"Ahem…
The actions of the Sicarius Clan has led to the imprisonment of nobles and citizens of the Trika Empire and Emperor.
As Archduke of the Trika Empire and spokesperson of the Trika Emperor… we request some tribute from you and your people so we can allow the Vaadan Region to continue existing."
Not aware his words meant very little to Esmond, the Archduke of the Trika Empire and a member of the Emperor's entourage felt like prey before a monster.
As an accomplished Archduke of the Trika Empire, he'd served his nation well, but in this very moment, where he sat around the same table as Esmond, the Archduke felt inferior.
Even the Emperor couldn't help but feel afraid of the man who'd so quickly revolutionised the Vaadan Region.
Unfortunately for the Emperor his desire to gain knowledge would go unanswered as Angela interfered in the talks and stated the honest reasons of the meeting.
"Archduke Walicott should understand this meeting wasn't conducted to pay any remunerations to your Trika Empire, but rather your Emperor wanting to cooperate with the Maestro of the Clan.
The Maestro is now here before you, yet you insult us with rampant ideas to fulfil your greed.
I suggest you rethink your decision and come back to us another time when you know what you want.
After all our Maestro doesn't like to waste time with needless meetings if the other party isn't serious." Angela's straight to the point attitude quickly helped her control the meeting and instantly put the Archduke on his backfoot.
Worried about their next course of action, another noble who was part of the Trika Emperors entourage spoke up, trying to fix the damage created by the Archduke.
"Young Lady, you mustn't understand.
These lands served the Trika Empire importantly and served us well until the Clan intervened.
While we accept the noble who represented the Empire failed in his duties by making this region his own kingdom, we hope the Clan could return the lands to the Empire so we may lead it once again.
Mind you, we are grateful for all the work you have done to recreate this region into what it is now.
The Trika Emperor would like to offer his sincerest thanks for all you have done…" the Marquis stood up and slightly bowed in Esmond's direction, however this seemed to ignite Strategos Preston Baxter fury.
"Listen here, Marquis Bringston, that 'Young Lady' is Baroness Angela Mercer and Personal Secretary to the Maestro.
Someone who could overturn your entire Empire through her connections if she so chose to.
I wouldn't be surprised that your own wife would be outraged with you for behaving in such a condescending way before the Baroness.
Even the Empress has to hold her tongue before her.
Also, who the hell are you to bow for your Emperor?
He should do it himself, especially if he expects the entire Vaadan Region to re-enter his hands for free.
This is a fucking crude joke.
Our Maestro has put in the hard work to rebuild this region within a short few months, where you have done nothing but play with your hands and speak nonsense over the years.
If you expect our help or assistance in any shape or form, I suggest the Emperor speak freely with our Maestro otherwise nothing will be achieved." The Strategos Preston Baxter was sharp and to the point which Esmond loved.
It obviously hurt the Trika Emperor to expel such people to the Vaadan Region, expecting them to die off, only to now be fighting him back with a stronger force.
Seeing his side going nowhere, the Emperor sighed before waving his people off to go and leave while he stayed to chat with Esmond.
Similarly, Angela and Preston left, leading the nobles to a banquet in a side reception room.
The food and drinks all came from Earth but produced in the Space, increasing the flavour and texture of the food.
All the nobles and their confidants were jumping at the sight of the amazing food, while Esmond and the Trika Emperor sat across from one another.
"Bernard Trika, the second son of the former Trika Emperor who gained the throne once his Elder brother was assassinated.
Many believe you caused your own Elder Brother to die, organising the assassins to kill while he slept with his wife on their wedding night…" Esmond brought up a personal topic that the Trika Emperor hated to discuss.
Worst yet, the person to bring up such a sore topic happened to be Esmond, someone he despised for taking the Vaadan Region from his hands but also for being able to create such a prosperous region.
"But… I have my own thoughts.
From what I've heard you and your brother were quite close and more than what people knew.
You even helped him become the future Emperor, only for someone close to you causing the assassination.
To hide the truth of their involvement, you took the blame upon yourself and know… here we are.
Tell me Bernard… am I wrong?" Esmond didn't smirk or smile, instead he got up and moved himself and Bernard to another room with a view overlooking Vileta, an advance small city.
Esmond poured himself a drink and one for the Emperor, only to inform him to take sips of the alcohol if he didn't want to be overcome by the high alcohol content.
"… I'm annoyed I wasn't able to find anything about you, beside what I've heard in the last few months.
Let me ask you this, as someone whose been raised to lead the Trika Empire, how can you say your Clan as any right to this region of land that as served my family for generations?"
The Trika Emperor chose to not answer Esmond's question, but he understood it was enough to engage the Emperor to make an idiotic statement.
