In the grip of fear, the rationality of intelligent beings tends to falter, making them susceptible to panic-driven actions and they are prone to blindly following others.
Before long, the Riken citizens had emptied the shelves of all essential goods in major markets. Those who managed to hoard supplies felt sowhat reassured, while those who missed out were consud by deeper fear. The latter, being far greater in number, began to stir unrest.
Thankfully, due to the warti state, the military intervened swiftly. Through rationed and scheduled distribution of resources, the brewing chaos was suppressed before it could escalate.
Just as President Antonio heaved a sigh of relief and prepared to use the opportunity to eliminate his opposition, new sensitive information was leaked.
If not for the risk of further unrest and dissatisfaction, Antonio might have cut off network access altogether. The Rikens lacked an exact proverb like “Water can carry a boat but can also overturn it,” but they understood the principle well enough.
Though Antonio was the most powerful figure in Riken society, if he overstepped and stood against the people, he could et the sa fate as forr President Derlin in a matter of monts.
Thus, despite being overwheld, he worked tirelessly to calm the populace. Unfortunately, the leaked information this ti was explosive.
The Swarm’s Proposal for Surrender!
Facing the seemingly invincible Swarm, what should the Rikens do? If the matter had been kept confidential, there would have been room for negotiation and maneuvering. But now, everything was out in the open, under the scrutiny of all Riken citizens, leaving almost no room for strategic adjustnts.
A single misstep could ensure Antonio’s legacy as one of eternal infamy.
Nevertheless, Antonio was no ordinary leader. Having governed the Rikens for over fifty years, his power far exceeded that of any predecessor. If the opposition sought to bind him with public opinion and restrict his actions, he resolved to counter by relinquishing the choice to the people.
This way, the outco, whether success or failure, would align with the will of the populace, alleviating his responsibility to so degree.
The Riken citizens were stunned. They never expected to be involved in deciding the fate of their entire civilization. Their esteed President Antonio had granted every individual a vote to determine the course: surrender or resistance.
A massive public referendum was launched.
This historic event diverted most of the public’s attention. Shrewdly, Antonio had set no deadline for the vote. Without clear information, the citizens were left in confusion. Fortunately, there was no imdiate urgency, so many decided to wait and see how others voted before making their choice.
As the population settled into this period of observation, unrest subsided. Antonio, seething inwardly, finally had a brief mont to mount a counterattack.
He resolved to crush all opposition with overwhelming force. If these dissenters were left unchecked, there was no telling what future chaos they might incite.
But his opponents were equally aware of his intentions and gave him no respite.
A new line of discourse erged.
What are the chances of victory if we do not surrender? Analysts quickly provided their insights: the longer they delayed, the closer their odds approached zero. The debate on war or peace demanded an imdiate decision from the council.
Once again, the matter was pushed back onto Antonio’s desk. Left with no choice, he announced a deadline for the referendum—voting would conclude in two weeks.
However, just as Antonio made this announcent, the narrative shifted again.
If we choose peace, what are the Swarm’s terms? Would basic rights be preserved? What restrictions or impacts might there be on the future developnt of our civilization? The implications were vast.
If the Swarm’s terms were reasonable, surrender might be acceptable. But if their conditions were too harsh, it would be better to fight to the death.
Hearing this, Antonio was left dumbfounded. The Swarm had rely flexed its military might; it had not initiated any formal dialogue. He himself had no idea what the Swarm’s terms might be.
Antonio and his advisory team speculated that the Swarm’s interest likely revolved around the ancient starship. If it were sothing else, the Swarm could have continued systematically eradicating the Rikens without expending such effort.
The secret behind the Rikens’ rapid advancent was likely significant enough to warrant such drastic actions from the Swarm. Yet, the Swarm seed unsure about the exact nature of the secret or whether it could be destroyed. They might be cautious not to push the Rikens into a desperate corner that would result in its complete obliteration.
However, surrender posed another dilemma: even if favorable terms could be negotiated, how could the Rikens ensure the Swarm would honor the agreent after obtaining the desired benefits? Conversely, refusal to cooperate might provoke the Swarm, who held absolute military superiority, into a destructive rage.
Explaining these considerations to the average Riken citizen was almost impossible. The ancient starship’s existence was a closely guarded secret. Even most captains knew little about it, with only high-ranking generals and specific research departnt heads having full access to the details.
The starship’s mystique was a critical bargaining chip for future negotiations with the Swarm. Publicizing its existence would weaken its secrecy. If too many Rikens learned of it, the Swarm, as a technologically advanced civilization, could likely decipher the Riken networks after subjugation, exposing all secrets.
A critical eting was convened at the Riken howorld’s second satellite colony. Attendees included senior council mbers, top advisors, and several generals from the Twin Star Defensive Zone, so of whom were recalled from the front lines.
The eting was crucial. Antonio needed input from various perspectives, particularly the military. Many top-ranking officers were stationed on the front lines, so Antonio acknowledged the risk in bringing them back. However, he gambled that since the Swarm had extended an offer of surrender, they were unlikely to launch an imdiate attack.
He reasoned that the brief absence of these generals would not compromise their defenses.
If not for the vast distances, the high latency of video communication, and concerns over confidentiality, he would not have taken this gamble.
“Mr. President, ti is of the essence. Let’s skip the formalities and get straight to the point,” an old general interjected as Antonio had just begun with a few pleasantries. Antonio frowned slightly, cursing the man inwardly as coarse and disrespectful.
The recent leaks and turmoil had evidently reached the front lines, eroding his prestige. Previously, no general would have dared interrupt him so rudely.
Still, Antonio swallowed his annoyance, knowing that these influential generals were indispensable allies in his current predicant.
Dispensing with formalities, Antonio outlined his thoughts, concerns, and uncertainties regarding their situation.
“No, absolutely not! The existence of the ancient starship must never be revealed!” declared the old general forcefully upon hearing Antonio’s reasoning.
“Why not? I think Mr. President is being overly cautious,” argued a senior council mber, one of the most powerful figures in the parliant besides Antonio himself and a likely candidate to succeed him if needed.
“Our defenses are impenetrable. Unless the Swarm breaches both the Twin Star and howorld defensive zones, they’ll never access our networks. As long as they remain uncertain about the nature of the secret, they’re unlikely to recklessly attack us. Until then, our networks are secure.”
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