Chapter 166: Chapter 165: Third Time’s The Charm Part 3

As the elevator ascended, Carl was silent, a barrage of messages sent and received.

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE SENT FROM PATRIARCH : SIS YOU HAVE PERMISSION TO DIVY UP ALL AVAILABLE DIV BETWEEN HOUSEHOLDERS ON HAVEN. ALL OF YOU GET TO MIRAGE, NEED EMERGENCY HOUSING, ENOUGH TO HOLD EVERYONE ON SATS. ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : RESOURCES ARE LIMITED CARL, WE CAN’T KEEP THAT MANY FED WITH WHAT WE HAVE. ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : BAHAMUT EN ROUTE TO ILLUM, TIAMAT EN ROUT TO GAIA. ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : SCYLLA EN ROUTE TO LYCAON ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : CARL, SUGGEST SENDING MAJESTY TO MIRAGE TO RAMP-UP SEARCH FOR THE CARRION. ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : NERGAL IS REQUESTING PERMISSION TO ASSIST ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE RECEIVED : CARL, WHAT’S HAPPENED? ]

[ EMERGENCY MESSAGE SENT FROM PATRIARCH : TO QUOTE GILGAMESH, “GRAB ANY DISSIDENTS YOU WANT, WE DON’T NEED THEM IN OUR FACTION”, IT SEEMS HE IS BORED OF PEACE FOR NOW. PERMISSION GRANTED TO NERGAL. GOING SILENT UNTIL I GET TO SATS. ]

“Jupiterran, do I have to worry about you trying anything?”

“No, I swear. ”

“Tiamutael, please dispatch and recall everyone as needed. When you get tired, have the immortals take over.”

“I understand your concern and how it sounded, but I truly don’t think he’s doing anything other than getting under your skin.”

“It doesn’t matter!…” Carl shouted, as Tiamutael grabbed his three companions to deploy them where ever they would be needed. “…He saw me tense. If things got desperate, he would use them as leverage.”

Jupiterran considered the point, then nodded when he couldn’t dispute it. “You aren’t wrong, unfortunately the simple fact is that people won’t believe what you’re saying… Carl, there will be a series of deaths amongst the refugees. We all have obser-”

“There won’t be any deaths Jupiterran, there will be a batch of returns.”

“Returns? Yes, I’m not sending any of them to the homeworld. I’m sending them to our diplomatic HQ, A world where a powerful hive-mind is currently scouring the world for traces of The Carrion.”

“A hive-mind?”

“The Carrion-hunters. My answer to the question “How do we deal with an endless wave of hyper-destructive, planet ravaging lifeforms?” and it happens to be a good one. Majesty herself is as strong a-”

“Carl, you probably didn’t look, but she is as strong as I was in her own way. Her royal guard are as strong as Aegis now.” Equinox advised, loud enough for Jupiterran to be privy to the knowledge and taking a fair amount of pleasure in his reaction.

“You have an army of creatures like The Carrion, with the power of Aegis? Carl, I’m going to tell the others casually. I think it might help your position.”

Carl side-eyed Jupiterran. “You know, subterfuge in the open is betrayal.”

The reaction was a jarred clearing of his throat. “Sorry I misspoke, I meant I think it would help us make an informed decision about the committee’s future.”

“Jupiterran, I’ll say this now, you’ve all done things I simply can’t forgive. I will make sure every crime is met with fair punishment.”

“I would expect no less from any leader. Wrongdoing makes the worlds darker places.”

’I sense no lie in the sentiment.’ Equinox confirmed telepathically,

As the elevator opened and everyone stepped out, they made a good pace winding through the complex, trying to balance urgency and composure as they were undoubtedly being observed.

They were certain no one could see or hear through the compact aura bubble but Carl was also aware that it could provoke suspicion towards Jupiterran, which could run contrary with Carl’s goals if it forced him to distance himself to save face.

As they got to the portal and it crackled to life, Jupiterran passed Carl a note and told him to give it to the guard that he had met earlier.

When he stepped through, the gate room was all but abandoned. He passed the note to the guard who read the note and placed it on the console next to the operator.

