Brilliant Crux
Earth Calendar year 4578, Star Crown System, Bakley Planet, Third Lagrange Node, Antonios HQ.
Anyone visiting Triumph City wouldn't pass up the opportunity to check out the headquarters of Antonios Consortium, even if it's just from a distance at the docks.
The headquarters of Antonios Consortium is positioned at the third Lagrange Node on the Bakley Planet, which is the fourth planet of the Star Crown System. This impressive structure is pillar-shaped, with layers of circular buildings wrapped around it, perfectly demonstrating Antonios Consortium's mastery of modular space architecture.
At this moment, in the boardroom at the top of the pillar, the executives from all of Antonios Consortium's subsidiaries are gathered for a meeting. At this urgent board meeting, the executives will determine the future of Antonios Consortium.
The current CEO, Bali Crux (Remark 1: Crux stands for the Southern Cross.), sat at the end of the table, his expression grim as the executives kept arguing on both sides. Even though it's been over a hundred years since Antonios Precision Corp and Constantine Construction Group came together to form the Antonios Consortium, they still haven't quite blended well. Whenever important issues come up, both sides always end up arguing.
What's funny is, back during the merger negotiations, the Constantine Construction Group representatives would sit on the right side of the table, and the Antonios Precision Corp representatives sat on the left. When Antonios Consortium was officially founded, the representatives continued the tradition—Constantine board members still took the right side of the table, and Antonios board members sat across from them.
This led to a common saying among the public that Antonios Consortium has two parties, the Right Party and the Left Party, and they'd often get into heated arguments during board meetings. The outcome usually depends on whether the person at the head of the table is part of the Right Party or the Left Party.
Bali Crux knew these stories were just nonsense. As the third CEO of Antonios, he knew he had to stay neutral, or it would risk splitting the company.
In the later years of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, Constantine Construction Group, under the leadership of the former CEO Constantine, with its headquarters based in the Star Crown System, merged with Antonios Financial and Antonios Precision to establish Antonios Consortium.
Constantine Construction Group's roots trace back to the first interstellar migration, even before the establishment of Sacrum Chu Imperium, and it was known for its expertise in modular space architecture. The group was involved in setting space construction standards and building Stargates.
Once the Sacrum Chu Imperium was established, Constantine Construction Group started another wave of rapid expansion. During the early Sacrum Chu Imperium, Constantine Construction Group worked closely with the Empire, contributing to the construction of many space cities and gaining an immersive amount of space-building experience.
As the business expanded, Constantine Construction Group started getting into other areas, leveraging its expertise in modular construction to move into shipbuilding and trade transport. To protect their transportation routes, the group put together its own guarding fleets, with all the ships built in-house. As the group kept growing, their guarding fleets became more powerful, eventually raising suspicions among the Empire. Over time, Constantine Construction Group began to pull away from the Sacrum Chu Imperium and expanded its operations to other star systems.
Compared to Constantine Construction Group, Antonios Precision Corp showed a much stronger attachment to their homeland. While Constantine Construction Group leaned towards industrial work, Antonios Precision Corp was better in precision manufacturing and finance. As a newcomer in the starry sea, Antonios Precision Corp had dedicated itself to theoretical research and investment in finance. Though they had ventured into the transport sector, the Ship Embargo Treaty had kept their forces small and weak, so they were often hit by Captors and urgently needed to expand into the industrial sector. (Remark: The Sacrum Chu Imperium government imposed a technology blockade on private forces to limit their power, kind of like a space version of the CoCom Agreement. One of the big reasons the Empire grew suspicious of Constantine Construction Group was that they had their own fully independent military production system.) As Constantine Construction Group grew, they also entered the finance and investment sectors. With both sides having different needs, after long negotiations, they finally merged to create the new Antonios Consortium.
By combining the strengths of Constantine Construction Group and Antonios Precision Corp, they became a powerful faction in the galaxy. What history books don't tell the kids is that Antonios has long had two main schools of thought running beneath the surface.
One belief is that Antonios, as a new faction, has to continue expanding into space and should cut ties with Earth's past, even going as far as forgetting that history.
