The great hall chosen for the global summit was crowded with leaders, ambassadors, and advisors. The air itself felt heavy with tension, as if everyone gathered there understood that history would either move forward into a new age or fracture under the weight of ambition and fear. At the center of it all sat Alex Price, clad in his formal robes of Mechanicus design, a silent pillar in the storm. Beside him stood Tony Stark, sharp and calm, the negotiator to Alex's unbending presence. Vision hovered close, his gaze sweeping the hall like a sentinel.
The summit opened with sharp voices from Russia and China. They demanded explanations, asking why the United States and its allies had already met with Price and Stark at the orbital station without their presence. Their accusations carried venom, accusing America of scheming to carve up Mars behind closed doors. The American delegation brushed the complaints aside, pointing to the current agenda. They knew Alex's project was the true heart of this gathering, and they were not going to allow Moscow or Beijing to derail the momentum.
Alex spoke little at first. When he did, his voice cut through the noise with mechanical precision. He presented the Mars initiative, backed by live feeds of the terraforming process already underway. Vast swathes of the red planet were greening under the world engine, clouds forming, water condensing into rivers and lakes. The hall fell into silence as they watched the impossible unfold before their eyes. Alex explained the foundation of the proposed United Earth Government, a cooperative body that would manage colonies on Mars and oversee resource distribution, ensuring no single nation monopolized the future.
The vote was called, and tension thickened. The United States, France, and Germany cast their support with firm confidence. Britain hesitated but eventually sided with them, while India remained neutral, abstaining under pressure from both sides. Russia and China opposed loudly, warning that this plan would turn Mars into the private empire of a few nations and strip sovereignty from the rest of the world. Their protests were fierce, but when the votes were tallied, the decision stood. By majority approval, the United Earth Government was born.
News spread across the world in hours. Broadcasts of the Martian landscape being reshaped captivated ordinary people. Some celebrated with unrestrained excitement, believing they were witnessing humanity's ascension into the stars. Others questioned the risks, warning that Mars could become a battleground for new colonial powers, a stage for old rivalries carried to a new world. Protests broke out in some cities, while in others, crowds cheered and waved flags of hope. Governments scrambled to secure their place in the new order, their ambassadors working day and night to send messages to Mechanicus Tech and the Stark Foundation.
Russia and China reacted differently. Their representatives left the summit in fury, but within days, they came directly to Alex. They arrived at the orbital station under heavy escort, masks of diplomacy concealing their frustration. They attempted to mend ties, their tone far softer than their earlier defiance. They asked for the chance to join the Mars initiative, to claim colonies of their own. Alex listened, but his face was unreadable. He reminded them of the terms agreed upon at the summit. Priority would go to those who had supported the formation of the United Earth Government. Russia and China would have to wait until the first wave of colonies had been established before they could claim their place.
When the meeting ended, Tony leaned against the transparent wall of the station, watching the curve of Earth in silence. He gave Alex a sideways glance, a smirk tugging at his lips. "You really don't bend, do you? You've just told two superpowers to stand in line like kids waiting for ice cream."
Alex's reply was calm, almost cold. "The future is not theirs to claim. It belongs to those who had the vision to support it from the beginning. If they want Mars, they will take their turn. This is not a game of nations anymore. It is survival."
In the days that followed, newspapers and networks exploded with debate. Was Alex Price the saviour of humanity or the man who had just crowned himself the master of Mars? Was the United Earth Government a beacon of cooperation or the foundation of a galactic empire under corporate control? Behind the noise, Mechanicus Tech continued its work. Cargo ships laden with Martian minerals departed daily, fulfilling promises to allied nations. Stark Industries handled diplomatic channels with practiced charm, Tony smoothing the edges of Alex's iron hand.
Yet beneath all the celebration and political maneuvering, shadows stirred. Russia and China began secret meetings with disgruntled governments shut out of the first colonies. Whispers of sabotage, espionage, and covert operations circled like vultures over a battlefield. Alex was aware of it all, his servo-skulls feeding Gear streams of data that painted a grim picture. The path forward would not be free of betrayal.
As the summit closed and the world erupted in reaction, Alex stood alone in his private chamber aboard the orbital station. Through the viewport, Mars gleamed, its surface shifting under the will of his machines. Humanity had taken its first steps toward becoming a multiplanetary species. But Alex knew better than most that the higher humanity climbed, the greater the fall if its foundations cracked. The game of nations had not ended. It had simply shifted to a larger stage, and he was determined to control it, no matter the cost.