I stayed on the cold metallic floor, my chest heaving as the heavy gravity of the throne room pressed down on my fragile, human bones.
Thragg's footsteps echoed across the massive throne room as he walked away, leaving me in the dust. I stared at my trembling hands.
There's really nothing I can do, I thought, a suffocating wave of despair washing over me. Even if I could somehow fight back, they'd just stop me in an instant… It's JOE-VER! I'm completely useless.
So this is it, huh? a voice echoed in the back of my mind. These space supremacists put you in time-out, and you're just gonna say okay, thanks?
I clenched my fist, squeezing my eyes shut. Shut up.
Why? What are you gonna do about it? my libido questioned, dripping with condescension. Nah, don't answer, because I already know: absolutely nothing. You're just a weak-ass human now.
My teeth ground together, a spark of genuine fury cutting through my exhaustion. Why are you even here?! There's nothing here for you that usually interests you.
Oh, yes there is, it replied, practically purring with dark amusement. That crazy, sexy space vixen wants you badly. And based on how things are going, if something isn't done soon, who's to say she waits for your powers to come back?
My eyes shot wide open, searching for the lies in its reasoning. I couldn't find any.
I mean, why would she have to wait? it continued to taunt me. As of this moment, she's stronger than you, faster than you, and you best believe she's smarter than you. While all you are is a weak, gutless bitch licking your wounds like a child on the ground. Is there truly nothing to be done?
My blood boiled. The sheer indignity of it—dominating the war, matching Thragg in combat, and blowing up an entire planet, only to survive and be reduced to nothing more than a pampered infant.
Of course there is! I roared internally, forcing my aching arms to push against the crushing gravity. I ain't survived this fucking long just to go out like this!
Oh, reaaally?! it challenged, mocking me one last time. Then show me the error of my ways. Or is all this gained confidence just for show?
I pushed myself to my feet. My knees trembled, but I locked them in place.
"No!" I yelled out, my raspy voice echoing loudly across the vast throne room.
Up ahead, Thragg stopped on the steps of the dais.
"Don't you dare turn your back on me!" I demanded.
Thragg slowly turned around. He didn't look angry. Instead, a faint look of amusement crossed his chiseled face.
"I will not be confined here like some kind of useless child!" I snapped, glaring up at him.
"Mark, your injuries," Nolan stepped forward, his voice laced with genuine concern. "You still haven't fully recovered."
"They don't matter right now!" I shot back, keeping my eyes locked on Thragg. "I will not be confined here."
"And who has decided that?" Thragg asked, his tone rumbling with a cold authority.
"I have," I said, pointing firmly to my own chest. "If I'm really your future as you claim, then you'll ship me back to Earth without a second thought."
Thragg let out a dismissive scoff. "Earth. A rudimentary world reported to have a never-ending restlessness among its inhabitants. Why would we ever allow you to go back there?"
"Because I'm not going back just for me," I said, my mind racing to piece together a good reason. "If the Coalition has me on their priority list, then time is of the essence."
Thragg raised a single, thick brow.
"Do you think they won't be coming here after putting the pieces together of where I might be?" I challenged. "And do you really believe that they'd only manufactured one copy of the Scourge Virus?"
The amusement instantly vanished from Thragg's face. His expression hardened into a look of cold calculation.
"My dad's probably told you of how they had their top scientists perfecting the virus at every waking moment," I pressed, seeing that I had hit a nerve. "If they bring it here and unleash it in Earth's atmosphere just to draw me out... where would y'all go?"
"And how would that primitive planet be of any use in stopping it?" Thragg countered, his eyes narrowing.
"Because my personal scientists can make something guaranteed to counter the virus," I said confidently.
"Your scientists?" Thragg repeated, his voice laced with heavy skepticism. "According to our research, that planet has neither the technology nor the resources to properly fix the current ailments plaguing its own populace. So, how could any mere human solve a biological weapon that even our technology cannot?"
I stood my ground, leaning into the one thing the Viltrumites respected: results.
"With a lot of human ingenuity," I responded flatly. "After all, they were the ones who created the frequency devices that directly combated Viltrumite weaknesses."
Silence fell over the room. Thragg stared at me for a long, tense moment. I could practically see the gears turning in his head. He was weighing the risks. I was currently a vulnerability, but the threat of a second Scourge Virus bomb was an existential crisis for the Empire.
Finally, Thragg gave a slow, measured nod.
"Very well," he conceded, his voice echoing with finality. "You may return to Earth. However, you will not do so unguarded. You will have a Viltrumite soldier with you at all times."
"I don't need a babysitter," I argued immediately. "It'd be better if they were just stationed in my vicinity, rather than shadowing me every second of the day."
"That is non-negotiable," Thragg stated coldly, leaving no room for further debate. "Until your powers return and you are capable of defending yourself, you will be watched over thoroughly."
I didn't argue further. Pushing him any more right now wouldn't be the greatest idea. Especially after all the work I did to actually get him to change his mind, I thought, giving him a stiff, reluctant nod and turning to follow Nolan out of the throne room. But I still count this as a win.
