-So, what's the matter?
Anslare's father entered the room. His tone was stern. It was understandable. Just this morning he recieved a report of a sudden appearance of half a million people, and now his son was telling him to camo because of a "related matter". It was completely normal for him to put on an especially stern act to prevent any pranks.
Anslare was first to break the silence.
-Zaxton came over and told me that those half amillion people outside the city are his subjects from his dream. By the way, people standing next to him are his closest subordinates. The girl is his deputy, and the guy is the commander of his army, General-feel-something, I was a bit too stunned to hear.
Mark corrected him.
-It's General-Fieldmarshall. I am the second highest person in command of the army, with the first one being his excellency Zaxton.
Anslare's father's, Reimond's, eyes widened. He didn't expect something like this at all. He gradually came over and sat next to his son as everyone else also sat down. He covered his mouth and was thinking.
[This is... Huge! Literally! Compared to every other case that was recorded, the sheer amount of people that appeared is simply gigantic!.. Although, among the recorded cases there are quite few things that are a lot harder to explain than a sudden emergence of half a million people. Starting with unicorns and ending with users of literal magic, compared to these half a million people doesn't seem so unexplainable. Still, what the hell is happ--]
Zaxton interrupted his thoughts and went straight to the point.
-I think I already know your first question, and the answer is simple. I don't know, and neither does anyone else out of my people. All they know is that they suddenly lost their consciousness, and came to their sences already here. Only thing we know is that my Dream has merged with reality. And from what I heard from Anslare before he called you here, it wasn't the only incident.
-The reason why I'm here is rather simple, and considering what you know you might ber able to guess on your own what we want to ask from you, for the most part at least.
-...Shelter, right? Such an amount of people can't sustain themselves for long without a decent shelter, and given the circumstances I can understand why you were in such a hurry when you were at the gate. But...
Zaxton has interrupted him once again, answering the inevitably coming question.
-We are not asking for your support for free. All of the people are well educated, and by local education standarts are at least on a level of a high school graduate, with at least half also being at a level of bachelor in their field, and at least 15 people holding a PhD degree! Of course, I can't let you freely take my best scientists, but those who are willing will be able to work for you, since we don't really have a different option.
-Among the other people of notable proffesions we have teachers, mechanics, physicists, chemists and electricians, although the last ones arenot as advanced as the ones here, not having experience in jewel-accurate work on electronic boards. Then we have some people of the service sector like cooks, writers, jewelers, painters, carpenters, smiths and tailors. Naturally there are some law enforcement representatives, consisting of military and police.
-And, of course we have an array different factory workers, all of whom should be quite capable and should manage to quickly understand how to work with new equipment, given some training, of course. Naturally, I'm not offering my people as a free work force. In exchange for their labour I request accomodation for all of them, as well as rations.
Hearing an extensive report of what the other side could give Reimond raised his brows in shock. The other side was a barely graduated teen, and yet, not only did he have a thorough knowledge of what he could offer that would be of interest to him, he also had confidence to tell all this! The Zaxton he knew of was different. Shy and quiet, he wouldn't say a word unless asked, and even then he would not coninue conversation after answering thoroughly, unless he was asked to do so.
And now, this boy was coveying what he could offer in exchange for sheltering his people! This was an unimaginably sharp change of charaqcter, which surprised Reimond.
Anslare on the other hand, was calm, and after letting out a long sigh he spoke.
-Seems like you are determined to help your people, well I guess we ARE you best bet, since you have a much better relationship with us compared to others from High Fifteen. What do you think, father? Is there a way for us to help him? I'm going to tell you this right now, if we won't agree help him now, he'll find another way. I know him quite well, and when he sets mind on something he'll find a way to it, almost no matter what.
Both Emily and Mark nodded in confirmation of his words. Afterwards, both of their eyes were shining, and they had a smile on their faces, for different reasons.
Mark was reminded of the first field test of extra-long range artillery armaments. The sound of an explosion, the huge flash, and the tremble that could be faintly felt from a faraway point of impact.
At the same time, Emily was reminded of the time Zaxton asked his people wether or not they had someone more capable in mind compared to him, and the sincere rejection the next morning, followed by an entire crowd falling to their knees in salute, as an intial responce to his wish for them to choose their representatives.
The differences in their expressions was faint, but both Anslare and Reimond could feel that these confirmation and admiration in their eyes were sincere.
Accepting what he was told, Reimond covered his mouth again, and closed his eyes in thought.
[He has around 500 000 people following him, and he's ready to allow them to work for me if I provide shelter. My factories don't have many vacant work places, however, judging from the difference in experience of electricians he mentioned, they might have some unique technologies, which would mean that it might be beneficial to build a few new factories for his people as well...]
[Next are teachers and law enforcement representatives. I was already thinking of establishing a private school in the city, as such I should conduct an evaluation of teachers' knowledge and ability, and if they pass I won't have to seek out and entice good teachers from around the country, and I might be able to negotiate emplyment of the rest in other schools of the city. As for law enforcement representatives, I could hire them as guards for the residence and different establishments, after a proper evaluation.]
