Diplomatic language at the border port, lawful stalling of extradition
C-1 Border Port.
This is the busiest transportation hub between the Negative Zone and the external Dimension, but at this moment, the ships that used to shuttle back and forth have disappeared without a trace, leaving only a deathly silence.
Outside the enormous holographic porthole, in the deep void, a Fleet sharply defined ships hovered silently. The ships were painted in TVA's signature Dark Gold, and their lines exuded an unquestionable sense of order, like rows of silent judges overlooking the territory before them.
Gwen Stacy stood by the porthole, her back ramrod straight.
She was wearing the standard dark blue uniform of the Liaison Office, the epaulets reflecting a cold light under the overhead lights of the command center.
Behind her, Hela sat with her arms crossed and her eyes closed, seemingly resting. But the faint Aura of Death emanating from her made the air pressure in the entire command center drop.
The holographic communication request notification sounded for the third time, breaking the stagnant atmosphere.
"Bring him in," Gwen Stacy said calmly.
A screen of light unfolded in front of the porthole, and the commander of the TVA Adjudication Fleet appeared on the screen. He was wearing a more elite black uniform, and the insignia on his chest indicated that he came from the Discipline Inspection Committee. His eyes were arrogant, and there was a procedural indifference on his lips.
"I am Proctor, a commissioner of the TVA Commission for Discipline Inspection." He cut to the chase without any pleasantries, "I am here on orders from the ' He Who Remains's ' top commander to extradite the high-risk Variant, Ravonna Renslayer."
Proctor's tone was more like issuing an order than a negotiation.
Behind him, two Minutemen guards stepped forward and displayed an electronic warrant shimmering with golden light in front of the camera. At the top of the warrant was the unique Personal Seal of the He Who Remains, carrying an aura of authority that transcended time itself.
"This is the final warning," Proctor's voice rose a few decibels. "Open the extradition channel immediately and hand over the target. Any delay will be considered a direct challenge to the authority of the ' He Who Remains.'"
Hela slowly opened her eyes a crack.
Inside the command center, several junior officers from the Stability Maintenance Office had their hands already on the activation buttons for the weapon systems.
Gwen Stacy didn't turn around; she simply looked at Proctor on the screen, her tone remaining professionally calm.
"Commissioner Proctor, we confirm that we have received your request and fully recognize the validity of the ' He Who Remains ' warrant."
Upon hearing this, Proctor's lips curled up slightly, revealing a hint of arrogance that he had expected.
However, Gwen Stacy's next words froze the expression on his face.
"However, according to our internal regulations, the extradition proceedings cannot be initiated at this time."
"What?" Proctor as if he'd heard a joke, "Your internal regulations?"
"Yes." Gwen Stacy remained unmoved, her voice like a finely tuned machine, devoid of any emotion. "Just an hour before your arrival, the case of Ravonna Renslayer, due to the leak of several of our core secrets, has been officially designated as S-001 Highest Security Case."
Gwen Stacy raised her hand and tapped lightly on the control panel in front of her.
A similarly formatted, formally-sealed Red-Headed Document was sent to Proctor's communications channel.
Negative Zone Management Committee Internal Secrecy Law.
Proctor's gaze swept quickly across the document title, his brow furrowing deeply.
"According to Chapter Two, Article Seven of the Internal Security Act," Gwen Stacy's voice was calm and measured, as if she were reciting a legal provision, "In any case involving S-rank core secrets, no personnel involved or related physical evidence may be transferred to any external party in any form before an internal investigation is completed, a full loss assessment report is issued, and all security responsibilities are clarified."
She paused, then looked up and stared directly at Proctor.
"This is to ensure the integrity of the chain of evidence and prevent the secondary dissemination of confidential information. I believe the TVA Commission for Discipline Inspection also understands the importance of procedural justice."
Proctor's face darkened.
He didn't expect that the other party wouldn't argue with him about the authenticity and validity of the warrant, but instead directly brought out their own set of internal regulations, building an impenetrable wall around his defenses.
"This is delay! This is blatant defiance of the ' He Who Remains '!" Proctor's voice was filled with anger.
"No, Commissioner," Gwen Stacy corrected, "It's compliance. We're fulfilling our duties within the framework of the rules. We respect the authority of the ' He Who Remains,' but we are equally responsible for the safety of the Negative Zone Management Committee."
Her words were perfectly tactful.
I won't deny your point, but I won't comply either. My reason is that I have more urgent and important procedures to follow.
This rhetoric is something no large bureaucratic organization can easily refute. Because if the TVA were to forcibly intervene, it would be tantamount to admitting that higher-level units can arbitrarily trample on the internal regulations of lower-level units, which would shake the legal foundation of the TVA's own rule.
"We need a timeframe," Proctor, barely suppressing his anger, trying to regain the initiative.
"The duration of the internal investigation will depend on the complexity of the case," Gwen Stacy replied deftly. "We will establish a special investigation team and handle it with the highest priority. During this period, we will submit progress reports to you on time."
"As for the specific assessment report and damage list," Gwen Stacy even gave a "professional" smile, "You know, the review process for S-rank cases is always very complicated, requiring cross-review and countersigning from multiple departments. Our Liaison Office will do its best to coordinate, but I cannot give you a definite guarantee regarding the specific timeframe."
Proctor stared intently at Gwen Stacy. He saw not a trace of fear or compromise in the woman's eyes, only cold, procedural professionalism.
He felt like he had punched cotton, his strength was useless.
His meticulously prepared script, which aimed for a swift and decisive Thunder superiors, was completely turned into a mess by the other side's bureaucratic procedures filled with red tape.
Stalemate.
The air seemed to freeze.
In the command center, everyone held their breath, watching this silent confrontation.
After a long while, Proctor took a deep breath, and the tense anger on his face suddenly vanished, replaced by a more dangerous calm.
He lost this round.
But he has more than one card in his hand.
"Very well." Proctor nodded, his tone returning to its usual businesslike indifference. "I understand your situation and respect your internal procedures."
He acted as if nothing had happened, and even took a step back.
This sudden change surprised even Hela, who was standing behind Gwen Stacy.
"Given the complexity of Advisor Ravonna's case and the significant security risks involved," Proctor stated slowly, "It is necessary for the TVA, in the spirit of responsibility to the Sacred Timeline, to reassess the risk level of its cooperation with the Negative Zone Management Committee."
Alarm bells rang in Gwen Stacy's heart.
"Until you complete your internal investigation and thoroughly eliminate all security risks," Proctor said, looking at Gwen Stacy, "I will submit a provisional motion to the TVA Supreme Council on behalf of the Discipline Inspection Commission."
He paused, seemingly admiring the subtle change in Gwen Stacy's expression.
The motion proposes to temporarily restrict all external energy allocation and channel usage authorizations to the Negative Zone Management Committee until the risk assessment is restored to a safe level.
Proctor fiddled with his Data Pad for a few moments, and a new draft document was sent to him.
Draft on Energy Rationing Restrictions in Negative Zone Jurisdiction.
A calculated move involving economic sanctions.
To cut off the fuel supply at the source.