass that makes up Gorgo’s Star and allows the collective lifeform to function.

After the battle with the Nanozator fleet in the Large Magellanic Cloud, Gorgo’s Star returned to the Milky Way galaxy and devoured dozens of uninhabited planets.

The mass, which became a whole without creating a satellite, made Gorgo’s Star even larger. However, Kreion judged that Gorgo’s Star should appear larger, and the dozens of planets it had absorbed were not enough to match Kreion’s demands.

Therefore, Gorgo’s Star formed a hierarchical internal structure that made its volume appear larger than its original mass by creating multiple layers of shells. Using the new material of the Hyraguroa species, it created a highly resilient organic tissue, but maintaining its shape caused considerable damage and emitted an enormous amount of heat.

Therefore, the current Gorgo’s Star is suffering from continuous internal burns due to its inflated size. However, the size it had achieved was enough to instill awe in its beholders.

Gorgo’s Star passed through the Oort Cloud. Since the solar system’s orbital plane was a horizontal disk, Gorgo’s Star stopped at a distant location perpendicular to the solar system’s orbital plane. If it had approached any closer, it could have unintentionally damaged the celestial bodies of the solar system.

And in other words, this meant that Gorgo’s Star could destroy the planetary system of any star system it wanted, whenever it wanted.

Afterwards, the Euryale and the Chimeraz fleets were stationed in Mars’ orbit, and those who had never actually seen the Chimeraz couldn’t believe the fact that these flying objects were living beings.

February 1, 3:27 PM.

A conference room was prepared in Directorm for the four-species meeting. Based on the empty round table in the center, the participants from the human, the Chimeraz, the Vehlpciaarct, and the Crolr sides were seated in each of the four directions.

On the Chimeraz side, Kreion was in the center, with Gorgo and Anima sitting on either side.

On the human side, Pollan was in the center, with Lopez and the Martian planetary president sitting on either side.

On the Vehlpciaarct side, the Lead Core was surrounded by metallic mechanical members, resembling humans.

On the Crolr side, Grand Monarch Carrd and Racliaa, the supreme commander of the Racliaa conquering fleet, stood on four legs.

The languages of each species were being translated through the table and shared with everyone as hologram texts.

However, since humans, the Chimeraz, and the Vehlpciaarct could communicate with each other verbally without text, this text output was only meaningful to the Crolr side.

Grand Monarch Carrd had been emphasizing the mistakes made by the Chimeraz and the Vehlpciaarct for some time now.

【We will pay the price for invading humans without a declaration of war. However, the Vehlpciaarct and the Chimeraz also attacked us without a declaration of war. Nevertheless, we surrendered to the Chimeraz and fulfilled all the conditions they demanded. So isn’t there anything else to decide between us and the Chimeraz?】

Carrd, unlike the average Crolr, used sophisticated vocabulary and looked at Anima and Kreion alternately.

Then Anima stepped forward and spoke.

“You didn’t fulfill all the conditions we demanded. We agreed to receive the blueprints for the Crolr’s fleet technology and weapons technology, but there are more conditions after that.”

【Give up future conquests, acknowledge the Chimeraz’s dominance over the Large Magellanic Cloud, and unconditionally attend diplomatic meetings if they arise. I remember. And we intend to abide by those conditions in the future.】

Anima shared opinions with Kreion through waves after hearing Carrd’s affirmative answer.

‘I think this is enough for the Crolr. Anyway, they’ve lost too much and are hated by everyone.’

‘Then let’s wrap it up.’

Kreion spoke directly.

“If you intend to abide by the conditions in the future, there is nothing more to be dealt with between the Crolr and the Chimeraz. You cannot claim sovereignty over any celestial body in the Large Magellanic Cloud, and if you engage in further conquests because you are dissatisfied with this, it will be an all-out war indefinitely.”

【Understood.】

Carrd loathed the Chimeraz. The sight of a celestial body-sized monster approaching him directly from the capital structure still remained a shocking memory in his mind.

That’s why he didn’t want to fight the Chimeraz anymore.

However, the case was different with the Vehlpciaarct.

【The Vehlpciaarct’s Force Core came to us right after we surrendered to the Chimeraz. At that time, we had suffered significant military losses, and the Force Core threatened us by exploiting our vulnerability. We can’t just let this go.】

Carrd’s attitude of immediately pursuing the Vehlpciaarct’s wrongdoing was brazen, but it was certainly a valid issue to address.

The Lead Core replied in a mechanical voice.

“When the whereabouts of the Crolr conquering fleet were unclear, we confirmed that ‘Deal Core’ had disappeared. Rather, I should be asking you this. Isn’t it reasonable to assume that the Clorta’s conquering fleet destroyed Deal Core, which was heading to the Milky Way galaxy for trade with humanity?”

Then Racliaa, the current supreme commander of the Crolr conquering fleet, exploded.

