In full view of the stunned delegates, a frigate knifed toward the satellite they were on. A small shuttle peeled off its hull and slammed a rough dock onto the station's interface.
Gunfire and screams rolled across the satellite, closing fast on the conference room.
The doors, designed to slide open left and right, blew inward under a single kick.
With every pair of eyes on him, Jackie stepped in with a rifle on his shoulder.
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I'm here on behalf of Ascension Tech to bring you some warmth."
…
The sudden appearance of a space fleet hadn't escaped the eyes of Earth's power blocs. News that the European Council's satellite had been seized spread like wildfire, helped along by Ascension Tech's own channels.
People were already watching for the spark of a world war. This was it. Shock hit first; understanding followed. War was about to start.
The fleet alone shook the world. No one expected it to be just the appetizer.
Within minutes, ships like the ones that had faced down military tech were hanging over the major cities of every major nation.
The instant they arrived, whole cities felt like someone pressed pause. Every gaze tilted skyward.
Governments and megacorps slammed into high alert. Sirens howled.
Ascension Tech was clearly choosing to challenge the world, and to do it everywhere at once.
While leaders hesitated over whether to fire first, Ascension Tech lit up a global stream across the Ascension Network.
"Hello, everyone. It's me again, L. Not long ago, I said I wanted to change this world. Judging by the pushback, plenty of people don't like what Ascension Tech has been doing. That's fine. We're not unreasonable. We've prepared for every outcome, but we're still willing to give companies and governments a chance to talk. On behalf of Ascension Tech, I'm inviting representatives from every corporation and government to our headquarters, Black Star, for a meeting that can reshape the world. Invitations will be delivered directly to your servers. Our vehicles will arrive shortly to pick you up. Please be ready."
"One last note: we don't want any invited parties to be absent. If necessary, we'll use compulsory means to 'invite' you."
No open battle, then just an invitation that left everyone second-guessing.
Every major government and corp, whether or not they'd joined the so-called anti-Ascension alliance, received the same summons.
In an instant, factions moved. Even if Ascension Tech had picked a fight, no one could plan a response without first hearing what the company wanted.
The ships over each city also tamped down the urge to shoot first. The pressure they projected was immense, and everyone had seen how vessels like these performed in their clash with military tech.
If these ships carried the same kind of force as before, then the first volley would carve cities and balance sheets to pieces. Everyone could see that.
So most corporations did what they were told, sending decision-makers to await pickup for a flight to Ascension Tech's so-called headquarters.
Shuttles launched from Black Star and streaked toward all points on Earth to collect the meeting's participants.
As for the few who ignored the warning and refused to attend, Ascension Tech provided a different kind of courtesy.
An elite combat-robot team walked off a shuttle and personally removed those leaders. None of those factions could mount any real resistance.
Night City, atop Arasaka Tower.
Arasaka Yorinobu stood on the hover-pad, waiting.
A shuttle from Ascension Tech settled onto the pad.
Of course, Arasaka had received an invitation. This time, though, their treatment matched everyone else's. Whatever glow came with being an ally of Ascension Tech wasn't on display.
Yorinobu didn't dwell on it. He boarded.
"Adam Smasher, you're with me. Everyone else stays here and waits for the meeting to begin. It won't be closed. Keep your link to the Ascension Network and watch the proceedings in real time.
"Your job is to execute every decision I make at that meeting. Understood?"
His tone left no room for argument. The executives he'd been drilling for days lowered their heads and answered in unison.
Yorinobu paused, then repeated himself, rare for him.
"Do what you say you'll do. Know your role. Understand the consequences of ignoring my orders."
He stepped into the shuttle. Adam Smasher followed.
As they lifted off, Yorinobu watched the city fall away and murmured, "So it's finally ending."
Smasher glanced at him and said nothing. He didn't know what Yorinobu meant, but from his point of view, Ascension Tech was moving to challenge the entire world. If their side won, Arasaka would rise to an even higher tier.
The shuttle was fast. When it punched through the atmosphere, the hearts of everyone aboard climbed into their throats.
If Rocky was right, they were headed to Ascension Tech's headquarters, and it was in space.
Absurd. Terrifying. And suddenly, a lot of mysteries made sense.
Now, everyone knew where Ascension Tech's armies and weapons had been hiding.
Out there in deep space, where no one else could reach.