Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 243: Climbing Back Up

Chapter 243: Climbing Back Up

Wyrmtrace was the launchpad for Lyra’s rise. The resources she had painstakingly fought for here laid the foundation for her entire series of plans.

As she rose to level-eight, and Cohen took full control of Wyrmtrace, Lyra’s dominance on this planet became undeniable. No one could surpass her in power or influence here.

One evening, Mandy came to see her alone, bringing along the latest news. "The queen bee is almost ready to level up. She’s becoming less active, and Captain Whyte is worried that once she advances, she might cause trouble."

Lyra shared that same concern. Once the queen bee advanced. She would be able to break free from their control, and the people on Wyrmtrace, always looking for a way to exploit a weakness, were a constant threat. They couldn’t afford to let their guard down.

"If she wants to leave after advancement, let her go. But if she causes trouble, we’ll apply for a formal breeding license from the authorities."

The queen bee had proven useful, leading the swarm to discover hidden veins of minerals for them over the years. In return, she had used those resources to gather power and strengthen her hive.

But now, Wyrmtrace’s development was nearly complete. They were entering the migration phase, and for the business community, it was time to reap long-term profits.

Where there were people, there was money to be made.

Lyra planned to secure several land development projects here—preferably ones involving infrastructure like transport hubs or hospitals, and secondarily shopping centers and residential buildings. She needed to keep a close eye on things, making sure no one got jealous and tried to sabotage her.

"Who’s going to take charge of the military here next?" Lyra asked, changing the subject.

"For the garrison," Mandy replied, "because Wyrmtrace lies on the Alliance’s outermost edge, it’s vulnerable to attacks from the Empire or space pirates. So Vice Admiral Chuck Whyte will take command, with Captain Cohen Whyte assisting."

Lyra raised an eyebrow. "Looks like Frederick is making Wyrmtrace a stepping stone for his family."

The migration phase could last anywhere from three to ten years. With Cohen’s abilities, it was very likely he would be promoted to Rear Admiral during this period.

According to the Alliance’s regulations, once one reached Rear Admiral, they could establish a military corps, effectively gaining the power to station troops in a region.

Wyrmtrace, still a fresh planet with no official or military presence except for the traders, was the perfect place for Cohen to set up a garrison. As his rank rose, he could even command the garrison alone.

It was hard to ignore the fact that Cohen, only thirty-one years old, was being stationed on the Alliance’s most dangerous frontier. Wyrmtrace was a planet full of both peril and potential.

Mandy stood at attention, silent. She knew what Lyra said was the plain truth.

Lyra glanced at her shoulder rank. "You’ve been working hard this past year."

Mandy had already earned her status as an Ensign. On the other hand, Lyra herself had been once again pushed out of the power vortex.

A confident smile appeared on Mandy’s face. "Because now, I no longer feel lost."

Once she had tasted the power, she couldn’t bear to let it go. The more she honed her superpowers and fought on the battlefield, the more exhilarated she felt.

"That’s good," Lyra said, standing up. "The rest can wait until it’s time. You should rest."

Mandy nodded, but before she left, she turned back, her expression serious. "Lyra, if you ever need me, just give the word, and I will follow you immediately."

Lyra’s eyes flickered, a brief spark of something hidden within her. "That day will come."

As long as there was a chance, she would seize it and climb once more.

Life on the spaceship was dull. Aside from solitary training, she spent most of her time training with Mandy and Thierry.

In a military where men dominated, their trio was hard to miss.

"Seriously, Thierry? Pretty girls like them, and you’re just using them as a sparring partner?" Lieutenant Commander Miller Whyte’s voice echoed across the room, thick with mockery.

Miller, an officer from the escort fleet, had joined their session for the first time.

Although he shared the last name Whyte, he was only a distant relative of Thierry’s, the two family branches having diverged long ago.

To Miller, Thierry was just a kid who rode on the coattails of Frederick. Miller didn’t outright antagonize Thierry, but there was always a hint of mockery in his words.

"Miller," Thierry replied, his expression hardening. "That’s disrespectful to my friends. I’m not USING them."

Friends—not objects.

"Oh, friends, are they?" Miller smirked, his gaze sliding over to Mandy and Lyra. He recognized Mandy from her frequent meals with Thierry, and as for Lyra? She’d become well-known in her own right recently.

Miller’s real goal was clear: he was here to get under Thierry’s skin.

Lyra continued her training, ignoring Miller entirely.

Irritated by her indifference, Miller strode over and clamped a hand on her shoulder. "Hey..."

Lyra turned her head, and in an instant, a streak of green energy shot past his face, close enough to singe.

The room fell silent as a sharp crack sounded, and a smoking hole appeared in the wall behind Miller.

Everyone in the training room froze, eyes wide with shock.

They realized that Lyra was more dangerous than even Captain Cohen Whyte.

"Hands off." Lyra’s voice was calm as her hand lowered, energy dissipating.

Miller’s face blanched, then flushed with fury. "You just attempted murder on a military officer!"

"How about not to interrupt someone else’s training?" Lyra’s gaze dropped to the hand still on her shoulder, and Miller, as though he’d touched a live wire, yanked his hand away.

Thierry barely managed to stifle a laugh. "Relax, Miller. Lyra wasn’t aiming for you specifically. She’s level-eight. If she hadn’t held back, you wouldn’t be standing here."

With a smirk, Thierry slung an arm around Miller’s shoulders. "Not cool, man. You grabbed her first, and now you’re trying to pick a fight with this PRETTY GIRL?" he teased, throwing Miller’s words back at him.

Miller shot Thierry a furious look. Then he shook off his arm, and stormed out of the room.

In his quarters, Miller was still fuming as he dialed a number on his communicator. "Listen," he growled, fingers tapping irritably against his desk, "this deal just got more expensive. I ran into Lyra, and she’s a hell of a lot stronger than you led me to believe."

The voice on the other end didn’t sound impressed. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, we only asked you to make the introductions. Nothing more."

Miller’s lip curled. "Double the pay, or I walk. She could go toe-to-toe with a level-nine, no question. Good luck finding someone else with that kind of guts."

He ended the call with a smirk, and a few seconds later, his communicator buzzed with a simple response: deal.

Back in the training room, Thierry finally let out the laughter he’d been holding back, leaning against the wall. "Lyra, that was absolutely priceless!"

Mandy’s grin widened as she chimed in. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte has made my life hell more than once. That was legendary, Lyra."

Lyra allowed herself a small, satisfied smile. "Thierry, feel like going a few rounds?"

His eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, it’s on!"

A couple of moves later, Thierry found himself on the floor, already defeated.

Lyra hadn’t even unleashed her full power, and he was out of his depth. She didn’t need much effort to take him down.

Realizing the gap between them, Thierry raised his hand in surrender, chuckling. "Guess I’d better stick to sparring with Mandy."

Lyra shrugged. "Your call."

She went right back to her solo training, pushing herself with a quiet, relentless intensity.

Sweat beaded along her sharp jawline, tracing a path down her neck and onto her collarbones, catching the light.

There was something fierce, radiant, and completely unstoppable about her.

Thierry snuck a quick glance her way—only to get punched square in the jaw by Mandy.

"Eyes on your target, Thierry," Mandy chided.

Thierry laughed, rolling his shoulders. "Message received," he grinned, swinging back at her.