With all of these options, we could set off the late game when we wanted. Using our resources as PBJ Clan, we could make independent shell clans in the region to confederate with. Heat Clan was on board with a coalition as long as Radioactive Clan could also join in. If we wanted be war mongers and backstab basically everyone, we could take the 7 hubs needed to become the dominant faction. Going back to Cold Clan they were less interested in that. While they could use their clout to get one non faction member in, 2 was definitely stretching it. They also did not think too highly of Radioactive Clan to begin with. This was not something they would be able to easily do for us. They said they would try, but it was very likely that adding them would tank the whole project. That was fine with us. We had the options to be flexible. It was Heat Clan that really needed this to go well. They also really, really wanted our stuff. It would be a game changer for them to be able to skip several weeks of tech. I asked them to try and all the equipment would be theirs when they came back with an answer.
The answer ended up being no. Like they warned, the Conqueror were willing to take advantage of tech. That was the point of being a Researcher. Radioactive Clan had nothing to offer aside from a bigger majority of the transmission hubs. Even then, while drops would technically come a bit faster, there was no guarantee that Heat Clan or Radioactive Clan would not simply hoard all the blueprints and information they got among themselves. The Researchers only had 2 hubs so they could easily bunker down and kept things to themselves. Paul Brett and I were men of our words. We let Cold Clan take the equipment that we had set aside for Void Clan and got in contact with Heat Clan. That outcome did not make them upset. "They still do not have the threshold needed. If we keep using your funds to repel them from the other 5 clans, they will soon get desperate enough to come back to negotiate. Especially with the human government focused on the toxic transmission hub. We only have to give it time." They were waiting for the 3 month condition for the confederations. A very solid plan.
Pierce Clan had also stopped by soon after. They also tried to take out Lightning Clan only to be repelled by PBJ Clan made guns and tech. We could fucking fly if we wanted to. The only thing that was lacking was our PEA unit program. But even that could be improved upon with little effort from us. They also warned that they would be embargoing us from the Advocate faction. It was moot. They could not stop us from wiring credits and tech to them from our clan building to theirs. We did not tell them that though. The last thing we wanted was for operatives from their clan trying to hack our communications or stealing our shit from under us. That would be super annoying to deal with. Once they left, we had to think on what we wanted to do. Advocates were great and all, but they were not going to be winning the war anytime soon. Even with the money and tech, they were outnumbered. Now all their tech advantage was diminished with it in the hands of Cold Clan. We would join Void Clan to save them, but Lightning Clan and Sonic Clan were on their own. That was the way of things.
It was up to us to decide now. There was another town nearby called Micropolis. It was modeled off of the mega cities, but a 1/10th the scale. I told them that I would get a shell clan off of the ground. That was the first step to getting in a confederation. Brett came with me. He would have to give them a new clan building. Paul said "We have PEA units not doing anything. All they do is wait around in the lab and train for nothing. I'll just get some of them together. They can be a gas station on the road going to Volta City or something. Maybe we can get another going the opposite way too." That sounded like a plan. We left right away. We made our way to the town and easily found a group of PEP units being listless. They were pretty low tier judging from the shabby clothes they were wearing. The first thing we did was give them upgrades, some new clothes and better guns. That made them want to listen to us. Brett gave them a juice bar in a back alley. Under it was a small clan building with a main hall and trading hub. We called them Clan Star. We found another group of mid tiers later.
Clan Star
