The Federation Tower's broadcast array buzzed through its last adjustments, its frequency shifting until it hit a steady tone. That was the sign—it was over. Humanity had just finished the biggest data transfer in its history. Behind the Leader, the holographic globe slowed, pausing on the new borders of the Earth Federation. Mountains of Wakanda, the ocean depths of Talokan—they glowed, marked as essential nodes in this new world network. The Leader's telepathic dampening field pulsed one last time, holding the world in a steady calm as everyone tried to process the shock, and then the reality, of what had just happened.
"For the past hour, we've cleared away the fog of the old world," the Leader said, his voice heavy and final, like closing a ledger for good. "You've seen the stars. You've learned about the empires out there, and about the hidden civilizations that have always shared this planet with you in silence. If it feels like your world just ended—well, it did. But what matters more is that humanity's childhood ended with it. For thousands of years, you've lived like children in a nursery—protected by distance, by stories, and by the silence of those who knew better. That time is over."
He shifted his stance, radiating a kind of stern warmth. "Adulthood isn't a gift. It's a responsibility. Grown civilizations don't run from the truth just because it's hard. They don't fall into tribal squabbles when the universe gets bigger. They organize. They get ready. They learn to control their fate. The Earth Federation is the structure that lets us do that. We're not here to keep you comfortable or to keep pretending it's still the twentieth century. Our job is to make sure that when the galaxy looks at this third planet, it sees a sovereign force—not a mess of warring groups."
The screens behind him flickered to new images: the value of the Origin currency, the updated education programs, blueprints for the Illuminati Council Building. "The Federation is how we survive. It's the machine that takes your work, your smarts, your resources, and turns them into a single force for our defense and growth. We've swept out the corrupt politicians, the shadowy groups that kept you from moving forward. The economy is unified now—nobody's living or dying by the whims of a local market anymore. The framework is done. Now the real work starts."
"We're not asking for blind faith. We're giving you the facts," he went on. "You've got the Universal Civilization Studies curriculum. You've got transparency about what the Illuminati Council is supposed to do. You've got the strength of the surface world, the mountains of Wakanda, the oceans of Talokan. The tools for progress are in your hands now. What you do with them decides if Earth fades into a galactic footnote or rises as a Tier-One power that helps shape the future."
He looked straight into the camera. His image came through crystal clear, on every screen, everywhere—from Geneva's giant displays to someone's battered phone in a far-off corner of the Federation.
"Our final message is simple," the Leader said. "Earth stands together. Starting now, there's no more 'us' and 'them' based on where you were born or where you live. There's just the Federation. We've swapped fear for knowledge. We've traded panic for preparation. The dangers out there are real, but they're not hidden anymore. We know who's in the cosmos, and now they know who we are."
"We're done being a species that just waits for disaster. We're united, under one command, with one mission: the absolute sovereignty of Earth. The Federation era starts now."
———-
The mood in the Illuminati Council Building was almost heavy, but you could finally feel some relief in the air after the chaos of the last hour. The place itself? Pure Umbrella precision mixed with Stark's love for sleek power—every corner looked like it could launch a spaceship or run a city.
Tony Stark flopped into a chair, boots up on the matte-black table, like he'd just finished a marathon. "Well," he said, his voice bouncing off the high ceiling, "nobody screamed, nobody rioted, and nobody tried to break down the doors. That's a win in my book."
Wanda let out a low laugh, her eyes still glowing a little red from scanning the crowd's emotions during the speech. "You talk like you really thought one of those was going to happen."
"I always count on at least one," Tony shot back. "Sometimes more."
Sharon Carter set her tablet down, its screen alive with live updates from the Federation Information Task Force. "Metrics look good so far," she said. "People are reacting well pretty much everywhere. There's confusion, but it's about the details."
Pietro whistled, leaning against the wall, drink in hand. "So, let me get this straight—we just dropped aliens, empires, secret nations, and a new world government on the whole planet, and everyone's taking it better than when the Wi-Fi goes out?"
"Guess people can handle the truth when you give it to them straight," Sharon replied.
T'Challa stood by the window, hands behind his back. Below, Geneva's Grand Plaza buzzed with people glued to their phones. "For centuries, old powers used the truth like a weapon. Today, it was just information. That's what makes the Federation stable."
Namor lounged against a column, looking more relaxed than anyone had seen him since the Council started. "The oceans are calm," he said. "Literally. Coastal cities are quiet. People only want to know about the new boundaries and defense rules."
Tony glanced over, grinning. "That's about the nicest thing you've ever said to us."
"Don't get used to it," Namor replied, but he didn't sound annoyed.
Aryan sat at the table, hands loosely folded, face calm and confident. He'd worked out this result ages ago, using the Leader's telepathic nudges and the Red Queen's data filters before anyone even spoke.
Wanda turned to him. "You're not even surprised, are you?"
"I am," Aryan said, "Just not shocked. When you offer people something better than chaos, they take it—unless someone's scaring them into bad choices."
Everyone glanced at the empty chair at the table's head. The Leader—Chancellor of the Federation—was gone.
"Kind of weird, isn't it?" Pietro said. "Guy rewrites the world order and then just disappears."
"That's why it worked," Tony said, nodding at the door. "He didn't wait for applause, didn't need a pat on the back. He gave the order and left. Shows he's part of the system, not looking for fame."
T'Challa nodded. "He wanted to be understood, not adored. That's what real leadership looks like."
Sharon checked her tablet again. "Public forums are blowing up. The 'Universal Civilization Studies' portal already has four billion hits. Kids are arguing over which Tier-One civilization to study first. It's working—they're looking up at the Kree and Asgard, not at each other."
Aryan got to his feet, and the room focused on him. "This was the easy part," he said, almost teasing.
Tony groaned, but he was grinning. "Don't say that."
Aryan kept going. "The foundation's down. The system's running. Now we refine it—and clear out any leftovers."
Wanda stood next to him. "People feel safe."
Aryan smiled a little. "No, they feel ready. Safety's an illusion. Being prepared is real."
Pietro stretched. "So what now? Party? Sleep?"
Tony stood up, joints humming quietly. "I vote for food. Normal food. No crisis snacks. We've got a planet to run, and I want to do it on a full stomach."
Namor raised an eyebrow. "What's normal?"
Tony just grinned wider. "I'll show you later."
Sharon finally shut her tablet and let herself relax. "Tomorrow, we plan. Tonight, we celebrate."
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