Chapter 28 The Harsh Reality 3 (1/2)

Itsuki unhurriedly continued, ”The Grand Protector before Esther was a Hylotl of the Central Ocean Faction. As I told you, the Central Ocean Faction is basically composed of businessman, so the Extremist Reef Faction 'bought' the Grand Protector and made him make the Protectors do the job of travelling through the universe, finding the Ancient Gateways, securing those in strategic points and locking down those that had no importance for them.” Itsuki glanced at John and was surprised to see that he was calm.

”So... What's next?” John calmly asked.

”Fast forwarding to the future, the Terrene Protectorate was destroyed, so the Protectors guarding the Ancient Gateways stopped doing their work. Tepei, as a member of the Extremist Reef Faction, was ordered to arrest and send anyone that entered the Ark Outpost to be sent back, to be silenced or arrested for eternity. I'm a member of the Central Ocean Faction that had infiltrated in the rankings of the Extremist Faction and was able to climb all the way to being deployed to serve in this place. I found proofs of corruption and murders committed by Tepei and sent them to the Universal Hylotl Government, they had no choice but to take the Ark Outpost out of the Extremist Reef Faction and give it to another Faction, the most influential one, the Central Ocean Faction. We believe in equality among races and also equality in the business world, so we decided to open the Ark Outpost to every single person who want to come and make business, but we still forbid the construction of homes, only hotels are allowed. The Central Ocean Faction want to transform the Ark Outpost into a hub where everyone can buy and sell all kinds of products from a across the whole universe that is connected through the Ancient Gateways.” Itsuki widely smiled, ”That's what you are seeing now, the beginning of this dream.”

”All right. That answered a few of my questions.” John was strangely calm about all he just heard, ”I'll be taking my leave. Thanks for the Interstellar Map, Administrator Itsuki.”

John turned around and left.

The office became silent for a while until Esther broke the silence, ”You really had to tell him about the shameful side of the Terrene Protectorate?”

”He would find out, one way or another.” Itsuki calmly replied.

”He isn't ready to know about it.” Esther sadly sighed and rested on her Hoverchair, ”He's too young...”

”Too late.” Itsuki shrugged her shoulder, ”You better go find him and explain to him in more details, or he might outright abandon the ideals that he learned in the Terrene Protectorate Academy.”

Esther nodded her head, turned the chair around and followed John.

...

Esther returned to the Ark Ruins and saw that John was there, silently looking at the pictures at the walls.