Business bay

Chapter 11: An Internal Problem

The tension in Business Bay was palpable. Tommy could feel it like a storm brewing on the horizon. The beaten man Axel had dragged in from Aeropostale had revealed troubling news: someone was using the name of the Antarctic Empire to destroy factions, and now Tommy needed answers. But this wasn't just Business Bay's problem—it was much bigger than that.

That's why he turned to Punz.

Punz, ever the sharp mercenary, was sitting by the fire, sharpening his sword. Tommy approached him, his steps quick and purposeful, knowing exactly what needed to be done.

"Oi, Punz," Tommy called, his voice more serious than usual.

Punz glanced up, immediately sensing the shift in Tommy's mood. "What's going on?"

Tommy sat down beside him, leaning in. "I need you to do what you do best. Get some information."

Punz raised an eyebrow. "What are we looking for?"

Tommy's voice lowered as he explained. "The guy Axel brought in? He says the Antarctic Empire wiped out Aeropostale. But Techno and Philza are on Dream SMP. They couldn't have done this. I need you to find out who's using their name to attack factions."

Punz nodded, already shifting into his mercenary mindset. "Got it. I'll see what I can dig up."

Tommy smirked. "Knew I could count on you."

Punz slipped away from Business Bay that evening, disappearing into the shadows to gather the information Tommy needed. He moved undetected, following whispers about the Antarctic Empire's supposed movements. After hours of tracking, Punz returned with the name Tommy hadn't expected: Pete.

VoiceOverPete, a member of the Antarctic Empire on SMPEarth, had been taking advantage of Technoblade and Philza's absence. He had seized control of their forces on the server, using their fearsome reputation to take down weaker factions like Aeropostale in a blatant power grab.

Punz found Tommy waiting for him by the fire, the flames casting long shadows over the camp.

"Well?" Tommy asked as soon as he saw Punz's figure emerge from the darkness.

Punz sat down, his expression grim. "It's Pete. VoiceOverPete. He's leading these attacks, using the Antarctic Empire's name to wipe out factions."

Tommy's eyes widened, but there was a flicker of understanding. Pete had always been greedy, but this? Using Techno's and Philza's names to destroy factions and take control? That was crossing a line.

Tommy leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "So, Pete's trying to take control of the Antarctic Empire."

Punz nodded. "Yeah. He's got their banners, their forces. He's acting like he's the one in charge."

Tommy was silent for a moment, processing the information. But then a thought struck him—this wasn't Business Bay's problem. This was internal Antarctic Empire business, and it needed to be handled by the real leaders: Technoblade and Philza.

"We've got to tell Techno," Tommy muttered.

Punz raised an eyebrow. "You think that's the right move? Telling Technoblade could... well, Pete's not going to like that."

Tommy smirked. "That's exactly why we're telling Techno. This isn't our fight yet. If Pete's using their name, it's their problem to handle. I'm not letting it become Business Bay's problem unless Pete brings it to us."

Punz leaned back, considering. "Makes sense. So, you're going to call in Techno?"

Tommy let out a breath, his mind turning over the decision. "Yeah. This is internal. We'll let the Antarctic Empire deal with their own mess."

It didn't take long for Tommy to fire up the communicator. As he stood at the edge of Business Bay, the early morning air cool against his skin, his fingers moved quickly over the buttons.

"TommyInnit whispers to Technoblade: Oi, Techno. You need to hear this. Your boy Pete's been using the Antarctic Empire name to take down factions. We need to talk."

The response came quickly:

"Technoblade whispers to TommyInnit: Pete? What's he doing?"

Tommy smirked. Trust Techno to get straight to the point.

"TommyInnit whispers to Technoblade: He's taking out factions. Acting like he's in charge. I think you'll want to deal with this before it gets out of hand."

There was a long pause before Technoblade's next message appeared.

"Technoblade whispers to TommyInnit: I'll handle it. Where is he?"

Tommy felt a surge of satisfaction. This was exactly the reaction he'd expected from Techno. Calm, focused, and ready to deal with the problem head-on. Pete wouldn't know what hit him.

"TommyInnit whispers to Technoblade: Near Aeropostale territory. He's been wiping out the smaller factions. Get here quick."

Technoblade's response was immediate.

"Technoblade whispers to TommyInnit: On my way. Thanks, Tommy."

Tommy closed the communicator, a sense of relief washing over him. This was the right call. Letting Technoblade handle this meant Business Bay could stay out of a conflict that wasn't theirs to fight—at least for now.

As he turned back toward the camp, Tommy couldn't help but think of the irony. On Dream SMP, Technoblade was the anarchist, the one who thrived on chaos and rebellion. But here, on SMPEarth, Techno had been the more peaceful one, carefully navigating alliances and conflicts without throwing the world into disarray.

Philza, on the other hand, was a different story. On Dream SMP, Philza was calm, collected, and loyal to a fault. But here, on SMPEarth, he had earned the name "Angel of Death."

Tommy chuckled to himself, the irony not lost on him. "Funny, isn't it? Techno's the calm one here, and Phil? He got the name Angel of Death for a reason. Techno gave it to him because he didn't hold back when it came to enemies."

Punz, standing nearby, raised an eyebrow. "Quite a difference from how they are on Dream SMP."

"Yeah," Tommy said, his voice quieter now. "Techno's an anarchist there, but here? He's the one who kept things in check. And Philza... well, if Techno finds out Pete's using their name to take down factions, Pete's gonna have a lot more to worry about than just Techno."

Punz smirked. "Sounds like Pete's got it coming."

Tommy grinned, shaking his head. "He does. But now it's Techno's problem to handle."

By midday, Tommy gathered his core team—Axel, Deo, Purpled, Punz, and Luke—around the central square to update them on the situation.

"Alright, listen up," Tommy began, his voice steady. "Punz got us some info. Turns out, Pete—VoiceOverPete—has been using the Antarctic Empire's name to take out factions. But here's the thing: this isn't our problem. Not yet."

Axel frowned, his red eyes narrowing. "You're saying we leave it?"

Tommy shook his head. "No, we're not ignoring it. I told Techno. This is internal Antarctic Empire business. Pete's their problem to handle. I'm not letting this turn into a Business Bay problem unless Pete drags us into it."

Deo crossed his arms, nodding. "Makes sense. Techno's not gonna like hearing about this."

Tommy smirked. "Exactly. And if Techno deals with Pete, it'll stop this whole thing before it spreads. Pete's been playing a dangerous game, and he's about to find out what happens when you mess with the Antarctic Empire."

Luke glanced over at Tommy, his expression thoughtful. "And if Pete comes for us after Techno's done with him?"

Tommy's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Then we'll be ready. But for now, this isn't our fight."

Axel's wings shifted behind him, a dangerous smile crossing his face. "Can't wait to see how this plays out."

Tommy nodded, the familiar thrill of anticipation rising in his chest. He knew one thing for sure—Pete had no idea what was coming for him.