Chapter 12: Two man Empire

Giotto began to tour Emma around his true base of operations. In all her 19 years of life, Emma had not seen or experienced something as wondrous as what she was going through right now.

She witnessed a variety of things that she never thought possible.

The robots that flew around were one thing but the many constructs that worked on wireless energy made her jaw drop. Elevators that did not use cables and instead used some weird mechanism involving some "exotic particles" to rise and fall.

There were testing laboratories that ran various tests on mechanisms that she did not know. 

A huge mining operation that dug out precious minerals from the earth's mantle, a magnetic railway that led to other underground bases. 

Emma looked at the labels of the map that Giotto gave her. Not all bases were connected but there were some that took her attention more than others.

"Did you really create an oil rig and refinery?"

Giotto gave Emma a smug smile as he replied.

"Well its still under construction, but by the end of this month Celestial Being is expecting to have at least three underwater hydrocarbon facilities. Producing all matter of hydrocarbon products, in other words, Celestial Being will be able to produce all the things it needs to function save for food- but well… we're already on that"

Giotto pointed towards one part of the map that was labeled [Underground Farm, test site for growing crops using artificial light]

Emma could not help but sigh as she looked through all these labels. She did not want to believe it but seeing the bustling underground facility, she could only accept it as a fact.

"So what is your end goal with this?"

The 19 year old woman asked, she may be smart but of all the things she knew, science was the one field which she lacked the most in. She was skilled in communication and the arts but she only had a basic grasp of science. 

She did not enter university after all, so her interaction with people who have such knowledge and her exposure to more complex knowledge was really limited. 

The internet could have been a good source of knowledge but Emma did not have the leeway to relax and spend her time reading about physics and biology. She was under constant pressure, like the world was slowly leading her to a fate she did not want.

All of these factors led to her being unable to think of what Giotto was planning. She could see various ways this underground empire could be useful but when she thought about such ideas she realized just how inefficient they were.

In the end, she was left with no idea what Giotto was actually aiming for with what he had created.

Giotto gazed at Emma who had a confused expression on her face as he began to explain.

"Emma… I have plenty of complex and for now… incomprehensible reasons why I'm doing this. But for now, all I could tell you is that I plan to have a space colony in 5 years! So by the year 2013 I would be farming Venus and Mars for resources!"

He spoke with a serious tone, it was not idealism, Giotto fully believed it was possible and Emma could only stare dumbfoundedly at him. But she held back her immediate thoughts, she calmed herself and then returned a serious look towards Giotto as she asked.

"So why do you need to hire someone like me? Why did you bring me here? You could literally move forward with your plans without me."

Emma asked, she looked at the various robots flying around. Giotto had an army of tireless robots working and accomplishing everything he needed. If Giotto wanted to start mining the resources on Mars in five years, all he had to do was use his robots to slowly make that possible.

What reason did Giotto have to hire her? She was not a university graduate, she could barely understand how the robots were working, much less help in designing some space houses.

Giotto saw through Emma's thoughts, he knew the kind of ideas that were now going on in her head. 

Not wanting her to fall down another hole, Giotto consoled her as he explained.

"I don't need a genius to help me plan out how to get to space. I already have that plan, but said plan needs me to build connections. I need help from others, and that help could only be acquired if I have a powerful business empire to rival the people I need. After all, who would help a nobody wanting to build a space colony?"

Emma listened intently to Giotto's words, she thought deeply as she dissected his words. And as she did she suddenly came to a shocking revelation. 

Her thoughts were spinning wildly, Emma realized that Giotto was not looking for funds, nor was he looking for people to act as some sort of barrier from government intervention. 

Giotto had superhuman powers, she knew that already, he also had a hidden underground empire of robots building whatever he wanted. He was smart and could build some pretty amazing things. 

Giotto seemed to have everything he needed to achieve his goals in his hands. But he still claimed to need help. 

What kind of help does he need?

