Dawn of Pax Arc
~ Chapter 15: Time Pt. II ~
Potential Future
They had arrived on the beach of Paradis Island a day after leaving Marley. They had spent the next day trekking from the docks toward the walls of Paradis. It had been that night, during a campfire, that Marcel had confessed the truth to Reiner. That it had been his intervention that led Reiner to becoming the Armored Titan instead of Porco. The night had ended, with the tension surging through the four Warriors. Annie was wary of Reiner and Bertholdt. After all, she had her own reasons for coming to Paradis. The second she could get away from the two, she and Marcel could focus on getting the Founder back to Harry.
The next day, her plans were shattered. Only a kilometre from the outside wall, a Pure Titan had ambushed the group. The giant Titan with long brown hair had set its eyes on Reiner. It had gotten within arms length of him before Marcel shoved Reiner out of the way. Annie watched in horror as the Titan's teeth bit down on Marcel's head. Her eyes watered as Marcel's head popped, sending his blood all over the grass. Reiner took off at a sprint, desperately trying to get away while Bertholdt followed. Annie's eyes widened when the Titan disappeared with a Pop!, similar to how Harry teleported. It wasn't until days later that Annie understood. Marcel's portkey had gone off.
The emergency portkey given to the boy by Harry, which was set to return him safely to the docks in Marley, had been inadvertently used. The titan, now in human form, was no doubt wondering the streets of Liberio. At least the power of the Jaw was back in Marley, where Harry would no doubt find it. But this development left Annie in a dangerous position. Not only did Marcel's death break Annie's heart, but it also left her in the same position she, Harry, and Pieck had feared originally. She was now truly alone.
Annie was now the only person on Paradis Island with the goals of Pax in mind. She was left by herself, trying her best to avoid Reiner and Bertholdt's questions while pursuing her own goals. Harry had suspected that the Founding Titan was not in the possession of the King or any member of the royal family. Instead, he theorized that Eldia's situation was similar to Marley's. A family hidden in the shadows were truly behind everything. She would need to locate this family and obtain the Founding Titan before Reiner and Bertholdt got her killed.
When Reiner and Bertholdt descended on the wall, Annie decided to bide her time. She wasn't going to be involved. She knew hundreds if not thousands would die because of what they were doing. So she sat by and watched. Bertholdt and Reiner transformed several meters from the wall. Bertholdt's Colossal Titan towered over her, his head reaching over the massive wall. Annie expected him to try pushing the wall down, but was surprised when he instead brought his foot back. With extreme force, Bertholdt kicked the gate leaning into the wall. Debris fired into the air as the most vulnerable part of the wall collapsed. Bertholdt had done his job. Now it was her turn.
Reluctant and guilt-ridden, Annie let out a scream. Her voice echoed throughout the prairie, drawing the attention of every Pure Titan in a fifty-mile radius. Those nearby immediately turned to the sound, moving forward with conviction. Within minutes, several dozen Pure Titans had entered the district through the hole in the wall. Reiner was among them, his purpose being to breach the interior wall that led inside the greater plains beyond Wall Maria. Within minutes the wall would be breached, allowing hundreds of Pure Titans to roam the inside freely. Hundreds of thousands would die.
"Do what you need to with a clear conscience," Harry's voice rang through Annie's mind. It continued to run through her mind as time moved forward. The three Warriors passed through Wall Rose, blending in with all the refugees escaping the now titan-infested Wall Maria. They lived inside a refugee center for two years. Two long years that Annie spent studying as much as she could. Any hour that she wasn't training her body, she was training her mind. Annie went to the library every day, learning everything she could about the current state of Eldia and the crown. She found nothing leading to a family similar to the Tybur family. That left only one option. She had to make it inside Wall Sina.
But the only way to do this was to enter the military. She certainly wasn't rich, which was the only conventional way to enter the last wall. The military though, would provide her a reason for entering the wall. As far as she could tell, the military was split into three branches. The Scout Regiment/Survey Corps, the Garrison Regiment, and the Military Police Regiment. The Survey Corps focused on exploring outside the Walls. The Garrison Regiment focused on protecting the Walls. And the Military Police Regiment focused on protecting the King. If she wanted to get close to the family truly running Paradis, she needed to get close to the King. This left Annie with one clear goal. Get into the Military Police Regiment.
To do so, she would need to enter the Cadet Corps, where she would have to rank in the top ten of her class to enter the Military Police Regiment. She knew she was capable of getting that spot. But only time would tell if her goal would come to fruition.
