Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 244: Cohen Changed

Chapter 244: Cohen Changed

After training, Lyra strolled alongside Mandy, throwing out a casual question about Miller.

"A small-minded guy," Mandy replied with a hint of disgust, dabbing her face with a towel. "Compared to Captain Whyte or Thierry, or even other members of the Whyte family, he’s not even close to their league." She caught Lyra’s unusual interest and added, "He’s always dealing with merchants under the radar. Whenever he’s on escort duty, he sneaks in private cargo for extra cash."

"Interesting..." Lyra murmured, her expression unreadable. After a pause, she added, "Have Koros take a look at his opticomputer logs. I want to know who he’s been chatting with lately."

Mandy’s face tightened. "You suspect him?"

Lyra gave a dry laugh. "People avoid me like I’m cursed lately. If someone insignificant like Miller starts hanging around, he’s got to have a reason."

With the baggage of enemies and obstacles trailing her, Lyra had learned to stay on guard. As they continued walking, she asked in an offhand tone, "Doesn’t Cohen crack down on guys like Miller?"

Cohen had always had a strong moral compass, so it surprised her that he’d allow corruption in his ranks.

"At first, Cohen tried to snuff that kind of behavior out," Mandy explained. "But the reality is, too many officers were involved. It became impossible to uproot. Eventually, he started turning a blind eye, so long as they didn’t cross the line."

Lyra raised a brow. ’Cohen, turning a blind eye?’ That didn’t fit the image she’d once had of him.

"There was one time," Mandy continued, "when Cohen tried to impose a strict ban on smuggling, but Chuck stopped him."

Chuck had pointed out that many officers on Wyrmtrace earned barely enough to get by. They were out here risking everything, scraping by for the chance to provide for their families. Wherever there were people, there would be deals, and simply banning it wasn’t an option.

As his leadership on Wyrmtrace continued, Cohen had gradually shifted from an idealist to a realist. He was beginning to see the murky, tangled network within the Alliance’s core operations, a hidden rot that even he couldn’t ignore.

"I think, in the future, he might be willing to work with me," Lyra said, more to herself than to Mandy. She’d seen the change in Cohen and almost didn’t recognize the person he was becoming.

Once as clear and polished as a gemstone, Cohen now had the hardened look of a blade honed by compromise and power. The rigid ideals were being replaced by a sharper, more unyielding resolve.

That same evening, Cohen sat across from Lyra with his usual seriousness. "As an unregistered civilian, you’re only permitted to stay on Wyrmtrace for seven days," he informed her flatly.

"Noted," Lyra replied, resting her chin on her hand and gesturing to the steaming coffee she’d placed for him. "Relax. You know if I’m calling on you, it’s probably about money."

Once, Cohen would’ve rolled his eyes at her bluntness, but this time, he only sighed as he took the seat. "Just so we’re clear—any migration or development plans are under my Uncle Chuck’s jurisdiction. I can’t sway that."

"Oh, come on," Lyra scoffed with a slight smirk, sipping her coffee. "I’m just looking forward to the day you’re calling the shots here."

Cohen’s brows knit together. "I don’t intend to be here long-term."

"You might not," she replied, tilting her head, "but your family, especially your father, clearly have it planned. By now, you shouldn’t still be talking about ’avoiding family connections.’ Commanding Wyrmtrace’s garrison would be a game-changer for you."

A faint, ironic smile touched Cohen’s face. "You mean a game-changer for YOU, don’t you?"

"For me, sure," Lyra replied smoothly, her gaze shifting to the stars beyond the window. "But it’s good for you, too. Once Wyrmtrace is officially under Alliance control, it’ll become a border planet. You, more than anyone, understand how critical this position will be. Can you really risk letting some corrupt officer take command here?"

The Alliance was at a stage where most of its top officers were settled comfortably in their roles.

A valuable new spot like Wyrmtrace would be irresistible, drawing in opportunists eager to make a name for themselves. But who knew what kind of chaos they might cause in their rush?

