BXBX NOVEL Chapter 370: Elitist Consipracy
At the heart of the dimly lit room rests a substantial oak table, its polished surface softly aglow beneath the flickering light of candles. Surrounding this centerpiece are plush leather chairs, each occupied by a member of the Vance family's most trusted advisors and associates.
Dominating the room's focal point is a state-of-the-art monitor, its sleek screen displaying the image of General William Moore of the Confederacy. Despite the physical distance separating them, the wonders of modern technology have brought the meeting's participants together in a virtual space, allowing for seamless communication and collaboration.
Alexander Vance, the patriarch of the family, assumes his position at the head of the table, his discerning gaze sweeping over the assembled faces before settling on the monitor before him.
"General Moore," he greets with a tone of authority, his voice resonating with confidence. "I trust you've come prepared to discuss about… Our… trade."
On the screen, General Moore nods in acknowledgment, his demeanor composed. "Of course, Mr. Vance," he replies. "Let us begin, So what can you offer us in exchange for us giving you some… convenience in the conflict that is soon to come." Spoke, General Moore.
Alexander Vance nodded to one of his assistants, who promptly opened a file on his computer, displaying a slide showcasing a new weapon.
The weapon depicted on the screen was a suit made from an unknown metal, seemingly a blend of various high-durability alloys. Its structure was sleeker compared to Daniel's soldiers' power armor, and its technological complexity was more moderate. It resembled an exoskeleton with added plate armor, designed for enhanced mobility and practical combat effectiveness at a reasonable cost.
"What is this?" General Moore's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the exoskeleton armor displayed on the slide, clearly unimpressed. "Mr. Vance, I asked for a weapon capable of combating Astral Tech's power armor, and this is what you present?"
"Before you proceed to criticize my integrity, please allow our head researcher to provide some insight," Alexander Vance interjected calmly, then turned towards a man clad in a white lab coat. "Dr. Tanner, if you please."
"Ah, thank you, Mr. Vance," Dr. Tanner acknowledged as he rose from his seat and directed his attention to the main screen. The video displayed captured footage from the defense at Sector Alpha City, with a minimized screen showing General Moore still present in the conference.
"As you can see in this video," Dr. Tanner began, "the power armor employed by our adversaries appears to assist the wearer in mitigating recoil from their weapons, resulting in enhanced accuracy. It's most likely they have a built-in targeting system or assistance, which we've already researched and implemented in our exoskeletons."
Moving on to protective capabilities, Dr. Tanner directed attention to a section of the video where soldiers in power armor faced off against bio-engineered creatures armed with heavy weaponry. Despite sustained gunfire, the soldiers remained mobile and unharmed.
The video then transitioned to a scene in the test lab where a volunteer wearing the exoskeleton was shot with a .50 BMG bullet. Despite being pushed back and falling to the ground, the volunteer quickly regained their footing and proceeded towards the researcher's designated goal.
Subsequent footage displayed damage to the exoskeleton's armor plate, showing a significant dent from the bullet impact, yet the bullet did not penetrate through the plate.
"As you can see, our armor plate is capable of withstanding such impacts," Dr. Tanner elaborated.
"With a thickness of 0.8 inches, our armored steel plate, combined with a super alloy technology from Vance Armory Corporation, provides the same durability as a 1-inch thick plate but with a slimmer profile.
While the heavy-armored model demonstrated in the video offers robust protection, even our recon models can effectively shield your soldiers from .50 BMG rounds, albeit with minor injuries that still allow them to engage in combat."
Dr. Tanner paused, then turned towards the screen and camera, addressing General Moore directly. "Do you have any questions, General?" he inquired.
"I have some questions. Why can't you produce the same thing as Astral Tech? I see that the power armor from Astral Tech has nearly all of the joints and gaps in the armor well-protected. Also, I saw that footage before, there is a time when their soldiers engage in melee combat, and their power armor seems to be able to crush those creatures' skulls. Can we do the same?" General Moore inquired.
"Before I answer this question, what is the best way for a soldier to survive a bullet? Of course, by not getting hit in the first place. Our exoskeleton may not appear as durable as the power armor produced by Astral Tech. But our exoskeleton offers better mobility than them, that's for sure," the researcher paused then continued.
"Besides, we designed this exoskeleton with a real battlefield in mind. Usually, soldiers won't stand in the open like the soldiers in power armor from Astral Tech. They move around the battlefield and try to change their position as frequently as possible to preserve their lives. That's why we designed our exoskeleton with ease of use and mobility in mind.
Moreover, from our data, your soldiers outnumber Astral Tech's ten to one, and our armor comes at a more affordable price than Astral Tech's armor. I believe that you could field this exoskeleton armor en masse and let your soldiers overwhelm your opponent," explained the researcher.
"Hm…." General Moore thought for a moment before he nodded. "That's reasonable. So, as per our agreement, I need to attack the Nevada border with superior manpower and firepower until the border guard can't hold on. Then the Congress and the President would send reinforcement.
After that, I need to deploy my special strike force using this technology of yours to dispatch them, is that right?" asked the general.
"That's right," responded Alexander Vance, his voice carrying a tone of calculated determination. "Then the next step: I'll accuse you of stealing our technology, and we will lobby Congress to pressure the President to take responsibility for this.
Then, I'll run for the next presidency that is going to come in a few months after the new year and offer a solution for my people," he said with a smirk.
"My people," Alexander emphasized, laying bare his ambition without hesitation. His family had always played second fiddle to the Goldwyn family in both political and economic influence, but this time, he intended to rise to the top.
He recalled his past attempt to court Victoria Goldwyn's mother, Sarah Goldwyn. When she rejected him, Alexander felt deeply humiliated. Determined to regain his pride, he supported his son in courting Victoria. If his son were to marry her, it would merge the two wealthiest families in America into one. Luckily, the Goldwyn family didn't have any other heirs besides Victoria.
If his son were to marry her, they would inherit all that wealth.
Unknown to him, before the Grand Alteration spell, the one he attempted to court was none other than Greed, though she used a different name at the time. While Alexander had some knowledge of the Curtained World and even benefited from it, he had never been exposed to any magical powers, and his potential as a mage was below average.
As a result, Alexander Vance didn't retain his memories after the Grand Alteration spell. He became like any other normal person who was unaware of the Curtained World. He didn't disclose the existence of the Curtained World to his son, knowing that his son wouldn't be able to keep the secret.
Now, with the disappearance of the mysterious deterrents posed by the Curtained World due to the Grand Alteration Spell, Alexander Vance's long-suppressed ambition resurfaced. He had always aimed to be number one, but the limitations known as the Curtained World had kept him humble and prevented him from overstepping his bounds.
"Is there anything else you'd like to request from us beyond our agreement?" inquired the General.
"There is, General," replied Alexander Vance, his smile betraying his ulterior motives. "I hope that when you capture Daniel Emberweave during the negotiation, you'll be willing to share some of his technology with us."
Both General Moore and Alexander Vance had colluded to capture Daniel and extract technology from him once he arrived in America. Vance intended to apprehend him in San Francisco, knowing that Daniel was Victoria Goldwyn's lover and would likely visit her there.
General Moore, on the other hand, hoped that Daniel would not fall into Vance's trap and instead come directly to the Confederacy to negotiate as scheduled. He kept his coup a secret, even though it caused him some inconvenience, in the hopes of surprising Daniel upon his arrival.
"Oh, the feeling is mutual, Mr. Vance. I hope you'll share some of his technology with us as well," responded General Moore with a smile.
Their exchange was nothing more than a facade of civility, as they both knew they had no intention of sharing all of Daniel's technology with each other. It was a case of every man for himself.