Potential Future
Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt had successfully entered the Cadet Corps. Here, they were placed in the 104th Division. Annie was a bit taken back by the individuals in her division. There were the more outspoken few, such as Eren Jaeger, Jean Kirschtein, and Sasha Braus. There were also the quiet ones, consisting of Mikasa Ackerman, Armin Arlert, and Christa Lenz. Reiner and Bertholdt formed friendships with Eren, Armin, and Christa. Annie decided to keep to herself. She couldn't allow herself to make connections here. Not when she had a mission to complete. It had already been two years without any luck locating the Coordinate. There was no word from Harry either. Annie was worried about the status of Marley, Pax, and the Mid-Eastern Alliance.
Those in the 104th Division spent the next three years learning everything they could. Annie was taught how to use Omni-Directional Maneuvering Gear, which allowed her to traverse the Walls with ease while being an easy tool to kill titans. Annie mastered the ODM Gear easily, earning top marks from their instructor Keith Sadies. Her level of affinity with the ODM Gear reassured Annie that she would rank within the top five of her class. The only individuals that could rank ahead of her were Mikasa Ackerman, Reiner, and Bertholdt.
Mikasa Ackerman was one of Eren Jaeger's friends, apparently his adopted sister. She was a natural with her ODM Gear, even more so than Annie. She was also much more skilled swordsman than Annie and any other member of the 104th Division. Annie was certain Mikasa would get number one in their division. Annie, Reiner, Bertholdt, and maybe Jaeger would reach the top five. If Annie were to guess, the other five would be tied between Jean Kirschtein, Armin Arlert, Christa Lenz, Marco Bodt, Conny Springer, and Sasha Braus. One of them would be left behind, being unable to enter the Military Police Regiment.
Potential Future - July 31st, 850
Three long years. Annie had spent three long years in the Cadet Corps training to enter the Military Police Regiment. In all of that time, she hadn't gotten a word from Harry. She was sixteen years old. It had been almost a decade since she had entered the Warrior Program, where she met Harry, Marcel, Pieck, Reiner, Bertholdt, and Porco. Most of whom she had considered friends for a long time. It was so different now. Harry and Pieck were off in the world fighting for Pax. Marcel was dead. Zeke and Porco were off somewhere fighting the Mid-Eastern Alliance. But worse of all, Reiner and Bertholdt were now her enemies. Enemies she was forced to treat as partners. Of the seven Warriors, only three were fighting for the right cause.
Today was Harry's birthday. He was turning seventeen. It had also been nine days since the 104th Division had disbanded. They had been released from the Cadet Corps and were tasked with watching over Trost District until they were allowed to choose their preferred military branch. As she had suspected, Mikasa Ackerman had ranked first in their division. After Mikasa were Reiner, Bertholdt, Annie, Eren Jaeger, Jean Kirschtein, Marco Bodt, Conny Springer, Sasha Braus, and Christa Lenz. This meant that they all had the option to join the Military Police Regiment. However, it seemed only a few of them would actually join. Reiner and Bertholdt had stupidly decided to join the Survey Corps. Not that Annie minded. It meant she wouldn't have to look over her shoulder around them.
Eren Jaeger had been dead set on joining the Survey Corps. And of course, Mikasa and Armin Arlert were tailing right behind him. Christa seemed to want to follow Sasha into the Survey Corps too, leaving only Annie, Jean, Marco, and Conny. The four of them were the only four looking to enter the Military Police Regiment. Jean and Conny wanted to enter the safety of Wall Sina, while Marco was content following Jean. Annie, of course, had her own agenda. This line-up was changed, however, when Bertholdt decided to take action.
He shifted into the Colossal Titan just one day after the 104th Division was disbanded. He kicked a hole in the outer wall of Trost District, allowing the Pure Titans outside entrance. Just as they had in the Shiganshina District, the titans poured into Trost, trampling everything while eating everyone in their paths. Of course, given the graduates of the 104th were already there, they were one of many to respond to the new threat. Thankfully for Trost, the Armored Titan didn't show. Reiner seemed conflicted.
This conflict only shifted exponentially when Annie, Reiner, and Bertholdt - who were discussing their plan to push through the wall - were overheard by fellow graduate Marco Bodt. Annie immediatley shifted into the defensive. She tackled Marco before he could get away. Once again everything turned into a blur. She remembered pulling off his ODM Gear. She remembered leaving him on the roof. She remembered watching as he was eaten by a titan. Annie also remembered Reiner's reaction. He had been completely out of it. He couldn't seem to remember just why Marco was being eaten, despite having been involved. It was then that Annie realized just how broken Reiner was after Marcel's death.
But that wasn't her concern. Her concern was split in two. One was her mission to find the Coordinate for Harry. The second was the reveal that Eren Jaeger possessed a titan power. She assumed thanks to basic deduction that he possessed the Attack Titan. But it made her wonder. Perhaps he knew something about the Founding Titan, or could at least lead her to whoever possessed it. Despite her best effort to ignore Reiner and Bertholdt, she trusted them to watch Eren, especially after he had plugged the hole in Trost using his titan form.
