Chapter 11: The Brave New World Pt3

Imperial Palace, Brasília, the Brazilian Empire

The State Council meeting was held in the grand chamber of the Imperial Palace in Brasília. The room was adorned with intricate carvings and embellishments, reflecting the opulence and power of the Brazilian Empire. Crown Prince Pedro Luiz, a man of stern countenance and strong character, sat at the long oaken table, quietly observing the proceedings with a mix of concern and determination. His eyes swept across the room, taking note of the various council members in attendance. Their faces showed a range of emotions, from curiosity to fear, as they eagerly awaited the reports on the mysterious portals.

Glancing at his father, Emperor Pedro IV, Prince Pedro Luiz felt a surge of frustration. His father's frailty had allowed the foundations of imperial power to slowly crumble, while the influence of the Catholic Church had gradually expanded, infiltrating even the highest echelons of government. One striking example of this was the current President of the Council of Ministers, Antônio Ederaldo de Santana, a Bishop appointed from Aparecida, the new Holy See. The thought left a bitter taste in the prince's mouth, for he knew the consequences of such a position.

As the meeting commenced, the first agenda on the table was the report of a reconnaissance mission that had ventured beyond the portal in Rio de Janeiro. General Paulo Sérgio Nogueira de Oliveira, the Minister of War, stood up and activated a video feed. The giant screen flickered to life, revealing a sight that struck fear into the hearts of those present.

The land beyond Rio de Janeiro stretched out as a vast, ominous glacier, dyed a deep red by the countless insectoid corpses scattered across its surface. Gasps escaped the lips of the council members. Emperor Pedro IV, his face pale, muttered in disbelief, "In the name of the Holy Father, what is this hellish realm?"

Standing up, Marcos Cesar Pontes, the Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, spoke with an air of authority. Pontes, the first Lusophone to venture into space, possessed a deep understanding of the unknown. "Your Majesty," he began, his usually calm voice resonating with gravity, "multiple observations of the horizon and star constellations have confirmed that this New World is a super-earth, with a diameter 2.5 times longer than Earth and a surface area 6.3 times larger. The dimensional gate in Rio de Janeiro connects to the New World's Arctic region."

The revelation of another inhabited planet sparked bewilderment and awe in the room. The possibility of sentient beings existing beyond their realm challenged the fundamentalist beliefs of the President of the Council of Ministers, Antônio Ederaldo de Santana. His face contorted with disdain, but he wisely held his tongue, aware that the gathering required definitive answers.

Pontes continued, his tone growing more intriguing, "That isn't the strangest thing, Your Majesty. As our unmanned aerial vehicles flew northward, we discovered that this planet's polar region is engulfed by a massive space-time anomaly, defying all understanding of physics."

A hush settled over the room as all eyes turned toward the screen. The image displayed a colossal wall of shimmering clouds, crackling with incessant lightning and torrential rain that defied gravity, ascending into the heavens above. The anomaly seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy, an enigma that left even the most learned minds confounded.

Shaking off the collective astonishment, the meeting moved on to discuss the pressing matter of the United States' diplomatic pressure on the Brazilian Empire for access to the Rio de Janeiro portal. Foreign Minister Damares Alves, known for her hardline nationalist and Catholic Integralist views, wasted no time in expressing her displeasure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, among the three superpowers of the world, the Russian Empire and the Franco-British Union have each been granted the fortune of hosting two portals on their territories," Foreign Minister Alves declared, her voice brimming with nationalistic fervor. "The United States, with all its arrogance, only possesses one portal in New York. So The Yankees are now seeking a joint operation with our government to explore the New World. How arrogant these American bastards are! The Brazilian Empire is not a weak American whore like Venezuela; we will not bow to their demands."

Her words resonated deeply with the State Council members, reminding them of the sovereignty they held dear. The Empire had weathered storms before and would not bow to the demands of any foreign power. They understood the gravity of their circumstances—the emergence of portals, the existence of a new world, and the impending clash of global powers seeking to exploit this newfound realm. Each councillor present vowed to protect the nation's interests and preserve its autonomy at all costs. Crown Prince Pedro Luiz clenched his fists, his determination steadily growing. He realized the gravity of the situation and the importance of preserving the sovereignty and integrity of the Brazilian Empire. The encroachments made by both the Catholic Church and foreign powers threatened the very fabric of their nation.

The discussion then turned to reports of miracles and disturbing phenomena occurring throughout Brazil since the portals had opened. The Minister of Information addressed the council, his voice filled with a mix of amazement and concern.

"Since the portals opened, social media has been inundated with stories of miraculous occurrences. Blind individuals regaining their sight, the paralyzed miraculously walking again, mothers exhibiting Herculean strength to save their children from peril," the Minister recounted. "But alongside these miracles, we have witnessed a disturbing surge in violent crimes and debauchery. Criminals exhibit inhuman strength and an insatiable appetite for brutality—fathers violating their daughters, sons violating their mothers and sisters, acts of cannibalism and bestiality."

