Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 309: Building a Space Base

Chapter 309: Building a Space Base

The high-ranking officers believed they had reached a practical resolution.

Lyra, after all, was already stationed there; having her remain would require little extra effort.

But Lyra wasn’t about to accept so easily.

She raised her hands in a gesture of mock surrender.

"The central city of Voidstar No. 1 is the only viable hub. Surely, you’re not expecting me to work under Admiral Conners’ authority?"

Frederick, anticipating her resistance, replied, "Voidstar No. 1’s geography doesn’t support a second human settlement. Its population is too sparse, and its resources too limited to attract merchants. Development would stagnate."

Lyra acknowledged the truth in his words but countered swiftly.

"But it’s perfect for constructing a space base."

Her suggestion sent ripples through the room. The admirals exchanged uneasy glances, unsure why Lyra was so insistent on maintaining separate authority.

The Alliance had only a limited number of habitable planets, and command positions on them were coveted.

Space bases, however, were a different story. Built between planets, they were less luxurious but served critical defensive and logistical roles, providing safe havens for civilian ships and fortifying nearby planetary systems.

Before Frederick could respond, Raphel slapped his thigh enthusiastically.

"Exactly! Voidstar No. 1’s defenses are thin as it is. Adding a space base would be perfect!"

As someone stationed on a border space base himself, Raphel knew the value of such installations.

Though less comfortable than planet-based postings, bases were challenging and autonomous—ideal for officers who disliked political entanglements.

"That’s a solid idea," added Dessel, nodding thoughtfully. "Planetary defenses are subject to rotational and orbital vulnerabilities. A space base could offer tighter security."

Even Dale, usually neutral, voiced his support.

"I agree. While Voidstar No. 1 has Demetra and Snowfall behind it, the distances are significant. The defensive line is stretched too thin. A space base would fill that gap."

From Conners’ perspective, the proposal also held merit. His animosity with Lyra was well-known; having them share command of the same city was a recipe for disaster.

Separating their jurisdictions might prevent future conflicts.

Finally, Valeria, after taking a long drag from her cigarette, added her agreement.

She often found herself siding with Lyra, admiring the younger officer’s sharp mind and fearless attitude.

With four admirals in favor, even Conners begrudgingly relented.

"Fine," he muttered. He, too, had no desire to work alongside Lyra directly. The thought of their inevitable clashes made his head throb.

Frederick mulled over Lyra’s proposal and concluded it was indeed a practical solution. With her stationed in deep space, the risk of space pirates regrouping and infiltrating the Alliance would be significantly reduced. He nodded in approval.

"Let’s proceed as planned," he declared.

When the official documents reached the Alliance’s Defense Budget Office, Leona nearly fainted.

"Another space base?" she exclaimed, slamming the papers onto her desk.

The Central City on Voidstar No. 1 was still under construction, and they hadn’t seen any return on investment yet. Now, they were already funding a second project?

She gripped her pen so tightly it almost snapped. The military always demanded funding without considering whether the treasury could handle the strain.

One of her staff tried to calm her down, saying, "But, ma’am, the admirals argue that without the space base, space pirates could infiltrate the Alliance, and there’s also the threat of the Empire..."

Hearing this, Leona pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. Reluctantly, she signed the documents.

Lyra had made Wyrmtrace Planet a fortune during her earlier deployment, which had somewhat balanced the military’s expenses.

But now, as she tallied the numbers, Leona realized they were funneling funds from one of Lyra’s projects straight into another.

"It’s like this woman’s moving money from her left pocket to her right," Leona muttered, shaking her head.

---

Meanwhile, Lyra received word that the funds had been approved. Her eyes sparkled with satisfaction.

Not long after, Mandy knocked on her door.

"Conners’ secretary is asking when we’ll be transferring the funds for Voidstar No. 1’s center city."

Lyra’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "Legion of Everglow has worked hard to keep this place running. Naturally, we deserve a little compensation for our efforts. Handle it as you see fit."

Mandy nodded, instantly understanding Lyra’s intentions. "Understood, ma’am."

She promptly adjusted all the financial statements, ensuring the numbers accurately reflected the expenses—and a bit more.

Then she handed the revised ledger to Conners’ secretary for confirmation.

The man turned pale as he scanned the documents.

"Why did this cost so much?" he demanded.

