"We of Atlantis only wish for a place to live."
The King of Atlantis spoke with great humility. To bend and stretch as needed, that is the true way of a king. He cared nothing for saving face, which already made him far better than Namor from the original storyline.
It also made Zod think that this king ought to "die peacefully of old age" as a matter of course. Otherwise, it would be detrimental to future dealings between the surface world and Atlantis.
The superheroes of the Sword Bureau had never witnessed such a scene before. With justice as their very spirit, they naturally extended their utmost goodwill toward the weak.
And then they were promptly kicked out of the meeting room.
Next, Zod gathered the politicians of the three great powers—the United States, Russia, and the Rabbit—to negotiate with these Atlanteans.
When it came to talks at the negotiating table, it was best to leave it to the professionals. Spendthrift superheroes might just give away several important cities in a single breath.
"Director Hess, what do you have in mind as the bottom line?"
As preparations for the negotiations began, the professional teams dispatched by each nation were already rolling up their sleeves, ready to make outrageous demands.
They coveted and drooled over the powered exoskeleton technology of the oceanic Atlantean civilization, as well as their high-pressure water gun and water cannon tech.
Zod told them to make whatever demands they pleased and propose the boldest terms. Pay no mind to Atlantis's bottom line or limits. Demand freely, and ideally, bleed them dry to the very last drop.
As for where the bottom line was—
"I think Africa is perfect. Vast land and sparse population. Dump them all over there."
After Zod Hess said this, the negotiating teams stared at him with expressions of utter disbelief.
Weren't the Atlanteans supposed to be ocean-dwellers? Didn't they say they couldn't adapt to prolonged life on land? Shouldn't they at least be given a small island as a place to live? Did the Director intend to dry those Atlanteans out by dumping them in Africa?
Still, the negotiating teams quickly accepted this condition. The reason was simple. Humans already persecute each other and fight until they're a bloody mess. How much more so for the Atlanteans, who are practically a different species from humans by now?
Screwing them over was still for humanity, for justice!
The negotiating teams felt an unprecedented sense of righteousness and glory.
A colossal warship, like a sea dragon, docked at Boston. This was the personal flagship of the King of Atlantis.
The negotiations took place aboard this flagship. The superheroes, meanwhile, were tasked with maintaining order outside the meeting room.
And so, a furious bout of haggling ensued. It was absolute chaos.
On the Atlantean side, they dispatched their Council of Elders, comprised of robed nobles. But these Elders, masters of internal scheming, were still green compared to the negotiating teams.
The people in those teams were battle-hardened veterans. With as many nations as there are in the world, they'd gone through countless rounds of negotiation training. Any random one of them could run circles around these pampered Elders.
After all, Atlanteans were very united and had virtually no opportunities for internal conflict.
The Elders, utterly crushed, could only tremble and barter away their scientific technology in exchange for the right to live on the surface world.
Then, they were assigned to Wakanda.
A nation that, on the surface, was still a backwards, primitive country receiving United Nations relief and aid.
As for the opinion of the Wakandan natives?
Unimportant. The UN had unconditionally provided you with aid and relief for so many years. Now it was your turn to unconditionally sacrifice for all of humanity. At worst, you could just squeeze together with those seafood people a little.
The current King of Wakanda—T'Chaka, who would later be the father of Black Panther T'Challa—strenuously protested and appealed. But Father UN completely ignored their voices. The Atlanteans were already preparing to depart for Wakanda.
Left with no choice, Wakanda was forced to reveal its own military strength.
Decades, even a century ahead of the rest of the world in science and technology!
In an instant, the entire world boiled over with excitement.
It was as absurd as walking into a tiny village and having the village chief share nuclear fusion technology with you!
Scientific development is the development of materials and energy. With Vibranium, a miracle material useful for practically everything, it was only natural that Wakanda's science and technology advanced far more rapidly than that of ordinary Earth. Though, Zod couldn't understand why their computers used the same numerical system as those of the outside world.
T'Chaka had no choice but to do this. If the Atlanteans truly arrived, Wakanda would have no option but to fight them.
Moving their entire nation or peacefully coexisting with the Atlanteans was absolutely impossible. Wakanda's wealth and prosperity were built entirely upon that Vibranium meteorite.
Still, T'Chaka's heart was filled with bitterness. Having revealed this side of itself, Wakanda could forget about ever receiving UN relief funds and aid again. Of course, that wasn't the most important thing. The most important thing was that, from now on, Wakanda would likely be coveted by countless people. Attempted infiltrations by spies and agents would only multiply.
Sure enough, after Wakanda exposed itself, although the Atlanteans were reassigned to a different location, the Five Great Powers of the UN all proposed the idea of sending people to Wakanda for technological exchange.
T'Chaka knew these proposals would absolutely have to be realized. Otherwise, if things went poorly, Wakanda might end up standing on the opposite side of humanity. It would be terrible if the Sword Bureau then joined the fray. And even if the Sword Bureau didn't get involved, one nation against all of humanity wasn't going to be simple, no matter how far ahead their technology was.
Thus, Wakanda could only accept the Five Great Powers' demands for technological exchange.
Atlantis, on the other hand, was assigned to a different African nation, one that was merely a regular indigenous country.
To the disappointment of the Five Great Powers, this nation was just a normal indigenous country, not another hidden power like Wakanda.
In the midst of this gluttonous feast, the various nations also discovered the benefits of the Sword Bureau's existence.
They had made both Atlantis and Wakanda sit down obediently at the negotiating table and even agree to some of their excessive demands. While the Sword Bureau held immense power, the benefits it brought were even greater. For a time, politicians, bureaucrats, and capitalists who once harbored considerable complaints and grumblings about the Bureau, this colossal entity transcending political power, all hastily changed their tune.
And so, the two neighbors, Wakanda and the Atlantean civilization, became wary of each other. Wakanda feared Atlantis's power and technology, worried they might set their sights on its Vibranium. The Atlanteans, in turn, were in awe of Wakanda's strength and their unfathomable, all-penetrating cold weaponry—things like laser spears and Vibranium bows and arrows. Deep down, they believed the surface world had placed them right next to Wakanda so Wakanda could keep an eye on them. If they tried anything, Wakanda could move against them directly.
/-\
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