Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 205 Human council. (2)
"If I may ask," said one of the 4D holograms, a politician known for his sharp tongue and self-righteous demeanor.
"I understand the need for these facilities on the world of Nakor, but why exactly do we have to pay our so-called allies? Shouldn't they be helping us for the sake of mutual survival? It seems absurd to me that we are being taxed for what is rightfully ours."
Before Lilla could answer, one of the destroyer captains, a gruff man with scars across his face from years of combat, slammed his hand on the table.
"Because no one works for free, you pompous fool. Can't you understand something as simple as that? Would you send troops to conquer a whole facility and just gift it away without getting anything in return? Are you seriously that stupid?"
The politician's hologram flickered as he leaned forward, his expression turning venomous. "How dare you speak to me like that, you uncivilized brute! This is precisely why muscle brains like you should not be allowed in an elegant discussion like this. You lack even the minimum education required to engage in proper discourse. Honestly, it's shock."
The destroyer captain scowled, his fists tightening as he looked ready to retort.
But before the escalating argument could spiral further, Lilla's calm voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Stop fighting among yourselves," she said firmly, her gray eyes opening briefly and scanning the room. The entire chamber seemed to fall under her spell, her words commanding attention without the need for volume or force.
"If we want humanity to rise again, we must cooperate. The military and the politicians must work together, not against each other. We don't have the luxury of indulging in these petty quarrels, gentlemen."
The room fell silent. Even the holograms seemed to flicker in awkward compliance, as though the light they projected felt the weight of her authority.
Lilla tilted her head slightly, her tone softening as she asked, "Can I take your silence as an agreement to let the assembly continue?"
Both the destroyer captain and the politician bowed their heads slightly, speaking in unison. "Of course. Sorry for the interruption."
"Thank you, gentlemen," Lilla said while offering a dashing, disarming smile. It was a smile that could soothe even the fiercest of storms, and it worked perfectly to settle the tension in the room.
She continued with her voice as calm and melodic as ever. "While the way the captain expressed himself may not have been the most appropriate, he is correct in principle. The taxes and payments our allies require are the price of the protection they provide. In exchange, they are offering defensive measures against the inevitable Nexum counterattack."
With a wave of her hand, the footage of Rex's battle on the oceanic world shifted to a new set of attack reports, showing detailed logs of pirate fleets, mercenary groups, and small rogue Nexum forces that had attempted to assault the Nakor sector in the past few months.
"This is..." one of the politicians muttered, grabbing one of the floating holo screens and quickly scanning through the report. His eyes widened as he processed the sheer scale of the attempted attacks.
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"How is it possible that all these forces tried to attack us... but none of them made it here? Not even one?"
Lilla's expression remained calm, but there was a slight shift in her tone, a faint edge that hinted at the gravity of what she was about to say. "That's one of the topics I wanted to inform you about today. It seems that our allies have formed... an agreement with the Hive Minds."
The entire room froze for a moment, the weight of her words hanging in the air like a thundercloud about to burst.
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"The Hive Minds?" one of the destroyer captains repeated, his voice filled with disbelief.
Lilla nodded. "Yes. It's the Hive Mind swarms that have been intercepting and destroying the pirate fleets, mercenary groups, and any other forces that attempt to assault us. The information we've gathered suggests that they're working in coordination with our allies to keep this sector secure."
The news hit the room like a bomb. Everyone began speaking at once, their voices filled with shock, disbelief, and confusion.
"How is that possible!?"
"There's no way! The Hive Minds don't negotiate! They only destroy everything in their path!"
"There's never been a single report of the Hive Minds making deals with anyone!"
"Can we even trust this? Our intelligence network is still limited. What if it's misinformation?"
"Or worse, a trap?"
The voices overlapped, the room descending into chaos once more. The captains and politicians alike were divided; some saw this as an unprecedented opportunity, while others saw it as a potential disaster waiting to happen.
Lilla raised her hand, her fingers delicate but firm, and the room slowly fell silent again.
"I understand your concerns," she said, her voice calm and measured.