Eren had since been captured by the Survey Corps, who were obviously outraged about his ability to transform into a titan. Annie herself tried to ignore these developments. Reiner and Bertholdt would keep an eye on Eren. She needed to dedicate herself to finding the Coordinate. So, she killed the two titans the Survey Corps had captured in Trost and presented Marco's ODM Gear for inspection to avoid suspision. Annie then attended the choosing ceremony, where she readily entered the Military Police Regiment.
As she suspected, Eren, Mikasa, Armin, Reiner, Bertholdt, Sasha, and Christa all choose the Survey Corps. Surprisingly, Jean and Conny also chose the Survey Corps. While Annie didn't quite care about Conny's reasoning, she knew that Jean had chosen it to atone for Marco's death. That left only her entering the Military Police Regiment. She didn't necessarily care though. They were all free to run about and get themselves killed. Annie was focused on getting close to the King and discovering who truly held the Coordinates power.
Now, Annie resided inside Wall Sina. She was bunking with fellow Military Police officer Hitch Dreyse. Despite her kind-nature, Dreyse was already beginning to annoy Annie. She was overbearing, with her sarcastic and witty humor annoying Annie greatly. Annie, who currently lay on her bed peering out at the window to the sky, was pulled from her thoughts as the door to her quarters opened. Her roommate, Hitch Dreyse, stepped into the room. She was wearing a simple white t-shirt and pajama bottoms. She held a small envelope in her hand, which she handed to Annie. "It's for you,"
Annie didn't say anything. She instead sat up and carefully opened the envolope. Reaching inside, she removed a piece of paper as well as a small ring. The ring held a small white crystal. Annie froze. She knew who had sent this letter. She had been waiting for this letter for five long years. Five years of waiting for any news. For anything. She slid the ring onto her right pinky finger before picking up the letter. As she read the letter, Annie couldn't help but allow her tears to run freely down her face. It had happened. Pax was real. Harry had done it. He would be coming to Paradis in just a few days, and had agreed to meet with her using the ring as a tracker. In just a few days they would be reunited. As the thought of seeing Harry again overtook her mind, she lost track of her main goal, as well as a confused Hitch Dreyse standing over. The girl hadn't thought Annie could cry.
"The stars are beautiful tonight, Harry," Frieda Reiss had decided to pay him a visit inside the Paths once again. His eyes locked onto hers for only a moment before he allowed himself to peer off in the distance to the Coordinate. Ymir and the two boys were still there, their unseen eyes locked on him. If it hadn't become such a recurring sight, Harry would have been unnerved by it. Instead, he turned back to Frieda, who took his hands in her own with a smile. "I hope one day you do reach the stars. There's so much to see out there,"
"You have no idea, Frieda,"
He admired the "New World". Citizens all over Europe were fighting for the chance to claim the prizes they believed lied on the other side of the ocean. But He knew what was waiting for him. Even now, aboard the Tyger, He was preparing himself for the immenent failure of this colony. Because, as he had long since learned, nothing he did could stop Him. Nothing He did could change the course of history. He was bound to endure the Cycle. After all, he had avoided his own. It was only 'fair' that he endure anothers.
November 6th, 847
One week following the official formation of Pax, Harry Potter found himself on the PNS - Pax Naval Ship - Resolute. The ship was the flagship of Pax's new fleet. Fifty-seven large vessels crossing the West Sea. Above them were several air blimps that had not only been acquired by the Marleyan and Hizuru fleets but also constructed in the former Pax Capital. They were headed for the docks of Liberio, where both he and Willy Tybur would break the news to the Marleyan armed forces and government that things had changed. Harry was anticipating a fight. He suspected that the king, Magath, and those present in Liberio would not be pleased with this change.
Harry and Willy were residing on the PNS Resolute. Pieck and Kiyomi Azumabito were residing on the PNS Solidarity. Harry had provided Lara Tybur a portkey back to the Tybur Estate, ensuring she and the War Hammer Titan were not harmed if a fight did indeed break out. He needed to be sure that things went smoothly. This was the future of Pax after all.
Harry currently found himself at the bow of the flagship, overlooking the sea. He could see Marley and Liberio in the horizon, slowly crawling towards them. They had only ten minutes before they were intercepted by a vessel of the Marleyan navy. Harry was soon joined by fellow founder Willy Tybur, who stood by him as he too examined the skyline. "I assume we will be walking into a fight," The man said.
"Possibly," Harry replied.
"Then was it wise to send Lara home?"
"My sources say Zeke and Porco are still outside of Marley. I told your sister that I would only use the War Hammer's power to help against those two. I intend to stick to that," Harry explained.
