"I was expecting something different—a dish completely unknown on Earth maybe?" Cypher whispered to Savant while looking at the food spread out on the table.
The dishes in Attilan were the same as the ones found on Earth. Steaks, fish, noodles, lobsters, and such. The preparation method didn't seem to deviate much either. If anything, Attilan food seemed like something you would get in a diverse American city.
Medusa heard Cypher's whisper and explained with a kind smile, "We try to produce as much of our food on Attilan as possible but it is very resource-intensive on a barren place like the moon. So we have to source a portion of our food from Earth."
The Inhumans have always wanted to remain isolated and independent from Earth. But living in a city that is basically a spaceship on the moon is very difficult. Even more so because the city can only effectively sustain a couple thousand residents with its resources.
Even with thousands of individuals with superpowers, going beyond the city's resource limit was impossible for the Inhumans. So, even though they had people who could level cities on their own, their population had to be carefully controlled not to grow beyond a couple thousand.
"Why haven't you tried to contact Earth and create diplomatic relations? It could've made life easier for you." Savant asked while happily peeling a lobster.
Black Bolt answered telepathically, his tone calm and cold, "We have witnessed the persecution of mutants by their fellow humans. It is easy to mistake us for humans and we have smaller numbers. What would have happened if we tried to come out in the open, you can do the math?"
"If you have been keeping an eye on Earth, you would have seen that the persecution of mutants has been completely rooted out since a few years ago. You could have tried to make contact with the Earth Federation." Doom made his opinion known on the matter.
There were many things that the Inhumans could have done differently. But they didn't and the reason was straightforward. Medusa's sister Crystal answered for her race, "Fear. We were scared by the increasing power of the Earth Federation. How can we believe an organization that is only a few years old to treat us equally when their strength is much stronger than ours?"
Diplomacy between two parties is simple when one of them is much stronger than the other. It will be wrapped up in pretty words but ultimately it is a subordinate relationship. The weaker one is forced to be led by their nose based on the stronger one's whims.
"It wouldn't have been any different in our case either. Earth's own history has proven this fact. Even if you look at the diplomacy between the member nations in your Federation, you will see the same thing. So we can't expect any different from you." Crystal put it bluntly.
It wasn't false. America was losing its status as a superpower but still clinging to the Cold War-era style of diplomacy where the weaker country had to move based on its whims. If there was a dispute against China, it would force Japanese and European allies to impose sanctions.
The same worked for other large countries as well. Although the emergence of the Federation had largely affected this style of diplomacy, it continued. And it continued for a very simple reason because it worked. It was extremely effective.
It was as simple as, we will support you in your growth and protect you from others so do our bidding. If not, they had to withstand the military might of the stronger force. And by definition, the stronger force is well… stronger.
Doom nodded at the young girl's honest answer. "It is true. There cannot be an equal relationship between the city of Attilan and the Federation. No matter how you look at it, it doesn't make any sense for a small city of just a few thousand to be equal to an entire planet of billions."
Doom's nonchalant admittance that they weren't equal made the atmosphere very tense. The room turned silent with the sounds of teeth grinding and fists being clenched flowing in that silence. The Inhumans were beyond angered.
It didn't seem to bother Doom in the slightest as he continued, "There is no need for anger. It is not Doom's intent to say that you are inferior as a race. Not at all. I am merely pointing out the fact that you are incredibly weak."
Cypher froze up with his spoon right in front of his mouth. He turned toward Doom and spoke out in a low voice, "I don't think that is going to help out in calming their anger."
Savant chuckled at Cypher and continued watching the drama that was the Doom style of overbearing diplomacy. They didn't need to please the Inhumans and they didn't need anything from them. The Inhumans on the other hand had a lot to gain or lose based on what kind of relationship the Federation chose to have with them.
"It is a very one-sided relationship. Honestly, aren't there a lot more Inhumans on Earth than in this city? Most important of all, no matter if you call yourself Inhuman, non-human, or whatever, your race is simply a subset of humans that was genetically modified. You are just humans who are forcibly evolved through Terrigen mist." Savant added to Doom's words.
Maximus flinched at Savant's statement. As for the other Inhumans, they seemed even more offended if that was even possible at this point.
"Did you come here to pick a fight with us? Is that the Earth Federation's diplomacy?" Black Bolt's angered voice rang out in everyone's heads through telepathy.
Doom shook his head. "No, we were just letting you know the reality. The Federation doesn't care if you remain a city-state and play your make-believe games of royalty in this city on the moon. But we can't possibly overlook a potentially hostile force so close to us when they can be a threat to the peace of the planet."
The young Crystal couldn't control her emotions and lashed out, "You belittle us by calling us weak and then you turn around and call us a threat to you. How are we a threat to you?"
"Aside from you being a group of super-powered individuals capable of mass destruction? Let me see, how about the fact that you claim to be the literal royalty of the Inhuman race that has a population in the millions even if they are dormant at the time. A single 'king' being able to command such an army is a clear threat." Doom answered coldly.
"The dramatic irony goes well with this glass of wine," Savant smirked and whispered to Cypher. Doom just scoffed at Savant while the Inhumans gaped at the supposed attendant being sarcastic to Doom, the Chancellor.
