Corpo Age

Chapter 83: Alliances

“So, what did you find out over there?” I asked as I ate my breakfast, which consisted of authentic oatmeal and milk.

“They’re posturing defensively right now. They have rivals to keep in check and they just lost a part of their forces. Still, there’s a slow buildup in Firebird centered around their hired guns, so they still have the capability to attack again,” Vin replied.

“They must be desperate at this point. They need to turn things around quickly or the predators lurking around will start smelling blood. Did you find out who their rivals are?”

“That’s where it gets interesting. Their so-called rival isn’t as simple as just another corporation in the same transportation business, but an alliance of medium to small-sized corporations. QuickLinks Logistics themselves are part of a rival alliance.” He took a sip of his coffee before he continued. “The two rival alliances are both big producers of agricultural products and QuickLinks does logistics for their group, mainly the route between Can Sauce City to Miles High.”

“So their rivals must want to take over the route from QuickLinks, then.”

“Right, trade between the East Coast and West Coast is profitable but difficult to manage.

“There is a lot of politics at play here. Which means we can’t just eliminate them lest we piss off another party,” I said pensively.

“It may not be that hard to solve if you’re dead set on eliminating them.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your friend from before, the bald one from Authentic Corp. They are one of the leaders of the rival alliance against QuickLinks. You should enlist his help in dealing with QuickLinks for good. I’m sure he’d be happy to help against a common enemy.”

“...I see. But that’ll affiliate us with their group and earn us their enemies, too.”

“Sure, but also allies that’ll help keep them in check.”

“...I’ll talk to him and see how it goes first.”

We soon finished our call once Vin updated me on how our business was doing in NLA, especially about the new clinic where the surgeons we had trained were now dispatched. They only needed to hire a few more staff and sign with the suppliers before they were ready to operate.

I then called Claire and Thorne into my office to update them on what I discussed with Vin and the current situation we were in.

“You should listen to Vin on this one. I don’t see how affiliating ourselves with a group is a bad thing. Just like how no one survives entirely alone, it is the same for corporations as well,” Claire stated.

“We’ll gain their help, but enemies too. Getting in bed with them will rope us into a lot more schemes, too.”

“Well, that’s what corpos do, yeah? This is also a chance to expand our transportation businesses two-fold and an in with bigger players. I’m sure you know by now that business alliances are necessary to expand further. Like I said, no one can operate alone without relying on others for something, not even SocialCorp.”

I looked to Thorne, who shrugged in a way that somehow clearly conveyed that he didn’t want to weigh in on a matter that wasn’t his specialty. “Okay, I’ll set up a meeting with him. Let’s hope he’s still in Elevate City.”

“ Thank you for making time for me today, Joey,” I said as I shook his hand.

“Of course, anything for a friend. Please take a seat.” He gestured at the chair on the other side of the table as him.

After contacting him yesterday, he had set up a meeting in this conference room that was located in the spaceport, at the bottom of the space elevator.

“I must say, I’m surprised you chose a meeting room this time. I would’ve assumed you preferred a racetrack or a restaurant.”

“Yes, I do, but business is business. I believe what you want to discuss requires a bit of discretion and professionalism.”

“So, you are aware of our situation, then?”

“Somewhat,” he smiled. “We keep a very close watch on our competitors.”

“I see. I won’t beat around the bush, then. We would like to enlist your help in dismantling QuickLinks Logistics.”

He raised an eyebrow. “That’s pretty decisive of you.”

“They are a threat to both our safety and stability, and that’s not good for business.”

“Understandable, but why should I step in when it is more advantageous for us to wait until you guys have exhausted each other?” He narrowed his eyes.

This was the first time I’d seen Joey go into business mode, where the friendly aura he had given off vanished into thin air.

“I know what you and your allies are looking for. We’ll take over operating the route for you guys at discounted rates.”

His entire face gleamed, matching the shine that his bald head gave off.

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“You do understand you will be effectively joining our little alliance, right? We have several other competitors, so you will be earning yourself new enemies as well as you stand on a united front with us.”

“Yes, I am aware, but I’ll be gaining allies as well. Is that correct?” It was my turn to glare at him.

He nodded, “Correct.” He extended his hand. I held our gaze for another second before I took a firm grasp of it.

It didn’t take long for Joey to draft out the terms of entering the West Coast Agroindustry Alliance, and I signed it. Not only did I gain new allies, but I also gained access to the group’s exclusive procurement channels. I could purchase the raw materials I had sought from the corporations that owned mines in the wasteland and had a surplus.

I immediately sent out the plans to ramp up production of our vehicles to the branch manager in NLA, as we will soon have two new routes to manage.

With that complete, I took the opportunity to browse the shopping mall inside the spaceport since neither I nor Thorne came here often.

“Do you seriously plan on buying those archaic wristwatches? There’s six digits in the price tag, not five, you know?”

“No…Not really. I was just lost in nostalgia.”

“Nostalgia?”