The other school of thought believes that with the endless universe and the mysteries of the Lagrange Network, people should remain in awe and never forget their origins on Earth. In the words of some scholars, these two schools of thought are called the "Newborns" and the "Returners."
In general, Constantine Construction Group, having left the solar system earlier, tends to focus on glory and expansion, aligning them more with the Newborns. On the flip side, Antonios Precision Corp, which left the solar system during the second gold rush, leans more toward the Returners. Despite merging over two centuries ago, Constantine and Antonios have never fully integrated, and their constant disputes have been a pain for past CEOs.
But these little disputes haven't kept Antonios Consortium from continuing to sail through the stars like a massive ship. At this point, Bali realized a serious crisis was brewing.
Three standard years ago, the Triton Clan, headquartered in the Barnard System, helped the Empire's Third Expeditionary Force put an end to the rebellion in Grus M1427. In recognition of their efforts, Emperor Viktor Chu gave the Triton Clan Bessel Star System as a hereditary fief.
Later, the fleet of the Triton Clan went to "claim" the Bessel Star System, only to be stunned when the local factions, the "Freedom Volunteer Army," were fully prepared and refused their entry. At that point, the Triton Clan finally realized that Emperor Viktor Chu had given them an empty promise. On paper, the Bessel Star System was officially part of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, but with the Empire's rapid expansion, a lot of inhabited star systems weren't happy about "joining" the Empire.
Naturally, when the Empire's formidable fleet came to "persuade" them, most star systems bowed their heads and became one of the Empire's new territories. However, there were always outliers—some star systems firmly resisted the Empire's "persuasion" and put together their own fleets to fight back. The Bessel Star System was one of those, and its local factions were backed by the Palenque Freedom Force, headquartered in Aquila S8212, making them pretty powerful. By the time the Empire claimed the Bessel Star System as its own, the local Freedom Volunteer Army had already prepared a strong fleet and were waiting. What they didn't see coming was Viktor Chu's cunning move. He didn't send any troops and instead kept the news of the Freedom Volunteer Army completely locked down.
When Bali thought about it, he couldn't help but admire Viktor's strategy. He let the Triton Clan take care of the Freedom Volunteer Army and gave them an empty promise.
Still, it was obvious that Viktor had also underestimated the Freedom Volunteer Army. When the Triton Clan's fleet tried to enter the Bessel Star System, the Freedom Volunteer Army, who were ready and waiting, hit them hard. The Freedom Volunteer Army crushed the Triton Clan's advance unit and took over three space stations belonging to the Empire, squeezing the battlefront all the way to the Stargate. The battle was a major humiliation for the Triton Clan. Rumor has it that at a council meeting with the Emperor, the head of the Triton Clan got so mad at Viktor that he threatened to withdraw their loyalty if the Empire didn't help them seize the Bessel Star System.
By now, the downsides of the Empire's rapid expansion were becoming obvious. While they technically controlled more than 70% of the Lagrange Network, their control over star systems on the outer edges was fragile—many of them were only part of the Empire in name only. As the Emperor became more tyrannical and oppressive, many factions began to voice their dissatisfaction, and the conflicts on the outskirts never truly ceased. Separatism was spreading within the fifteen Imperial Principalities, and if the Triton Clan broke away, it would be a major disaster for the Empire. According to some intel Bali picked up from private sources, the Empire was preparing a top-secret plan that could shake up the whole galaxy, and nearly all its military forces had been pulled for it. Had it not been for the Rebellion of the Three Imperial Principalities six months ago, the Empire might have already initiated the plan.
From what Bali had gathered, there was no way Viktor could put together a force capable of easily taking down the Freedom Volunteer Army within a short time. And if the conflict turned into a stalemate, the Empire would be in a very unfavorable position. That left Viktor with two choices: either put together a strong fleet to wipe out the rebellion in one go or reject the Triton Clan's request. However, neither option seemed ideal.
Viktor once again stunned everyone. Right in front of the Empire's top brass, he casually assured the head of the Triton Clan that the Empire would send a powerful fleet to help with the Bessel rebellion.