"This revelation is unexpected, and we must approach it with caution. However, the facts are undeniable. Without the intervention of the Hive Minds, we would not be sitting here today discussing our plans for Nakor or the oceanic world."
"The protection they've provided has been instrumental in keeping us safe thus far."
She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing.
"That being said, I agree that we must tread carefully. The Hive Minds are not known for their benevolence. If they've chosen to aid us, it's likely because it serves their own purposes. But for now, their actions align with our survival, and that is something we cannot afford to dismiss."
The room went quiet with the weight of her words pressing down on everyone present.
Finally, one of the younger captains spoke up hesitantly. "Do you think this... alliance... if we can even call it that, is sustainable? Or will the Hive Minds eventually turn on us?"
Lilla's expression softened slightly, but her gray eyes remained steady.
"That is a question I cannot answer. But what I can say is this: humanity must be prepared for every possibility. We will use this time to grow stronger, to solidify our defenses, and to ensure that we are not dependent on any one ally, whether it be the Hive Minds or anyone else."
Her words were met with solemn nods from both the captains and the politicians.
Lilla gestured toward the reports on the holo screens.
"Now, let's refocus on the task at hand. The full assault on the oceanic world and the continued development of Nakor's facilities are critical to our long-term survival. I want detailed plans from each of you on how we can ensure their success."
"If I may ask, holy maiden," the destroyer captain, who always seemed overly attentive toward Lilla, spoke up, his tone deferential but carrying a hint of personal interest, "isn't the oceanic planet already under the control of a megacorporation?"
Lilla, ever composed, nodded slightly. "That is what makes this situation so intriguing," she replied, her calm, melodic voice commanding the room's attention. "While it is true that the oceanic planet was once under megacorp control, shortly before the battle with the Tier 3 beast, it was sold to a ghost company."
At her words, one of her maids gracefully stepped forward and adjusted the holographic device in the center of the table. The image shifted, displaying a detailed 4D hologram of the oceanic world, its shimmering blue surface dotted with swirling currents and glowing reefs.
The captains and politicians exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves.
"What you're suggesting," one of the politicians said, his voice tinged with suspicion, "is that what happened to the luxury cruiser was planned by someone. And that the same party responsible for the incident also purchased the planet afterward?"
"Precisely," Lilla replied with her expression serene but with an undercurrent of sharp intelligence.
The room fell silent for a moment as her words sank in.
One of the maids, standing beside Lilla, took a step forward and activated another hologram. This time, it displayed the Tier 3 beast Rex had fought against, alongside images of other native oceanic lifeforms.
The beasts were displayed to scale, their sizes and energy requirements annotated in detail.
"The evidence we've gathered strongly suggests," the maid began, her voice clear and professional.
"That the Tier 3 beast was not a natural occurrence on the planet. For one, there was insufficient energy in the ecosystem to support such an evolution. None of the other local creatures had reached a tier or size necessary to trigger its ascension."
She gestured toward the hologram, highlighting the massive size disparity between the Tier 3 beast and the largest native lifeforms.
"Additionally, a creature of its size would require an enormous amount of food to sustain itself. If it had been present for any significant period, it would have wiped out the planet's ecosystem within months. The data suggests it had been introduced shortly before the incident."
The murmuring grew louder as the captains and politicians absorbed the implications of this revelation.
"So," one of the older politicians said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "you're saying someone deliberately placed the beast on the planet?"
The maid nodded. "Exactly. And it would seem they did so with a very specific purpose in mind."
Another politician leaned forward, frowning. "Think about it. A luxury cruiser wouldn't knowingly visit a planet inhabited by such a dangerous creature. It would be suicide. The crew must not have known either. This whole thing... it smells of a setup."
"It is as you say," Lilla interjected gently, her soft voice silencing the growing chatter. "The beast's presence was no accident. The timing of the sale of the planet, the appearance of the Tier 3 beast, and the subsequent destruction of the cruiser are too closely aligned to be mere coincidence."
The room fell quiet again as everyone considered the implications.
