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733 - Preparations
🕑 Added 2024-09-20 09:25:42 +0000 UTC"How about turning them against each other, making them compete to give you the technology?" Rina suggested, after taking a moment to gather her thoughts and reflect on everything she had learned.
That was all Aron needed to hear. He immediately grasped where Rina was heading with her explanation, but he didn't interrupt, letting her finish in case she presented something he hadn’t considered.
"From what you’ve said, even though they operate under a conclave, they're still competing with each other. So, as long as the incentive is right, they'll likely hand over the technology willingly—and might even be pleased to be the ones who do.
Offer them a deal: whoever provides you with the technology gets a permanent ten percent discount on all mana stone transactions, as long as the stones are used directly by that entity and not sold to others.
With that, the stronger ones might hesitate, but the weaker factions will scramble to deliver the technology. They'll rationalize that we'll get it eventually, so they might as well benefit from it.
Even if their version of the technology is less refined compared to the stronger factions, it will still give us a foundation to build on. From there, our specialists can optimize and advance it beyond its current level."
Aron nodded, signaling his understanding of where Rina was going. Though her approach differed slightly from what he had initially thought, it still aligned with the core of his idea. They were both aiming for the same outcome, just with slightly different methods to get there.
"Thank you," Aron said softly, hugging Rina and giving her a quick kiss before stepping back. With a final glance, he bid her farewell and entered the pod, ready to begin the knowledge assimilation process.
…………….
While the plan was still undergoing refinements, certain parts were already being implemented. These core elements were essential and would remain unchanged, regardless of any adjustments made later. As a result, they were put into action ahead of time to ensure progress continued smoothly.
The first step was issuing a retreat order across the entire Solar System. All ships and personnel in space were instructed to return to Earth or the inner space stations within a week. The same directive was sent to ships traveling faster than light (FTL) between the Proxima Centauri star system and Earth, all of which were owned by the empire or the Emperor’s company, ICARUS.
Ships that were close to completing their journey and could comply within the timeframe were allowed to continue, while those that couldn’t make it in time were ordered to drop out of FTL, turn back to Proxima, and await further instructions.
Immediately after, the spatial lock engines, placed strategically throughout the Solar System and even extending to the Oort Cloud, powered up to full capacity. These engines were designed to create localised spatial statis that would prevent any attempts at spatial breaches within the area, ensuring that the empire wouldn’t be caught off guard. At the same time, it allowed them to control the narrative of the inevitable conflict, even though they couldn’t avoid the fight altogether.
This strategy would also create a one-light-year buffer zone from the imminent conflict, providing the Solar System portion of the empire with the peace of mind needed to deploy their weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) without risking irreversible damage to the Solar System itself. With this distance, they could engage in the fight while ensuring that the core of their territory remained protected.
At that moment, all atomic printers within the Solar System—whether owned by the empire or the emperor's companies—were operating at full capacity. They were churning out various types of military gear, with a significant focus on cargo-type ships. These vessels were being equipped with cargo compartments filled exclusively with humanoid robots, their necessary weaponry, smaller ships, and other essential supplies. Once completed, each ship was swiftly dispatched to its designated location, ready to support the impending conflict.
A common factor among all the ships leaving the atomic printers was that each one was carrying different types of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs). These were either intended for targeted deployment in specific areas or kept on board as a precaution. This strategy ensured that if one group of ships were to be destroyed, the others would be prepared to take over and maintain the upper hand in the unfolding conflict.
They were meticulously preparing for every possible oversight, ensuring that no matter what happened, nothing would spill over into the Solar System. Every contingency was accounted for, aiming to maintain control and prevent any unforeseen events from jeopardizing the safety of the empire's core territory.
Most of these movements were conducted openly, as the empire kept its citizens informed throughout the process. They provided basic regular updates on the situation while the populace awaited the emperor’s address.
Understanding that the empire typically communicated openly about ongoing events, many individuals whose work wasn’t affected by the evacuation order continued their tasks with a sense of normalcy. They were confident they would receive notifications when the emperor was ready to address the empire, allowing them to focus on their responsibilities without unnecessary worry.
However, not everyone remained calm during the waiting period. Some individuals resorted to spreading rumors, claiming that the imperial family was merely buying time to escape, potentially leaving the rest of the population behind as sacrifices.
For these dissenters, their influence had dwindled to the point where they were viewed as the "weird kids" of the school. Despite their efforts to spread rumors, sentiments of distrust toward the imperial family had become more of a gimmick. Over the past five years, the empire had consistently promised much and over delivered, earning the trust of the majority of humans. Most believed in the empire's intentions, having seen no reason to think otherwise.
The imperial government maintained a strict approach to ensure loyalty and prevent any thoughts of rebellion, even though they could easily quash any uprising if necessary. As a wise man once said, "Prevention is better than cure."
Meanwhile, among the Proximians, there were no skeptics; their faith in the imperial family was and remained unshakeable.
