The Groundbreaking Ceremony for the Zahazian Institute of Ecosystems Science and Technology (ZIEST)

Helen 19 stood with her fellows upon a lush grassy plain, dotted with blooms of varying shape, size, and color, a mere hour’s drive from the bustling spaceport on Zahaz. She marveled at the change – from earlier planetary surveys, this had once been a desolate wasteland of bleak, jutting rock. The crowd around her was growing larger by the moment. Green flyers were tucked under arms, in travel gear, or were being reread by the milling participants – all grey-skinned. Builder gatherings are unique in their silent calm – the hustle and bustle was telepathic, not verbal. While everyone was always in contact with each other, there was something special about physical presence.

Helen 19 felt a slow, steady pulse from the ground below. She turned back towards the spaceport and gasped. Oleifera was HUGE… and it was still far away. The Builders watched in awe and fascination as the giant creature slowly approached, six stories high and twice as wide. The crowd parted to let it through, as it slowly lumbered forward on heavy trunks, draped in masses of foliage. A thought whispered through the crowd, “It wasn’t that big when I saw it a few weeks ago…”

The Oleifera has passed the crowd, and slowly came to a creaking, rumbling rest. The sigh which fluttered through the crowd… tasted?... like a refreshing breeze. Helen 19 stared in wonder, barely noticing the three hooded figures who followed the creature and stood nearby.

The voice of Oleifera sung gently in everyone’s mind. “This one is thankful that so many have answered one’s invitation. You are all welcome here, on this verdant ground. This one asked for others to join it here, so that the cycle of Oleifera may begin again.”

“This one had gone astray. This one had deviated from the purpose, the soul, the meaning of its race, This one had forgotten what it meant to be Oleifera. Before we were destroyed, each Oleifera had one goal – to be filled with knowledge, to be launched into the heavens, and to seed a barren world with life. This was our purpose, and how we came to be. It is by this code that the Zahazian Institute of Ecosystems Science and Technology will be founded!”

The Oleifera’s declaration rang triumphantly throughout the gathering, and through every Builder listening in on other planets. “This center will be the remembering, the going forward, and the starting anew. The veneration of the elders, the emergence into your birthright, and the creation of a new generation! History and culture, exploration and contact, genesis and evolution!”

The words hung in the air as every Builder shared in the surge of excitement and devotion emanating from the towering giant. Helen 19 hugged her arms expectantly. The Oleifera continued, more gently, and sounded slightly saddened.

“On the world of Oleifera, ones who could not, or did not, undergo the transformation to Bodhi and undergo the launch became Soasis – the keepers of all knowledge. This one must become the new Soasis for the future. The radiation from CV Beta 4 washing John 13/Bodhi 1 has somehow affected one as well – it is becoming time to root. That is why this one has called you here. This is where ZIEST will be founded – this beautiful, verdant plain. This one will shade it with its branches, cool it with gentle breezes, protect it from the elements, as a great oak protects its acorns.”

The three hooded figures stepped forward, pulling back their hoods. A wave of gasps swept over the crowd – the grey Builder’s skin of the three women was traced with dark green veins, tiny sparkles running under the skin as if fireflies filled their blood. Their eyes were no longer silver, but emerald. They smiled, and the Builders saw that they had become more, become joined with the beautiful tree-creature.

“These three have melded with me, been taught as I have been taught by them as well. They are the originals, and I have given them the knowledge of Oleiferan culture and arts. They will be the triumvirate, the leaders of the Institute.”

They were… enchanting. Powerful. Elegant. There was a beauty and grace in their movements that electrified Helen 19. It’s not that the Builder’s life was unsatisfying, it was just that… well, this was NEW! And what a chance! This was why she had eagerly taken a copy of the flyer with the headline “Study with an Ancient Reclaimed race! Save the once Lost Secrets of the Oleifera!” She wanted adventure!

“This one wants to introduce you to someone. Since it will no longer be able to move about, this one has developed a choate, an extension of its will, to travel and speak and learn.” A few fronds were pushed aside, as a woman stepped down, gracefully descending with the elegance of a swan and nimbleness of a squirrel at home among the treetops. She resembled the three merged-Builders, with a simple gray shift, grey skin and green veins, but her hair wasn’t… it was a profusion of thin vines, peppered with tiny red flowers just beginning to open. “This is Marianette… she is this one, an extension of my consciousness. Let it be known that she speaks for one, because she IS one.” The dryad-lady took the hands of the three and they gently lifted her down to the ground. She flexed her toes as though digging them into the soft ground for the first time, and grinned. Helen 19 caught her eye, and the dryad gave her a saucy wink. Helen 19 gulped.

Oleifera continued broadcasting, as its trunks slowly worked their way into the rich loam in time with the dryad’s toes. “Together, we will develop new choates, ones which will let us glide through uncharted space aboard the Bodhi. We will hone our skills, the talents bestowed through study of the old ways. We will find new worlds and make sure that they are full of life, and peace, and the love of the Builders. In this way, we will do our part in the war against war itself.”

“You may go if you wish – you are welcome to return at any time. For those of you who wish to stay… let us begin this grand project! Let us build it together!”

The crowd sang, a Builder cheer of solidarity and unison, and in the next few days an elegant campus began to take shape, centered around the massive trunk of the slowly expanding Soasis.

Garmin Fe was not the sort to miss the opportunity to see the most prized of the reclaimed, choose the path of fostering new life and new peace. Yet, Garmin was also a busy man embroiled in conflict and war. As much as he wanted to see the ceremony with his own eyes, his presence would stain it in his judgement. Instead a crystalline eye spy moved between the crowds and projected onto Garmin's hand the wondrous ceremony. Inspired by the events, he portions out a sum of discretionary funds.

[Garmin donates 100,000 ghaz toward the institute.]

By the end of the week, at the guidance of the merged builders, the remaining builders were able to assemble the entire ZIEST complex surrounding the beauty of the new Soasis.

Already with funds provided by Garmin Fe they had created a permanent scholarship to help bring worthy students and faculty into the place of learning.

Across Yd Ev Nar, forty Ydyara hopped in their Aegis starfighters and flew over to Zahaz to join the ZIEST.

Three Aegelis volunteered to serve as Faculty and another 15 joined as students.

Dear Oleifera and the faculty of ZIEST,
I wish to send one of my children, Illuminated Sief of Makuf,
To study at your university as long as it does not require a Unity uplink.

Former Sector General Stark

Honored Former Sector General,

All who wish to learn and teach are welcome - an uplink is useful, but no, not required. This one looks forward to learning more of the Iron Republic.

Many blessings.