Chapter 3450: Space Infrastructure
The grave misunderstanding would have never occurred if the Panama Continent had properly integrated all of its information systems into the broader information network of the true world and had access to even public data that would have told them the truth of the extent to which the true world had explored space. The dark elves had declined to share details regarding their space ventures with the humans, leaving human civilization in the dark regarding the extent to which the other civilizations had gone to space.
Human civilization’s space ventures were limited to what the Astromind had accomplished and a Martial Transcendent creating the moon out of his bare hands. They couldn’t even fathom a deep set of operations in space had come to develop so extensively, but it certainly explained how the civilizations of the true world had gotten their hands on enough materials to build Quasi-Dyson Spheres.
"The data reveals nucleothermal activity on the surface of many of the planets in our solar system," the Astromind murmured. "I can’t believe I didn’t spot it all these years. Damn that Manifold impeding my observation of the cosmos! Look, our satellites have detected that each of the six civilizations has gained a measure of control over many of the planets in our solar system, but also has mined much of the asteroid field in the outer rings of our solar system between the planets of Nescia and Nortourn."
The Solar System that Gaia was in contained eight other planets within it, while Gaia was the third, further away from the Sun, each with different characteristics and different elemental compositions, and each quite inhospitable to life. A large and expansive asteroid field containing multiple planets’ worth of various compounds was spread in a ring between the fourth and the fifth planets of the solar system, and was rich in all manner of minerals that were useful in many sectors and industries.
Their satellites detected a myriad of gravitational trajectories across the entire asteroid field, suggesting a truly enormous number of mining operations that went across much of the solar system.
This gave them the materials they needed to build powerful Dyson Spheres and an extensive structure that was materially demanding.
"There’s even a planet that has some biosignatures on it, such as the production of methane and oxygen," the Esoterist remarked as he studied the spectrographic data of each of the planets. "...This must be the dark elves and their botanical biotechnology in outer space for mining operations. Though they’re clearly mining for different resources than the other five civilizations."
The dark elves constantly needed more and more organic matter, and the compounds that comprised organic matter, and carbon was abundant enough within the solar system to deploy specialized trees engineered for outer space and for barren planets to extract them and send it back to the dark elve,s who would then use it to increase the amount of ammunition they had for their flora systems.
This was why elven forests could regenerate virtually limitlessly. They extracted most of the potential organic matter not just in their continent but also drew it from outer space, using it to create enough flora tissue to cover the entirety of Gaia pretty easily.
It meant that even if their forests were destroyed, they could easily rebuild it with all the excess organic matter that they had brought home. Unbeknownst to him, Rui had experienced just how limitless their reserves could be precisely because of their outer space mining of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen.
"The dark elves likely have an easier time due to the fact that the elements they seek are quite low on the periodic table," the Astromind remarked. "But heavier metal elements are more limited, so the six civilizations probably fight over it a lot. It’s no wonder that it feels like the rest of the world was hiding the extent of their operations in outer space from us. They didn’t want to share a piece of the pie with the upstart of our continent."
The Esoterist sharpened his eyes. "Well, too bad. We will be conducting our own mining operations. However, I’m not personally interested in regular matter. I only care for esoteric matter and esoteric technology. However, we have a fixed amount of esoteric matter, while their reserves of regular matter only keep growing with each passing moment. The Emperor of Harmony is highly intent on participating in this race, although our enemies and even allies have a massive headstart, we do have the technology needed to launch our own space stations and planetary and asteroid mining operations. However, there is only one issue..."
He gazed at the data of the asteroid fields and the planets with a serious expression.
"There isn’t enough space left unclaimed."
The data revealed distinct technological signatures of the six pureblood civilizations and numerous other minor polities and countries across the planets, moons, and the asteroid field.
It was a declaration and claim of territory.
Most likely, the current arrangement had come about by some secret international treaty and armistice between all six pureblood civilizations that human civilization was not privy to. There wasn’t a single section of the asteroid field that wasn’t occupied by some force or party, nor a single planet or any of its moons.
If human civilization wanted a piece of the pie, it would need to wage a space war on the operations of another polity in the true world.
There was a big issue with that possibility, of course.
"We don’t have enough of a foundation in space to even consider this route."
Space was an entirely different environment from that of a planet. The human civilization of the Panama Continent would experience devastating losses in its attempts to fight others in space who were much more equipped for space wars.
"It would take too many resources," the Esoterist realized. "It might... it might just be better for human civilization to move to... skip gaining control over our solar system. The disadvantage might be insurmountable."