Emma thought, about it, Giotto had a weakness? She did not know, she had yet to see Giotto show a weakness at least based on ability. 

As she thought about it, an image flashed in her mind. A man who had the same kind of ability as Giotto but more famous, more out there- 

"You want to get the help of Tony Stark?"

She blurted out, her voice was filled with confusion and shock-

"Isn't he dead?"

She continued as she recalled the news of Tony Stark's kidnapping. After which she did not know anything else after that. She, like many others, presumed that Tony Stark was already dead, and even if he wasn't, it was unlikely for him to return sane.

Emma was shocked not because the person Giotto was planning to get help from being too high but the exact opposite.

"Wouldn't it be a waste?"

In her mind, if Tony was not dead, he would have been better off dead.Even trained and experienced soldiers go through some pretty bad PTSD. Much less a spoiled brat like Tony, a hardened soldier did not need to go through torture to get extreme PTSD. 

Tony was a captive, he was being put on ransom, Emma, like many others did not believe Tony was being given the VIP treatment.

But Giotto, in response to her disbelief, smiled as he replied.

"I trust Tony, he will come back, and when he does he will change, but that change will be a good one."

His words made Emma pause and think, she can't think of Tony Stark the way Giotto did. No matter how hard she tried, to her, Tony Stark was nothing more than a spoiled genius. No matter how smart he was, it would not change the fact that Tony was spoiled.

Giotto, seeing the reaction of Emma, simply smiled as he spoke.

"How about a bet then?"

Emma gave Giotto a suspicious look as she repeated.

"A bet?"

Giotto affirmed her and replied, maintaining his smiling, neutral face.

"Yes, a bet"

Seeing Giotto's expression, Emma had a feeling that something was up. That Giotto knew something that she didn't. She thought for a while recalling all the information she knew about Tony Stark.

But still, no matter how hard she racked her brain, she could not see a way for Tony to come out of his current experience as a sane man, unless-

"You know something I don't do you?"

She gave Giotto a questioning look as she asked seriously.

But Giotto's response made her click her tongue in annoyance as he replied-

"Well I do, but don't worry, he really was kidnapped, nothing was staged, that's why I'm betting he gets back alive but when he does he'll become a better person"

Emma did not know how to answer, she did not want to bet on it. She felt that she was already on the losing end. But the image of Stark was just too strong, she was really thinking hard. It was a conflict between her instincts and her logical reasoning.

Giotto conjured a seat out of dying will flames and sat down watching Emma cutely change expressions. 

Emma did not not notice Giotto's actions as she was really contemplating hard about the matter of Tony Stark. She really felt that everything was a trap, it was a setup that Giotto had cooked up but she found no reason to believe that it was.

In the end she still gave into Giotto's trap, she believed in her own logic, on the knowledge she had. With that she made a bet-

"Fine! I bet Tony Stark would return as the same old cocky playboy! He won't change much!"

Hearing her words Giotto smiled as he extended his hand towards Emma who grabbed it and shook it with as much force as she could muster.

After this short tangent, Giotto continued to tour Emma and explain to her his plans and reason on bringing her in-

"So, to reach that point, I need a partner. As powerful as VEDA is, I could not put everything on an AI. VEDA may be powerful but I ensured that there is no way for VEDA to develop its own consciousness. It is nothing more than a powerful supercomputer that could do a LOT."

Giotto turned to Emma, his gaze serious as he continued his explanation.

"Robots are efficient, they are fast and easy to manage. But without a human component, there is a good chance that things may take a darker turn… I do not trust VEDA and also myself. I need people who could act as a buffer, a committee that could balance out the thoughts in my head-"

As he spoke, Giotto took out a badge from his chest. On this badge was the iconic emblem of Celestial being from the anime. He offered it to Emma as he continued.

"Emma Frost, on this day, I offer you the position of Celestial Beings Commander, under Celestial Being would be a plethora of companies that will work on Earth. Secretly it has an underground empire that aims to create a self-sustaining space colony. Our goal is to protect the earth and ensure that humanity will prosper well into the future.