What no one saw coming was Viktor pulling the same dirty trick again.
By the Emperor's command, the government sent Antonios Consortium an official notice, granting them the right to dispatch a fleet to Bessel, under the name of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, to deal with the rebellion.
This was indeed a brilliant strategy.
"This is obviously a setup!" Cory Santos, CEO of Antonios Precision Manufacturing Corporation, shouted, "If we send out our fleet, we'll be accused of violating the treaty. Our battleships exceed the weight limit!" (Remark: It's somewhat similar to the naval tonnage limits from the Washington Naval Treaty after World War I, but with some differences.)
"True, it's a clever move," someone chimed in. "We can't send out our battleships since they're all solely responsible for protecting transportation routes. We, Antonios Consortium, do not have any political agenda—we're just a business entity with escort fleets, not an army."
"I wish the esteemed Emperor Viktor thought the same," a director across from him sneered. "Maybe Viktor already knows."
"Knows what?"
"Stop acting like a fool, sir," he said quietly. "We shouldn't underestimate the Empire's intelligence network. It's no secret that Carilion's shipyards have cut down on civilian ship orders."
"We're not the only ones! Every company is ramping up its defenses," someone yelled angrily. "If the Empire can't keep our transportation routes safe, are we not allowed to defend ourselves?"
"The Empire has never acknowledged that." Someone scoffed, "Isn't that right?"
"But the Empire's security department is incapable of protecting our routes! Especially now that the military has taken over half of their ships for battle."
"None of that matters right now. The real question is, what are we going to do?" Pointing to the letter from the Empire, with the Trujillo Clan emblem glaring back at them, someone said, "If we send the fleet, it'll expose the fact that we've exceeded the weight limit—especially since—" he paused, voice heavy, "we've already built our own carrier. The Empire might already know."
The room went quiet, and the board members all looked at Bali. They all knew it was Bali who had insisted on building the carrier.
Bali calmly faced their gazes, and only then did the board members notice he was dressed in a flawless military uniform. Sitting upright, his back straight, Bali rested his hands on the table, his right index and middle fingers gently tapping the tabletop casually. People familiar with Bali know that when he does this, it means he's already made up his mind.
As Bali gazed at these powerful board members, he thought about since Constantine Construction Group and Antonios Precision Corp merged, Antonios Consortium has transformed from a small, unknown faction to a massive powerhouse, with its trade network now covering the entire Empire.
However, the Antonios Consortium has always claimed they have no political ambitions or desire for territory, and they've been fully supportive of the Empire's expansion efforts. Back in the early days of the Empire, Constantine Construction Group, the predecessor of Antonios Consortium, had a solid relationship with the Empire. Since Viktor's grandfather ascended to the throne, the Empire has been increasingly wary of these giant corporations. Perhaps the Empire still recalls that when humanity first pushed into space using the Lagrange Network, it wasn't the Terran Sphere leading, but the powerful corporations. Even the Sacrum Chu Imperium's royal family, the Trujillo clan, originated from the CaelumTerra Sol Group.
As the saying goes, you should learn from the past.
It was under the iron fist of Viktor's grandfather that the Empire expanded its military power, forcing the other factions to sign a series of treaties, which greatly strengthened the central authority of the royal family. Naturally, this upset certain Imperial Principalities, but with the Empire's powerful fleet looming, they reluctantly gave in for now. Still, most of the Imperial Principalities began to expand their army secretly, and in many ways, it was the Empire's own policies that kick-started a galactic arms race.
As soon as Bali became the CEO of Antonios, his first act was to overcome the opposition and secretly set up a shipyard in a remote star system controlled by the Antonios, directly under his office, to start developing Antonios' own battleships. With years of modular construction experience and plenty of financial backing, Antonios Consortium soon adapted its civilian technologies for military use, developing a complete battleship research, design, and production chain.
The Roland - Carilion Shipbuilding Group, under Antonios Consortium, soon developed their own frigates and destroyers to secure their routes. With some sleek moves by the consortium's public relationship department, a few Empire watchdogs decided to look the other way. Plenty of factions have tried to set up their own military production industry, but not all of them succeed. One thing is certain—steer clear of building heavy battleships, and the Empire will not get in the way.
