Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 207: The Battle Begins

Chapter 207: The Battle Begins

Nobles had always enjoyed a cushy spot in society, mainly because they could flex their rights over their lands and the people living there.

But ever since the interstellar era kicked off, the Alliance took over the direct management of the population. The only real perk nobles had left was controlling their land—and even that was a huge deal. It was what kept them afloat and somewhat relevant.

These land rights were their secret weapon, allowing them to keep production costs low, which helped them compete with their well-funded commercial rivals, especially those bankrolled by the military.

If they ever lost this advantage, it’d be game over. With no cutting-edge tech and no land rights, they’d be crushed by the high costs of leasing property.

They’d be completely shut out of the business game, and that would be the final nail in the coffin for the noble class.

The worst part? History had proven that once nobles lost control over land, it was the beginning of their downfall.

As the military pushed into new star systems, the Alliance kept expanding like wildfire. In these new territories, nobles found themselves on the sidelines because the government owned the land.

After all, who’s gonna pay sky-high rent when the state’s giving land away for free? The farther out you went from Elden Prime, the more powerless the nobility became. In distant areas like Snowfall and Planet Nagano, nobles were basically invisible.

Now, Admiral Dale and his crew decided to hit the nobility right where it hurt. The second he made his move, every noble in the council locked eyes on him, their gazes sharp as knives. But the guy was cool as a cucumber, unbothered as he went on with his speech.

"Today, the Alliance’s need for more resources is growing fast. Yet, the nobility is sitting on a ridiculous amount of land, and it’s holding us back. So, I suggest we do away with private land ownership."

And with that bombshell, he stepped down.

The assembly president took over and his voice boomed across the chamber. "Any objections?"

There were nearly a thousand representatives in the room, and while their reasons for being there varied, their interests often crossed paths.

Some had ties to the military and held land-based titles from the royal family. Others were nobles who had wiggled their way into the government or military ranks.

It was a tangled web of priorities.

But, these were just the small fish. The real power was with those whose interests were locked in with the military and government.

Admiral Dale knew this and sat with a cocky grin, fully expecting the outcome. Even if every noble voted "no," it wouldn’t be enough to shift the tide.

The tension in the room was thick. The king, admiral, and president sat stone-faced, unable to vote but still brimming with anxiety.

No one was more invested in the outcome than they were.

Every second of the proceedings was broadcast live, and even the viewers could feel the high-stakes tension. But despite the weight of it all, no one—noble or otherwise—voiced any objections.

Finally, the assembly president gave the command. "Let the voting begin."

On the massive screen, two columns appeared—one for "yes" votes and one for "no." The "yes" votes shot up fast, like a rocket.

Clearly, many had made up their minds before the meeting even started.

Admiral Dale exchanged a smug look with Vince. Everything was going according to plan.

Then, things took a wild turn.

Their smirks faltered as the "no" votes started to climb. And they didn’t just climb—they surged. In no time at all, the "no" votes blew past the "yes" votes.

"Wait... what the hell’s happening?" Admiral Dale leaned forward, staring at the screen in disbelief. His eyes went wide—he hadn’t imagined it.

The opposition was way more powerful than he ever anticipated.

...

Seeing the livestream, Lyra couldn’t stop herself from laughing.

"If that old geezer had targeted any of the nobles’ smaller perks—like the bonus points they get to enter the military academy or land cushy government jobs—he might’ve pulled it off," she said with a smirk. "But nope, he went straight for land rights, the one thing that props up their whole power structure."

As expected, another representative quickly stepped up with a fresh proposal, this time targeting the nobles’ special treatment when joining the military.

"We all know," the representative started, "that soldiers are ranked based on their combat skills and strength. Lowering the bar to let in unqualified people just increases casualties and wastes resources. So, I suggest we get rid of the nobles’ special privilege for military entry and make everyone meet the same standards."

The meaning was crystal clear: nobles should be risking their necks on the frontlines like everyone else.