[Thirdly, the service sector worker's will be able to get a place in my esrtablishments around the city, although I'm not really sure about painters and writers, I would need some examples of their work before determining a place for them.]
[However, no matter what I and my Family can do, we won't be able to provide for all of them, which means...]
Finally, after thinking for a short while, Reimond finally spoke out.
-I will do what I can, however, you surely understand that everything our family can provide won't be enough to establish all 500 000 people you have under your management. While I might be able to hire entire groups of people, it would definetly be a stretch to say that I'm able to do so with no consequences, as such...
Zaxton completed his sentence after a short pause.
-...we can only depend on assistance of the Conglomerate? Yes, I did expect that much. However, until then I would like to recieve at least a temporary solution. I have no idea how long it would take for the Conglomerate to gather and make a final desicion, all I know before the process is completed, my people might die of starvation and lack of hygiene. At least temporarily provide my people with tents to have a roof over their head, some simple food to fill their stomach and some kind of way to let them keep themselves somewhat clean.
-The only things that some of them had with them when they got transported aside from their clothes and pocket whatches, are means of self-defence, now-useless newspapers and random tools or kitchen appliances, they have nothing but our labour to offer to you, but we still need some kind of way to preserve their lifes and health. Please, I have no other proper way to do this, I can't let down my people or start a meaningless conflict when there might be a new threat on the horizon.
Once Zaxton's words mentioned "A new Threat", both Reimond and Anslare raised their brows, while Mark and Emily furrowed theirs.
Reimond broke the silence that hung in the air for a moment.
-A new... threat?
-Yes, even though I still have no confirmation of their emergence in the Real world, thanks to the numerous cases of Dreams becoming real you mentioned my suspicions are being reinforced. In my Dream, the moment I completed forming my country, a strange threat appeared, which was way out of my image of the world, as if there was something in the dream wishing to destroy it. No matter how much I wished for that threat to disappear, it wouldn't, which forced me to militarize my country.
-And I suspect that that this threat might appear in the Real world as well, since so many Dreams became real. These Beasts... Are a serious threat.
Anslare couldn't hold himself from asking.
-How serious could it be? There's no way that modern weaponry wouldn't---
Zaxton interrupted him with a stern voice.
-Serious enough to force me to build four separate stationary artillery cannons, each of which had caliber double that of Dogurast cannon, with suitable barrel lenght of course. And yes, I mean THAT cannon. Of course, they were a last resort option, but we had to use this "Last Resort" option in total of THREE times. Twice from the eastern direction and once from the southern. The beasts have some strange types, and the ones for which we used the Closed-Border cannons we call "Titans". They are huge in size and have tough skin. Extremely tough.
The moment Closed-Border cannon was mentioned Mark made a deep breath and straightened his back and Emily stiffened her lips, however, the moment Titan was mentioned, both of them, almost simultaneously, shook for a moment, calming down after a few breaths.
-Visually they remind me of two aircraft carriers connected side by side, except instead of two ships underneath, there are four devastating pairs of legs. Thankfully, they are extremely slow. We managed to recieve intelligence about them eight months before it reached the frontline. It took it two years to tread through those 180 kilometers. Luckily, we managed to build the first Closed-Border cannon, and fend it off.
-What we failed to gather originally though, is that there were two Titans, following each other 30 kilometers apart, and so four months later we had to use The cannon again. This time we also tried to use other weapons at our disposal, and it was basically invulnerable to them. Since then, we held three rounds, unloaded, at each cannon, just in case. We haven't used it on anything else aside from Titans yet, since it's the only weapon that can destroy them.
-Oh, right, the main threat of Titatns comes not from them, but from the Beasts that hide underneath them from incoming strikes. At least, that's our evaluation. We never risked letting them get close to the cities or frontlines even. Before we would let them enter we would install barricades to stop the remaining Beasts from coming, and retreat. Then... Strike, and Artillery clean-up.
Both father and son were shocked to hear that. Not only a cannon double the caliber of the legendary Dogurast, but FOUR of them! Of course, they are stationary, but as a defensive measure it's... huge. And frightening.
Zaxton decided to wrap up his sudden lecture.
-Of course, these are only suspicions right now, but you have to keep it in mind. We also have some... Interesting technologies, which were widely used and researched back in Engania, once I meet with my scientists I will examine the report they managed to snag along, in order to plan the future goals accordingly. I hope you can convey my intentions to the rest of the Conglomerate, take along Mark and Emily as well, once you need them, they are better informed about the affairs of Engania, since they are de facto rulers.
Reimond stood up and raised his open palm towards Zaxton.
-I will do my best to persuade the rest of the Conglomerate to assist you. Please leave your subordinates with us, I will arrange the meeting as quickly as possible.
Zaxton accepted the handshake, bowed, nodded to his subordinates and left. After he left the room, Reimond dialed eight numbers in succession. The words he told the other side were identical every time.
# W e h a v e t o h o l d a n e x t r e m e l y u r g e n t m e e t i n g . #