Chapter 24: The Emerald Isles
While the Hegemony mobilized its fleets, Carson McCain was standing on the balcony of his new secondary headquarters: The Emerald Isles. Located in a hidden fold of space off the coast of a forgotten continent, the Isles were a paradise built by Hobs and funded by the McCain family's "Ghost Accounts." Here, the forty-nine prisoners Carson had rescued were being treated with the finest alchemical medicines. Their "Spirit-Suppression" scars were fading, replaced by the glow of health and, for some, the first sparks of their own cultivation.
"Sir," Aura's voice broke the tranquility of the ocean breeze. "The Hegemony has officially declared McCain-Aetherics a 'Terrorist Organization.' They have frozen our public accounts in 14 sectors. Our stock value is currently dropping by 15% every hour."
"Only 15%?" Carson asked, sipping a cup of bitter herbal tea his mother used to brew. "They're being cautious. They want me to panic and sell my reserves."
"What are your orders, Sir?"
"Buy the dip," Carson said with a cold smile. "Every time they dump a block of our shares, I want McCain Holdings to buy them back through the 'Aegis' shell companies. By the time the Emperor realizes what's happening, I won't just own McCain-Aetherics; I'll own the very banks they're using to facilitate the freeze."
Hobs walked onto the balcony, tossing a small, glowing stone onto the table. It was a Tier-13 Communication Jade.
"The Resistance heard your broadcast, kid," Hobs said. "The 'Broken Gears'—the underground network of engineers and warriors the Hegemony tried to purge. They're meeting in the Lower Sector of New Seattle tonight. They want to know if you're the real deal or just another billionaire with a hero complex."
Carson picked up the stone. He could feel the desperate, flickering Qi of the people who had sent it. "They're afraid, Master."
"They should be," Hobs grunted. "The Void-Hounds have been deployed. They're the Emperor's personal shadow-guard. They don't fight with blades; they fight with 'Spirit-Toxins.' If they catch a scent of your 31st strand, they'll follow you to the ends of the universe."
Carson looked at the Star-Shedder resting against the railing. The hilt of the First Blade was now pulsing in a rhythmic harmony with his heart.
"Let them follow," Carson said. "I'm going back to New Seattle. I need to meet these 'Broken Gears.' If we're going to topple a Hegemony, I'm going to need more than just money and a sword. I'm going to need an army of people who have nothing left to lose."