After Red Queen's long-winded explanation, Kenthelion finally decided—perhaps this was a decent opportunity to test the so-called "Wolverine zombies" she had engineered. Even though, deep down, he still saw them as worthless garbage—failed experiments wasting space—he gave his approval. With a flat, emotionless tone, Kenthelion instructed Red Queen to deploy the units alongside a contingent of Terran Marines. They would serve as living shields—nothing more. Let them wait at the staging zone with the other forces.
Just as he finished giving the order, slow footsteps echoed behind him. Selene appeared beside Kenthelion, silent as a shadow, yet her gaze burned with curiosity. Her eyes lingered on the containment pods housing the mutated creatures, observing them with the kind of wonder only a true explorer possessed. Since her arrival at the heart of Terra Aeterna, Selene had been captivated by the futuristic technology that once only lived in stories—or glinted faintly in starlight. These monsters… somehow, they radiated power. The conversation between Kenthelion and Red Queen only fueled her fascination.
Kenthelion:
"So, why are you here, Selene?"
Selene:
"Well... I just wanted to walk around this spaceship. It's massive. I thought it was just a display ship docked at the spaceport. I didn't realize you were actually using it."
She gave a small smile, then turned to face Kenthelion, her eyes gleaming with quiet determination.
Selene:
"Kenthelion, let me come with you. I want to protect you—when the time comes."
Kenthelion paused, studying her. He knew this wasn't just some impulsive plea. Beneath her softness lay a deep well of courage and unwavering loyalty.
Kenthelion:
"...Alright. Go meet with Jacob at the military HQ. Everything's already arranged. Wait for me there. I'll come get you soon."
Selene nodded firmly.
Kenthelion:
"And one more thing. Head back to the Imperator Somnium. Let Amalia and the others on Terra Aeterna know—I've departed to another universe."
Selene:
"Alright. But you need to be careful too."
Kenthelion gave a small, knowing smile and waved to Selene before turning away, striding toward the command deck of the warship Alesia, flanked by two towering Ultramarine Space Marines. His steps were steady, his eyes locked forward, focused.
Meanwhile, on the main deck of the Imperator Somnium, Selene assumed command without hesitation. Her voice rang out with calm authority as she ordered the crew to prepare for departure. Jacob, already stationed on the far side of the ship, followed her instructions without question.
---
Inside the light cruiser Alesia, Kenthelion finally arrived at the central command chamber. The captain's room was bathed in cold blue light, casting an atmosphere that was both serene and charged with quiet tension. Tactical consoles and softly glowing holographic panels lined the walls—high-tech, yet precisely organized. He entered, eyes scanning every screen, mentally absorbing the ship's layout with a strategist's precision.
Alesia was now fully under his control.
A voice crackled through the communicator in his ear.
Vice-Captain Jonah:
"Your Grace—apologies, Captain. The mobile infantry units, along with the Terran Marines, Stormtroopers, and Space Marines you assigned, are all aboard. Shall we proceed with launch?"
Kenthelion nodded to himself, his thoughts already shifting toward their next destination: Fort Casey, an asteroid base that would serve as the first consolidation point for the upcoming operation.
Kenthelion:
"Yes. Prepare for departure."
Then, in a firmer tone:
"And from now on, don't call me 'Your Grace.' On this ship, I'm the captain. You're my second. Understood?"
Vice-Captain Jonah:
"Understood, Captain."
Kenthelion moved toward the captain's quarters to change into the official combat uniform of Alesia. Once suited up, he stepped out—only to momentarily lose his way in the unfamiliar corridors of the ship. After a few wrong turns, he finally arrived at the central command bridge. Pausing at the threshold, he took in the interior's design—refined, precise, and far more elegant than the warships he was used to.
"This ship's bigger than it looks... and way more stylish than my usual ride," he muttered internally.
As he stepped in, every crew member in the room rose to their feet, saluting sharply.
Ship Crew:
"Captain!"
Kenthelion returned their salute with a firm nod and took his place in the grand captain's chair at the heart of the bridge. Beside him stood a composed young woman in a formal officer's uniform. Her features were sharp yet graceful—an air of discipline surrounding her. She had once been the captain of Alesia, but after swearing allegiance to Kenthelion, her role had shifted.
She spoke with composed clarity:
"Captain, I am Jonah, vice-captain of the warship Alesia."
Kenthelion leaned slightly forward in his command chair, his voice firm and unwavering.
"Jonah, from this moment forward, you will take full responsibility for the Alesia. If anything happens—anything at all—you report to me directly. No one else. Not even the federal government is allowed to override your command. Understood?"
Jonah stood straighter, responding without hesitation.
"Understood, Captain."
Kenthelion continued without missing a beat.
"Status report on our weapon systems?"
Jonah nodded.