But let’s be real—most noble-born recruits were tucked away safely in the Direct Force, far from actual danger. This proposal aimed straight at the Reserved Corps, where these nobles hid out.

The military was all for it, the government cheered, and once again, the nobles found themselves taking hits.

No shocker here—the proposal passed.

But the nobles saw it coming and were already planning their next move. One noble representative stood up, a slick grin on his face.

"Recently, there’s been some buzz about Admiral Dale’s involvement in a military equipment smuggling scandal, exposing the corruption rampant in our forces. I propose that all military equipment be standardized and controlled by the government, replacing the current system of grants with direct government purchasing. This will stop local units from buying supplies on their own."

Now, military equipment was the biggest expense, hands down. The proposal didn’t cut the military’s funding, but it did take away a big avenue for corruption. No more shady deals with local businesses handpicked by officers. This change would hit both the crooked officers and the merchants getting fat off inflated prices.

At first glance, the government seemed like the big winner, slashing costs by cracking down on corruption. But the nobles, many of whom had business ties in those industries, saw a golden opportunity. If they played it right, they could still secure fat profits by brokering deals with the government.

The vote came in, and it was official—the proposal passed.

The nobles, despite being a smaller faction, had enough sway to turn the tide.

In this political three-way tug-of-war, two sides were always stronger than one, and today the nobles played their cards right.

As the session wrapped up for the morning, Admiral Dale stormed out of the chamber, his face twisted with rage.

His grand plan had blown up in his face, and it was obvious that it wasn’t just the nobles who had voted against him.

Even though the voting was anonymous, Dale had a gut feeling that some of his supposed military and government allies had stabbed him in the back.

Fuming, he made a beeline for Valeria. "You old witch, did you vote against me?!"

Valeria barely glanced his way, giving him a bored look. "Aside from you and that other fossil, everyone else in the military stayed out of it."

Dale’s jaw dropped. "Then it was the government! What are they thinking?!"

It didn’t make sense to him. "Aren’t they all supposed to be in this together, trying to take down the nobles?"

Valeria let out a dry laugh. "You really don’t get it, do you? All brawn and no brains." She pulled out a cigarette, flicked her fingers, and with a crackle of static, it lit up.

She took a slow drag, blowing the smoke out as she eyed him with a mix of pity and amusement.

Before Admiral Dale could even get another word out, Valeria raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Do you even have a clue how much cash the nobles rake in every year from the businesses operating on their land? And the tax they pay? We military folks are always crying for bigger pensions, more funding—but where do you think that money actually comes from, you idiot?"

Even the younger officers like Cohen understood the never-ending struggle of securing military budgets. But these old veterans had gotten way too cozy and were now bold enough to bite the hand that fed them.

If the nobles decided to pull back from the tax system, that would cause endless chaos for the Alliance’s economy. It wouldn’t just be a hit—it’d be a full-on catastrophe.

Looking at how smoothly the government had approved the new military procurement plan, it was clear as day. The moment there was talk about cutting costs, they’d greenlight just about anything.

Admiral Dale was left speechless, his face contorting in frustration. All he could do was grumble under his breath, "These foxes!"

Valeria, exhaling another lazy cloud of smoke, eyed him coolly. "Foxes? Sure. But at least they know how to keep the Alliance’s wheels turning."

Dale puffed out his chest, his pride wounded. "Without the military standing guard out there, where would they get the guts to run anything at all?"

His tone was heavy with self-righteous anger, so much so that Valeria nearly choked on her cigarette.

Coughing and clearly done with the conversation, she turned her back on him without another word. These old fools—they were beyond help at this point.

For the next three days, the Alliance Assembly was a battlefield of heated debates and convoluted power plays.

Every faction was trying to protect their own interests, and by the end of it, no one came out unscathed. Each side had to swallow a mix of wins and losses.

But as the assembly finally wrapped up, a new Chapter was opening—one that would take an unexpected twist for Lyra and her path with the military.