"Before you depart," Thragg's voice rang out, cold and commanding, stopping me in my tracks. "I'm curious about something."
I slowly turned back around. Thragg hadn't moved from the dais, but his piercing eyes were locked onto mine, stripping away any illusion of control I thought I had just won. "That being?" I questioned.
"You are going to Earth to forge a shield for our people," Thragg began, his voice dropping low and dangerous. "But tell me, Mark Grayson... when the time comes, and you must choose between the soil you were birthed on and the blood streaming through your veins... which will you forge a shield to protect?"
The air in the room grew heavier.
He's not just asking a question, huh? I realized, thinking about what he was asking me. He's really demanding a pledge of allegiance. He's daring me to claim humanity over Viltrum, just so he could prove a point and keep me locked up here.
My jaw tightened so hard my teeth ached. Telling him to go eat a dick and spitting at his feet would probably not bode well for me, I mused internally. So, I'll have to play his game… for now.
Swallowing every ounce of my pride, I forced the words out of my mouth. "The Empire."
The words tasted like ash.
Thragg smiled thinly, a look of dark, victorious satisfaction crossing his face. "Good. Do not forget that."
I turned on my heel and walked out, the heavy metal doors hissing shut behind us. The moment we were out of earshot, my shoulders slumped. The sheer effort of standing my ground against him had completely drained my stamina.
"You played that well," Nolan said quietly as we began the long, agonizingly slow walk down the dreadnought's metallic corridors. "I wasn't sure if you'd be able to swallow your pride."
"Don't get used to it," I muttered, leaning slightly against the wall to catch my breath. "What happened out there after I passed out? Why hasn't the Coalition attacked Earth yet?"
"Because there wasn't much of the Coalition's fleets left," Nolan replied grimly. "When Viltrum detonated... Thragg lost his mind. In a fit of rage, he threw himself into the surviving Coalition forces and decimated them. The casualties were catastrophic. They retreated to lick their wounds, which is probably the only reason why they haven't rushed Earth yet."
Damn, I thought, a chill running down my spine at the mental image of Thragg tearing through an entire fleet single-handedly. Does that include everyone we know of? Are they okay? Did they make it out? Is Allen still alive?
As various questions rushed to me, I suddenly remembered someone who could have been caught in the crossfire of things.
"What about Tech Jacket?" I asked. "What happened to Zoe?"
"She was captured when the Coalition forces were being routed," Nolan said, anticipating my concern. "I managed to secure her before any of our soldiers could execute her. I kept her hidden aboard the ship until we reached Earth's orbit. I've already returned her to her father."
I let out a heavy sigh of relief. Alright. That's one less thing on my conscience.
"What about Cecil?" I asked, forcing my heavy legs to keep moving. "Do he and the GDA know you guys are here?"
"Yes, but they found out after we settled," he responded.
"After?" I questioned. "How did an entire fleet of Viltrumite warships park themselves on the dark side of the moon without the GDA noticing?"
"Because our cloaking technology is millions of years ahead of Earth's sensors," he replied. "That is why Thragg was so skeptical of your claim that human scientists could cure the Scourge Virus. When I went back to Earth acting as the Empire's liaison... to say Cecil was shocked would be an understatement."
"I bet he nearly had a heart attack," I said.
"He was on edge," Nolan agreed. "Well, more than usual. However, I primarily went down there to see Debbie. To break the news to her."
I stopped walking. "And how is she?" I asked.
"She was devastated," Nolan said softly, his own guilt evident in his eyes. "Hearing that you were in a coma... and that the Coalition is holding Oliver billions of miles away as a potential bargaining chip... it broke her heart." He paused, looking at me. "Eve was also there having lunch with her when I arrived. When she heard you were up here, she immediately tried to fly up to the moon to see you."
"She did?" I asked while sighing internally.
"She did," Nolan confirmed. "But she was intercepted just outside the atmosphere, and turned away. Thragg refused to let any non-Viltrumites near you."
Hopefully she didn't show too much of her powers, I thought briefly. I wouldn't want to imagine what kind of ideas Thragg would get if he found out she could manipulate reality at full power.
"So how do we fix this?" I asked. "You're the heir. How do you take full control of the Empire and put Thragg in the back seat? Do you challenge him to a fight, or what?"
"It doesn't work like that," Nolan explained. "Succession isn't just about a challenge of brute strength. To be Emperor, one must demonstrate to the rest of the Empire that they have its absolute best interests at heart. They must prove they can lead and provide."
Oh great, a barbaric society with a loose code of ethics, I thought.
"So..." I trailed off, putting the pieces together. "If you were to acquire a counter to the Scourge Virus, wipe out the Coalition, or secure them a permanent new homeworld..."
"It would essentially put me back in high power," Nolan finished. "Challenging Thragg directly right now would be foolish. The Empire sees him as our savior for the centuries of work he's done."
I shook my head. "Was he always supposed to be in line for the throne if the heirs weren't found?" I asked. "What's his position in this Empire anyways?"