"Alesia is a light-class cruiser, outfitted with 5,000 power armor suits and a complete arsenal of heavy weaponry. We have plasma cannons, tactical missile arrays, and several graviton weapon prototypes installed and ready."
Kenthelion's eyes narrowed.
"And where are the Mobile Infantry and Terran Marines currently stationed?"
"They're consolidated in Sector E," Jonah replied, projecting a tactical hologram between them and pointing at the blinking zone. "All units accounted for."
"Seal Sector E," Kenthelion ordered. "No one moves without my direct authorization."
"Yes, Captain."
Only after Kenthelion departed the bridge did Jonah allow himself a small breath of relief. The weight of the encounter still lingered in his mind.
He remembered the exact moment everything changed. They were en route to Fort Casey when the Alesia was suddenly intercepted by an unidentified fleet. Massive warships emerged from hyperspace, bristling with weaponry unlike anything in Federation records. When the Federation's laser batteries fired... nothing happened. Their shots simply dissipated against glowing shields—shields that defied everything Jonah understood about energy systems.
He had commanded in dozens of skirmishes, but nothing had prepared him for what followed.
The Mobile Infantry attempted a tactical drop—only to be stopped cold. Armored figures clad in deep-blue power suits had appeared first: Terran Marines, battle-hardened and precise. Behind them loomed something even more imposing. Towering warriors over seven feet tall, clad in ornate, intimidating power armor. The Space Marines. Forces that looked ripped straight from some ancient war-tome, not reality.
Panic threatened to overtake the crew.
Then came the robed figure—a man-machine hybrid shrouded in crimson, servo-arms twitching like mechanical spiders from his back. He moved without sound, yet his presence paralyzed everyone. One crew member had tried to send a distress call. The Mechanicus intercepted and neutralized him before anyone could react.
That was the moment Jonah knew resistance was meaningless.
The ship still carried civilians, engineers, and untrained personnel. To resist meant certain destruction. And then came Kenthelion—a man who defied every expectation. He wasn't a tyrant or a monster. He walked among them with the poise of a monarch, the gaze of a strategist, and the bearing of a myth.
Some called him the Emperor of Mankind.
To Jonah, he looked like a warrior-king pulled from legend. Dark, flowing hair, chiseled features, and a presence that quieted every room he entered.
There was no doubt left. The future of the Alesia now followed him.
---
After issuing his orders, Kenthelion gestured to one of the crew members to escort him to the ship's armory. Selene trailed behind him silently, her eyes alert. Once inside, Kenthelion immediately inspected the troop preparations, flanked by several Terran Marines.
For now, he had only authorized a deployment of 1,000 Terran Marines. The fresh recruits from the Underworld universe—new to interstellar warfare—would be deployed last. They needed time to adapt to advanced equipment and the realities of space combat. Kenthelion had labeled them as "novices" for that very reason.
Inside the logistics bay, he stepped up to a Terran Marine officer and delivered a firm order.
Kenthelion:
"Get the novices into gear. Full armor and standard weapons loadout. I want them acclimated to this environment starting now."
Terran Marine Officer:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Kenthelion narrowed his eyes.
"Don't call me that. On this ship, I'm just the captain of the Alesia."
Terran Marine Officer:
"Understood, Captain."
Vice Captain Jonah stepped in to issue his own set of instructions.
"Selene, bring the troops here. Red Queen will open internal comms and sync their ID tags with the insignia of the Imperium Caelestis. Move them directly to the combat training deck. All heavy weapons are to be relocated there as well."
Kenthelion left the armory and returned to the command center. He spent the next stretch of time immersed in Alesia's systems—reviewing everything from fire control modules, automated defense turrets, to the dropships stored in the hangar.
Once he was satisfied, he returned to his command chair and leaned back slightly.
Kenthelion:
"Jonah, what do you know about Fort Casey?"
Vice Captain Jonah:
"Captain, Fort Casey is a frontline asteroid base owned by the Federation. Strategically located and outfitted with extensive weaponry and logistical support for mobile forces. But... much of its information is classified. Even I only know the basics."
Kenthelion:
"What's the official mission of the mobile infantry units stationed there?"
Vice Captain Jonah:
"According to the report, their main objective is personnel recovery and civilian evacuation."
Kenthelion:
"How long until we arrive?"
Vice Captain Jonah:
"We'll be in position in approximately twelve hours, Captain."
Kenthelion nodded and leaned back in his seat, trying to rest—but his mind remained alert, spinning through possibilities and scenarios.
Fort Casey must not only be taken, he thought, but fully secured. The tech and infrastructure inside are far too valuable to be destroyed or lost. I won't allow any of those units to plant charges and flee to the Astra Militarum's PDF.
Time passed quickly. The stars outside the viewing glass shifted, marking their final approach. Alesia had officially entered Fort Casey's orbit.
