Chapter 674: Chapter 383, No Choice
“…I understand all you’ve said, Mr. Chairman,”
“But what I don’t understand is, how does any of this concern me?”
“I am the Alliance Governor, and I only have jurisdiction over four worlds. The Fatches Tri-Star is not within my jurisdiction. What does their rebellion have to do with the Alliance? I cannot overstep my authority.”
“Indeed, two Star Realm Army corps are under my command, but whether it’s Dragonhawk 3rd Corps or Rage Bear Legion, they currently belong to the Korolya Battle Zone. I am the Battle Zone commander, yes, but my zone only extends to Korolya. How do I have the authority to deploy troops from my zone to another star system for combat?”
“Starfighter Battle Group? You would have to ask the Phoenix Battalion Leader about that, what good is asking me?”
“Out of contact? I’m sorry, Mr. Chairman, but I haven’t been able to get in touch with Commander Matins recently either. The Alliance has no right to govern an Interstellar Warrior Battle Group. Our relationship is solely one of good cooperation. Whether they respond to the call to action is completely beyond my control.”
…
“I know your concerns, please believe that I share the same feelings. The Fatches Family’s treacherous behavior is outrageous; I could never have imagined someone having the audacity to commit such an act of disloyalty. They’ve crossed the line. Their rebellion is an undeniable fact, a sin that must be cleansed! The Alliance has issued a serious condemnation of this, and I have publicly called on Minnick to surrender unconditionally and accept the due judgment!”
“Even, I am personally willing to donate one million Tax Currency to the Star Sector as a manifestation of my outrage!”
“I’ve done all I can, Mr. Chairman, and I hope you can resolve this incident and wash away the disgrace as soon as possible!”
Upon hearing what Gu Hang had to say, Martin Nelli looked grave.
He was considering his choice of words, wondering how to draw Gu Hang to his side of the battle line.
However, little Pei Desi, standing by his side, could no longer hold back.
“Gu Hang, Mr. Gu, Commander Gu, just tell us, what exactly do you want in order to quell the rebellion?”
“I’ve been very clear, can’t you understand? It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I can’t, neither the law nor the regulations allow it.”
“Stop making these hypocritical statements here!” Pei Desi said eagerly, “Just tell us, what do you want? We’ll split Fatches Tri-Star – you take one, we take…”
“Enough!” Gu Hang interjected sharply, “What kind of arrogantly presumptuous words are these? How can imperial territory, in your mouth, seem like private property to be so freely distributed? Recorder, make sure every single word little Pei Desi has said is documented precisely and without a single letter missing.”
Pei Desi was clearly stunned, then flew into a rage, his mouth opening to curse, but before he could speak, Martin Nelli pulled him back.
“I apologize, Mr. Gu, please wait a moment,”
After saying that, Martin Nelli temporarily muted the communication, then turned his head to glower at Pei Desi, “Do you realize how much trouble your words could cause us?”
Pei Desi disdainfully said, “What trouble could it cause?”
Martin Nelli was truly exasperated. The situation was already difficult enough, and on top of that, he had to deal with a ‘teammate’ like him. Everyone talked about how the Pei Desi brothers of the Tianma Star Sector complemented each other, but after his own experience, Martin Nelli realized that it took at least three times the effort of Pei Desi to offset his little brother’s negative impact!
He really regretted getting involved in the muddied waters of the Tianma Star Sector.
But what else could he do, having come this far?
He took a deep breath and said, “You, go out.”
“What?”
“Get out! From now on, when I discuss serious matters, you are not to interrupt with a single word!” Martin Nelli refused to tolerate him any longer.
“What right do you have to speak to me like that!?”
“The right given by your stupidity!”
“The plan to suppress Fatches was your idea, and now that it’s having problems, what do you mean by taking it out on me?”
“Yes, indeed it was, so now I’m trying to remedy it. Please, if you can’t help, can you at least not make things worse?”
“…Alright, alright, I’ll keep quiet. I’ll just listen in, is that good enough?”
“…”
Martin Nelli ultimately chose not to escalate the conflict further and allowed little Pei Desi to stay on, albeit only to listen.
After reconnecting the communication, he first apologized, then continued his negotiations with Gu Hang.
Gu Hang scoffed, asking if Pei Desi had been sent away, which caused the Flying Wing Star Governor sitting beside him to clench his fists.
But at least, the man remembered his recent promise to Martin Nelli, and he remained silent without speaking.
Martin Nelli was quite adept at political negotiation, but he was struggling against a Gu Hang who was impervious to influence.
In their exchange, no matter what Martin Nelli said, offering convenience or political support to relieve Gu Hang of concerns, Gu Hang kept reiterating two points: not covered by his battle zone or the Alliance.
Martin Nelli, of course, understood what that meant.
Little Pei Desi wasn’t wrong at all; Gu Hang’s desire for the Fatches Tri-Star was laid bare on the table. The solution was either to bring Fatches Tri-Star under the Korolya Battle Zone or to have it included within the Alliance.
Ultimately, the two options would result in no different an outcome. Even if the former was about merely zonal inclusion, once Gu Hang achieved military control over Fatches Tri-Star through force, their entry into the Alliance would be only a matter of time.