Chapter Twenty-One: Waiting for Dawn with Sword in Hand

Inside the flagship of the Kua Army’s massive interstellar carrier fleet, a major entered the commander’s private cabin:

“General, we have attempted to contact the marines who landed on Proxima b several times, but each response was highly irregular. In fact, we have now lost contact with them. Based on our analysis, it appears our marines may have been captured and are under the control of the Ta Army. Judging from the audio transmissions sent back, there is a significant discrepancy between those recordings and the typical electromagnetic signals of the Kua-Tepa people. It is highly likely the Ta Army is using a converter to generate these audio transmissions. Each message we receive is a report of victory, which raises suspicion. The marines have even repeatedly advised us not to contact them for the time being. Therefore, we need your personal judgment and orders,” the major reported.

The Kua Army commander, upon hearing this, immediately realized the situation. He ordered a mantis assistant to activate a coded transmitter and send a special audio signal used exclusively by Kua Army forces to those who had landed. The cunning Ta Army could no longer deceive the Kua command; the response from the front-line marines was quickly identified as artificial audio crafted by the Ta Army to mimic the Kua-Tepa language. The commander wasted no time dispatching a large battleship to orbit Proxima b and provide support for the marines.

Sergeant Taer, realizing the deception could no longer continue, knew that although the pyramid was completed, his fleet was blocked 150 million kilometers away. The pyramid garrison feared a prolonged siege by the Kua Army. Seizing the opportunity, Major Taer allowed the captured Kua soldiers to communicate directly with their command, instructing the prisoners to declare themselves as captives, clarifying that their detainment was temporary, pending negotiations between the highest authorities of both sides. The Kua commander understood the Ta Army’s intent: to use the marines as hostages and force his hand in negotiations. Caught between the impossibility of a direct assault and the risk of compromise, the situation demanded his wisdom.

Displaying remarkable diplomacy, the Kua commander proposed to send an envoy for preliminary information exchange, which Sergeant Taer readily accepted, expressing his eagerness. Refusal would have contradicted Ta’s own position...

On the dark, frigid far side of Proxima b, a large Kua vessel hovered above the planet, as the Ta Army arranged themselves in formation on the ground to welcome the Kua envoy.

A sleek, exquisite small craft was released from the Kua ship. Accompanied by two mantis assistants, the Kua-Tepa military representative piloted the craft down to the surface. At an astonishing speed, the vessel descended vertically, slowing to a complete stop only twenty meters from the ground, demonstrating the Kua Army's mastery of gravity and inertia cancellation—technology not unfamiliar to the Ta. The ship hovered, suspended twenty meters above. Both sides activated their visible-light equipment, and beneath this artificial illumination, the true beauty of Proxima b’s terrain—glimmering stones and coral-like mounds—was revealed, enchanting all who beheld it.

The Kua envoy, heavy-bodied and moving with the slow grace of a hippopotamus, descended to the ground. Clinging to his four octopus-like arms were two mantis assistants, each only six centimeters tall. Major Taer, accompanied by two aides, stepped forward to greet the Kua-Tepa representative. Following interstellar protocol, both sides exchanged military salutes. Taer then hosted a symbolic, brief inspection ceremony, leading the guests past a line of Ta soldiers armed with plasma weapons. In such solemnity, the mantis assistants detached from their master, following in standard formation. The aides took over translation duties, guiding their principals through the proceedings.

Major Taer led the guests into the newly completed underground pyramid, now serving as the Ta Army’s temporary command center. The advanced climate control inside automatically adjusted to the temperature required by the Kua-Tepa. Instead of artificial light, starlight from Sirius B was collected and amplified, flooding the chamber with brilliance. The seasoned Kua envoy was deeply impressed, realizing the Ta civilization was not to be underestimated.

The galaxy stood on the brink of a sweeping conflict between Kua and Ta—two illustrious civilizations. Whether war could be averted depended on the information these representatives exchanged and whether it could create an opportunity for negotiation at the highest levels. If, after sharing their positions, no chance for dialogue arose, the consequences would be inevitable.

The two principals, with their aides, entered a small room. The Taer major prepared a low stool for the Kua envoy, who settled upon it like a camel, with his mantis assistants on either side. Taer arranged his own aides similarly. Here, the core values, positions, and demands of both civilizations would be exchanged, the information to be carried back home for evaluation by their highest councils.

The Kua mantis assistants operated miniature audio converters, transforming Kua-Tepa electromagnetic language into Taer sonic speech, transmitting it through Proxima b’s atmosphere to the Ta representatives. Communication flowed effortlessly.