The board was stunned when Bali made his next big decision, secretly issuing a directive to begin the production and design of super capital battleships such as battlecruisers and carriers. After Bali revealed his decision at a board meeting, almost all of the directors objected, but it was already too late—Antonios' first battlecruiser was under construction. Moreover, at the meeting, Bali made it official that this battlecruiser was independently developed by Antonios Consortium and would be named after Constantine, the founder of Constantine Construction Group, marking a historic moment in history.
This time, almost every board member strongly opposed Bali. It was obvious—if the Empire found out Antonios Consortium was building heavy battleships, particularly battlecruisers, the consortium could be wiped out instantly.
The letter sitting before them reeked of danger, and everyone knew it.
"President Bali," someone finally broke the silence. It was the CEO of Antonios Financial, coldly saying, "We need an explanation."
Bali remained expressionless, staring straight ahead as if gazing at some distant void. After a long pause, he swept his gaze over the board, taking in their stern faces, and finally spoke, "My friends, you all have the power to decide the fate of Antonios. So, tell me—is the Empire of today still the Empire it was five hundred years ago?"
The question threw the board into deep silence.
That's right. Five hundred years ago, the ambitious Trujillo clan defeated the Eastman, reshaping the galactic order and leading humanity into rapid expansion across the stars. At that time, the Empire was progressive, embracing different ideas with an open heart. Kuhn Trujillo, the first governor of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, was a visionary. He said that as humanity expanded across the stars, occupying more star systems, the order was falling apart, and many star systems were seeing disputes and even war. Humanity needed order, and the Trujillo clan was doing everything at that point to build a new world order. Everyone across the stars would benefit from this order. In fact, that's exactly what the Trujillo clan did, and the Sacrum Chu Imperium was officially founded.
During the founding ceremony, Kuhn Trujillo, the first governor of the Sacrum Chu Imperium, said, "Today, we are building an Empire, but it won't be like any other Empire in human history. We're building an Empire that's never been seen before—there will be no supreme ruler or oppressed subjects, only people united together! With this new order, we'll push forward and continue expanding the Lagrange Network. "The Sacrum Chu Imperium will carry humanity across the entire galaxy. May the sacred stars shine upon our path of eternity, leading us onwards."
He said it, and he made it happen. It was with this broad vision that the Sacrum Chu Imperium reshaped the galaxy's order, merging tech research with Stargate construction, which made humanity's expansion skyrocket. Following the Empire's founding, humanity expanded to cover a third of the galaxy in just a few centuries at an unimaginable speed.
But over time, as the Empire thrived and its ships sailed through every system, flexing their military strength, things started to change. The Empire's desire for control kept increasing, and tensions with the Terran Sphere government started cropping up. The Horologium War was what finally broke off the Empire's connections with the Terran Sphere government. (Remark: The Horologium War took place in 4083 between the Sacrum Chu Imperium and the Bond Family.)
When the 14th governor, Redwyne Trujillo, officially crowned himself Emperor, no one seemed surprised—a real Empire had formed.
"You know what the Empire's been up to," Bali said, breaking the silence. "Do you really think the Empire will tolerate those like us forever? No, let me tell you, ever since Redwyne became Emperor, that old honorable Empire is no more. The Empire of today isn't the same as it was. Now, it's a real empire, no different from the feudal empires of the past. The Empire's going to keep expanding, fueled by its ever-growing military strength and monopoly on military tech, and the Imperial Principalities don't dare to say a word.
The Empire's endgame is no longer about helping humanity—it's about uniting the galaxy. Every star system must be fully part of the Empire, not just paying lip service. The Empire's not going to tolerate any independent power for much longer. Sooner or later, it'll get rid of all the Imperial Principalities and then take control of every private faction. Once you realize this, everything the Empire has done over the years starts to make sense. Unfortunately, very few people actually see it this way. I've heard people say that ever since humanity became a spacefaring species, we've left behind our savagery and ignorance.