“Oh, it’s just I remember seeing one a long time ago when I was a kid. Don’t worry about it.”

Oops, almost misspoke there.

I got a little too absorbed in looking at the various wristwatches that were surprisingly still in fashion here. I had always wanted one back when I joined the workforce. It was a symbol of success to me back then, but now there were more important things to spend my credits on.

We skimmed through the vanity items and only took a more detailed look when we chanced across a cybernetic store. As expected of this place, it was filled with uncommon models. They weren’t really combat-focused and catered more toward productivity and overall health, though.

I guess it made sense that a corpo executive worried more about efficiency and illnesses than a stray bullet.

One item that did draw my eye was one that catered to public speaking. It was a vocal implant that could help you enunciate words, pace, and adjust your tone. The part that stood out to me was its vast ability to adjust your voice. It was practically a voice changer, one that others wouldn’t be suspicious of you for having.

After making the purchase, I went to pick up lunch with Thorne before we left the spaceport after he had reminded me to order takeaways to bring back lest we earn Claire’s wrath.

On our way back, I went over the details we received after entering into the West Coast Agroindustry Alliance. We would soon integrate into their intelligence network to a certain degree. Corporations never fully trusted each other, but that was fine. As long as they could cover any gaps we may have in our current fight against QuickLinks Logistics, I was satisfied.

As we made it back into the city. We were once again welcomed by the aggressive drivers and gunshots that rang out in the distance. I had the urge to go out to get that last bit of experience points I needed to level. Still, I should behave and wait it out a little longer to avoid giving my enemies any opportunities.

When we made it back to the office, all the executives had gathered around in the meeting room, awaiting us. They had been going over the new intel our alliance had started providing.

People were chatting loudly with each other while they remained in their seats, busy doing whatever was on their SAID and optics. It was a different kind of chaos than people rushing in and out of the room with documents that I had experienced in my old office.

Me and Thorne sat down and files were quickly pinged my way.

Before I could start going over them, Claire and Lucy, our head of the new intelligence department, stood up and everyone quickly went quiet.

“Now that Rollo is back, let us start going over the new intel we received. Lucy, please take it away.”

“Right. The intel we received is mainly on QuickLink Logistic’s latest movements, schedules, and force composition. As expected, the main bulk of their forces are in Miles High, and operating the route there to Can Sauce City.”

“Have you communicated with the alliance on a coordinated attack?” Thorne asked.

“Yes, but they won’t be able to help directly. They’ll be busy holding back all of QuickLink’s allies and diverting their attention.”

“Sounds like excuses, so they don’t incur any damages to their forces,” Thorne muttered.

I shook my head. “There’s nothing we can do about that. Please continue, Lucy.”

“They also have some information on defenses of QuickLink’s headquarters. They employ something called an E-Dome across their entire facility that cuts off all wireless connections from the building to the outside world.”

“So that’s their trump card from cy-sec intrusions,” one of the security officers mumbled.

“We’ll go over their Miles High defenses in more detail later when we’re actually going to be attacking their headquarters. How are there forces in Firebird?” I kicked the ball back to Lucy.

“They don’t have any detailed information for the defensives there. The facility there is too new and QuickLinks has been careful about it. All we know is the approximate numbers, and they are continuing to build up their forces there. Nearly half of it consists of mercenaries, though.”

“Then our next target is to eliminate their forces in Firebird. We can’t allow them to build up their forces unobstructed. We’ll need to eliminate them before thinking about doing anything at Miles High. Contact our forces in NLA to start preparing.”

After listening to Lucy go on a while longer about the other information we received regarding their business in Can Sauce City and Miles High, I quickly returned to my workshop.

I got into the elevator, but before the doors could close, Claire made her way in.

“I hope you’re not going off to think about joining the fight. At least wait until the final attack on their headquarters. You’ll make our security officers think you don’t trust them if you fly off to every conflict at first notice.”

“Relax, I don’t plan on joining in on the fun in Firebird this time. I’m going to work on something that will hopefully give us an advantage.”

She stared at me suspiciously. “Really?”

“Yes, yes. Of course. I’ll be busy for the rest of the day. Why don’t you go eat the takeout we got you from the spaceport?”

“What? You guys remembered to get me something?! …But that can wait.”

“...Oh, I just remembered. I bought this new vocal implant. You’ve been installing cybernetics for people at the clinic from time to time, right? Want to install this for me?” I reached over and grabbed the new cybernetic that was still in its packaging.

“Woah, that looks expensive. Let me see it.”

“Yeah, and it shouldn’t be too hard to install either, as you’re not replacing anything. It just attaches to my vocal chord.”

“Oh, this is exciting. My first time installing a cybernetic on you!”

“...Just perform as you always have. No need to get fancy now.”

“Don’t worry. I’ve been diligently practicing for how long now? You can trust me!”

No matter what you say, I can’t help but be a little worried when you look at me like you’ve gained a new toy…

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