Nobody meddles when their own interests aren't touched.
They didn't expect Ascension Technology to step on their toes first.
Only now do the corporations see the size of the threat. It isn't just expansion. It's the goal itself. Ascension isn't playing like a traditional capital enterprise. It isn't chasing profit for its own sake. It wants to break the order that keeps capital on top. Rocky came up from the street; by nature, he's every corporation's enemy.
They can't let Ascension reach its aims.
Public pressure piles up. Boards align. Every company, big and small, points the spear at Ascension and moves to declare war. Whether they've been hit already or not, their positions are clear: be enemies together.
Ascension has violated the business world's rules. If they don't cut it down, one day they'll be the ones paying the price.
A global war is brewing.
That's precisely what Ascension wants.
…
European Council.
A parliament in orbit, seated on an Earth-satellite platform. Today's agenda: build a united front against Ascension Technology.
Besides the Council's own members, representatives from major corporations have docked to argue terms for a joint declaration of war. Senior officials from powerful governments take center stage alongside the big armed security firms. They have the guns and will become the main force.
With Arasaka absent, nearly every other major military organization is in the room. Yet the rep from Militech, the outfit most people still call the strongest, barely speaks.
Unlike the rest, Militech has actually fought Ascension. That's why they understand what they're up against.
Their light-speed surrender wasn't only to minimize losses. The core truth is uglier: Militech isn't confident it can win a straight fight.
Yes, the world's militaries look formidable, gathered like this. But in today's world, the two heaviest hitters are Militech and Arasaka. With Arasaka on the other side of this alignment, Militech can't swear this "anti-Ascension alliance" really overmatches Ascension's forces.
If they can't seize a military edge, what else can they use?
Policy sanctions? Cutting raw materials? A technology embargo? Night City, Ascension's home turf, sits firmly under Ascension's control. Cutting inputs and locking tech are fantasies. And even if they avoid open war and try other pressure, Ascension won't sit still and take it. They started this. Militech can feel how badly Ascension and Arasaka both want the fight. To Militech, they're war-mad disruptors who want to overturn the world.
Everyone notices Militech's silence.
"I assume Militech understands Ascension better than most," a Council member says. "What's your view on a military operation?"
The Militech rep glances across the chamber at the Council delegates, global power brokers whose ties to the New United States of America don't make Militech feel any warmer about this crowd.
"No big ideas to sell you," the rep says at last. "You've already analyzed the combat footage. We don't have deeper data. There isn't much to study. A full war against Arasaka, Ascension, and Night City is the only crack at an answer. But be ready to get beaten. Ascension isn't simple."
Militech doesn't want another round. But with Ascension openly declaring war, they can't step aside and let it grow. Strong as Ascension may be, the conflict probably has to break open anyway.
Either Ascension succeeds, dominates the world, and strips away what these powers have built, or the companies and governments crush Ascension and Arasaka, divide up their tech and resources, and grab the world back into their hands. Once camps form, confrontation is inevitable.
"We know we have to fight," another member presses, "but Ascension's a new company. We don't know what tech it has, how many weapons, or how many soldiers. You've operated in Night City for years. Don't you know anything? Isn't your spy branch supposed to be competent?"
Militech's people bristle. A palm slaps the table.
"If we knew that, would we have started a war with them in the first place? Be serious. Nobody on the planet knows how many assets Ascension has."
Ascension is, on paper, only half a year old and has only shown itself in Night City. Militech tore through the city and still couldn't find a single Ascension arms plant, much less where those ridiculous warships and mecha battalions came from.
In Night City, Ascension is synonymous with silence. Even Arasaka, who helped Rocky found it, can't say what it's hiding. Expecting Militech, Ascension's enemy, to know more is wishful thinking.
As for spies? Forget it. No corp's agent has brought anything valuable out of Ascension's walls.