"Very noble of you,"
"Sod off,"
Willy laughed. Despite Harry being more than half Willy's age, the two got along like brothers. They found it easy to engage in banter, something Harry respected about the man. Willy was easily vocal, and got along well with almost everyone he encountered. It was one of the reasons Harry had been ready to nominate him for the role of Hegemon. Instead, they had elected a fourteen year old boy to serve as their first leader. It made Harry laugh at times. He had expected to be active in the development and running of Pax, but more as an advisor than an active leader. Now, he found himself at the forefront of the decision-making process. He had gotten quite good at signing his name on documents, and it had only been a week.
"Lord Potter! A vessel is closing in on us from the south-west!" The voice of one of the Petty Officers echoed over the deck of the Resolute. Peering to his left, he indeed saw a large warship barrelling towards them at full speed, roughly 34 knots. It would only slow down when it was fifteen clicks from their fleet. It would most likely stop with its starboard artillery positioned toward their fleet. The Petty Officer from before spoke up again. "Orders, Lord Potter?!"
"Send up two white flares!" Harry shouted.
"Aye sir!"
Within seconds, two large signal flares were fired into the air over the Resolute. Flares were commonly used in Marley. Two white flares signified a ceasefire while one represented surrender. Harry didn't intend to surrender, but he wanted to avoid launching into an immediate sea battle. One of the Lieutenant's onboard the Resolute sprinted toward Harry and Willy, carrying with him a portable radio tranceiver. He held the walkie toward Harry. "Sir, the vessel is trying to contact us. The captain identified himself as Magath,"
"Well. This should be interesting," Harry quickly took the device, pressing down the button on the side before speaking. "Commander Magath. It's been a long time,"
"That it has, Potter,"
"How have things been?"
"Oh, alright. Two of my Warriors are locked in a war. Four are across the ocean. The other two decided to launch a coup and have been a pain in my ass for the past couple year," Magath replied humorously. "You've got some nerve coming back here, Potter. Especially with an entire fleet in tow. What do you want?"
"To talk," Harry simply replied.
"To talk," Magath scoffed. "You don't talk with an entire fleet at your heels. You being here is an act of war, Potter,"
"I think not, Commander. I have with me a very influencial member of the Marleyan Government. Isn't that right, Lord Tybur?" Harry held the radio between himself and Willy.
Willy shrugged. "I wouldn't consider myself very influencial. That would be you, Your Majesty,"
Harry grimaced despite Willy's humor. He wasn't a fan of the titles. Never had been and never would be. Magath was silent for a moment on the other end of the radio. He eventually spoke. "You desert your post. You destroy hundreds of Marleyan outposts. You declare your intent to conquer the world. And now you've kidnapped an influential Lord. This conversation is o-"
"You will find that I am here of my own free will, Commander," Willy spoke. "We really do just wish to speak. If you allow myself and Lord Potter onto your vessel, we will gladly explain everything to you,"
"I will happily accept you on my ship. But you can wait to explain until after I deliver you back to Liberio as prisoners of war," Magath replied.
"You don't learn, do you Magath? I don't want to fight. Never have. I've been vocal about it ever since the Fortress all those years ago. I've come back to Marley to discuss the new future Lord Tybur and I have created together. With our party are Pieck, Ambassador Azumabito from Hizuru, as well as a number of other leaders from various nations,"
Another moment of silence. "Quite the coalition you've conjured here, Potter. But you can't blame me for seeing this for what it is. An invasion force,"
Harry sighed. "I don't want to fight, Commander. We're just moving house,"
"Moving house," Magath scoffed. "You do know how that sounds, right?"
"If you let us talk, I'll explain everything. Things will become much clearer than,"
"Fine. But you'll have every gun on this ship trained on you at all times. God knows how much you've improved with those powers of yours. Bring Finger and Azumabito along as well. I'm sure they'll have something to say,"
With that the transmission clicked off. Harry sighed. "Well, that could have gone better,"
"At least they won't fire on us," Willy countered, motioning to the Marleyan warship that was slowing to a crawl just a few clicks from their position. "Come on, we should inform Pieck and Kiyomi that they're wanted onboard for this joyous discussion,"
Harry rolled his eyes. It would hardly be a joyous discussion. If anything, he was one hundred percent certain that Magath would try to shoot him during the conversation that would take place. After all, they were going to tell Magath and all of his men that their ship now belonged to Pax, and that Pax itself now controlled every inch of Marley's land. Any soldier who wasn't sympathetic to their cause would be in an uproar. It had taken two long years just to make Pax official. It would take probably just as long to quell any rebellions that popped up as a result. Not to mention the ongoing conflict against the Mid-Eastern Alliance. Harry still had to work out how to make that end.
Harry apparated alongside Willy to the deck of the PNS Solidarity, where Harry was sure to find Pieck and Kiyomi. Of course, they two were situated at the bow of the vessel, much like Harry and Willy had been. "Harry!" The boy in questioned had to step back to endure the mass that hit him squarely in the chest. Pieck had wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him closely. When she eventually did pull away, she was blushing slightly, pointedly ignoring the amused looks being shot at her from Willy and Kiyomi. "They said their guns were seconds from firing at you," She provided.
