"Really? Aren’t they larger than that?" This update ıs available on 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝※𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕖※𝕟𝕖𝕥 "How did he get hold of a black hole?" "How did the Ethisians get hold of a black hole?" "Oh, please. If that were true, then I am the most powerful entity in all of Akrina." Gravax’s claims received mixed reactions from the Council Members. Some were shocked and fearful about the notion of having a black hole in their midst, an element known for its powerful gravitational pull so strong that not even light could escape it. Others were in disbelief. They didn’t believe that a black hole could be concealed in a tiny transparent box. And they had every right to feel that way. "Wild claims like that will tarnish your good name, Gravax," one Council Member spoke, "are you sure you want to continue with such a claim? Or will you admit that it is a lie?" The Red Scaled Granian stood silent as the members bombarded with question after question. He listened to them all and didn’t respond until the room went silent again. Sadly, his claims were so "wild", "frightening", and "unbelievable" that the members didn’t stop with the questions. And to make matters worse for him, his silence triggered even more mixed reactions from them. "SILENCE!!!" Lord Granian silenced the room and then commanded Gravax to continue. Like everyone else, he wanted Gravax to clarify whether what he claimed was true or false. "Gravax, continue with your presentation. Are your claims true or are they far-fetched?" "Lord Grania, Council Members. These claims aren’t far-fetched. I assure you, I have no reason to make wild claims. I already showed you in the Behemoth." The room went up in violent noise again. People’s fear turned into disbelief until they all started to chant, "SHOW US PROOF!!" Gravax started to lose his patience. The Granians in the room were supposed to be some of the most influential and intelligent of his species, but they were no better than the soldiers. ’Comparing them to the soldiers is an insult...to the soldiers. They didn’t react as foolishly as these people are.’ Once the Council Members got their frustrations out and were ready to listen, Gravax continued, but made sure to dumb it down even more. That way, he wouldn’t bore them with the science behind it...even though he did his level best not to make it as complicated as it actually was. Taking a deep breath, Gravax began speaking as fast as he could, saying; "The Ethisians conducted highly dangerous and lethal experiments. They used hard science methods to shrink the black hole, stabilized it in these compression boxes, and harness tiny particles from them, which they use to rip holes into a rift. "Then, their ships enter the holes which take the ships into the rift and get out through another hole. The black holes collapse after a few seconds WITHIN the rift, but you won’t know it. Time slows down significantly in the rift, and with it, we can cover any distance, no matter how great it is." A long, awkward, uncomfortable moment of silence filled the room. Gravax’s explanation, being in the simplest form as it could possibly be, settled in everyone’s minds. Slowly, their confusion turned into amazement. The Granians, inasmuch as they didn’t want to openly admit it, were impressed at how the Ethisians made such a feat possible. But there were still questions they needed to ask. "How soon can we harness this power for ourselves?" "How long will it take?" Now that the sensible questions were being asked, Gravax turned his attention to the more crucial bit of his presentation. "This is going to take a while for us to pull off. The machines used to shrink black holes are complex and immensely difficult to build. "Once we build them, we’ll have to transport them. A quarter of the machine’s components are larger than ten Behemoths, so their transportation will be another challenge for us to tackle. "And even after that, we’ll need to find dying stars for the seeding process to begin. Akrina’s full of dying stars, but they’re very far and distant. All of this will take an immense amount of time. "With your permission, Council Members, I ask for all the resources I’ll need to make this work." "What about the war? Does that mean we’ll have to halt with our advancements?" They didn’t want to hear it, but Gravax said it anyway. "We’re going to have to fall back on the offensive. All our troops must be recalled back to our side of Akrina and defend our territory. We should hold off on any more advancements until I have completed this task." The Council Members grew distraught. They had hopes that whatever Gravax had to tell them would bring about a speedy victory for that. But it was the opposite. Not only were they going to have to wait longer until victory was assured, but they were also going to sit back and fend off every attack from the Ethisians and their allies. "All hope is not lost," Grania smiled and then clapped twice. Two Red Scaled soldiers left the room and returned with two cylindrical containers that were covered with turps. "Recalling all our troops will stretch our numbers thin. We have soldiers, yes, but we will most certainly lose them if all we do is defend. But I have a solution. Behold." The turps were removed, and the contents of the containers were revealed. Standing in illuminated containers were two clones, one male and another female. These clones were bigger, looked stronger, and were more physically capable than the average Granian soldier. Their bodies were in peak physical condition, a blessing that only a few seasoned soldiers possessed. "After many years of trial and error, I have finally perfected cloning. We all know how much we struggled with the first batch of clones. They were weak, mindless, incapable of independent thinking in battle, and a burden to sustain. "These, however, are the perfected versions. They do not decay after short periods of time. They’re capable of thinking for themselves in battle, and they possess the ability to retain knowledge and use it, meaning we could potentially teach them how to use Eneraflux in battle. You’re looking at the next frontline in the Granian Army and the weapons that we’ll use to gain victory over our enemies."