Everyones finally picking sides, Aron said as he read a report on the current happenings around the world. He knew that, soon, the big countries would begin negotiations on how they would divide the planet between them and exploit the resources in their territories for their own gain and, coincidentally, the formation of their individual forces.

So why arent you making an announcement of your own space force? Wouldnt that increase your citizens morale and pride? Rina asked. She had already laid her eyes on some of the ongoing research projects in Lab City, as well as their mature discoveries, and she knew that nobody on Earth could catch up to Aron in terms of technology. Not in a decade, and likely not ever.

Theres no need to make it known to the world right now. In the peoples minds, we already have a very well-established and advanced space research institute. The moment we discovered aliens, and our discovery was backed up by other, more advanced nations, that much was set in stone. Our lead in the current space race is already cemented, and everyone knows we already have experts in the field. So I expect offers to cooperate to start rolling in one by one for countries that cant afford to buy my tech, and offers to buy from countries that somehow still think Ill sell it to them, Aron sneered. He was looking at the situation from the sidelines like a kid looked at ant colonies and was just waiting for the right moment to bring out his magnifying glass.

Besides, do you really think they, he gestured at the invisible them, waving his arm in front of him, would believe that we have the money to spend on research right now when were dealing with the current UN sanctions? he jokingly added, eliciting a chuckle from his girlfriend.

So Ive been wondering over the past few days... what wouldve happened if the UNSC had agreed to your unification proposal without any hindrance? she asked.

I wouldve kept my aspirations to the business world instead of world domination. While I wouldve still built a private navy to protect myself and my companies products, I wouldve just become the worlds biggest businessman dealing in arms and black tech. Together with that, I wouldve released my VR simulation to the public earlier, to reduce the time and resources spent on R&D while keeping an eye on everyone elses advancements. I still wouldve been the ultimate winner regardless, but at the moment... does it really matter? Aron had been positive at the time of the UNSC emergency session that his proposal would fail, but even with that, hed still had a detailed backup plan in place in case things went contrary to his expectations.

Rina remained silent for a while, thinking of the chance that her family and its wealth would exist following Arons eventual takeover. She ultimately came to the conclusion that the Rothschilds were unlikely to survive as they were and that saddened her a bit. No matter how they had treated her, they were still her family.

Still, she couldnt bring herself to ask Aron to intervene on their behalf, because she knew that deep down, the Rothschilds were no different from the Morgans. While the Morgans had been the primary driving force behind the invasion of Iraq and the ultimate architects of the 2001 attacks, the Rothschilds had been responsible for their fair share of atrocities as well. For example, Operation Desert Storm in the 90s, the attack on the USS Cole in 2000, and more could be laid directly at the feet of the Rothschild family.

At their very cores, the two families were identical in their way of doing things, and Rina knew that the only reason Aron hadnt already acted against the Rothschilds was because they had yet to do anything to him that would require a response. Unlike the Morgans, who had signed their own death warrant the moment they began plotting against him.

Although Aron was no saint himself, and had done some very shady shit, he always had sound reasons for doing what he did. Reasons that didnt include personal enrichment as the first, second, third, and fourth on the list while increasing power and authority was sixth through tenth.

Still, Ill try my best to salvage what I can of my family and change it for the better. So let the upcoming destruction suffice as punishment for what my predecessors did and a cleansing fire that redeems what remains, she said to herself, her gaze focused on the garden in front of her.

It didnt take long for congress to wrap up their investigation into GAIA Technologies and direct the Department of Justice to open a case against them. The charges were violating US antitrust laws, market manipulation, and multiple counts of copyright infringement. They were hoping to levy enormous fines and force their OS, or at least the core code it relied on, to be made public or risk being prohibited from doing business in the US. Plus, the fines would go a long way toward lining certain elites pockets.

The announcement of the case being opened came a few days after the public calmed down from the recent alien panic.

It was perfectly timed to go mostly unnoticed by the general public, unfortunately, and the coalition of American tech conglomerates was doing their best to get it into the public consciousness. But as a result of the constant stream of news about the visitors, they decided to use the delay to formulate a more perfect PR plan to demonize the company. They would focus on preparing and spreading rumors about GAIA Technology stealing and selling user data, and blaming them for doing everything that the public hated that the coalition themselves were guilty of. It would be a campaign of thieves crying theft.

While that was ongoing, the government of Eden declined all offers to form a coalition with countries that were forming their new space forces and research institutes. Eden responded with the argument that they cant join a coalition that doesnt include every country in the world, as they would be remaining strictly neutral as per their standard diplomatic policies. Plus, they didnt want to deepen the division of the world along the rich and poor line, increasing the inequality between them and countries that couldnt afford to create their own. Nobody would want the leeches in their coalition, and that term would include Eden except that they had already shown their prowess and technology advantage by being the first to detect the incoming extraterrestrial object.

That decision was met with different reactions. Some thought they were taking virtue signaling to a ridiculous extreme, as their lives were on the line, while others applauded them for condemning countries for doing things on their own and wasting resources that could have been used in a more efficient, united manner to avoid wastage and duplicate efforts.

As a result of Edens decision, the countries that had invited them decided to instead ask for the tech they used to discover the visitors, going so far as to word it in a way that implied they would be acting against the public good if they refused to donate their technology to the cause. Implied was the threat that the entire world would consider Eden to be the villains if they refused the fair and equitable offer of giving everyone something for nothing.