Julius's impatience was a smoldering fire. The Bastion System was a secure shell, a cradle that had become too tight. Reports from his scout corvettes, the agile Raynor-class, poured in, describing virgin star systems, rich in resources and without trace of intelligent life. The vast universe stretched before him, a blank canvas awaiting his brush. And for that, he needed his finest brush, his most decisive weapon: his flagship.
The orbital shipyard of Bastion, a megastructure that now eclipsed the Battlecruisers, had been the scene of frenzied activity for months. Under the joint supervision of Data, Stetmann, and Caleb's ancestral experience, something unique had taken shape.
Today was the commissioning day.
Julius, clad in his command uniform and his psionic helmet, stood in the main embarkation bay. His council of Champions surrounded him, all eyes turned towards the giant screen showing the exterior.
"System, final status," ordered Julius, his heart pounding.
< Flagship "Conqueror's Star" - Ready for activation.>
< Class: Unique "Alpha"-class Design.>
< Integrated Production System: Advanced Command Center, Barracks, Factory, Starport.>
< Defensive Systems: Psionic Shields (Tosh design), Neosteel Armor, Heavy Laser Batteries and Missile Launchers.>
< Offensive Systems: Main Particle Cannon "Braveheart's Fury" (Based on Yamato Cannon), Launch Bays for Wraith and Valkyrie squadrons.>
< Special Capability: In-flight production and deployment of ground and air units.>
It was more than a ship. It was a flying fortress, a mobile HQ, an aircraft carrier and a battleship fused into one terrifying entity. It embodied Julius's philosophy: self-sufficiency and power projection.
"Commission her," Julius announced.
A deep hum, palpable even through the station's hull, ran through the structure. On the screen, the Conqueror's Star lit up. Thousands of viewports blazed into the darkness, and the main engines emitted a deep roar that shook bones. It was magnificent, long, angular, deadly, its blue-steel and slate-gray hull bearing Julius's personal emblem: a clenched fist gripping a lightning bolt, against a galaxy backdrop.
"Well," grunted Raynor, a whistle of admiration through his teeth. "Now that's a proper ship."
"The production matrices are optimal," commented Stetmann, his gaze fixed on his tablet. "We could theoretically besiege a medium-sized world directly from orbit without external resupply."
"The enigmas we will encounter..." murmured Tosh, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.
"All aboard," ordered Julius.
Hours later, the Conqueror's Star left its orbit, cleaving space at the head of a reduced but elite fleet: two Battlecruisers, a dozen Valkyries, and a swarm of stealthy Wraiths. Their destination: a binary system designated "Nemesis-1," the first on the expansion list.
The journey was swift, the new engines designed by Stetmann pushing the limits of conventional speed. As they emerged from warp at the edge of the system, the flagship's sensors activated.
< Detection. Multiple energy signatures.>
< Analysis... Unknown technologies. Activity level: High.>
The system map displayed. Nemesis-1 was not virgin. Around the second planet, a gas giant, orbited a fleet. Ships of strange shapes, organic and asymmetrical, like giant seashells or metallic insects, were engaged in unknown activities. They were not human.
"Xenos," Data announced, his voice as neutral as ever. "Species not listed in Starfleet or Koprulu Sector archives."
"Size and power of the fleet?" asked Julius, feeling the adrenaline rise. This was not the Imperium. This was something else. The true first contact.
"Thirty-two vessels of varying sizes, from light fighter to a mothership equal in size to a Battlecruiser," Nova replied, analyzing the readings. "They have detected us. They are grouping up."
On the screen, the xeno fleet changed formation, turning towards the intruder.
"Battle stations," ordered Julius, his hand tightening on the armrests of his throne. "All units on alert. Shields to maximum. But do not fire first."
The Conqueror's Star and its fleet stood motionless, at the edge of the system, facing an unknown power. The phase of secret expansion was over. Conquest, the real kind, had just begun. Julius's first brushstroke on the galaxy's canvas was about to be drawn, not in shadow, but in the fire of an unexpected encounter.