Chapter 430: Mass Mobilization

Scott pulled out a fresh cigar, lighting it as the holographic display of the All-Seeing Eye flickered on his phone.

"Stephen, do you know where Alex is?" asked Scott.

"He must be at his apartment taking a vacation with his women," said Stephen. "Why?"

"We’d better inform him of the situation," advised Scott, exhaling a plume of smoke. "I’m sure he won’t want to miss what’s coming, and he needs to be prepared. Furthermore... All-Seeing Eye."

"Yes, master," responded the AI from his terminal.

"Withdraw all our forces from the other planets," commanded Scott in a firm voice. "Have them enter war mode. We must prepare for a total collision against the Federation military."

"Understood," confirmed the AI. "A maximum-level mobilization order has been issued. All our forces are moving to the backup planet, and our assets are ready for deployment. Additionally, we received transmissions from our allied forces: they are preparing to launch their revolution."

"Well now, I didn’t expect that..." remarked Scott, raising an eyebrow. "Which forces have stayed on our side, which remained silent, and which showed a hostile stance?"

"The Bloodthirsty Empress, Berserker Empress, Dark Empress, and Golden Empress are the four empresses who mobilized their troops and seized control of the Federation military bases, rebelling," detailed the robotic voice. "All of our other allies have not expressed their positions yet; no allied force has taken a hostile stance against us."

"That’s excellent... Though I didn’t expect the Golden Empress to step up," muttered Scott.

"Do you think it’s a trap?" frowned Stephen.

"I don’t think it’s a trap, but it’s strange," analyzed Scott. "That woman is reserved. Unlike our other allies, who are usually women desperate for a big cock, she stays on the sidelines of our business."

Scott slipped the tactical phone into his jacket pocket and adjusted his shirt collar.

"Let’s get out of here, the ship is waiting," urged Scott.

"Understood," agreed Stephen, following Scott as they stepped out of the ruined perimeter.

Scott pressed a button on his wrist device. A second later, a spatial distortion tore through the sky: a flying ship the size of a Boeing emerged after executing a warp jump. The vessel engaged its optical camouflage system, becoming invisible to the naked eye and radar to avoid alarming the civilians.

The ship descended and deployed an energy ramp. Scott and Stephen climbed aboard, and the craft sped off toward Alexander’s building.

Stephen stared out the tinted viewport, keeping his arms crossed.

"Regarding the Golden Empress..." mused Stephen. "If she decided to seize the Federation Military bases this quickly, she must have something specific in mind. She isn’t the type who acts on impulse."

"That woman runs the largest commercial empire in the border sector," explained Scott, releasing cigar smoke toward the ceiling. "She isn’t looking for an ideological revolution, nor does she care about our disputes with the Council. If she mobilized aggressively, it’s because she saw a business opportunity or a direct risk to her assets."

"Do you think she plans to use the TMC as a shield to seize the mana stone supply routes?" asked Stephen.

"It’s a real possibility," nodded Scott, cracking a smile. "With the resource shortage you mentioned, controlling those bases gives her a monopoly over the teleporter gates. While we fight on the front lines against the Federation Military, she secures the loot."

"If she tries to use us, we should set a boundary before it becomes an issue," cautioned Stephen.

"For now, her armed support suits us," reasoned Scott. "Having her troops securing the Federation bases takes a load off our shoulders. We’ll settle financial scores with her once the storm settles."

The flying ship hovered above the helipad of Alexander’s luxury apartment complex, remaining camouflaged in mid-air.

"We’re here," announced Stephen, looking down toward the penthouse. "Let’s see how the kid reacts when he finds out he’s the face of a global rebellion."

"Make sure he has his belt fastened tight," warned Scott, walking toward the exit ramp. "Because starting today, there won’t be a second of rest."

The two of them stepped down the energy ramp connecting the underside of the ship to the terrace. The breeze rustled their coats while the aircraft hovered, invisible against the urban sky.

"Not bad for bypassing traffic and Federation patrols," remarked Stephen, adjusting his jacket.

"The camouflage will keep the ship hidden while we’re inside," said Scott, taking a drag from his cigar as they walked toward the penthouse door. "Let me head in."

They crossed through the terrace glass doors and made their way into the main living room. Alexander greeted them; he was standing near the floor-to-ceiling window holding his smartphone, where the holographic display of the All-Seeing Eye flickered with the red alert for Code 01.

"I see you’ve heard the news, kid," said Scott, cracking a smirk.

"The All-Seeing Eye notified me that the TMC has been declared a Level 1 rebel force," stated Alexander, looking at both of them.

"Congratulations, Alex," said Stephen in a sarcastic tone. "You are officially the poster boy for the global revolution against the Council."

"What the hell happened while I was resting?" demanded Alexander, staring at both of them with a grim look.

"The Council set a trap for us, looking for a scapegoat to blame for the mess," explained Scott, releasing a cloud of cigar smoke. "Old Vane came in person to attack us; he wanted to eliminate Stephen and drag you by force into The Breach. We had to erase him from the map."

Alexander fell silent, feeling a sting in his chest as he processed the revelation.

"So that means... this war started because of me?" asked Alexander, lowering his eyes slightly.

"Don’t speak nonsense, kid," interjected Stephen, stepping forward. "Those bastards used your ascension as an excuse. The storm was brewing long before this; you were just the final trigger."

"I understand..." said Alexander, regaining his composure. "In that case, what will happen to my women? They are my priority right now."

"Elena and the others are under the evacuation protocol," reassured Scott. "They will board this ship with us and be transferred to the backup planet base immediately."

"That puts my mind at ease," concluded Alexander, turning his gaze toward the city skyline.