Shrugging, Harry smiled. "We're find. We were able to talk old Magath out of doing something stupid. He's allowing the four of us to come on board and discuss our intentions,"
"I'm sure he won't enjoy our explanation," Kiyomi guessed.
"Definitely not. But given he and his men are technically under the control of the Pax Navy, if they try to capture or harm us, they'll be committing treason," Harry replied.
"That'll definitely make this easier. If they try to shoot you, you can just tie them up and throw them in prison when we get back to Liberio," said Pieck.
"Let's hope we don't have to do a lot of that," Harry didn't want to capture or hurt everyone that simply didn't agree with Pax and its mission. As with anything, it was usually a good thing when disagreements were had. It often led to fruitful dialogue that benefitted everybody in the long run. He hoped that he could limit any future conflicts to debates or peaceful protests. But of course, Harry had been a warrior since he was six. He wasn't naive enough to think there would be no war. No death. It was inevitable in a situation such as this. But he would do everything in his power to limit the casualties. He had made a promise to Annie. He wouldn't build Pax on a foundation of blood and violence. "Are you lot ready?" Harry asked, holding out a small pen he had collected the day before from one of the ensigns.
"Yep," Without hesitation Pieck placed a finger on what she identified as a portkey. Willy and Kiyomi, now familiar with this method of travel, placed a finger on the writing utensil. "Portus," With a crack the four were pulled away from the Solidarity. Within only a second they were deposited onto the deck of Magath's warship. Harry took Kiyomi's arm, steading her as she wobbled slightly from the trip. Pieck appeared completely fine while Willy leant down, composing himself for a moment before straightening his tie. It seemed the two still weren't used to portkey travel.
In the span of few moments the entire deck of Magath's ship was covered in Marleyan soldiers. There wasn't an Eldian in sight. They all aimed their rifles and pistols in Harry and Pieck's direction, wary of his magic and Pieck's titan-shifting powers. Soon after, Commander Magath himself stepped out onto the deck. He was wearing his command uniform, with a pistol holstered at his side. His facial hair was still short and unnoticable, with his dark hair being shaved closer to his head than before. His eyes were still just as feirce as Harry remembered them. They were trained on him, particularly, as Magath made his way toward them.
Magath scrutinized their appearance. He took note of the pin on Willy's suit blazer, which held the Pax logo. The same logo appeared on the small bracelet around Kiyomi's left wrist. The Commander took note of Harry and Pieck's formal dress uniforms. Instead of the standard white and black uniforms that were standard in the Marleyan Armed Forces, Harry and Pieck's uniforms were different.
Pieck wore the female variant of the standard officer dress uniform. It featured a charcoal grey buttoned up shirt underneath a blue jacket and tie. The jacket itself was tailored for a more fitted look, accentuating a streamlined waistline. The jacket had a high collar, but was cut off just above the hips, adding a layer of confort and maneuverability. On the left breast of the jacket was the chest panel. It was slightly smaller than those on the male variant, but it maintained the space needed for medals and the Pax insignia. Two small matching epaulettes sat on either shoulder, displaying her rank of Fleet Admiral. The sleeves tapered slightly toward the wrist, with four accent stripes indicating her service division. While most only had one stripe, as a Fleet Admiral Pieck had a role in all four divisions of the armed forces. The Army, Navy, Aerial Corps, and Special Forces. Similar to her Marleyan uniform, Pieck had decided to go with the skirt variant, with the skirt cutting off at the middle of her calves. Her boots covered the rest of her legs, reaching to her mid-calves. They were slightly heeled to compliment her skirt, allowing for a professional look while remaining practical.
Harry wore the male variant of the standard officer dress uniform. It also contained a charcoal grey button up shirt below a navy blue tie and a blue and grey jacket. The jacket was fitted, featuring a high collar while maintaining the navy blue and charcoal grey color scheme. The shoulders had silver and grey piping along the seams for added emphasis. The left breast of his jacket featured a darker panel than Pieck's, which featured more room to fit all of the medals Harry had earned in his service. The Pax insignia also sat on the panel. Slightly raised epaulettes on both shoulders, embroidered with thin silver lines or stars indicating rank level. Officers have two silver lines, while higher-ranking officers can have up to five, along with a small emblem at the shoulder's base. Slightly raised epaulettes sat on both shoulders, embroidered with the symbol displaying his rank as Field Marshal of the Armed Forces. Much like Pieck's uniform, he held five accents stripes indicating her service division. The lower four were silver like Pieck's, with the fifth being golden to simbilize his being Hegemon. His boots were ankle-high and black, made of flexible and durible materials. His prosthetic was hidden beneath his charcoal trousers.