Humans during the Earth civilization were naive and cruel, especially before technology existed—it was a period of incomprehensible barbarism and darkness. This mindset has given us an unearned sense of superiority, with many people secretly believing humanity could never go back to the brutal imperial age. But the truth is, greed and desire haven't gone away with our progress, and everything the Empire is doing proves it. This is why I've insisted Antonios has to stop relying on the Empire and follow its own path of independence and freedom."
"I get that many of you don't agree with my decision, but history will prove that I'm right." Bali added, "I'm also aware that some of you have been calling me Marshal Crux behind my back, right?"
No one responded. He smiled as if it didn't bother him, but his icy gaze silenced everyone. Bali went on, "A marshal without a fleet, huh?" He suddenly changed the topic, "If Antonios Consortium doesn't strengthen its forces, we'll end up as just another Empire vassal, losing our freedom and everything else. There were once other factions that sought freedom and told the Empire no. You all know how that ended. If the Empire can't have it, no one can. I've known the Empire would eventually reach out for us, but it shouldn't be now. But since the Empire is already starting to suspect us—" he glanced at the sealed quantum-encrypted box, stamped with the golden Trujillo clan emblem, "we have to face it head-on, not waste time arguing."
"So, President Bali, what's our next move?"
Bali rose and declared, "'There following is the final decision of this meeting. It is not up for debate and will not be changed. I will immediately issue an executive order to place Antonios Consortium in a state of emergency. All space cities will raise their alert to the highest level, all trade activities will be suspended, and the fleet will assemble. We are going to the Bessel Star System."
It was like a rock hitting a calm lake. Everyone froze in shock, and then the room exploded with noise.
"No! This is a setup. Even if we send troops, we may not even be able to defeat the Freedom Volunteer Army, and even if we win, our force will take a massive hit. If we lose, we'll have fallen right into the Empire's trap!"
"If we have to go in, let's just send a small force so we can keep the Empire off our backs, and even if they are wiped, it won't hurt us as much."
"How could we possibly pull that off?"
"This is insane!"
"Beyond foolish!"
...
Bali gently lowered his hands to quiet the room and said firmly, "No, we'll form a powerful fleet, and every single ship that's capable of combat will be included. I've authorized the security department and Roland-Carilion Group to form a war council, and I'll chair it. The council will have the power to retrofit any ship with weapons." After a brief pause, he added, "Not only are we sending troops, we'll launch a blitz attack. Before the Empire can respond, we'll wipe out the entire Bessel Star system."
"But this will expose Antonios' full military power! We can't risk it!" The entire board was shocked.
"Yes, it would seem ridiculous for us to show all our power," Bali said coldly. "Especially to Viktor, who's always suspicious. If we can wipe out the Bessel Star System, Viktor will assume we've got more hidden force. He won't dare to move against Antonios, not yet, anyway. That's how you win by taking risks. If we pull this off, we'll secure at least fifty years of peace for Antonios."
"What if the battle drags on?" someone asked. "What if we can't end it quickly?"
"We will," Bali said, standing up. The board members suddenly realized he seemed taller than they remembered. He said slowly and clearly, "Gentlemen, believe me—Antonios Consortium will rise."
Shortly after, Bali drafted a response to the Empire, stating that Antonios Consortium fully understood the Empire's current difficulties and its frustration with the Freedom Volunteer Army. Antonios Consortium would fully cooperate with the Empire's actions.
Following the order, Antonios' battleships stationed across trade routes and countless space stations started gathering via the complex Lagrange Network, all converging on the obscure Aquila H212b star system.
Antonios worked quickly and efficiently. Before long, an impressive fleet had formed in the Aquila H212b star system. (Remark: This star system has a direct warp path to Bessel and is only five hops away from the Star Crown System.)
Nobody knew that a giant in the galaxy was gradually awakening.
Through a hypercomm link using the Lagrange Node, Bali invited the entire Antonios board to watch a fleet parade.
It was the first time the board members truly felt the results of what Bali had been working on all these years.