【Deal Core! It was the one who blocked our conquering fleet first. The Clorta warriors had no intention of engaging Deal Core in combat. But Deal Core said it would stop Clorta by force.】

“Then should we have just stood by and watched the Crolr trying to surprise humanity?”

【The Vehlpciaarct and humanity are not in an alliance, are they?】

“Even if we’re not in an alliance, we can’t ignore a wrong situation. Deal Core made the best judgment at that time. If the Clorta’s conquering fleet had obediently turned its fleet around in response to Deal Core’s restraint, the situation wouldn’t have gotten this bad.”

【So why did the Vehlpciaarct try to stop Clorta?】

“It’s not a matter of authority.”

It was a difficult story to sort out.

The Clorta’s conquering fleet and Deal Core fought a fleet battle, and the Deal Core fleet was annihilated.

After that, the Force Core’s Nanozator fleet blackmailed the Crolr to find out the location of the conquering fleet.

As a result, the Nanozator fleet joined forces with humanity in the solar system to fight the Crolr.

“From the moment the conquering fleet and Deal Core clashed, the Crolr and the Vehlpciaarct were at war. Therefore, the Force Core’s blackmail of the Crolr and the Nanozator fleet joining forces with humanity in the solar system are not problems at all. Don’t blame each other for a war that started from your own friction. We are in the position of ‘joining’ the war of a friendly country.”

Carrd, thinking that communication with the Vehlpciaarct was impossible, turned his attention to the human side.

And Pollan, of course, supported the Vehlpciaarct.

“Force Core is right.”

【Then what about the Chimeraz? Why did the Chimeraz, who were at war with humanity, create an alliance in Defaulstellay and join the war?】

At Carrd’s question, Kreion answered simply.

“We didn’t ‘join’ either. We had been at war with the Crolr in the Large Magellanic Cloud long ago, and we were also at war with the humans in the Milky Way galaxy. It’s basic to move the army towards the side with a higher probability of winning.”

【I can’t understand that for now.】

Just then, Lopez opened his mouth.

“That’s why we’ve been telling you for 20 years to declare war before starting a war.”

It was the law of war that humans had been emphasizing all along.

“While the concept of a declaration of war is firmly established in the Local Group of Galaxies, the Crolr did not declare war on humans, the Chimeraz did not declare war on the Crolr, and the Vehlpciaarct did not declare war on both the Chimeraz and the Crolr.”

Lopez pointed out that everyone’s actions were problematic and mediated the already pointless debate about past events.

“There was no declaration of war in any war except the one between humans and the Chimeraz. Shouldn’t you all fight while keeping what you need to keep?”

Lopez’s recent statement had two intentions. And Kreion accurately inferred his intentions.

‘Only the war between humans and the Chimeraz was normal. . . . In the meantime, humans did nothing wrong in this war. . . .’

Lopez is now trying to add weight to his remarks.

Kreion doesn’t just watch it.

“. . . Why did the humans who say they will fight while keeping what they need to keep block the communication of the regular fleet during the Nemea invasion?”

It was a question that no one other than Lopez, Kreion, and Anima could understand.

Pollan and the Martian planetary president looked at Kreion with a questioning look, then naturally turned their gaze to Lopez.

“Ah. . . .”

Lopez spoke for a moment, then,

“Even without that, it was something to be resolved here.”

He continued, very calmly.

For Pollan and the Martian planetary president to hear.

“At that time, the Nemea regular fleet was unable to receive the Chimeraz’s radio communication. The Chimeraz clearly sent a message to the Nemea regular fleet before the fleet battle took place, and the Nemea fleet launched a preemptive attack.”

Kreion observed how he would respond. He felt like he might fall into some clever linguistic trap if he rashly said more.

“An unidentified fleet approaching without communication was clearly a threat to the Nemea fleet, and Nemea, being a nation consisting of a single planet, had no choice but to stop the unidentified fleet. At that time, the radio waves sent by the Chimeraz must have been in a form that was difficult for the Nemea fleet to receive, or there must have been a major defect in the fleet.”

‘He says it without changing his expression.’

“And it’s also true that the Chimeraz fleet approached too close to the planet Nemea without communication. In the end, there was a misunderstanding and a problem on both sides. . . . That’s why I thought that if this misunderstanding was resolved, we could consider a more constructive future.”

Lopez explained and made eye contact with Kreion.

‘Humans will believe him more. Right now. . . . This means that humanity and the Chimeraz agree that they are both at fault.’

He wanted them to agree with him, as he wouldn’t raise other issues after this level of concession.

It would be difficult to bring up the fact that the Chimeraz killed civilians of a corporation even though they were at war.

And the fact that they killed the director of the Venice Editorial Intelligence Agency and stole the galactic map. It hadn’t surfaced yet, but Lopez knew.

He knew that the grave incident could work against the Chimeraz, but Lopez still didn’t mention it.

He wasn’t going to say it.

That is, if they continue to accommodate each other and make concessions in this way.

“. . . I won’t deny that there was a misunderstanding on both sides.”

As Kreion expressed his intention, Pollan asked as if he had been waiting.

