The moment the strategists were deep in conversation, the digital silence of the Main Room was abruptly shattered. A sharp, insistent static cut through the air, quickly followed by a terse voice.
Sona Sitri quickly moved to the side table where the limited, highly-secure military communication gear—a few ruggedized radios—was placed. She picked up the comms unit that was crackling with the signal.
"It's from the Outer Gate," Sona stated, her brow furrowed slightly. "Captain Sultan."
She pressed the transmit button. "This is Sona. Go ahead, Captain. We are receiving you."
🎙️ The Captain's Query
The voice of Captain Sultan, a gruff but reliable commander from the perimeter battle, came through the speaker. He sounded weary but professional, his mind already shifting from securing a battlefield to managing logistics.
"Sona, copy that. Just checking on the food transfer process with the farmer, Akira. After the skirmish, we're reorganizing the survivors and establishing a new perimeter. We need to know the initial counts and what to expect on our end for the next few days. We're running low on transport capacity here."
Sona shot a quick, meaningful glance at Akira, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. The official lie was now being actively tested.
"Captain, everything is accounted for," Sona replied smoothly, maintaining the necessary facade. "Akira and his... support team have finalized the inventory. We have enough to fulfill the agreed-upon initial shipment and then some. The delivery process is scheduled to resume shortly, following the established protocols."
A momentary pause on the other end, then Sultan's voice returned, carrying an edge of urgency.
"Good. Don't worry about 'shortly,' Sona. We've got injured to feed and morale to stabilize. We're going to expedite the transport. Tell your team they should be ready."
⏰ Three Hours
"We will be ready, Captain," Sona affirmed.
Sultan's final instruction came through, stark and direct.
"Understood. Our primary convoy, the one dedicated to the food retrieval, is already mobilized. We will be at your main gate, ready to begin loading, in three hours. Over and out."
💥 The Strategic Consequence
Sona set the radio down, the silence now far more demanding than the static had been. The timing was disastrous. Three hours was barely enough time to adjust to the new power structure, let alone conceal the monumental shift that had just occurred.
"Three hours," Sona repeated, addressing Akira and the remaining strategists. "The military is coming. They will expect to see the 'simple farmer' handing over food, not a nervous, newly-formed Divine Council managing a self-contained ark."
Akira's eyes hardened. This was the first major challenge to the 'Mixed Truth' now that the 'God-Tier Truth' was out. He had less than 180 minutes to ensure the façade remained impenetrable to the outside world, while simultaneously integrating the divine power that Hestia had just conditionally granted.
"The lie must hold," Akira commanded, his casual posture replaced by the coiled tension of a man about to manage a crisis. "The food is the shield. We will use the veto power immediately. This is the First Order."