"The Grand Regent is meant to just be a right hand to the throne, and lead the military force," Nolan responded. "He was supposed to locate the heirs and in a way instruct them on how to lead and rule. But since the heirs weren't located for centuries he's been the one in charge."
I nodded at the information. "So he's essentially a high-ranking commander like how they used to do in medieval times or whatever," I said.
"Yes, something like that," Nolan confirmed. "However, Thragg is an outlier. He was bred from birth to be the strongest Viltrumite ever. And the problem with that is—"
"That he's been in power for too long for him to willingly give up his authority freely," I summarized.
Nolan nodded. "It will be very difficult getting that authority from his grasp."
I figured as much, I sighed internally.
"Alright," I said, taking a deep breath and pushing off the wall. "Then we'll give them a cure. But first, I need to get the hell off this ship."
Over the next few days, I stayed confined to my quarters, forcing my body to adjust to the dreadnought's crushing artificial gravity and recovering whatever baseline human stamina I could. Before I could finally leave for Earth, I was subjected to one last, agonizingly thorough medical screening.
I sat on the cold examination table, swinging my heavy legs while the same Viltrumite medical officer ran a glowing, handheld scanner up and down my spine. General Kregg stood in the corner, his single eye watching my every move with an unnerving intensity.
"Fascinating," the medic murmured, his eyes glued to the data scrolling across his digital pad. "Truly unprecedented."
"Speak plainly," Kregg ordered, stepping closer.
"The Scourge Virus was designed to attack Viltrumite Smart Atoms directly," the medic explained, projecting a holographic image of my blood cells. "But Mark's cells... they have adapted. They have formed what I can only describe as a sub-cellular lattice."
He zoomed in on the hologram. I recognized it immediately. It was the nanites, woven seamlessly through my biology, desperately trying to repair the viral damage with my Smart Atoms.
"This lattice acts as a metallic, self-replicating armor," the medic continued, his voice thick with awe. "It shielded his core DNA from complete annihilation. We hypothesized that his human genetics would dilute his Viltrumite heritage, but it appears the opposite has happened. The human DNA may have acted as a unique catalyst, triggering a hyper-evolution in his Smart Atoms."
Uh-oh, he's using big words, I thought, sweating slightly but keeping my face entirely blank the best I could. If they find out that these nanites aren't a natural biological evolution, then who knows how these prideful bastards might react to the news of someone tampering with what they already thought was peak evolution.
"So, I'm built different," I said aloud, forcing an arrogant smirk onto my face. "Good to know."
Kregg gave a low hum of approval. "A one-in-a-million specimen. The true blood of Argall. Your strength will return in time."
Before stepping back, the medic handed me a heavily shielded, thick glass cylinder. Inside, a microscopic droplet of neon-green and red swirled violently together.
"If your Earth scientists are to synthesize a countermeasure, they will need this," the medic instructed. "The sample of your cells actively battling the viral remnants. Guard it with your life."
I nodded and took the sample as they finally cleared me for departure.
********
Nolan walked with me to the dreadnought's main hangar bay. A sleek, silver Viltrumite scout ship was prepped and waiting on the launch pad. The sight of it brought a massive wave of relief crashing over me. I was actually going home. I was going to see everyone again after so long. I was going to get out of this oppressive gravity and away from these psychopaths.
"Going somewhere?" a booming voice echoed across the hangar before I could step onto the ship.
I stopped and turned to see Thragg striding into the bay, his hands clasped behind his back, flanked by a squad of elite soldiers.
"He has been cleared by the medical sector," Nolan said formally. "I am sending him to Earth to begin the weaponization of their scientific resources against the Scourge Virus, as you agreed."
"Indeed," Thragg said smoothly, stopping near the ship. "And as we agreed... he will not go unguarded. His current frailty makes him a target. He requires a protector."
Thragg gestured to the soldiers behind him. The ranks parted.
My stomach dropped into my ass as Anissa stepped forward, clad in her pristine white suit. Her eyes locked instantly onto mine, flashing with that same dark, ravenous hunger I had seen when I woke up. A slow, chilling smirk spread across her face.
Anyone but her, I groaned internally. How am I gonna get away from her for two seconds to contact Angstrom?
"Anissa was adamant about taking this assignment," Thragg explained, completely oblivious—or totally uncaring—to the sheer panic rising in my chest. "As the first officer to truly evaluate your potential, she felt it was her duty to oversee your recovery."
"I will not let him out of my sight, Grand Regent," Anissa said, her voice dripping with promise as she walked up and stopped right beside me. She leaned into me just a fraction. "I will protect every inch of him."
Tch, she knows what she means by that, I thought, trying to discreetly lean away from her.
Told you she wouldn't wait, my libido chuckled sadistically.
Man, shut up, I replied, sighing at the situation.
I was powerless and heading back to a place where I was now completely vulnerable. I was bringing along a starving, god-like predator that could overpower me and everyone else on the planet at a moment's notice. I had to figure out a way to slip away from her long enough to contact Angstrom—the only being who could get me out of the situation I was currently in. And I had to do it within an undisclosed time limit, because a whole Coalition most likely wanted me dead, too.
What else could possibly go wrong?