And whoever controlled the outgoing order while investing in the incoming one controlled the bridge between them.
That was the architecture hiding beneath all the PR bullshit.
"And there's the other dimension," ARIA added, her voice shifting to that tone she used when she was being precise about something that actually mattered. "Which you should hear before you agree to anything."
Oh great, the goddess is about to drop some heavy wisdom.
I'm listening.
"Tech empires are vulnerable in ways oil empires aren't. Regulations. Antitrust investigations. AI ethics panels filled with people who don't understand technology but have strong opinions about it. The language of national security can be applied to a technology company in ways that allow for restriction, auditing, even forced dismantling. It has happened before. It will happen again."
She paused for emphasis.