"I see you've put a lot of thought into this coalition of yours," Magath spoke.
"We are Pax," Harry replied. "We are technically a coalition. A union of nearly a dozen countries all with the intention of obtaining world peace. These nations include Hizuru, Legrines, Ospos, Udreau, Stieous, Estijan - among other southern nations - and...Marley,"
Magath laughed. Most of his men laughed as well. Harry noticed that some of them had slightly lowered their weapons. They weren't completely brainless, it seemed. "Marley? You're insane,"
"You might be right, Commander. But you seem to forget. The Tybur family are the true rulers of Marley. They call the shots," Harry motioned to Willy, who gave a polite wave at his name. "He, myself, Pieck, Lady Azumabito, and every other leader of the nations listed have signed the Declaration of Pax. Whether you like it or not, there nation of Marley now resides inside Pax," Magath raised an eyebrow, examining Harry suspiciously. Sighing, Harry conjured a copy of the Declaration of Pax. At the display of magic, the rifles that had been lowered were raised once again. They were very cautious. He handed the document to Magath, who took it. "That is a copy of the Declaration of Pax. On it you'll find Lord Tybur's name among others. Marley is no more,"
Magath and the colonel to his side took a moment to examine and read the document. The colonel's shoulders suddenly dropped as the words on the document washed over him. "It's true," The colonel whispered. "It's true! Marley is gone!" The colonel shouted, shaking his head profusely as he moved toward the edge of the deck. No doubt to soothe his thoughts and gain composure. The other men on the deck took this in, showcasing different emotions. Most appeared shocked by the news. Others were waiting patiently for Magath to speak. His word would be what they went by.
"Well? Is it true Commander?" One of the Lieutenants asked.
"It seems that it is," Magath replied. He tossed the document back to Harry, who displaced it with ease. Magath examined the group for a moment and seemed to weigh his options. Finally, he spoke. "It seem's you've won, Potter. Marley, as decreed by Lord Tybur, now belongs to Pax. What does this mean, going forward?"
"Well, we can start with your men lowering their weapons," Pieck offered.
Magath raised an eyebrow. After a moment, he held up a hand, motioning for his men to lower their weapons. One after the other they did so, until their weapons had been holstered or were pointed at the floor of the deck. Harry nodded. "Thank you," Magath nodded hesitantly. "As far as what this means going forward. Marley is no more. As decided by Lord Tybur, the region of Marley is now known as Salus. It means 'safety',"
"Salus," Magath whispered, shaking his head. "Is that a Mid-Eastern word?"
"It is," Willy replied.
"You're all crazy,"
"We want this war to be over, Commander," Harry countered. "We can only do that under one united front. As soon as Pax was officially formed, every nation in the world except for the Mid-Eastern Alliance and Paradis Island folded under the flag of Pax. They all have new names, new identities, and new purposes. From this day forward Liberio will be the new capital of Pax, becoming a beacon of peace and stability. The Internment Zone will be disbanded, allowing all people to traverse the city how they please. Those in the Marleyan military can either stay or leave. However, if you fight this you will be considered a traitor and be imprisoned for treason,"
Every man on the deck took in these words. In the span of ten minutes their entire world had been turned upside down. Marley was no more. They were now Paxans. The Internment Zone would be opened, allowing Eldians to comingle with Marleyans and vice-versa. The military would no longer function under Marley's goal of conquering, but instead under Pax's goal of peace. But not only that, if they wanted to fight these new developments, they would be traitors. If they fought for the goals they held minutes prior, they would be locked in jail for treason. Harry recognized that it would take some time for this message to acclimate with them.
"Once we return to Liberio, you will have two options. Stay on post and await for new orders from your superiors and help us achieve our mission under Pax. Or you can turn in your uniform and leave. We are prepared to give each soldier who peacefully walks away housing, a monthly stipend for the next five years, as well as the option to return to service at a later date. Once again, if you choose a third option, such as fighting, you will be imprisoned and tried for treason. The minimum sentencing for which is a twenty-five thousand helos fine, ten years in prison, and the inability to serve in office or the armed forces again. So please, make your choice wisely," Harry turned to the still silent and speculative Magath. "Commander. If you would please communicate with the port and instruct them to allow us entrance,"
Magath eyed Harry's uniform once again and pieced together from both that and the way he spoke that Harry now outranked him. "Yes...sir," Magath motioned for the Lieutenant to radio the mainland and inform them that the massive fleet would be allowed entrance to Liberio. "What exactly are your ranks?" Magath asked.
"Lord Tybur and Lady Azumabito are not members of the armed forces, and merely hold political positions. Pieck is a Fleet Admiral, the highest obtainable rank in our armed forces. I'm the only Field Marshal, which is a rank above Pieck. As such, I oversee the entire Armed Forces,"
"Don't forget the other thing," said Pieck.
