But he would not stake everything on one uncertain hope. He didn't even know if the artifact truly existed, much less where it might be hidden. And if it did exist, who could say it hadn't already fallen into another's hands? The writings of his ancestors spoke only in riddles—nothing certain, nothing proven. A hypothesis, yes, but one filled with uncertainties, built on secondhand accounts that might not even be true.
Yet even in that doubt, he steeled himself. If there was even the faintest chance, he would endure whatever trouble it demanded. After all, no matter how unlikely or uncertain, an opportunity was still an opportunity. If it paid off, the rewards would be immense. If not… then at worst, it would end in wasted effort.
So thought the Federation President of Helios , Mr. Ivan Gagrin.
