Chapter 75 — The Ship That Never Looks Back

Order to Take Up Arms

Ton Khac Du called an emergency briefing at dawn, gathering all the Guard captains in charge of the area around the Central Regeneration Station in a small room packed with people, the atmosphere so tense that Than Bao Nghiem could feel it like a heavy material pressing on his chest.

"The crowd has gathered three days in a row." Ton Khac Du said, his voice was cold, without any remaining patience. "The Council Elders have given me permission to act, on the condition that we prioritize peaceful dispersal before resorting to harsher measures. The plan is as follows: we will enter from three directions at dawn tomorrow, when the number of people gathered is at its lowest, use loudspeakers to request dispersal first, and if there is no result in thirty minutes, we will proceed to escort the leaders, starting with the one who claims to be the main organizer."

Than Bao Nghiem stood in line, feeling a chill run down his spine when he heard the word "escort" — a cold administrative phrase he had learned, reading the Night of Broken Roots file overnight, could conceal countless different forms of violence depending on how it was carried out in the field.

"What if the crowd resists?" Another captain asked.

"We are authorized to use the minimum force necessary to maintain order." Ton Khac Du replied, a thin smile flashing across the corner of his mouth made Than Bao Nghiem feel more insecure than any specific words. "But I'm confident that, when they see our forces deployed, most will automatically disperse without taking that step."

After the briefing, Than Bao Nghiem was assigned to command one of the three entry prongs — the eastern prong, the area closest to the small checkpoints where, according to reconnaissance reports, a team of engineers was monitoring vital valves and control panels. He accepted the mission in silence, not daring to show any signs of hesitation in front of Ton Khac Du, but inside, a storm was brewing.

He spent that afternoon alone in his office, trying to find a way to carry out the mission without causing the disaster he felt might happen if everything went according to Sun Keyu's plan. He thought of Vu Khac Dang, for four days he was detained for a crime he did not commit. He thought of Khe Lam, the daughter of a woman who had faced this exact situation nineteen years ago, and what had happened to her.

He thought about the Guard oath he had taken the day he enlisted—to protect the survival of the ship and all its inhabitants, regardless of class—and wondered if, for the first time in his twelve-year career, that oath required him to do the opposite of what his superiors ordered him to do.

That evening, he went to Ngo Dac Vuong's office, a bold move he had never considered doing before in his career — a mid-level Guard captain reaching out to a Council member without going through the official command channel. He received him with surprise but did not refuse the meeting.

"Commissioner, I need to tell you something, and I need you to keep this source confidential." Than Bao Nghiem said, his voice tense. "Tomorrow, at dawn, Commissioner Sun will deploy forces to enter the Central Regeneration Station from three directions. The official plan is to disperse peacefully first, but I fear, based on the way he conducted this morning's briefing, that he is preparing himself, and perhaps his forces, for a much more violent outcome than has been publicly expressed."

Ngo Dac Vuong looked at him with a new seriousness, immediately realizing the importance of this information. "Why are you telling me this, captain? This is a big risk for you."

Than Bao Nghiem was silent for a moment, trying to find an honest answer. "Because I read the full record of the Night of the Broken Roots a few weeks ago, Commissioner. And I don't want to be a part of another event like that, just because I chose to stay silent when I had the chance to speak."

Ngo Dac Vuong nodded slowly, his eyes carrying a new respect for the young captain in front of him. "I will try to contact the Elder tonight, find a way to delay or adjust the plan. But I cannot promise success. Chuong Khac Dinh is under great pressure, from many sides at the same time."

"I get it." Than Bao Nghiem said. "I just don't want, later on, when I look back, I have to wonder if I did everything I could."

As he left Ngo Dac Vuong's office, walking through the quiet Dome Floor corridors late at night, Than Bao Nghiem felt a strange sense of relief, even though he didn't know whether his actions would actually change anything or not. He thought about tomorrow morning, the eastern advance he would command, and told himself that no matter what happened, he would find every way to ensure that no one in the area he was responsible for suffered unnecessary harm, even if that meant he had to move more slowly, more cautiously, even partially disobeying orders if necessary.

It was a decision he knew could ruin his twelve-year career. But for the first time since reading the file, Night of Broken Roots, he felt like he was acting according to the oath he had taken the day he enlisted, instead of simply following the orders of the man above him in the hierarchy.

*

Ngo Dac Vuong kept his promise, trying to contact Bach Van that night, knowing that his student was more directly connected to what was happening at the Root Layer than anyone else he could trust to pass the news quickly. "I just received a warning." He spoke through a private communication device. His voice did not clearly explain the source of the information, but it was serious enough for Bach Van to understand that this was not a joke. "The Guard will enter the Central Regeneration Station at dawn tomorrow, from three directions. I tried to persuade the Elder to delay, but he only agreed to limit it to a peaceful dispersal first, guaranteeing nothing more than that. You need to warn those you know there, so they can prepare themselves, and if possible, convince them to leave before morning."

Bach Van thanked him. His heart beat fast when he cut off contact. He immediately tried to inform Khe Lam of the news. She had been staying behind to guard one of the small checkpoints near the regeneration station, and when she heard the news, her face was pale in the dim light.

"Tomorrow morning." She repeated, her voice shaking. "We have less than eight hours to do something."

She immediately found Tram Ba Nguyen, who was resting in a corner of a temporary tent set up near the station gate, and reported everything Bach Van had just conveyed. He listened in silence, his face never changed color, as if he had anticipated this for a long time.

"I figured they wouldn't wait forever." he said. "But I will not retreat, Khe Lam. If we leave as soon as they threaten, we are telling them that any future threats will have the same effect. But I will make sure most people here understand the risks, and those who want to leave before morning, I will not stop them."

"I beg you, please think again." Khe Lam said, her voice urgent. "It's not just the lives of the people here. If there's a fight near the main valves, the whole system could be affected."

"I know, daughter." Tram Ba Nguyen replied, his eyes heavy. "That's why I will personally stand near the main valve area tonight, along with the people I trust the most, to ensure that no incidents occur no matter how tense the situation is. You and the other engineers should leave the most dangerous area before dawn, to ensure your own safety."

Khe Lam shook his head immediately. "I'll stay. If there's any threat to the system, I need to be there to handle it with my technical knowledge. That's the only way I can truly help right now."

Tram Ba Nguyen looked at her for a long time, then nodded, accepting her decision even though he was clearly not completely assured. That night, no one in the regeneration station area actually slept, each in their own way preparing themselves for what dawn might bring, as the artificial light faded according to the ship's fixed night schedule, casting the waiting crowd in a heavy, unusually silent darkness.