The atmosphere didn't just feel heavy; it felt "Taxed." As the gold-plated behemoth of the New World Consortium descended, the very air seemed to vibrate with a frequency that whispered of "Interest Rates" and "Compound Penalties". I stood in the middle of the Grand Plaza, my boots planted firmly on the "Patched" stone, watching as the shimmering shards of the "Data-Sphere" were pulled upward like metal shavings to a magnet.
"Elara, my sensors are hitting 'System Red'!" Sarah yelled, her voice barely audible over the low, rhythmic thrum of the descending ship. "The 'Gilded Mist' they're venting... it's not just steam. It's 'Liquid Assets'! They are literally 'Sucking' the value out of the 'Local Environment'!".
