Sarah had spoken to CEOs.
She had spoken to generals.
She had spoken to scientists who believed sleep was an optional feature of human biology.
---
Presidents were usually easier.
At least presidents understood consequences.
Most of the time.
---
The holographic conference room lit up.
A moment later, President Gabriel Okoye appeared on the opposite side of the table.
---
Sarah studied him.
He looked tired.
Not exhausted.
Just the specific kind of tired that came from managing millions of people with competing interests.
---
At least he's honest about it.
---
"President Okoye."
---
"Miss Clinton."
---
Neither bothered with excessive formalities.
Both were too busy.
---
Gabriel leaned back slightly.
"I'm going to save us both time."
---
Sarah immediately became suspicious.
People who said that usually did the opposite.
---
"I want more Omega infrastructure."
---
There it is.
---
Sarah almost laughed.
---
"That's what everyone wants."
---
"True."
Gabriel nodded.
"But unlike everyone else, I have a plan."
---
Now that got her attention.
---
Imperial Island
Meanwhile...
Joshua was losing a fight.
---
Not an Ascendant fight.
Not a training fight.
Not even a political fight.
---
A paperwork fight.
---
Which was somehow worse.
---
He stared at the tablet in front of him.
---
Then at the second tablet.
---
Then at the third.
---
"There are too many words."
---
Virginia didn't even look up.
---
"That's generally how reports work."
---
"I hate reports."
---
"We know."
---
Joshua pointed dramatically.
---
"I was born for combat."
---
"You were born for chaos."
---
Joshua looked offended.
---
The fact that Virginia was correct made it worse.
---
The Proposal
Back in the conference room...
Gabriel activated a regional map.
---
Several areas highlighted.
Agricultural zones.
Industrial zones.
Population centers.
---
Sarah studied it carefully.
---
"This isn't a request for an Ascendant facility."
---
Gabriel smiled.
---
"No."
---
That surprised her.
---
Most leaders immediately asked for Ascendant infrastructure.
Training centers.
Research facilities.
Advanced development projects.
---
This wasn't that.
---
"I want energy."
---
Sarah blinked.
---
"Energy?"
---
Gabriel nodded.
---
"Reliable energy."
---
He pointed toward the map.
---
"People keep talking about Ascendants."
---
Another point.
---
"Politicians keep talking about Ascendants."
---
Another.
---
"Military leaders keep talking about Ascendants."
---
Then he folded his hands.
---
"My citizens want electricity."
---
Silence.
---
Sarah stared at him.
---
Then laughed.
Actually laughed.
---
Because he wasn't wrong.
---
Public Reality
The world loved talking about powerful Ascendants.
---
The average citizen cared about:
Jobs
Food
Transport
Energy
Housing
---
Not necessarily in that order.
---
And if forced to choose between a new Ascendant training center and reliable electricity...
Most people would choose electricity.
---
Repeatedly.
---
Imperial Island Training Grounds
Leon Vance watched two young Ascendants spar.
---
Neither was particularly powerful.
---
Neither was particularly famous.
---
Yet both were working harder than most politicians he'd ever met.
---
One of them missed a strike and landed awkwardly.
---
"Ouch."
---
His opponent nodded.
---
"That looked painful."
---
"It was."
---
Leon found himself smiling.
---
The simplicity felt refreshing.
---
No politics.
No negotiations.
No regional disputes.
---
Just two people trying to improve.
---
For a moment, he wondered if the rest of the world had forgotten that part.
---
UNPKI
Director Amara Kline had not forgotten.
---
Unfortunately.
---
She was currently reviewing twenty-three separate resource disputes.
---
Twenty-three.
---
She counted twice because the number seemed unreasonable.
---
It remained unreasonable.
---
An assistant entered.
---
"Director?"
---
"Please tell me something good."
---
The assistant thought for a moment.
---
"...the building hasn't caught fire?"
---
Amara stared at him.
---
"You had to think about that."
---
"Yes."
---
"That's concerning."
---
"Agreed."
---
A New Player
Elsewhere...
Far from UNPKI.
Far from Empire Corporation.
Far from most of the world's attention.
---
A private aircraft descended toward a remote facility.
---
The man stepping out was neither a politician nor an Ascendant.
---
Which made him dangerous in a different way.
---
Victor Hale
Founder and CEO of Hale Dynamics.
One of the fastest-growing technology corporations on Earth.
---
Victor looked at the facility in silence.
---
Then at the report in his hand.
---
Empire Corporation.
Again.
---
Every major opportunity eventually led back to Empire.
---
Energy.
Materials.
Infrastructure.
Omega-adjacent technologies.
---
It was becoming a pattern.
---
Victor disliked patterns where someone else controlled all the important pieces.
---
Very much.
---
A young executive approached.
---
"Sir?"
---
Victor folded the report.
---
"Increase investment."
---
"In which sector?"
---
"All of them."
---
The executive blinked.
---
"All?"
---
Victor smiled slightly.
---
"If the future is being built..."
---
He looked toward the horizon.
---
"...I intend to own part of it."
---
Back at Empire Corporation
Sarah ended her meeting with Gabriel and leaned back.
---
Interesting.
---
Most leaders wanted power.
Gabriel wanted stability.
---
That made him either very intelligent...
---
Or very dangerous.
---
Possibly both.
---
Her terminal chimed.
---
New report.
---
Another request.
---
Another dispute.
---
Another problem.
---
Sarah groaned.
---
The world really does want more.
---
Final Scene
As night fell across different parts of the globe...
People continued living their lives.
---
Workers finished shifts.
Students attended classes.
Researchers chased breakthroughs.
Politicians argued.
Ascendants trained.
---
And corporations competed.
---
Most of them believing they were shaping the future.
---
Few realizing the future was already taking shape around them.
---
Quietly.
Patiently.
---
And increasingly difficult for any single group to control.
--