Countless battleships passed through the nebula—there were frigates and destroyers designed by Antonios Consortium and even hundreds of massive cruisers. The moment the Constantine the Great - Multi-Role Battlecruiser came into view, everyone erupted in cheers. Next, six massive battleships, each thousands of meters long and never seen before, solemnly appeared, and the entire room fell silent.
"What are those?" Despite being somewhat mentally prepared, one of the board members nervously asked.
"Gentlemen," Bali said, standing in the same hologram, eyes on the huge steel behemoth sliding by. "Allow me to introduce you—Antonios' very own carrier."
"But we don't have a general!" another voice chimed in. "And Antonios has never done a military operation this big!"
"I know some of you have been calling me the Marshal Crux behind my back—a marshal without a fleet," Bali said. "Well, I think I've got a fleet now. Gentlemen, I will personally lead it to the Bessel Star System."
And so began the biggest military operation in Antonios' history.
According to Antonios Consortium's records, in the Battle of Bessel Star System, they threw in everything, even commandeering civilian ships. Roland-Carilion Industry quickly modified these vessels into battleships, and some barely had time to install a main gun and slap on an Antonios Consortium emblem before heading into battle. The fleet gathered as the parade proceeded to its final part; observers saw that Antonios Consortium had assembled a force rivaling the First Fleet of the Sacrum Chu Imperium. When Antonios' new Constantine the Great - Multi-Role Battlecruiser and an unnamed carrier passed by like mountains of steel, no one could believe their eyes.
Following the brief parade, Antonios Consortium's president, Bali Crux, personally boarded the flagship of the expedition—a carrier so freshly painted the paint hadn't even dried yet. The Antonios Expeditionary Force officially set sail, its ships forming tight formations as they crossed the Stargate, following the Lagrange Network straight to the Bessel Star System in the Sirius sector.
By that time, things were dire in the Bessel Star System. The Freedom Volunteer Army had pretty much crushed the Triton Clan's fleet and the Empire's underpowered defense forces sent to "secure" the system. With 90% of the space cities under Freedom Volunteer Army control, the battered Triton Clan forces were barely hanging on at the Stargate.
The Freedom Volunteer Army had fully assembled around the Stargate, getting ready for their final assault.
According to the plan, the Antonios Expeditionary Force was supposed to hang tight until the Empire's reinforcements arrived. Bali, however, scrapped that idea and told the fleet to attack—immediately. The Empire hadn't even had time to react before Antonios' fleet struck hard and fast, wiping out the rebels near the Stargate, capturing twenty-four space cities in a row, and pushing the Freedom Volunteer Army right out of the Bessel Star System. By the time the Empire and Triton Clan reinforcements showed up, all they had left to do was clean up the battlefield.
Under the complicated stares of the Empire's fleet and the Triton Clan, Antonios' fleet formed up and slowly sailed through the Stargate, leaving the Bessel Star System.
The Battle of Bessel Star System shocked the Empire to its core, leaving their generals and dukes stunned by the power Antonios showcased. Certain declassified Imperial archives show that six Imperial Principalities filed a petition with Emperor Viktor, claiming that Antonios Consortium had grown too powerful and was now a threat to the Empire that had to be handled quickly.
But Bali had already factored in Viktor's paranoia. The Emperor was convinced that Antonios Consortium's real strength was far greater, and with their elite fleets tied up in border skirmishes with rebels, there weren't enough resources to take on Antonios Consortium. So, the matter was put on hold. The Battle of Bessel Star System was crucial for the Antonios Consortium. This victory sparked a true awakening of its collective consciousness.
As expected, after the Battle of Bessel Star System, the Empire fired off a strongly-worded letter to the Antonios Consortium, asking for an explanation about their powerful fleet. Some radicals were blinded by the Bessel victory. They thought the Antonios Consortium had enough power to challenge the Empire and could ignore any threats.
Bali, ever the strategist, knew this wasn't the moment to cut ties with the Empire. This was all part of Bali's plan. Emperor Viktor was definitely shocked by the power the Antonios Consortium had revealed.