As the nervous man studied it, he looked to the guard, then to Carl, then hit the emergency messaging button. “Attention all faculty, visitors and students. I have received confirmation from a member of the committee’s inner circle. The ex-director’s information is indeed true and we should all gather in the communal areas as soon as possible…” The operator looked at Carl. “…Would you like to add anything?”

Carl nodded and the operator made room for him to sit and speak. “Hello, some of you know me, some don’t. I am Carl Bashe-Reaga, leader of the splinter faction and more commonly known as “the human with a plus” or “minus one”.

I apologise to everyone for the sudden nature and we won’t force anyone who doesn’t wish to join us. I won’t lie, we’re still in our infancy and there is much work to be done.

We are an equal community, immortals, pure-bloods and half-bloods working together. If that doesn’t suit you, stay, I don’t want to waste the effort sending you back here later.

I know that there will be anxiety and boredom as we complete the transfer process and uncertainty for those of you that choose a new life with us. I would suggest you prepare the following to give you something to occupy your thoughts and distract you from the understandable feeling of displacement.

First, prepare a list of qualifications and a system sheet, a list of ideal occupations and hobbies would also be good. We want to make sure we give people the brightest popular future in a role they enjoy.

Second, I’m sure there are several committee spies mixed in. Fair warning, you will be found… The punishment depends on who discovers it, remember the mother of demons is founding member and not all the creatures I make are adorable puddles.

Third, some of those creatures are currently patrolling the world you will be sent to. Please remain in the specified areas, as they are a hive-mind species and don’t think independently, which could lead to fatal accidents if you wander off.

Finally, I’ll be in the assembly hall in a sec, I look forward to meeting you all.”

Carl locked on to the presence of Leanna’s group, then opened a portal and stepped through, causing the sirens to start blaring.

“Quite the speech and an even more dramatic entrance Carl.” Leanna said as they were shut off and Equinox, Aegis and the guard followed him through.

The crowd was in a barely contained uproar, then the guard moved towards the podium.

“SILENCE! I am a Jupiter-corps Warrant Officer first-class. I serve the committee loyally and faithfully…” It was clearly an announcement that had been firmly drilled into him, his speech the smoothest it had been. “I… confirm the following… as true and… you should consider everything… carefully.”

The guard then stepped to one side and gestured for Carl to take centre stage.

“First of all, this place is a bit too crowded, let’s make some room. Everyone who absolutely wants to come with us, raise your hand…” Carl was speaking with blatant improvisation, caught entirely off-guard by the situation, but that worked to his favour as it eased people’s suspicions about it being some kind of coup.

Those that raised their hands found themselves lifted by platforms made of aura by the immortals and moved to the stage, where Lillim opened a portal which Gillian stepped through to lead everyone away.

The sight of which gave a few others the confidence to raise their own.

Carl didn’t wait for that process to finish before starting to address the rest. “Right, now we have some room to breathe and move. Can we please move to the sides and clear the centre aisle to the exit please.

Even though it was only casual movement, the sheer quantity of people made the shifting produce a thunderous rumbling.

“How the hell does this thing stay in orbit?” Carl asked, earning a chuckle from far more of his audience than expected.

“Seriously, Carl, what is happening?” Liam asked with even more frantic energy than the already abundant amount he usually carried.

Carl cleared his throat. “The committee and I have had three meetings now:

The first, I won’t lie, ended in tension between our two groups.

The second, came about as they actively decided to not come to the former director’s aide when Dracula came and ripped her arm off, an injury that was only healed through the joint efforts of Lydia, Kyubi and Bahamut.

The third is where I have just returned from. It was brief, we have a non-aggression pact that will last approximately two months.

I won’t lie to anyone, I honestly don’t know what will happen at the end of that two-months, but the committee has made it painfully obvious that they see anyone willing to leave as “dissidents” and I wanted you all to know that uncertain times lay ahead regardless.

That said, you heard my message before I assume? So if you don’t want to come with us, or you want to come but have ulterior motives…” Carl gestured down towards the massive and only doors that swung open and closed.

“…If you don’t want to come, then you can leave, I ask you to make your way to your rooms and remain there, any acts of violence will see one of my creatures or us sent to escort you back. If you think that your actions will go unseen…”

Carl didn’t need to finish, every living creature on the SAT-Station suddenly felt the weight of Tiamutael’s gaze.

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