[Neo-Atlantis - Coastal Alert]
The sirens were blaring again. But it wasn't a tsunami. It was gravity. The Void-Walker Fleet—eleven massive warships led by a 5-kilometer Dreadnought—was hovering in low orbit. Their sheer mass was pulling the tides, causing the water level in Neo-Atlantis to rise by two meters.
"Warning," Dawn reported. "The gravitational displacement of the fleet is destabilizing the ecosystem. If they stay there, we will have floods in Tokyo and New York within 24 hours."
Alex looked at the holographic screen. Admiral Valerius was waiting for orders. "My ships need a dock, High Command," Valerius grumbled. "We are burning fuel just to hold position against your planet's gravity."
"You're too fat for my driveway," Alex muttered.
He looked up at the night sky. He saw the Moon. A desolate, gray rock. Empty. Silent. And perfect.
"Dawn," Alex pointed up. "How much is the Moon?"
"Clarification," Dawn replied. "The Moon is Earth's satellite. Technologically, you already own it as the Master of Earth."
"No," Alex shook his head. "I mean in the System. I want to turn it into a fortress. I need to buy the upgrade."
[The Real Estate Deal]
Alex opened the System Store. Category: Planetary Expansions.
Item: Lunar Mining Outpost. Cost: 5 Million GC.
Item: Orbital Shipyard. Cost: 20 Million GC.
Item: The Dark Side Fortress (Tier 3 Citadel).
Description: A hidden military base located on the far side of the moon. Includes 50 Heavy Turrets, a Stealth Field, and a Dreadnought-Class Drydock.
Cost: 40,000,000 GC.
Alex checked his balance. [Current Balance: 49,500,000 GC.]
"It leaves us with pocket change," Alex sighed. "But a King needs a castle."
"Buy it."
[The Construction]
[Transaction Complete.] [Deploying Assets to Sector: Luna (Dark Side).]
On the surface of the Moon, dust exploded silently in the vacuum. Massive nanobot swarms poured out of a slipspace rift. They devoured the gray regolith, converting it into black plasteel. In minutes, a fortress the size of a city rose from the craters. It wasn't just a base; it was a jagged, intimidating spire of black metal, hidden from Earth's view but facing the endless dark of space.
"Admiral Valerius," Alex contacted the fleet. "I have prepared your quarters. Move the fleet to the Dark Side."
"Acknowledged," Valerius replied, surprised. "You... built a Tier 3 Citadel in five minutes? What kind of civilization is this?"
"The kind that pays well," Alex replied.
[The Inspection]
Alex teleported to the new Lunar Base via the Poseidon Transporter. He stood in the Command Center, looking out the massive window at the stars. The Void-Walker Fleet was docking. The Dreadnought slid into the massive drydock perfectly. It was majestic.
"This is Lunar Base Alpha," Alex announced to the holographic crew. "From today, this is the first line of defense for the Sol System. Nothing enters our space without my permission."
"Alert," Dawn interrupted. "Sensors coming online. We are detecting an anomaly."
"What anomaly?"
"Now that we have high-grade sensors on the Moon, I am detecting a signal coming from... inside the Moon."
Alex frowned. "Inside? Like a cave?"
"Negative. Deep subterranean structure. It is not human. And it is not from the System."
Dawn projected a map of the Moon's core. There was a pulsing red light deep beneath the crust. [Signal Pattern: Ancient. Dormant. Waking Up.]
"Great," Alex rubbed his temples. "I buy a new house, and it comes with ghosts in the basement."
"Admiral Valerius," Alex opened the comms. "Keep your marines on standby. We might have squatters."