Thus, for both the Alliance and his family, Frederick wouldn’t trust Wyrmtrace to just anyone.

Cohen, his own son, was the most logical choice. He had all the necessary qualifications—he only needed a little more experience and a few more achievements under his belt, which this posting could easily provide.

Cohen fell silent, rubbing his hand over his face before sighing deeply. "Sometimes I wonder if I’m really ready for this kind of pressure." His voice was laced with a weariness Lyra hadn’t heard from him before, and in the dim lighting, shadows accentuated the tired lines under his eyes.

This side of Cohen was one she hardly recognized.

"With your father backing you and you being level-eight now, you’re still worried about pressure?" Lyra teased, stirring her coffee. "And besides, if you’re focused on development, I’m here to support you however I can."

Cohen gave her a serious look. "Are you actually serious about that?"

"Only if you’re fine with getting your hands a bit dirty to make money," she replied smoothly.

The words brought echoes of old conversations, though Cohen’s perspective now was far from what it used to be.

Through Cohen, Lyra was soon introduced to the man at the helm of Wyrmtrace’s development: Chuck.

Despite his laid-back air, Chuck was razor-sharp, his wit honed even more since his promotion following Ansel’s passing.

After a bit of verbal back-and-forth, Lyra managed to secure partial development rights for both the transit hub and the hospital, as well as a permit to use the official interstellar trade route.

Still, her cut was only ten percent.

Leaving the base, she held her signed contracts with a small frown. "I was hoping for thirty percent."

Cohen chuckled as he walked beside her. "Your ’golden touch’ might be useful, but I’m not about to feed your ambition at the Alliance’s expense."

In truth, most merchants would be thrilled to receive even a three percent share. And, unless the Alliance retained sixty percent, this development would be considered a failure.

Even with the financial rewards dangling before him, Cohen kept his principles solid.

Lyra gave a nonchalant shrug. "No matter. I’ve got other matters to deal with. I’ll be on my way."

"Wait."

She turned to see Cohen’s face, set in that unyielding expression of his. "The queen bee is on the brink of advancing. I need it handled within the next seven days, or Chuck and I will have to take down the entire swarm."

"Understood."

Cohen watched her retreat, her steady, unhurried steps betraying no trace of disappointment or satisfaction.

She moved like a machine—driven, unshakable, relentlessly focused on her goals, whatever the obstacles.

Oddly enough, Cohen found himself admiring traits in her that he once detested. Still, he couldn’t imagine being as cold-blooded, as indifferent to moral boundaries.

Returning to his office, Cohen barely sat down before his adjutant, Kogar, entered quietly. "Lieutenant Commander Miller is here, waiting to speak with you."

Cohen’s expression darkened at the mention of Miller. He took a steadying breath before walking in to find Miller already seated, grinning.

"Cohen, my dear cousin," Miller began with a smirk, "I’ve got a little business to discuss."

Cohen lowered himself into his chair, his tone icy. "Lieutenant Commander Whyte, please address me as CAPTAIN Whyte on duty."

The formality made Miller grit his teeth, though he hid his frustration behind a smile and leaned in casually. "Well then, C-A-P-T-A-I-N, I wanted to ask if you’d assign me to the next escort for Lyra Shedd’s Stellar Caravan?"

Cohen’s eyes flashed with irritation. "This is already handled, Lieutenant Commander Whyte. There’s no need for you to interfere."

Cohen and Lyra’s interests were now tightly interwoven, and he wouldn’t tolerate any meddling that could derail their plans.

With his face darkening, Miller stomped out of the office, muttering under his breath as he stormed down the hallway. "As if everyone doesn’t know you’re scheming with that witch and just cozied up to Chuck! Acting all high and mighty..."

Frustrated and bitter, he decided to find another way to insert himself into the situation.

Back at his desk, Cohen wasted no time. He shot Lyra a brief, urgent message: "Handle the queen bee issue quickly."

Lyra immediately straightened, her gaze sharpening as she scanned the recent images Koros had sent her. She quickly replied to Cohen’s message with an acknowledgment, then began readying herself for action.