"I thought you said you stopped the persecution of the mutants. But your tone suggests something else. Are you trying to persecute us Inhumans too?" Medusa asked while trying to hold back her anger. Her red hair was already flowing and waving wildly as if to show her anger.
"The mutants chose to follow the laws of the Federation. They are citizens of the Federation and enjoy all the rights while fulfilling their responsibilities. Even after their power returns in a few years, this will not change. It is the same for the thousands of Inhumans living on Earth.
The Federation is prepared to provide the same for all of you as well. You can take this city and park it somewhere on the Pacific if you'd like. Take an uninhabited island or something. But as long as you live within the sphere of influence of the Federation, you have to live under it."
Doom finally got to the point. The stance of the Federation was clear. They will allow the Inhumans the same rights as all their citizens and even let them establish a separate state like the mutants. But they had to come under the Federation. There were no equal negotiations.
"Are you stupid, or are you really just confident about your strength?" Black Bolt sounded genuinely curious about Doom's recklessness in speaking like that when he was surrounded by Inhumans in their territory.
"I heard that your angry shouts are enough to level cities. Why don't you try it on Doom and find out?" Doom smirked at Black Bolt.
The situation became incredibly tense with everyone except the three of Doom's group still sitting on their chairs. Surrounded by the Inhumans who glared at them menacingly, Savant was smiling while sipping the wine, Cypher was nervously looking at his companions, and Doom was staring right at the king Black Bolt.
Medusa felt that the situation could blow up into a fight at any time so she turned to look at Crystal. She communicated through her glance for Crystal to teleport away with the weaker members with the help of Lockjaw.
Crystal was reluctant but given the situation, she agreed with her sister and turned to Lockjaw and gave him instructions, "Lockjaw, take us outside."
Doom and his group didn't try to stop anyone from leaving. "It doesn't have to end in a fight. But if you want to fight, we can take it somewhere open where your people and your city will not get hurt. A fight is the best and only way to settle diplomatic disputes anyway."
No two leaders can ever come to a straightforward agreement when they have their own interests and the interests of their people to uphold. And as such, all diplomacy is either preceded by war or leads to a war where the actual terms of diplomacy are decided. War is diplomacy.
.......
Author here, it is my birthday today. I am thinking of putting up advanced chapters on Patreon again along with all the stories that I am in the process of writing. Maybe even custom fanfics based on your suggestions? Would you guys be interested?
The fight between Doom and Black Bolt wasn't meant to be something grand. Some of Doom's capabilities were already known to the Inhumans, and Savant had also made Doom aware of Black Bolt's powers. This was a simple comparison.
In the vast empty space, right outside the city of Attilan, Doom and Black Bolt stood facing each other. Below, residents of Attilan were gathering in groups and staring up in silence to watch the fight that would decide their fate. If Black Bolt lost, they would have to join the Federation,
It felt like a primitive solution to decide such a thing with a fight, but most of them understood that it was the best option they had, They just hoped and prayed that their king could win.
"How strong is that Black Bolt guy anyway? Can Doom win?" Cypher whispered to Savant. The two of them were also watching the fight standing a little further than the Inhumans.
Savant turned his head toward where Medusa and Crystal were standing. The worry on their faces was clear. "I wouldn't know if it was a normal Doom. But Doom with the power of the runes is not someone to be defeated easily. You should know that yourself."
Cypher nodded. He knew just how powerful the runes had made him. And he wasn't even a combat-oriented mutant. For someone of Doom's caliber, the power would be unimaginable. Besides, hadn't he watched Doom duel with the so-called gods? He stopped worrying.
The emotions were running high with a lot of worry, hope, anticipation, and anxiety among the Inhumans but the fight they had been waiting for with bated breaths turned out to be very anti-climactic. It couldn't even be called a battle.
Like testing the spear that can pierce every shield against the shield that can stop every spear, the fight ended with Black Bolt concentrating all of his power into one loud shout directed at Doom. "Die!!" He shouted. The ripples in space caused by that shout were visible to people.
Doom who was floating above the surface didn't attempt to dodge and accepted the attack by forming a magical shield that was filled with runes. The shield struggled for a few moments to only crack and break away. But the joy of the Inhumans was very short-lived.
Layer upon layers of shield kept forming behind each broken shield. And while Doom was pushed back a little, nothing else happened. The energy from the shout dissipated as the shields continued to break until it disappeared. The attack had failed. There was silence.
"I have lost." Black Bolt's tired voice was conveyed to everyone through telepathy. Some Inhumans broke down in tears while others shouted towards Black Bolt. "No! Your Majesty, you can win. Just keep attacking. Please, please you need to win."
Black Bolt and Doom had already returned to the empty square inside Attilan. The king looked at his wife and sister-in-law who were looking at him in despair with tears in their eyes.
Black Bolt could have continued the fight as some of the Inhumans had suggested. He could have risked his life to make varied attacks and somehow tried to defeat Doom. But he knew it was a futile endeavor. It would only serve to bring greater despair to his people.
