Chapter 126: Duty of the National Defense Forces Officer Corps: Part 4
Atlaine, Grozny, and James might be the three pillars of the anti-Lucider resistance unfolding within Atlantis territory, but with physical distances spanning thousands of light-years between them, maintaining communication networks was one thing—frequent direct meetings were another matter entirely, something exceedingly difficult to pull off.
That was why Atlaine and Grozny had no choice but to schedule their rendezvous with such constraints in mind. But Kaldir solved it all with effortless simplicity. While any warp ship they possessed would take considerable time to reach the other's base, she could just open a passageway like stepping through a door next door.
"Thank you for granting me this opportunity to meet Army Marshal Your Excellency, Secretary-General. But there's no need to mobilize a warp ship. Simply step through this portal that appeared beside me, and you'll emerge in the command building where Army Marshal Your Excellency resides."
"Is that true? Ah... that building visible beyond the portal... it seems what you say is indeed the case."
Thus, the meeting between Atlaine, Grozny, and Kaldir came about far sooner than anticipated. The original plan had involved deploying multiple warp ships, weathering Lucider naval barrages along the way, just to somehow reach Grozny's location. But this changed everything.
With the schedule advanced beyond expectations, the group—including the Secretary-General and Kaldir—skipped the unprepared ceremonial formalities and headed straight to Grozny's office. The Secretary-General had never been one for pompous protocols anyway, and rushing through a welcome event prepared for the original timeline risked causing a commotion that could reach Lucider ears—something they could ill afford.
"Welcome, Comrade Secretary-General. We've exchanged messages many times, but it's been ages since we met face-to-face like this. How... has your health been?"
"Army Marshal, it's you whose sturdy frame I worry might have taken some new injury somewhere. Should that be the case, it would be an irreplaceable loss for the National Defense Forces."
"I am always in peak condition, Comrade Secretary-General. If anyone's body is at risk... it's the soldiers still fighting for survival on the front lines that concern me more."
"Your resolve to save as many soldiers as possible remains unchanged. It's a relief to hear you have no injuries, but should you ever fall, the morale of our National Defense Forces troops would hit rock bottom. Do take care of your health while you can."
"No need for concern. Please, have a seat here, Comrade Secretary-General."
The entourage accompanying the Secretary-General was sizable, but only he and Kaldir were invited into Grozny's office. Adding Kaif, who was present on this side, made four people in the room total.
Kaldir was meeting the other two for the first time, but for the Secretary-General and Grozny, this was their first reunion in years—a joy too profound for words. After the comrades who had long led the anti-Lucider resistance exchanged greetings and inquired after each other's well-being, all three men's gazes converged on Kaldir.
This meeting wouldn't have even made the schedule without Kaldir, and Lucider forces' interference everywhere would have made executing it nearly impossible. It was only natural for attention to focus on her.
Kaldir mentally reviewed the lofty statuses of these three men now eyeing her with keen interest, then opened with a standard expression of gratitude for the invitation. She subtly conveyed her surprise at receiving it so swiftly.
I figured they'd verify the data I handed over first, and only if it seemed feasible would they accept the items I made and offer some reward. Implementing the specs in my data would take time, so I thought I'd have a pleasant interlude with the Princess and Shuga in the meantime.
Did they achieve meaningful results with my data faster than expected? No, that can't be—their faces wouldn't be this grim. Which leaves just one possibility. They rushed something and it fell flat.
She knew better than anyone that Atlantis's current industrial capacity and tech level couldn't replicate her creations as-is, which was why she'd attached compromise alternatives to the blueprint files. But it seemed the war-weary impatience had led them to botch even those.
"Kaldir. The truth is, after reviewing the data files you provided from every angle, we concluded they hold great utility—but mass production is impossible at our current tech level. Especially the metal material you called 'Atlanium' in the files... we lack the means to process it."
Sure enough, Grozny voiced exactly what Kaldir had anticipated. No matter his reputation as a master tactician, after over 20 years of war with the Lucider Empire—now entering its 23rd—he was undoubtedly eager to end it, pushing plans with undue haste.
Right, Atlanium. The miraculous substance she'd lavished without restraint when creating Aurora and Plang, manufacturing nanoviruses to deploy against simulated enemies, and crafting everything from infantry laser guns to planet-sized warships.
Not widely known, but she would stake her life on its value. This extraordinary material, unmoved by the pressure beyond a black hole's event horizon, a massive supernova's explosion, or the enemy's merciless strategic bombing, was tailor-made for military weaponry.
Of course, a substance impervious to any attack was a nightmare to refine and reshape into arms—no need to belabor the point. Grozny and Atlaine had likely struggled most with this aspect.
Beings capable of both knowing how to refine this miracle material and possessing the power to do so numbered just two in their universe. The first—obviously—was Kaldir herself. Without the strength to shatter it, how could one process it into raw material for weapons? The second... the Cates Empire, current hegemon of the world!
Kaldir briefly played the role of explainer, detailing how she'd discovered the material and its properties: as an Akashic Records user, she'd known from the start where it abounded and how to process it, naming it Atlanium after her nation. They seemed to accept this.
"So, regarding that—could we receive the actual weapons you've produced? The Secretary-General mentioned you have armaments stockpiled somewhere sufficient to equip 50 trillion souls. If that's no exaggeration, the National Defense Forces could immediately bolster our meager arsenal and drive the Luciders from this land entirely."
Grozny was now openly pleading with Kaldir: I've followed the explanations, but just tell us the answer already. Considering the casualties already at 4 quadrillion and more inevitable in the ongoing fight against the Luciders, it was understandable.
"The Army Marshal is right, Kaldir. If you're not lying, showing us the real things shouldn't be difficult, no?"
The Secretary-General chimed in supportively. (Kaif merely watched the scene silently.) Well, even without their request, she intended to provide the means for people to defend themselves.
Transferring Atlanium processing tech was important too, but that could wait. It wasn't something to rush, requiring time and vast funds anyway.
"Secretary-General, and Army Marshal Your Excellency. I have never dared speak falsehoods before you two, nor will I in the future. It would be the greatest honor if you would inspect my creations personally. However..."
Weapons enough to fully arm 50 trillion troops. Easy to say, but laid out, they'd fill dozens of star systems with room to spare. Kaldir had stored this vast hoard in her ultra-massive inventory space called the Third Microverse—as vast as their universe itself—keeping it hidden from Lucider detection.
However... unleashing it all at once? Far too risky. True, all the armaments were designed for fully unmanned operation, so sudden combat deployment posed no issue. But finding space in their galaxy to park that volume? Impossible.
"Thus, I humbly propose here: rather than moving all those weapons at once, why not transfer them incrementally, reorganizing by division? It would also allow training to familiarize with the new gear. If you doubt my words, I can open a wormhole to guide you to where my creations slumber."
"Division" might not convey scale, but Atlantis National Defense Forces' order of battle was thicker than most: a standard infantry division tallied a million strong. With ten subunits forming the next tier, legions hit ten million, field armies one hundred million, and top-tier army groups... one billion.
Rushing could cross irreversible lines, so Kaldir's division-by-division rearmament proposal seemed highly sensible. Still, to check if she was bluffing, the Secretary-General and Grozny exchanged glances, agreeing to inspect her works beyond the wormhole firsthand before deciding.
"Hold on. What guarantee do we have this isn't a trap? What if we cross this wormhole and Lucider forces await on the other side?"
Kaif, silent until now, interjected skeptically—but the Secretary-General's very presence, having trusted her to cross into Grozny's command via wormhole, refuted it easily. In the end, all three, Kaif included, stepped through the wormhole Kaldir opened.