The Kua envoy spoke: “We come in peace. Taer and Kua-Tepa are two remarkable civilizations in recent galactic history, contributing greatly to celestial management and advancing physics and medicine. Both our peoples grew from fragile beginnings, sharing similar journeys. Of course, the universe is vast, and we are but dust within it, incapable of conquering all. At the dawn of our galaxy’s timeline, countless advanced civilizations emerged, achieving unparalleled scientific and cultural feats, but even they had to obey the laws of nature as the cycles of the stars changed. To be living, sentient beings is fortune enough; we must thank the omnipotent creator for our existence. Taer’s achievements are celebrated worldwide, proving that any form of life, by overcoming adversity, can succeed. I know Taer has a glorious past, but I believe its best days are yet to come. Despite great suffering in one chapter of Taer’s history, your people persevered through hardship and survived. I deeply admire this, as my own Kua-Tepa ancestors endured similar trials. There are myriad reasons for our two civilizations to cooperate and none to oppose each other. Now, our greatest need is to increase understanding and avoid misunderstanding.”

This brief yet heartfelt speech touched Major Taer and all present.

Major Taer replied: “General, your arrival brings me great joy. Sadly, our meeting comes too late; had we met before the conflict erupted, many lives could have been spared. Though neither of us is the highest decision-maker, we can strive to persuade our leaders. Our mission is to contribute to peace. The Taer authorities wish to know what concerns the Kua-Tepa have about us, and how we might earn your trust?”

The Kua envoy responded: “The core value of Kua-Tepa culture is the defense of freedom. Taer, motivated by your faith, began all your actions on Earth—an expression of your own liberty, which we should support. However, history records many conflicts between our civilizations, causing great harm and pain. To prevent further tragedy, we jointly devised a rational and scientific treaty, binding both sides. Regrettably, Taer has violated this agreement repeatedly in its conduct on Earth. Moreover, Kua has not received due respect. Our demand is simple: according to the treaty, Taer must provide reasonable explanations for its actions on Earth to the Kua-Tepa authorities, to avoid misunderstanding.”

Major Taer said: “Thank you, General, for this invaluable information. We will relay it directly to our king and elite council for assessment. I believe our leaders will make a wise, rational decision in the best interests of both sides.”

He then explained Taer’s position: “Taer’s progress is rooted in our unwavering adherence to our faith. We faced setbacks when we strayed from divine will—punishments and lessons from the Creator. All our actions on Earth stem from our religious devotion; we cannot deviate from our spiritual path. Furthermore, Taer’s homeworld is aging and at risk of imminent explosion. Driven by survival anxiety and deep faith, we launched the Earth project at any cost. Taer is confident and capable of renegotiating the old treaty with Kua-Tepa. Our relationship has gone off track because the original treaty did not truly serve both sides’ interests, leading to inevitable conflict. Fortunately, no extra disputes have arisen.”

Both sides were satisfied with the exchange. Amid this harmonious atmosphere, consensus was reached, and the Ta Army immediately released all Kua prisoners. Each side would convey the other's positions and demands to their highest councils for evaluation. Whether these two galactic powers could avoid another catastrophic war depended on their leaders’ ability to create a new opportunity for negotiation.

In another chamber of the Ta Army’s underground pyramid, a group of captured Kua soldiers was escorted out by Ta officers. During their captivity, they were treated with utmost respect. As they emerged from the pyramid, rows of Ta soldiers stood on either side of the exit, saluting each Kua soldier in accordance with interstellar etiquette. Seeing their compatriot, the Kua envoy, the freed soldiers were moved to tears, though a touch of embarrassment lingered.

Major Taer, with his high emotional intelligence, quickly defused the awkwardness, addressing the Kua personnel: “Thank you. It was your wise decision that allowed us all to survive here. I hope in the future we have more opportunities to work together for peace.”

A Kua soldier replied: “We thank you for your warm hospitality and respect. I believe that Kua and Ta will journey together, hand in hand, contributing to galactic peace.”

The crew of the Kua Army’s large starship, hovering above Proxima b, quietly awaited their leader’s return. The mantis assistants used a remote to land the small craft and open its hatch. The envoy led all Kua personnel aboard in an orderly fashion. Major Taer activated all visible-light devices, illuminating the scene as the small Kua interstellar craft rose vertically and docked with the large ship in orbit. The vessel pierced the atmosphere, then accelerated, racing toward the Kua-Tepa star system...

What comes next—war or peace? All can only wait patiently for news from the highest councils of the Ta and Kua civilizations.