Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 260: Back On The Stage

Chapter 260: Back On The Stage

In the boundless darkness of space, a formidable fleet carved its way forward, its sleek vessels slicing through the void with lethal precision.

The lead ship bore an imposing emblem of a blazing sun on its hull, its golden rays seeming to burn through the cold emptiness—a symbol as fearsome as it was awe-inspiring.

Inside the ship’s command center, Frederick sat, radiating a quiet but intense focus. A holographic projection of Cohen, standing tall and resolute, flickered before him.

"The situation near Wyrmtrace is deteriorating fast," Cohen reported. "I’m requesting clearance to transfer Lyra to my C30 Division and get her into the field immediately."

In this brutal, unyielding war, victory wasn’t just a matter of tactics; it came down to superior tech and the deployment of the strongest Master Peculiars. And the Empire excelled in both.

Frederick’s expression didn’t waver. "Is that her request?" he asked, his tone flat but probing.

"No," Cohen admitted, shaking his head slightly. "This is my decision. There’s no time for objections." He knew this was their window—if they hesitated, they risked losing the advantage.

Frederick barely paused. "Transfer authorized. She’ll reinforce the front line immediately." His reply was as firm as it was swift, his decision marked by absolute certainty.

Lyra’s frequent departmental transfers were well-known across the Empire. Wherever she went, she earned both respect and notoriety, her results speaking volumes.

Given her unique lineage and remarkable power, Frederick himself had to monitor her assignments, with each decision often requiring high council oversight.

When Admiral Dale got word, he was still under the weight of the Empire’s relentless attacks. But even as he managed an emergency briefing, his frustration was evident. "Why send her to the front again? I strongly oppose this!" he blurted out upon entering.

But Frederick’s icy stare shut him down immediately, forcing Dale to clarify in a stammer. "Th-that woman has Stellar Devourer DNA. What if she turns on us?"

Valeria scoffed. "I bet she couldn’t wait to kill more Stellar Devourers. Going back to them would be a suicidal for her."

As the tension simmered down, Frederick addressed them with renewed intensity. "The Wyrmtrace outpost has been compromised. We have a traitor in our midst. Lyra’s combat strength is essential—she’s one of the few capable of holding off the enemy’s Master Peculiars and lowering our casualties."

Her power on the battlefield was staggering, almost akin to a small warship. Outfitted with the right space-adaptive gear, her strength would be nothing short of devastating.

Yet Dale was relentless. "This is war. Death is inevitable. My Legion of the Apollo’s—do you know how many of them have fallen?"

Valeria shot up, practically radiating fury. "Oh, cut the nonsense! Maybe you’ve survived, but most of those out there are barely level three! Every soldier we can save makes it worth sending Lyra. Or are you too dense to understand?"

They all knew that death was unavoidable in battle, but they couldn’t simply dismiss it as a statistic. Each life saved mattered.

Outside of the battlefield, even a few losses would be treated as a tragedy.

Dale, seeing nothing but disapproving stares from Lynn and the others, finally relented. His face sour, he muttered, "Fine, but she should still be under the Apollo’s. At least that way, I’ll be able to monitor her closely."

"In your wildest dreams," Valeria snapped. If the holograms had been real, she’d have practically lunged at him. "Do you think we’re all idiots here, or do you just use that head of yours for height?"

Better to let Lyra stay as a medic than let her be sacrificed under Dale’s command. At least then, she’d survive.

Just then, a tall, brawny guy let out a scoff, slicing through the tension in the room.

"What’s all this fuss about?" he asked with a grin. "If that young lady can actually hold her own against a Stellar Devourer, then of course we’re sending her to the front! Who keeps their best weapon stashed away?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "Here I was thinking this meeting was about launching a real offensive against the Empire. All this drama over one recruit... Anyway, I spotted some pirate scum on my radar, so I’m out!"

With a flash, his hologram winked out.

Another voice piped up, this one lazily amused. "Raphel’s right; this debate is going in circles." A young man lounged nearby, half his face hidden by a military cap pulled low.

"Honestly, this is a snooze-fest. Send her to the front if she’s got the skill—that’s my vote." With that, his projection blinked off, leaving the room a little quieter.

"Dessel, that lazy fool," Valeria muttered under her breath, exasperated.

Admiral Dale gritted his teeth. "What do those two young hotheads know?" He huffed, though "young" was relative—both Rudolph and Dessel were in their fifties, juniors compared to the more senior officers.

Frederick’s gaze swept the room. "Let’s take a vote," he said, his tone direct. "Count Dessel and Rudolph’s votes as ’yes.’"

Lynn and another middle-aged Supreme raised their hands in support, tipping the vote six to four in favor.

"Good. I’ll finalize the deployment orders. Meeting adjourned."

One by one, the commanders logged out until only Admiral Dale and Vice Admiral Vince remained.

Dale turned to Vince, frustration boiling over. "Why didn’t you back me up this time?"

Unruffled, Vince simply shrugged. "It wouldn’t have mattered. With a Stellar Devourer roaming around, Lyra’s deployment was a given. Today, tomorrow—she’d be on the front eventually."

Dale could only mutter to himself before logging off, not that he’d have time to stew over it.

The Empire’s next wave was already closing in.

Meanwhile, Lyra’s orders popped up on her opticomputer barely an hour after Cohen’s initial request. She skimmed the orders with a slight smile. "Looks like the opportunity’s finally here."

Just then, a military medic jogged up. "Captain Whyte figured you’d be taking this mission. You good to go?"

Lyra nodded, but her expression hardened as her gaze shifted upward. Her sharp eyes focused on the distant horizon, spotting something she hadn’t seen moments earlier. Her face grew tense as she turned to Shane. "Get everyone here, right now."

"Uh—got it!" Shane stammered. He darted off to round up the team, who were still casually working on construction tasks nearby. "Listen up, everyone! Drop what you’re doing! Get to the base immediately. Ensign Lyra has an urgent call!"

Lyra activated her comm line, connecting to Cohen.

"What’s up?" Cohen’s voice crackled through, brisk and no-nonsense. He was clearly already deep in deployment planning, his brows drawn together in concentration.

"I need the key to the base’s weapon vault," she said without hesitation.

He blinked. "Say again?"

"The Empire’s infiltrators are here," Lyra replied, her voice calm but firm.

Cohen’s steely expression cracked into shock. "This better not be a joke."

She kept her eyes trained on a cluster of small red dots on the horizon, descending fast and growing larger by the second. "Want proof?"

"Fine. I’ll send Kogar to back you up," Cohen replied, transmitting the vault codes. "How many are we dealing with?"

"Approximately five thousand," she answered, almost nonchalantly.

Two years ago, Liliana had assigned her five hundred top soldiers to train under Lyra. Now, they stood before her, awaiting her orders, as straight-backed and resolute as ever.

"Coordinate with Kogar for ground defense!" Cohen’s voice barked over the line as he raced back to the command room to prepare for the incoming assault.

Chuck nearly jumped out of his chair when the news came through. "Wait—did Lyra actually agree to fight?"

"Yes," Cohen confirmed. "She’s teaming up with Kogar to intercept the incoming forces."

Luckily, they had left Kogar with a small detachment of soldiers stationed at the base. If the enemy thought they could take it easily, they were about to get a rude awakening.