Esmond smirked as he replied, "You said it yourself, you were Raised to become an Emperor and lead your people.
You were taught to understand the pleas of the common people and those with power to help your Empire survive.
Unfortunately for you, I am someone that Exists to lead.
My whole life was created to lead the world.
While you might find my words irrelevant, I know your forces can't fight on four fronts while keeping your citizens fed.
I'm positive the Church will send a Holy Crusade to end you once they learn about this interaction we are having.
Honestly, I don't care for them one bit, but I wish to learn other Healing Magic from them but also crush them into dust.
Religion is fine but it shouldn't interfere with politics or the affairs of the State.
Anyway… I want to know; how do you expect to involve me hand in your problems?" Esmond stared deeply at the Trika Emperor as their discussion entered the next that would shape the future of Stovi within the next few months and years.
.
"I didn't expect the meeting to head in that sort of direction…" Isabelle commented as she followed Esmond back to the Spatial Ark Star World.
Stovi had come to a pause with both of them outside of the Hunting Grounds Generated World as their focus needed to be completely set on the battle about to take place.
Carter could do it all by himself, but Esmond wanted the other A.I Spirits involved, including Isabelle would wasn't required necessarily and could be left behind in Stovi but Esmond wanted her to keep any eye on the Spatial Ammunition Replenishment System.
Weapons had small Spatial Stones cut into sizes of diamonds and added to equipment that required ammunition replenishment.
For instances, soldiers on the frontlines could finish their ammunition equipped on their body, but with the help of the Virtual Profile, it would automatically request for ammo to appear onto the soldiers' body.
Isabelle wanted to create other A.I Spirits that specialised on Spatial Stones since her focus expanded out to manage Stovi.
She didn't mind managing the Spatial Stones but once the forces crew of the future Empire, Isabelle expected the work would far exceed her abilities.
Thankfully the Quantum Computers helped deal with the processing and calculations to help her with the work.
.
"Well Bernard understands his Empire won't exist if we attack.
I never believed by request would be accepted but as his own children are incompetent to lead in the future, it'll should fall to another.
What changes is that I can take the Empire by challenging the Princes through competition." Esmond laughed at his good luck to convince the Trika Emperor to involve him in the battle for his throne.
Though he wouldn't retire any time soon, the Emperor wanted to figure out who would succeed him.
Esmond understood the Emperor wanted to marry one of his daughters to him to ensure his bloodline would continue but Esmond would accept anyone so easily.
He already had three women on Earth and Esmond didn't want to marry some Princess, only to see her struggle over on Earth.
But Isabelle saw it different where she believed Amelia, Layla and May would help her understand the world beyond Stovi if they ever learnt about the Spatial Ark Star World.
She pushed aside the topic for now as they arrived before the great sea of the Spatial Ark Star World.
Esmond, Rahzil, Rashid, Carter and the other A.I Spirits joined Esmond in the sky as they floated above the army below.
Jones, the humanoid form of the Kraken, Frigus the Ice Dragon and the Undead Draconic Skeleton, Spina joined them in the sky, making all those below understand the strength in their Lord's hands.
From battleships, destroyers, submarines, and helicarriers, Esmond saw his grand army that was a combination of everything he'd sourced into the Spatial Ark Star World.
The First-Generation 47-Clones and the Second-Generation Fett-47 Hybrids Clones completely filled out the war machines of Esmond's Phantom Army.
Even the Androids from the PD-01 models to the newer models crowded onto the different war machines which were all ready for warfare.
The Special Forces Esmond had gathered with Anton's help were part of the forces below, but part of the Special Teams organised.
All the species part of the Space also joined the grand army below, with the Yautja Predators prepared to hunt any that tried to getaway in the forests and jungles.
.
The Great Warring Clans, Uh'Strod, Us'Theraei, and the Ug'Drittic were happy to lead men and women to battle once again as their minds had been through enough simulation battles in the Virtual World.
G.A.E Humans helped fill out the higher ranks to with managing teams and machinery through the battlefields but Kane and Vaazakra were prepared to help if they lacked behind.
Funnily enough, saw Oscar, a captain leading G.A.E Humans and Aksel standing for the Zadrisian forces who stood behind him with a proud smile on their faces.
Everyone standing in the army below had a proud smile across their face, especially the Fett Clones who were rewarded to Esmond and added as a species to the Summoning Square to allow for a female variation to spawn.
They were all just as gifted and powered as the rewarded Fett Clones and ready to serve, but now everyone had a reason to fight with their own families and partnerships.
Even Commander Cody had a partner who'd turn pregnant and Maze, one of the deadliest Clones in the Republic army held adopted a son of his own through the charity groups Eddie created across the world and brought the orphans over to the Space.