"With all due respect," Mandy replied smoothly, "Rear Admiral Shedd personally subsidized some of the costs to ensure top-quality materials were used during the initial build. Now that the project has transferred, we can’t continue footing the bill ourselves, can we?"

Her polite smile only made the man’s frustration worse.

"Fine," he snapped. "We’ll transfer the funds to the bank immediately."

"I suggest you do so quickly," Mandy added, unfazed by his outburst. "We’re departing for our new post in three days."

What Mandy didn’t mention was that they had secured premium materials through Snakehead, who offered prices far below the market standard.

While the records reflected fair costs, the actual expenses were much lower. If Conners tried to investigate, he’d find everything perfectly aboveboard.

Realizing this, Conners’ secretary reluctantly returned to his superior with far less money than expected.

...

When Conners received the funds, he nearly exploded with rage.

"How are we supposed to finish construction with this paltry amount?"

In truth, the amount was sufficient to complete the project, but not enough to line his pockets as he’d hoped. Furious, he submitted a request for additional funding. However, before he could celebrate, Leona called him personally.

Her "greeting" was a scathing reprimand that left him red-faced. At the end of the conversation, she delivered her verdict in two curt words:

"No funds."

...

Ignoring Conners’ tantrum, Lyra and her team left for the designated site of the space base.

She had anticipated such obstacles and planned meticulously to work within the tight budget.

Alliance regulations dictated that when official resources could be prepared, additional funding would be minimized.

Lyra submitted a detailed materials list, which was quickly approved. The Military Supply Department sprang into action, coordinating with manufacturers specializing in modular space base components.

Soon, large transport ships began delivering the necessary parts to the chosen location in deep space.

The efficiency of the operation was akin to assembling an interstellar warship, with the prefab modules designed for quick deployment.

Lyra’s caravan sprang into action, moving with precision and efficiency.

In the weightless expanse of outer space, freed from gravity’s constraints and supported by advanced machinery, construction progressed even faster than it would on a planetary surface.

In just six months, the space base began to take shape—a testament to meticulous planning and relentless execution.

...

When the final shipment of materials and funds from the Alliance arrived, Mandy personally oversaw the inspection.

Once satisfied, she brought the paperwork to Lyra for her signature.

Lyra signed her name with a steady hand, then stood and moved to the window.

Outside, the vastness of space stretched endlessly, an abyss of infinite darkness.

"Mandy," she said quietly, her tone a mix of resolve and triumph, "the day has finally come."

"Yes, it has," Mandy replied, standing at attention.

The small viewport framed the base’s exterior like a glowing scale on the back of a massive beast, each light a testament to their effort.

Behind her back, Lyra’s hand clenched into a fist.

"Notify Snakehead and Caesara. It’s time for the final step."

Although she hadn’t secured Voidstar No. 1, gaining control of the space base had proven to be an even better outcome than expected.

The void outside was pitch black, yet Mandy felt as though Lyra was a star rising within it—burning brightly, fiercely radiant, yet too scorching for anyone to approach.

...

Once the official transport ships departed, another fleet arrived at the base.

This time, the cargo contained specialized equipment, and the passengers included Koros, Sean, and their team of technical experts.

Having exhausted their part of resources of Wyrmtrace, their prior mission had reached its conclusion.

Now, they had packed their things and made the journey to the space base.

Koros wasted no time exploring the facility. Accompanied by a group of mechanics, he inspected every corner with an engineer’s critical eye—and an unrestrained tongue.

"Tsk, tsk. Alliance tech is as unimpressive as ever," he muttered, shaking his head.

Sean chuckled. "No surprise there. It’s why the Empire keeps wiping the floor with them on the battlefield."

Koros sneered. "The old fools at the Mechanical Association have brains as rusty as their outdated blueprints. Expecting them to innovate is like expecting a rock to float."

He clicked his tongue, looking smug. "Good thing we have HER. Tsk, tsk."

Sean smirked knowingly. "Still bitter about the Association, huh?"

"Bitter? Nah," Koros scoffed, though his tone suggested otherwise. "They looked down on my inventions back then, but they couldn’t design their way out of a trash heap. Their ’cutting-edge’ tech couldn’t hold a candle to this."

He gestured proudly to the machinery and systems he’d already begun tweaking to perfection.