Harry nodded. "Right. I am also the elected Hegemon of Pax. Similar to the King,"
Magath frowned. "You're the ruler of Pax and the leader of the Armed Forces,"
"That summarizes it nicely,"
"You're just a child," said one of the privates on the deck. Willy and Kiyomi both grinned while Pieck shook her head in amusement. Even Magath seemed disappointed in the private.
"I am young, yes. However, my age doesn't take away from my ability to lead. And as I stated, I was elected by the leaders of Pax, who all agreed that I was more than capable to lead," Harry explained.
"So, instead of our enemies, you're our...superiors?" One of the ensigns asked.
"Yes. While you won't report directly to either myself or Admiral Finger, we are your superiors, and you will take orders from the both of us. If you have a problem with this, as I said, you are free to walk way from the Armed Forces once we reach Liberio," Harry answered. "Now. We will be returning to the PNS Resolute and continue to the port. If you wouldn't mind escorting us there, that would be much appreciate,"
He tossed the same pen he had used before to Pieck, who easily caught it and held it out to Kiyomi. Once the two had a hand on it, Pieck said the world. Portus. The two disappeared in a crack, reappearing on the deck of the Solidarity. Harry turned to Magath. "Are there any other questions you have Commander? Or anything else to say?"
"No sir," Magath replied. "I'm sure any other questions will be answered with time," With that, Magath spun on his heels and retreated below deck. Harry frowned. Magath seemed to be taking things a lot better than expected. Turning back to Willy, Harry held out his hand. Willy grasped it in a firm handshake, allowing the two to disappear in a spiral of black smoke and a Crack!
November 10th, 847
The Resolute, Solidarity, and Vista - which held Ogweno Ophira and Nambia Kuklo - docked at the Liberio port first. The rest of Pax's navy would stay situated off of the port until there was room for them to safely dock and unload their supplies. Harry and the ot hers met with Commander Magath on the docks, where he led them into the city. There, they entered a set of vehicles that took Harry, Willy, Pieck, Kiyomi, Ogweno, and Nambia to the King's Castle. The Castle was filled with confused and agitated soldiers and political officials wondering just what was happening.
In the span of three days, Harry walked them through everything. His and Pieck's abandoning their post two years earlier. Willy Tybur's support and endorsement of Pax. The birth of Pax through several willing nations, unifying nearly the entire known world under one flag. It had been a lot to digest for those inside the Castle. Many soldiers walked out there and then, turning their weapons and uniforms over to their superior officers before returning to Liberio. Those that remained were present for the decrowning of the King. Harry was officially named Hegemon of Pax inside the walls of the castle. He gave his first order, which called for the disbandment of the Internment Zone and the walls surrounding it.
Those in the Marleyan military were ordered to give up their Marleyan uniforms and switch into the Pax uniforms. They would be given a rank based on their performance - if they performed poorly they were succeptible to demotion and vice versa - and a new post. The entire ordeal was reported on local newpapers and radio-shows. It was also ordered for word to be spread throughout the entirety of Marley about the change. Things shifted into overdrive immediately. Magath retreated to the Warrior Unit building in the Internment Zone, where Harry had his communications monitored to ensure he didn't send word to either Zeke or Porco.
After that, Harry went to work reorganizing all of Pax's assets. The meeting discussing this reorganization is where Harry currently sat. They were still in the castle. Harry had been drawing plans for a new Hegemony Compound to be built inside Liberio instead of outside the city like the castle, but the plans still needed to be finished and approved before construction started. He was joined by Pieck, Willy, Kiyomi, Ogweno, Namia, and a Legrines native Sofia Taggart. She was a young woman in her late twenties and, like Nambia, had dark skin and black curly hair. Her eyes were a dark shade of brown. When he peered at her shade using his Sight, he noticed a bright cyan shade. They all peered around the room, noticing the missing individuals from the last meeting. Harry decided to address that. "I've called you all here because this is not Leadership Council business. In fact, none of you will be attending those meetings after this. Instead, I have decided that the six of you will be my Ministers,"
Most except for Pieck and Willy seemed surprised by this. Harry continued. "Pieck. I'm appointing you as Minister of Defense. You're knowledgeable in the conditions of most regions and I trust you with the task of protecting Pax," Pieck's cheeks reddened slightly at the statement. Harry smiled, but quickly turned to Willy. "Willy. I'm appointing you as Minister of Foreign Affairs. You're a very talkative man. Charismatic. This will no doubt help you ensure relations with other regions and outside nations remain intact,"
"Lady Azumabito, I'm appointing you as Minster of Economic Welfare. You've been very forthcoming about your interest in Pax's economic position. And given the Satori Province will have a crucial job of overseeing the economy of Pax, it seems everything fits," Kiyomi bowed her head in thanks, which Harry returned. "Mr. Ophira. I'm appointing you as Minister of Technology and Innovation. You and I will be working very closley together over the next few years. I've had a lot of ideas for the future. Technology and innovation certainly have a lot to do with it,"
"I look forward to it, Lord Potter," Ogweno said with a smile.