Taking on this task will mean that you will not only manage the large hidden force of Celestial Being but also be the face of our surface companies and influence. Emma Frost, do you accept this offer?"

Completely formal and without any hint of trickery or playfulness, Giotto offered the badge, he detailed all the weight the badge brings with it. The show of force with the underground bases, the plans Giotto explained-

"I am just a normal girl… the best thing that sets me apart is my beauty and the kind of life I have lived up to today… your offer as much as I would love to accept it… I don't think I could carry such a burden."

Emma was at first tempted, but after a bit of thought she realized that the weight the title brought with it was too heavy. It was not something she could just take on a whim, it needed time, she needed time.

But from what she could tell Giotto would not offer her that time. 

'But will my rejection cut off my connection to him?'

After she already spoke her own thoughts, Emma suddenly thought of something else. An important note that Giotto did not add to it, one that he didn't say because he didn't want Emma to focus on that.

'When I lose my connection to him? Will he… could he erase memories? I…'

After saying her piece, Emma found herself at an impasse as she realized the other end of the spectrum of what her choice may bring. Giotto had shown a plethora of abilities and skills, he gave her power but- if he could give something then he might be able to take it away.

His knowledge of science may have allowed him the ability to alter peoples memories.

How did he hide this huge operation? Simply hiding using camouflage and untraceable transactions would not work. How long had he been working on this project? 

Emma's mind was in chaos, the more she saw, the more she thought and the more she thought the more she realized that-

 'I don't really know what he wants, what he could do and...'

"Emma!"

Giotto took Emma's hand as he sighed sighed in regret hearing Emma's words, he took back the badge and was about to say something but Emma quickly grasped his hand holding the badge.

"I-I don't think I could carry the weight… I… I don't want to be a burden! But… if taking the weight is what I need to be with you…"

Emma did not really understand until now, but as the prospect of losing her connection to Giotto came to her mind she felt a great pain reflect on her chest. A heavy weight pressed down telling her the truth, what she truly felt and what she truly wanted.

Did she reject it because she could not do it? Or was it that she did not want to do it because it was hard? Did Giotto choose her because of her beauty? If so, why did he offer such an important position to her? Did Giotto do this on a whim or did he already have an idea of her abilities? Did she show any potential she did not notice herself?

Questions upon questions swarmed inside Emma's mind. Giotto saw through this, he saw through the emotional roller coaster that Emma was going through but-

'I believe in you Emma'

He did not do anything and simply waited, he waited for Emma to come to her own conclusion. It was hard on him but he knew that Emma was not a wallflower. If she showed any signs of going too deep in her whirlpool of self doubt he would intervene.

But for now he would watch as she goes through the motions.

'Diamonds are made beautiful by countless hours of grinding them together… no diamond comes out perfect… Emma… I- believe you can do this, trust me that trust in you…'

Giotto did not pick Emma because she was already talented, Giotto chose Emma because he felt like she could take on the role. Her choices when faced with problems showed how resilient and strong she was.

She did not buckle into the pressure of society, did not bow down to her father, she did not give in to her instructor. In the face of power threatening her life, she fought back, she stood strong.

'She may have been suffering but she still stood strong, only someone like her could carry the burden with me… to take the leadership position of Celestial Being… only- no, I only want her to be by my side… but really…'

As he stood still, silently gazing at Emma who was clutching the badge in his hands, the young woman suddenly raised her head.

Her eyes had a familiar resolute look on them, repetitive, over and over again. Giotto had challenged her. He had forced her to make choices, from simple ones to completely life changing choices.

Now, as Giotto gazed at Emma who took the badge of Celestial Being from his hands and placed it on her chest, Giotto found himself with a wide smile.

Silence, there were no words, the two simply stared at each other. Knowing precisely what the other was thinking.

In the end they continued the tour in the underground facilities, this time a new determination was once again planted in their hearts.