The room fell into a heavy silence as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The members of the State Council exchanged concerned glances, grappling with the disturbing implications. It was clear that the opening of the portals had unleashed forces beyond any mortal comprehension, both miraculous and malevolent. The very fabric of humanity seemed to be unravelling in the wake of this newfound connection to the enigmatic New World. Many believed that these events were interconnected, pieces of a puzzle yet to be unraveled.

Prince Pedro Luiz sat in contemplation, his mind racing with questions. How did all of this come to pass? What hidden forces governed their reality? And most importantly, what awaited them beyond the portal's threshold? The weight of responsibility settled heavily upon him, aware that the fate of the Brazilian Empire rested on their ability to comprehend these phenomena and navigate the uncharted territory that lay ahead.

As the meeting drew to a close, the council members dispersed, each consumed by their own thoughts and reflections. Crown Prince Pedro Luiz remained seated for a moment longer, contemplating the weight of his responsibilities. In his eyes burned a fire, a fierce determination to protect his empire from external threats and chart a new course in this uncharted world. The stage was set for a new chapter in the history of the world—a chapter brimming with uncertainty, danger, and the boundless potential for both despair and hope.

Darwinian Calendar Year 61639, Month 6, Day 44. 8.00

The Aerial Knight from the 661st Fighter Squadron, Maarpatima, soared through the clear blue sky on patrol duty. The sleek and gallant figure of his jet black Ornithopter cut through the air, its sharp tail adding to its formidable appearance. If any modern Earthling were to witness this machine, they would surely mistake it for a technologically advanced ornithopter, an aircraft designed to mimic the flapping-wing flight of birds and insects.

But little did they know, this aircraft was no mere machine. It was a living creature—a sapient metal being, belonging to the ancient alien race known as the Living Machines. These beings possessed both intelligence and consciousness, making them formidable allies in the war against the Tyranid Swarm Tiamet.

Maarpatima, skilled in the art of manipulating these magnificent creatures, assumed his duty of patrolling the eastern area. Although the vast expanse of the sea lay before him, it was a strategic location vulnerable to surprise attacks from the Tyranid Swarm. Ever vigilant, Maarpatima and his partner flew on towards the northeast of Różakawa fortress city, ready to act as a countermeasure against any impending threat.

Suddenly, a blip on the radar caught Maarpatima's attention. His gaze darted towards the source, his curiosity piqued. What could it be? As the object grew closer, his initially mistaken assumption of it being an ancient dragon dissipated.

"It doesn't flap its wings," Maarpatima whispered to himself, realizing that this object defied conventional flight methods.

Reacting quickly, he activated the communication magic tools, commonly referred to as mana communicators, and relayed the situation to headquarters. His voice brimming with urgency, he reported, "I have discovered an unidentified object. I will engage to identify. Current location…"

Fortunately, the altitude between the two objects was not drastically different. Determined to get a closer look, Maarpatima closed in on the unidentified object, preparing for a pass by.

"It's fast," he muttered, a mixture of awe and disbelief in his voice as he witnessed the object's incredible speed. Unlike the ornithopter, which relied on flapping wings, this mysterious object glided effortlessly through the air. Its sleek, arrowhead-shaped form was propelled forward by a powerful flame emanating from its rear.

Undeterred by the object's speed, Maarpatima commanded his beloved Ornithopter to spread its eight wings, causing them to flap with intensity. The wind pressure surrounding him became overwhelming as he accelerated, covering vast distances within seconds. However, no matter how swift the Ornithopter was, it failed to catch up with the elusive object.

The type-92 air-superiority fighter ornithopter, renowned for its maximum speed of 2355 km/hour, was considered the fastest living machine in its class, despite the existence of superior breeds within the Holy Empire. Yet, even this supreme champion of the sky could not bridge the vast speed difference with the mysterious object.

Frustration and bewilderment filled Maarpatima's mind as he struggled to comprehend the capabilities of the object before him. It was unlike anything he had ever encountered.

"Kugh! What is that? What kind of machine is this?" he exclaimed, his voice laced with both shock and frustration.

Distressed by his inability to pursue and identify the object, Maarpatima urgently contacted headquarters. "HQ! HQ! The unidentified object's speed is far beyond our reach! I cannot pursue it! It is heading towards Różakawa direction in the mainland! I repeat, it is moving towards Różakawa!"

Helplessly, Maarpatima watched as the mysterious object continued its journey, gradually disappearing from his line of sight. The Aerial Knight had been outrun, left with an unsettling sense of wonder and a burning desire to uncover the secrets of this enigmatic machine.