Families happily adopted the children, especially the Clones who believed it was their right to pass on their knowledge and history to the next.
Esmond had in fact heard the Omega Squad that were summoned brought along Beskar Steel which became added to Primordiam Steel Alloy before creating new armour for each Clone, much like the Mandalorians had their own armours.
Before the task was left to machines, which created excellent armour for each spawned Clone but since Halkgon arrived, he was tasked with created specialised armours for each Clone.
The Dwarves helped hasten the process with technology and quickly processed enough armour to outfit all of the first spawned Clones and those that came after from the Summoning Square before April the 2nd 2008.
Today was landing day and everyone was ready to fight.
Though the Androids would be leading the first few waves, the following waves would the true powers that rest within the Space.
"Today!
We seek out to walk among men and women of the world, yet we must act without them noticing our presence…
You might ask why?
'We have enough power to take the world for our own already!', some might say…
But the truth is, we must act with vigilance, care and respect to make everything ours.
Why?
Because with true power and dominance, a pocket of resistance will splutter into a curse that is unstoppable.
To stop this, we will come with peace, strength, and the power to bring prosperity to any nation we associate with.
However, our actions and swift work to bring stability will make us the leaders of Africa within no time, helping to make the continent an influential figure in the world but also our first steps to bring change to the world.
Now, my men and women of the Phantom Private Military Army!
It is time to bring change to Somalia, Western Sahara, Mali. Mauritania, Ethiopia, Sudan, Central African Republic and the Congo…
I Know!
That's a great number of nations and lands we are getting ourselves involved with, but it seems the U.N is looking for help, especially something that won't cost them a great sum of money.
Instead, we have gained many favours to help us, especially after the large donations Eddie has made to their cause.
So, prepare yourselves Phantoms!!
War is upon us!!
Take to the shadows and hunt!"
'"HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!"' the soldiers all shouted in sync as Carter summoned hundreds upon hundreds of portals leading outside of the Space in the sea.
All the ships and aircrafts headed for the portals as Esmond and the others watched closely.
"It never occurred to me… that the United Nations would so easily accept our 'help' with several hundred million on the side… hahahaha!
What the fuck."
Esmond could help but find it hilarious the U.N easily accepted help from his Phantom Security Services Pty Ltd.
According to the members of the U.N Eddie had connected with; they were searching on ways to help reduce the impact of mercenary organisations who were funded by the U.N to help eradicate the warlords.
Sadly, for the U.N, Warlords were the best choice for mercenaries when it came to job prospect.
They were against hiring other mercenaries to clean up another rogue bunch that hurt their image in the world, but since the Phantom Security Services also helped his charity move refugees out of U.N camps, they had a good image within the organisation.
Esmond's charity was also helping accept refugees and move them to the Septum Aecors of Terra Kingdom, which required some help from the Phantom Security Services.
U.N only offered them a small presence in a few nations to help clean up some Warlords so others who were in their control could take their place, but Esmond had other ideas.
He'd already sent his future African leaders with some Phantom Security Services protecting them and helping them move around.
Every single person Esmond had set up to become a future leader was making massive strides in their nations and attraction the right and wrong attention.
Thankfully the Phantom Security Services kept everything civil but it wouldn't be long before Esmond's future African leaders would call on the Phantom Security Services to help provide security to their nations.
With the World Market becoming more and more turbulent, Africa was beginning to feel the strain and Esmond's intervention came at the precipice of disorder.
Esmond also knew the U.N wanted to pin some blame on his innocent company if Africa couldn't be helped and Phantom Security Services failed to perform but Esmond knew they'd long be out of his favour by the time they knew Africa was in his grasp.
As the ships and aircrafts left the Space, Esmond saw the A.I Spirits leave for the Military Command Central near the Second City of the Spatial Ark Star World as they prepared to help the Phantom Security Services.
Rashid left the Space through a separate portal that brought him onto a ship leading to Western Sahara to clean up the rogue cells of the Hassassins.
.
Jones left for the open sea of Earth and spawned his Kraken brethren to help hasten the attack, even if the Krakens couldn't fight on the surface of the Earth, besides Jones.
Frigus wanted to join the battle in the sky, but his presence would surely inform the world about the supernatural, so he was kept in the Space, as were the other animals, except the Direwolves who joined unique military squads.
One of those happened to include the Yautja and Great Warring Clansmen, but even the Zadrisian and Veveliaan had powerful squads with the Direwolves.
As they all made landfall across Africa, from the sea, sky and land, the world was distracted by Esmond's announcements in Adelaide.
"Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen to the First Conference of the Aeternus Curatio Group!"