Getting a Technology System in Modern Day

Chapter 963: A Call to Action

In nearly all media devices across the empire, TVs, holograms, phones, and AR devices, the imperial government’s royal office seal appeared, accompanied by a one-minute timer counting down to the emperor’s address.

The closer the timer got to zero, the slower the empire seemed to move. Sports games, school lectures, tours, and even fights came to a halt as everyone turned their attention to the broadcast. Tension and fear gripped the citizens, fueled by the empire’s recent increase in defenses and the lack of enough and clear information about why.

When the timer hit zero, the seal disappeared, revealing the emperor standing behind a podium, dressed in full military attire. The sight alone sent a chill through the empire, as the emperor only wore his military uniform during moments of grave importance. The last time he had done so was during the first Conclave-Empire faceoff, when Xalthar led to the empire being discovered.

“Good morning, good afternoon, and good evening, dear citizens of Terra Empire on Earth and Proxima,” the emperor began, his voice steady but heavy with the weight of the situation.

“I am here bearing bad news and confirming your suspicions.

Based on our recent actions, you have likely guessed that we are under attack by the Conclave forces.

At this moment, the Conclave has more than a hundred fleets within the vicinity of the Solar System, attempting to encircle us.”

As he spoke, the background behind him changed from a dull gradient to a 3D representation of the Solar System. The locations of the Conclave fleets were highlighted, along with their size, speed, and simulated trajectories. The sight sent goosebumps through the audience as they realized the sheer scale of the threat, as the total was millions of warships of various types heading their way.

“In twenty minutes, our fast-response fleet will intercept the tip of their spear in this area within the Oort Cloud. Encounters are expected to continue increasing over the coming days and weeks.”

As he said that, the background zoomed in, highlighting the two fleets on a collision course. A point in the middle was marked as the location of the initial faceoff. The numbers displayed showed the empire’s fleet was outnumbered two to one.

“Alongside this surprise attack, the Conclave forces have taken nearly 130 million of our citizens hostage from space stations in Conclave territories and the Nexus Hub. Following the capture of these stations, the AIs onboard immediately entered emergency operations, locking external access and activating shields to ensure the safety of our people until a rescue operation could be mounted.

“However, the Conclave forces used their own citizens inside the stations to commit atrocities, resulting in the lynching of some of our people.”

As the emperor spoke, the background shifted to show filtered footage of the events he described. Depending on each viewer’s graphic and gore settings, as the emperor spoke, the background shifted to show images and videos of the atrocities committed against imperial citizens. Though the content was filtered based on each viewer’s settings, the message was clear: horrific acts had been carried out. For many watching, the fear they had been feeling turned into anger. For others, especially those with loved ones working in the space stations, dread and worry consumed them as they wondered whether their friends or family were among the survivors or the dead.

The emperor paused, letting the emotions sink in, the fear, the anger, the hate, all of it reaching its peak before he continued.

“The delay in addressing you was because we have been planning and executing a rescue operation and a retaliation act against their hostage-taking. Though they responded with violence to our rescue operation, we managed to save the majority of our people. The ninety million rescued are currently undergoing preventative and recovery therapy or body reconstruction, depending on the damage they sustained during the attacks. Unfortunately, we suffered the loss of more than forty million imperial citizens.

“As a response to their actions, we now hold a thousand of their planets hostage in return.”

The background shifted again, showing selected footage of the rescue operations and planetary takeovers. For those not consumed by worry for their loved ones, the sight of the empire’s strength amidst the loss of life sent chills down their spines. The anger they felt for the Conclave’s actions was now mixed with pride for the empire’s ability to strike back.

“Though the loss of imperial lives is a heavy burden, we do not have the time to mourn. The enemy is at our doorstep, trying to kill us. I ask you to withhold your mourning until we have dealt with them and exacted revenge for what they did to our mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, daughters, and sons. We must fight to ensure their loss is not swept under the rug under the guise of a truce or ceasefire. That is something we cannot accept, even if it means fighting to the last man.

“I promise you, we will not accept any ceasefire, truce, or cessation of hostilities until their loss is repaid with blood. You can hold me personally responsible for this promise.”

The emperor’s voice grew sharper, his tone resolute as he leaned slightly forward, his eyes piercing through the screen as if addressing each citizen directly.

“Unfortunately, we are outnumbered. The fleets heading toward the Solar System alone carry over two billion soldiers, compared to our five hundred million-strong military. Across all their civilizations, the Conclave boasts an army of up to ten billion.

“But does that mean we should cower? Does that mean we should bend the knee? Does that mean it is meaningless to fight them under the possibility of losing?” he paused for a moment before responding to his questions, “NO. NO. NO.” while hitting the podium.

“We, as humans, have a history of surviving and winning wars despite being outnumbered. That is who we are. That is what we do. And that is what we will continue to do. I intend to engrave this truth into the minds of every alien civilization now and any alien civilization that learns of the empire in the future. Let this fight serve as a warning and an example of what happens when you attack us, provoke us, or harm our people.”

The emperor’s voice grew louder, filled with conviction.

“To achieve this, I need you, my people, to join me in this fight. Together, we will overcome the twenty-to-one deficit and turn it into two-to-one, with them being the outnumbered side.

For that, I hereby call upon all of you, all twenty billion of you, to join this fight.”

The background shifted again, showing a visual representation of the empire’s population, with a glowing call to action.

“From your homes, anyone aged eighteen or older can register. To those who do, we will assign a physical avatar that you can control and use to participate in the fight. You won’t have to worry about dying, as you will not die. If your avatar is destroyed, we will provide you with a replacement immediately. You won’t feel pain, so fight with that in mind. Fight knowing that you are actively defending your empire, your loved ones, and your futures. Fight to share in the glory that will define humanity’s legacy.”

The emperor paused, letting the weight of his words settle before continuing.

“We will make our weaponry technology available for you to see. From it, choose, modify, and customize your representative however you wish. The imperial government will build it for you, so you can use it to fight in this war. This is your chance to write history in your name, to stand with your empire, and to ensure that humanity’s strength, resilience, and unity are remembered for generations to come. This is not just a fight for survival; it is a fight to show the Conclave who we are and what we stand for.

“We will not allow the Conclave to dictate our future. We will not allow them to trample on our sovereignty, our people, or our dignity. This is our time to rise, to fight, and to ensure that the sacrifices of those we have lost are not in vain.

“To those of you who join this fight, you will be remembered as heroes. You will be the ones who stood up when the empire needed you most. You will be the ones who ensured that humanity’s light does not dim but burns brighter than ever before.”

The emperor’s voice softened slightly, but his determination remained unwavering.

“I know this is not an easy request. I know many of you are scared, angry, and grieving. But I ask you to channel those emotions into action. Together, we will show the Conclave and anyone watching that humanity is not to be underestimated. Together, we will defend our home, our people, and our future.”

The emperor straightened, his gaze steady and unyielding.

“May the empire stand strong. May humanity prevail. And may we honor those we have lost by ensuring that their sacrifices lead to our ultimate victory. Long live the empire.”

With that, the emperor stepped back from the podium, and the imperial seal reappeared on the screen, signaling the end of the address.

Across the empire, the citizens sat in silence, processing the weight of the emperor’s words. For some, the fear lingered, but for many, it was replaced by a burning resolve. The call to action had been made, and humanity was ready to answer.