President Zhang was a figure many youths on Gaia looked up to. The trio hadn't expected to have the opportunity to speak with him directly!
Exchanging excited glances, Denzel began to explain. 'Originally we were chasing one of the natives and he ended up escaping but we found a pathway underground, used by the natives.
The place is like a maze and if not for Jax's spear we would have been lost because he had put a tracker on the native.
We stopped following the native when we noticed something suspicious near one of the tunnels. A bolt of some mining machine.
Going down that tunnel, we came across these,' narrated Denzel, taking out one of the blue stones.
'This is how you awakened your powers?' asked General Griffiths incredulously.
It was a little too simple!
'Yes! I believe what we found was a mine to extract these stones. There might be other forces like us probably underground, mining.
After all, how would natives have an advanced invention like a bolt?' added Brutus.
The President and the various officials and generals exchanged glances.
Only one force could be holed up under Gaelen-II.
The Council!
So this was what they were up to.
This meant that the Council had long found these stones and probably awakened elements, mining them in large quantities for their own use!
And they were so selfish they didn't want to inform the galaxy of this discovery!
'General Mathers, take one of those stones and let's see,' said President Zhang.
Denzel immediately hand the stone to the general.
The stone glowed visibly, engulfing the general in light!
When the light finally disappeared after a minute, General Mathers was grinning like a maniac.
Without hesitation, he thrust out his hand!
His metal desk crumbled into pieces and before the shocked gazes of everyone, he turned his desk into a miniature model of a spaceship!
General Mathers had awakened the metal element!
President Zhang began to clap and soon a resounding clapping filled the channel.
Everyone was standing and clapping for Denzel, Jax and Brutus!
'You boys don't understand the enormity of what you have done today. You will be rewarded for your contribution.
I propose we give them a medal for this discovery,' smiled president Zhang.
'I agree!' nodded General Griffiths.
There was no need for further debate!
These three boys had made an enormous contribution!
'Mathers, have someone deliver some of the stones to us. Also, go with the boys to that mine and see if we can get even more of these!' said President Zhang.
General Mathers gave a military salute and left the holographic call.
President Zhang then turned and smiled at everyone. 'Well, I guess we all know what we're telling the council, right?'
…
'Well, Mr. Zhang, you've certainly saved us the trouble of calling you. What is your decision?' asked Stafyllidis.
'Councilors, I'd first like to thank you for your generous offer to give us a planet of our own but our answer is no,' president Zhang smiled at the five councilors.
'I knew you were a smart man and you would accept our offer- Wait what did you just say?' councilor Gaul paused mid-speech.
'I said, NO. We aren't going anywhere, councilors.'
'What?! Are you sick in your skull? Don't you know we can send the Imperial fleet this very minute to end your pathetic existence?' fumed Boreas.
'How shameful of you, bullying human beings like yourself who have been unfortunate enough to develop slowly! Are you not ashamed of yourself?' councilor Seren said accusingly.
'Stop acting like you cared in the first place, councilors. You know as well as we do that our current predicament has something to do with you!' President Zhang shed all pretenses, pointing at the holographic images of the Council.
If the council hadn't refused to help Gaia, would they have turned into invaders?
No!
The council was indirectly and even directly responsible for the downfall of Gaia!
'How dare you point your finger at us!' screamed councilor Seren, her beautiful face contorted in rage.
'I dared to do it, councilor Seren and there's nothing you can do about it. Do your worst,' President Zhang said calmly and cut the call, leaving stunned and raging councilors.
'He even dared to hang up on us! This brat is too impudent! He must be taught a lesson!' Boreas slammed the marble table in front of him, almost destroying it but Stafyllidis dispelled the cracks with a wave of his hand.
'We have to kill each and every last one of them!' Gaul's face twisted into a vicious grimace.
'I thought this Zhang was wise but in the end he ended up making a fatal mistake. Boreas, take two thousand Spiritual Awakening realm experts with you.
We can't have anyone undermining our authority,' Stafyllidis said calmly but the corners of his eyes kept twitching.
All those familiar with his temperament would know that he was extremely angry at the moment, hiding it under a façade of calmness.
How dare a mere Gaia reject the council!
Did they know how many planets and nations would be happy to be in their good graces?
The impudence of a dying cockroach!
Well, if they dared refuse the help of the council, then they should be prepared to be eradicated!
'Even a crumbling nation like Gaia doesn't even put us in their eyes, how much more other nations?
We must re-establish our dominance and conquer the galaxy. This passivity and the giving of face to those in the Federation must end,' councilor Vanna said coldly.
Gaia was setting a dangerous precedent, one for rebellion.
If other nations came to know of it, it would embolden them and the council would have nothing but trouble on their hands.
And if those Gaians somehow found out about the awakening stones, everything they had planned for years would come crashing down, like a kid's sandcastle.
The council couldn't allow that to happen!
They had planned and plotted for far too long for a mere Gaia to disrupt their plans!
Stafyllidis clenched his fist, creating visible ripples in the atmosphere.
No, they could not fail!
Gaia, huh? I should have hastened the destruction of your planet…
Thankfully, it wasn't too late to put an end to Gaia.
Soon enough, they will be destroyed.
But hey, somehow this was a blessing in disguise. If Gaia hadn't invaded, the council wouldn't have a good reason to transport a huge fleet to Gaelen-II to 'protect' the natives!
Either way, whatever happened, this was the council's win.
And Gaia?
They would become another history lesson.
…
'You boys sure are observant,' General Mathers looked around the cavern.
Beside him were Jax, Brutus, and Denzel. Other Gaian soldiers, carrying huge sacks and various transportation equipment moved in and out of the tunnels, carrying loads of awakening stones.
'It's all thanks to our training,' they replied modestly but their grins were wide as they exchanged glances.
They followed behind the General as he entered the tunnel they had previously been in.
All the awakening stones which had been previously lying around had been picked, leaving the tunnel clear.
The soldiers were hard at work, going back and forth with the awakening stones which were being transported above ground and into military trucks.
'The whole place is filled with awakening stones, general. We have hit the jackpot!' exclaimed the general's aide, her gaze filled with fervor.
There were mines in parts of the tunnels which were loaded with heaps and heaps of awakening stones.
Already, not less than a hundred thousand stones had been discovered in the short moment they had arrived!
Suddenly, they heard shouts.
'Hm?' the general narrowed his eyes and headed over to the source of the disturbance.
Many soldiers had surrounded a native, aiming their blaster rifles at him.
His eyes were wide in terror, looking around at the hostile invaders.
Gritting his teeth, he swung his arms forward, causing the soldiers surrounding him to be blown away into the walls.
Green winds formed around him, drawing the weapons and tools in the hands of the soldiers away.
But before he could cause any mischief, a bolt of blue lightning struck him, causing him to convulse from the shock.
With a plop, he fell to the ground, the smell of burnt flesh wafted into the air.
Everyone turned to look at Jax.
Jax scratched the back of his head sheepishly. 'Heh heh.'