Viktor clearly didn't believe the fleet at the Bessel Star System was the full extent of Antonios Consortium's military force. What he didn't realize was that Antonios had already put everything they had on the table in the battle.
Upon receiving the Empire's letter, Bali pulled off another daring move—he led a team of Antonios Consortium executives straight to St. Triumph to meet the Emperor.
In his meeting with Viktor, Bali showed confidence as he explained that all Antonios Consortium's battleships were just there to protect their trade routes. Next, not all battleships that showed up in the Bessel Star System were Antonios Consortium's. Many of them were from its trade partners. He showed the Emperor and the top officials a detailed list, breaking down the origins of every ship. Using the list, Bali made it clear to the Empire's higher-ups that the Antonios Consortium hadn't crossed any lines in the St. Triumph Treaty.
"So, how do you explain the carrier we saw in the Bessel Star System?' Emperor Viktor asked coldly, "As I recall, the St. Triumph Treaty doesn't allow private factions to build carriers, does it?"
"You've got a fantastic memory, Your Majesty. Indeed, the treaty doesn't permit that," Bali replied politely. However, you're mistaken. That wasn't a carrier. It's Antonios' latest-generation cargo ship, which can carry over twenty times what a normal ship can, making shipping way more efficient. Since this was a mission Your Majesty took a special interest in, we, Antonios Consortium, went all out. We slapped some defense guns on the cargo ships and gave them a cosmetic upgrade to look like carriers to intimidate the rebels. It worked wonders—some rebel fleets surrendered on the spot. Our engineers are incredibly skilled."
They say no one has ever really caught footage of these "carriers" in action. But after Bali laid out the blueprints and prototypes for everyone, it seemed like no one cared anymore. Viktor, though, didn't seem completely convinced yet.
That's when the Defense Minister jumped in with a wild demand for Bali. "You want to prove Antonios Consortium's loyalty?" the Minister asked. "Then give up every last battleship and blueprint you've got, no exceptions."
What totally shocked the Defense Minister was that even though Viktor himself seemed embarrassed by the demand, Bali agreed without hesitation and assured him that Antonios Consortium had nothing to hide from the Empire.
Bali didn't stop there—he dove into the long history of the Constantine Construction Group, which later became Antonios Consortium. Over 2,000 years ago, the Trujillo Clan launched the "Phaethon" migration project. They grabbed heaps of space seeds and set off from the solar system into the stars, beginning a legendary journey. The founder of the Constantine Construction Group, Constantine himself, was right there, following the Trujillo Clan into space. In the grueling process of expansion, and with help from the Trujillo Clan, Mr. Constantine launched the Constantine Construction Group. Over a thousand years of starry exploration, they maintained a great relationship with the Trujillo Clan, working together to create their foundation. The Constantine Construction Group became a huge conglomerate as the Empire spread out.
As the Trujillo Clan found their footing and grew big, the Constantine Construction Group and the Empire were almost inseparable.
Finally, Bali said with deep emotion, "Your Majesty, back when the Empire was established... To acknowledge their contributions, the late Emperor considered granting the Constantine Construction Group a star system as a domain, elevating us to an Imperial Principality. But we refused out of loyalty and even moved our headquarters to the Star Crown System. Even when the Constantine Construction Group and the Antonios Precision Corp joined forces to form the Antonios Consortium, we didn't once consider relocating our headquarters from the Star Crown System. Think about it: If Antonios Consortium harbored any disloyalty, would we keep our headquarters in the Empire's backyard?"
Bali's words left the whole court totally speechless.
Finally, Bali earnestly assured the Emperor that Antonios Consortium would remain eternally loyal, keeping its headquarters in the Star Crown System and never moving out like other factions. The thousand-year bond between the Antonios Consortium and the Sacrum Chu Imperium will endure endlessly.
Upon Bali's safe return to headquarters, he was given a hero's welcome.
Bali ran the Antonios Consortium for twenty years, turning it from just a business group into a full-blown military, political, and commercial powerhouse. Historians regard Bali, Marshal Crux, as one of Antonios Consortium's most legendary presidents.