"Great," Harry replied, smile equally as large. "Lady Kuklo. I'm appointing you as Minister of Culture and Heritage. You're going to work closely with Minister Azumabito. The Satori Province will also be focusing on preserving each regions heritage. You are going to be deeply involved with that process," Nambia smiled gratefully, nodding. He turned to the last member in the room. "Lady Taggart. I'm appointing you as Minister of Sustainable Development. Much like Minister Ophira, you and I will be working together quite often in the future. As the Minister of Sustainable Development, you will be in charge of helping draft and manage environmental policies, overseeing energy distribution, and sustaining practices across Pax,"
"Understood, Lord Potter,"
"Excellent. Now you all know your responsibilities. As such, we can move forward with today's meeting," Harry slowly got to his feet. With the wave of his hand a large map of the world appeared on the wall that most of the Ministers were facing. The left side of the map was incomplete, given that was where the 'New World' was situated. The map highlighted the regions of Pax. The former nations of Marley, Hizuru, and the souther nations were all colored blue to indicate they belonged to Pax. The Mid-Eastern Alliance - situated between Salus and Satori - was colored red. Paradis Island to the east of Salus was colored green. The still titan-infested lands south of Satori were colored brown.
"This is the map of the known world. As you can see, everything has been updated to match the new regions and their territories. What we need to go over today is the allocation of assets and resources. Things are changing. Things have changed. Infrastructure needs to be built between the regions. Individual currencies need to become less mainstream while the Pax currency goes into effect. Our banks need to have enough currency available to sustain any trade-ins that occur. Our individual militaries need to shift into the Pax Armed Forces. Satori and Iskald have done a good job starting, but Salus and Solara are behind. It isn't as simple as a coalition of individual nations. We're not one nation. This comes with a lot of changes. Changes in education. Medicine. Everything,"
"Lord Potter. As far as the currency route goes, Lady - I'm sorry - Minister Finger and I have already drafted a number of ideas," Kiyomi announced. Harry, despite his pleased smile, raised an eyebrow. This should be good. He motioned for her to take the floor as he took a seat at the head of the table. Kiyomi took a moment to clear her throat before speaking. "As you are aware, each nation has a different currency with different values based on their economies. Unfortunately, we are unable to just get rid of these currencies and implement a new one. The process of introducing a new standard currency will take years of careful planning and introduction,"
"The process would start after enough notes and coins had been created and circulated by the new Central Banks of Pax," Harry smiled at the name. It was clear Kiyomi had put a lot of thought into this. "The new currency would then be announced to the public, with its existence being circulated throughout the regions. At this time, all currencies would still be usable while citizens of Pax would be encourage to trade in their current currency with our own. This transition period could last years, in which old currencies are slowly phased out and the Pax currency is considered legal tender by all regions,"
"The most difficult part of this process," Pieck jumped in. All eyes turned to her as she picked up where Kiyomi left off. "Will be the window in which both currencies will be used. Rates will need to be decided to ensure conversion is fair and accurate. But not only that, we will have to ensure programs are set up and employed that teach citizens the importance of the new currency and why they should use that instead. Like Minister Azumabito said, it will take years for the other currencies to fade and the new currency be considered the gold-standard,"
"Do you have any ideas for what the name of the currency would be?" Willy asked.
"We've drafted a few names," Kiyomi replied. She turned to Pieck, who nodded. "We've closed in on the Pax Lumen,"
"Lumen," Harry whispered, allowing the word to roll off his tongue. It stood for light.
"Yes. The banknotes would be called Lumens while coins would be called Centums. Cents for short," Pieck supplied. "We've also narrowed down the denominations of both. One hundred Centums will equal a single Lumen. There will be four denominations for Centums. The one Centum coin, a five Centum coin, a ten Centum coin, and a twenty-five Centum coin. There will be six denominations for a Lumen. A one Lumen note, a five Lumen note, a ten Lumen note, a twenty Lumen note, a fifty Lumen note, and a one-hundred Lumen note. That is if all of this is passed into fruition,"
"Well, I'd like to get this show on the road as quickly as possible, among other things," Harry spoke. "So I'd like to pass an executive order as Hegemon of Pax that approves of the development, creation, and distributuin of the Lumen, Centums, and the Central Bank of Pax. Once this meeting concludes, I'm going to call an emergency meetng with the Leadership Council to ratify and executive orders passed," Kiyomi and Pieck seemed pleased with this development, as did the other Ministers. Leaning forward in his seat, Harry grinned. "Now, let's move onto the next topic. Education,"