“Then how about considering a truce for now?”

Just then, the Lead Core intervened.

“If humanity makes a peace agreement with Kreion-nim, we will join them. However, we cannot accept peace with the Chimeraz forces under Anima-nim and Gorgo.”

The atmosphere turned cold, as if cold water had been poured on it.

In that cold atmosphere, Anima had the coldest expression.

“I don’t know why you’re objecting when humans are saying they will do that. Vehlpciaarct.”

“The Chimeraz forces in the Large Magellanic Cloud have shown aggression and danger that are very different from the ‘rational’ Chimeraz forces in the Milky Way galaxy.”

The Lead Core spoke faster.

“The Milky Way’s Chimeraz basically expressed their intention to talk before the war. They also showed a tendency to refrain from civilian casualties as much as possible, albeit temporarily. And they often showed a tendency to occupy rather than destroy hostile celestial bodies.”

On the other hand.

“On the other hand, the Large Magellanic Cloud’s Chimeraz were the complete opposite. There was no declaration of war and no prior communication. The celestial bodies they occupied were destroyed, just like that of the Crolr.”

【Crolr’s destruction is part of the conquest. If you make any more insulting remarks, we too will stop thinking about ending the war with the Vehlpciaarct.】

The Crolr didn’t even care about the Lead Core.

“Gorgo’s Star is an extremely dangerous life form. Until now, it has only ended up influencing the Large Magellanic Cloud and the Milky Way galaxy, but in the future, Gorgo’s Star may expand, swell, and disperse, endangering the entire Local Group of Galaxies.”

Gorgo, who had been keeping his mouth shut, glared at the Lead Core and said one word.

“To me, your Nanozator fleet was more threatening.”

【I think the Vehlpciaarct is causing the most problems if we just watch.】

And Carrd looked at Gorgo as he said so, trying to get on the Vehlpciaarct’s opposing side. However,

“That’s not it. The Crolr, you, have caused the most problems.”

Gorgo blurted out at once.

“And the force that inflicted the most damage on the Chimeraz and led to the spread of the war is you, humans.”

‘You said it well, naturally. Gorgo.’

Gorgo’s current attitude was planned. Since the Chimeraz would not bow down to any race, they needed to be somewhat aggressive.

‘Keep pushing.’

“Humans, answer me. Don’t you know that the Vehlpciaarct is doing wrong and just turn a blind eye to it?”

“. . . .”

“Are you saying that you’re just leaving them alone because it benefits humans? It seems that the reason why humans don’t form an alliance with the Vehlpciaarct, who are so loyal, is because it’s easier to cut their tail when they make a big mistake.”

Just then, the Martian planetary president shook his head and whispered very softly in Pollan’s ear.

“As expected, he’s a head below Nazar. . . . That’s the monster who’s been dragging that celestial body around.”

Monster.

At the word that came out of the Martian planetary president’s mouth, Kreion, Anima, and even Lopez and Pollan of the human race flinched.

Thanks to that, Gorgo felt that this was the time to push further.

“I hear everything, I understand everything. You received help from the Chimeraz for nothing because you were beaten up by the Crolr, and now you’re telling us that?”

“Ha. . . .”

At that moment, Lopez’s sigh created silence.

“First of all. . .”

At that moment, Kreion took the lead before Lopez could say anything.

“Seeing the leader of the Solar System Union calling the Chimeraz a monster, it seems that the relationship between humans and the Chimeraz will be difficult to recover further.”

“. . .?”

Lopez sent a questioning look.

Still, Kreion ignored his gaze and expressed the will of his race.

“There will be no truce. Let’s just have a ceasefire today.”

Lopez thought to himself.

‘To set up the axis of power openly and hostilely. . . . Then it would be a justification for me to produce more of my Phase Assault Troops. . . . Is it meant to never join hands with me no matter what?’

At the same time, Kreion thought to himself.

‘When the hostile relationship ends, you’ll probably try to use the Chimeraz’s power little by little. There will never be a time when humans and we join forces.’

Lopez had previously suggested that the two races share the hegemony of the Local Group of Galaxies by establishing an axis of power, but Kreion had no intention of doing so.

‘Anyway, as time goes by, our race will become stronger and humans will only hold us back. They can never catch up with our race.’

Everyone felt it in the silence.

The flow of air between Lopez and Kreion was drifting away, never to return.

➖Kreion. What will happen like this?

‘It will be a peace that is colder and more brutal than the Cold War.’

➖You’re saying you won’t match the balance of power with humans. If necessary, you can always break the peace.

‘That’s right.’

➖This will make it easier for me to move.

‘Instead, it will be easier for Lopez to move.’

➖It’s okay. If it’s easier for both of us to move, we’ll eventually get stronger.

‘That’s the point. That’s how it should be.’

After the four-race meeting, all war activities were suspended in the long term.

‘The grudge with humans ends today.’

From that time on, humans and the Chimeraz began to go their separate ways, turning their backs on each other.

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