Troop units had been prepped and loaded into military dropships. Medivac teams and support logistics followed close behind. From the bridge's observation window, Kenthelion tracked each vessel's movement with precision.
He activated his communicator and spoke to Selene.
Kenthelion:
"Selene, take our units down as well. Dropships are ready. Don't let the Federation grunts blow up that base. I want Fort Casey intact and under our control."
Selene (over comms):
"Understood. I'll move in with them and make sure Fort Casey stays whole. None of them will get the chance to detonate anything."
Kenthelion's eyes flicked to the tactical holograms displaying live landing data. Suddenly, a new signal pinged on the radar.
A heavy cruiser drifted into range, its massive frame decelerating as it entered Fort Casey's orbital perimeter. The transponder ID glowed clearly on screen.
John A. Warden.
A Federation heavy-class warship—one that wasn't supposed to be anywhere near this sector.
And on board, very likely...
Carmen, Kenthelion thought.
That little girl might've already been stripped of her command... and now they were moving her to Fort Casey.
He crossed his arms slowly, his gaze sharpening like a drawn blade.
----
At Fort Cassie, Mobile Infantry Team A-01 deployed swiftly from their dropship, boots hitting the scorched ground just as a swarm of bugs surged toward them.
Lieutenant Tony Daugherty shouted, "MOVE UP! MOVE UP! Light 'em up!"
The rapid bursts of Morita rifles echoed through the battlefield: THAK-THAK-THAK-THAK!
Team A-01 advanced in formation, unloading into the enemy swarm. Within moments, the immediate threat was neutralized. Daugherty's sharp eyes caught sight of another squad engaged nearby—Team K-12.
"Report status, soldier!" Daugherty barked.
Lieutenant Otis "Bugspray" Hacks turned toward him, breathing hard. "Sir, Major Henry Varro's been detained inside Fort Cassie by Carl Jenkins. I've assumed command!"
Sergeant Guy "Ratzass" Cunningham added, still firing into the stragglers, "There are still personnel inside, sir!"
Daugherty didn't hesitate. "Then we're pulling them out—now!"
Team A-01 snapped into action. Some began planting explosives to collapse the bug nest once the evacuation was complete. Others stayed behind to hold the perimeter, while the rest pushed forward to assist K-12.
Moments later, additional dropships broke through the clouds. Medivac shuttles descended alongside dozens more Mobile Infantry and Terran Marines. From one of the lead craft, a striking woman stepped out—Selene. Dressed in a sleek leather suit without armor, she walked calmly across the battlefield, exuding unshakable confidence.
The remaining A-01 troopers eyed her warily. Behind her emerged a disciplined column of Terran Marines, led by none other than Tychus Findlay. Their armor was heavy, reinforced, and gleamed with the insignia of a twin-headed eagle etched across their chestplates and pauldrons.
Lieutenant Daugherty narrowed his gaze, suspicion clear in his voice. "HOLD IT! Identify yourselves!"
The combined voices of A-01 and K-12 rang out in unison:
"WHAT UNIT ARE YOU WITH!? WE'RE TEAM A-01!"
But the newcomers said nothing. They kept their weapons raised, maintaining formation—tense, alert, untrusting of anyone not in their ranks.
From the sidelines, some of the A-01 troops watched closely. Firebats in crimson armor moved to the front lines, followed by blue-armored Terran Marines, black-armored Marauders, and white-clad Medics bearing the red cross emblem. Behind them came troops from the Underworld universe—rookies kitted out in gear reminiscent of Starship Troopers.
Now, their combined force numbered in the hundreds. Their armor was advanced, heavy-duty—evidence of cutting-edge battlefield engineering. Faced with such overwhelming strength, the A-01 squads held their ground and chose silence over hostility.
Tychus Findlay cracked a grin and spoke without looking back. "Darlin', teams one through four are combat-ready. Just say the word and we'll paint the walls with bug guts."
Selene stepped forward coolly. "Leave one team to establish defenses. Wait for the rest of our forces. The rest of you—follow me. I'll handle disarming every bomb on this base."
The A-01 soldiers stood frozen. Realization dawned: the unarmored woman was commanding this entire operation. A few of them felt a chill of relief—they were lucky they hadn't mouthed off earlier.
Tychus turned, surveying the field with his signature half-crazed grin.
"Well now," he muttered, "Looks like we've got ourselves a few uninvited guests. And trust me—I hate bugs."
He stepped forward, voice booming across the open battlefield.
"Firebats, take point! Marauders, cover the flanks! Medics, stay close—don't let anyone bleed out. And the rest of you rookies? Try not to die. That armor's still got that new-car smell."
With that, the combined strike force surged forward—Firebats creating blazing walls of flame, Marauders guarding the wings, Medics fanning out to assist the wounded, and Underworld recruits pressing on, their resolve hardened in the crucible of war.
Fort Cassie was no longer just a battlefield. It had become a turning point.