Just like the woman, I froze in place.
The weight of her words crushed me. Dead? Could it be true? Was the man I had chased across the stars—the man I had longed to find—all gone? My heart hammered wildly against my ribs as a thousand thoughts raced through my mind. Was this some cruel joke, a nightmare too dark to be real? Had I left my home behind, escaping the famine and ruin, only to arrive too late?
And worst of all… had I failed?
My voice trembled as I barely managed to ask, "D-Dead?"
"Yes, I'm afraid," the woman replied, her voice soft but steady, as if trying to offer comfort in the face of the impossible. "But he didn't die in vain."
Her words sparked a faint light inside me—fragile, but real.
"He created something… a fertilizer," she continued carefully, "one that can heal crops on a planetary scale. It could bring life back to barren worlds."
At the mention of the fertilizer, hope surged through my veins, fierce and burning like a wildfire. I could almost feel the taste of fresh air and the smell of green fields in my mind—the promise of a future worth fighting for.
"Where can I get it?" I blurted out, desperation coloring my tone. "Where can I find this fertilizer? Please—tell me!"
She glanced around nervously, as if afraid someone might overhear. "It's extremely expensive," she said quietly, "but the government does provide it… to planets in need."
The words struck me like thunder. A chance—no matter how slim—was within reach. I didn't hesitate. Without another thought, I ran.
The ground beneath my feet blurred as I sprinted toward the looming silhouette of the human government headquarters. It was an imposing structure—cold steel and glass towering into the gray sky, guarded by stern-faced soldiers and lined with flags that fluttered weakly in the wind.
Despite the chaos and decay outside, the building seemed untouchable—an island of power in a sea of suffering.
When I reached its massive doors, my breath came in ragged gasps. My hands trembled as I raised one and knocked firmly against the cold metal.
My heart pounded as the sound echoed into the vast hall beyond.
And there, standing on the other side of that door, was the barrier between me and the hope my father left behind.
I closed my eyes for a moment, swallowing the lump in my throat. Then, gathering every ounce of courage I had left, I whispered to myself, Please, someone—help me save my people.