Having collected some data regarding the recent invasion of Earth, Black Bolt was one of the few Inhumans who was aware of Doom's strength. Even so, Black Bolt had a glimmer of hope just like his people and so he had accepted the fight. He wanted to see if there was a chance.
But the moment Doom stopped his concentrated shout without dodging, Black Bolt knew that their fate had been decided. He had been preparing for this day to come ever since the Federation had been formed. But his preparations all became dust in front of Doom's power.
Looking at the Inhumans crying in despair, Cypher clicked his tongue at Doom. "Tsk. It looks like we have become the villains here. It's not like we are trying to enslave or kill them. They can live the same lives under the rule of the Federation."
"You know that and I know that but they have been living on the moon out of fear of persecution. You can't expect them to accept us in joy that they have been conquered into the territory of the Federation. What would you feel if some alien guy came to Earth, defeated me and the other strongest people, and said that we were now part of his empire?"
After giving a moment for Cypher to imagine and shudder at the thought, Savant continued, "It doesn't matter if the alien civilization is the most benevolent in the universe who only wants to coexist with us. The despair of the conquered doesn't change just because of the disposition of their conquerors. The fact that they have been conquered remains."
Doom nodded his head but spoke with a frown, "Your words are reasonable but the way you put it makes Doom the villain. It makes Doom sound like Hernan Cortes walking into the cities of the natives with guns and taking over."
Savant shrugged, "No matter how unpleasant it sounds, that is how it is. We are no different from Cortes in many ways. But we are also very different. We can only accept that what we are doing is not entirely right but is in the interest of the Earth Federation. That is what makes you the leader and the Chancellor of Earth."
They knew through history and direct experience that their actions weren't just. They could have left the hidden city of Attilan alone and continued expanding around them. But that wasn't in the interest of the Earth Federation.
As the leader of Earth, Doom had to act the part of a villain to secure the interests of the Earth and its people. There are very few people on Earth who could shoulder such a responsibility. Doom, who had been doing something similar as the ruler of Latveria was thus the best for it.
As the dictatorial ruler of Latveria, Doom had been a menace and a villain to the rest of the world but the people in Latveria had lived in peace. There was everything inside Latveria under doom from free education, healthcare, 0% poverty, 0% hunger, and very little inequality.
Except for some civil rights that most Americans would defend with their lives and their guns, the people in Latveria had everything. And the Latverians preferred it that way. Except for a very small minority, there wasn't any opposition to Doom's rule.
This was why Savant had chosen Doom to become the ruler of Earth in his stead. Although Doom wasn't allowed to take away the rights of everyone as he did in Latveria, his rule over the earth was similar. He didn't hesitate to become the villain for his people.
"What will become of us now? What do you want us to do?" Medusa approached Doom's group with her husband. As a queen, she couldn't continue to despair in such a critical situation. She had to make sure that the Inhumans were not harmed.
"Nothing much changes. You just have to register all of the residents of this city with the Federation. After that, you can take your city to Earth and settle on some uninhabited island or some other place with the guidance of the Federation officials." Savant answered.
"That is all? You don't need our people to join your armies and fight for you?" Medusa asked. She knew of the mutants who had joined the Federation army.
Doom replied this time, "It is entirely up to you. You just have to follow the laws of the Federation, we don't need much else from you. There are plenty of volunteers for the army."
"It's no joke. Just sorting through the applications is a hassle." Cypher mumbled. After the war, the position of an elite Federation soldier had become one of the most sought-after positions on Earth. Many youths dreamed of wearing the futuristic armor and following the legion into battle.
"We will sign a treaty that recognizes your city-state of Attilan as a part of the Federation. After that, you will enjoy the same rights and obligations as the other countries and people on Earth. You will probably be a rich nation with your advanced technology and superpowers.
Just remember to pay your taxes. The guys at the tax office are even scarier than the Alpha Legion. They don't even spare superheroes. They got me and Stark last year." Savant added.
"What? Why didn't I know that?" Cypher asked Savant in surprise.
Savant shrugged, "We just didn't know. Terra seemed to be playing a prank on me by not alerting me. I had to pay quite a huge fine. I fired the accountant who was trying to dodge the taxes. Stark also said he was leaving his accounting to Jarvis."
While the interesting story about the strongest man on Earth being fined for evading taxes was going on, the Inhuman side was making their own considerations.
"There isn't much we can do anyway. We can only agree to their terms for the continued existence of Attilan and the Inhuman race. We can assimilate the Inhumans on Earth and grow larger and stronger." Black Bolt consoled Medusa through telepathy.
Their private telepathy was hijacked and Doom's voice warned, "We will allow you to gather the Inhumans on Earth but you better not make stupid decisions like attacking the Federation. Doom will personally wipe your entire species out of existence if you choose to disturb the peace."
Doom was a militant person, there were no doubts about it. But even such a Doom had become tired of the frequent wars that Earth had been going through. He just hoped for at least half if not a decade of peace for Earth. So he threatened the Inhuman king and queen.
In the middle of the tense situation where the Inhuman royalty was appeasing their people and trying to discuss the terms for the treaty with the Federation, Cypher looked around and asked, "Where is that grumpy guy anyway? The brother of the king or something."
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