Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 314: Lyra Prisoned

Chapter 314: Lyra Prisoned

"The traitor is you!" Rear Admiral Coros, a distant relative of Admiral Dale, slammed the table and stood up, filled with rage and ready to tear Lyra apart.

Cohen didn’t defend her directly but instead brought up the Wyrmtrace battle. "It was the same back then. The Empire’s forces arrived far too quickly—it was clear they had been waiting nearby. There must have been a traitor involved."

"But all of this is just Rear Admiral Shedd’s one-sided account," Supreme Ronin interjected. "At the end of the day, if you hadn’t brought space pirates into the battlefield, none of this would have happened."

Lyra locked eyes with her accuser and stated firmly, "I’ve already said it has nothing to do with the space pirates."

"But Admiral Dale did die at your base," Conners said, his voice heavy with grief over the loss of his old friend. "You can’t escape responsibility for that."

That much was true.

While Lyra insisted Markle was dead, there was no solid evidence to back up her claim, leaving his involvement as a suspect unresolved.

All eyes turned to Frederick. After a long pause, he spoke. "For now, confine Lyra to the highest-level detention facility. Until the truth is uncovered, she is not to be released."

Cohen turned to his father’s hologram, disbelief etched across his face. "This is a critical moment. We need Rear Admiral Shedd!"

Frederick’s expression remained cold. "Rear Admiral Whyte, can you take responsibility if more people die because of her?"

Cohen clenched his teeth. "If more people die, it won’t be her fault! Without her, even more will perish!"

Cohen trusted her. At this moment, there was no one who wanted to destroy the enemy and achieve victory more than Lyra.

Frederick silenced all objections with one final statement. "Under Alliance law, as the base commander, she must undergo investigation."

...

The highest-level detention facility was essentially a large machine.

It consisted of a cramped six-square-meter cell with a narrow bed barely a meter wide extending from the wall, and a small toilet on the left.

The superpower suppressors in this facility were strong enough to restrain even a Supreme. The Alliance only had three of these detention cells.

Rather than outright suppressing abilities, the cell emitted electromagnetic waves 24/7, disrupting brain function and preventing the use of psychokinesis. Prolonged exposure could cause severe damage to the mind.

Due to the rarity and expense of the materials used, the cell door was designed with bars, leaving no privacy for its occupants.

Coros wasted no time throwing her inside.

"Lyra, even you have your day," he sneered coldly, staring at the woman who once seemed invincible. "First, you sent your brother to prison, then you caused your grandfather’s death. Do you really think Frederick will still stand by your side?"

Lyra entered the cell, sat on the bed, and leaned back, lost in thought.

However, the relentless electromagnetic interference gnawed at her brain, causing a throbbing pain that made it hard to maintain focus.

Coros glared at her, his eyes red with anger. "Admiral Dale was even thinking of asking that damn pirate to save you!"

Still, Lyra didn’t react. Furious, he scoffed. "Are you even human? Heartless!"

With that, he stormed out.

...

Meanwhile, Legion Glory was stationed at Voidstar No. 1’s rear, preparing supplies and coordinating with Raphel and Dessel to intercept the enemy.

Conners and Cohen continued buying time, holding back the advancing forces, while Thierry managed the evacuation of Voidstar No. 1’s residents.

Inside the detention cell, Lyra reflected on recent events, focusing on the Alliance’s strange behavior.

If there was something unusual, it had to be related to the deployment of troops at Voidstar No. 1.

Suddenly, she sat bolt upright.

"Someone, come here!" she called urgently.

The guards outside didn’t move.

"I need to see your commanding officer!" Lyra’s tone was insistent, but the guards acted as if they hadn’t heard her.

After a moment, she changed her approach. "I have information regarding Admiral Dale’s death."

At that, the two guards perked up, exchanging glances before contacting Coros.

Coros arrived quickly, his steps urgent. Stopping a meter from the cell, he pointed at Lyra, his voice thick with anger. "Lyra! It’s you, isn’t it? You conspired with the space pirates to kill Admiral Dale, didn’t you?!"

He stared her down, expecting fear or guilt, but instead, Lyra frowned deeply behind the bars.

"I need to see Frederick," she said firmly. "I’ll report to him personally."

Coros let out a derisive laugh. "The investigation into Admiral Dale’s death is under my authority. Whatever you have to say, you’ll say it to me. You think you can meet the Fleet Admiral right now? Keep dreaming!"

"Are you sure you’re in charge here?" Lyra asked sharply.

Coros nodded curtly. "I am."

Lyra stepped closer to the bars, her voice cutting through the tension. "Then arrest Conners immediately—he’s a spy for the Empire!"

...

Elsewhere, young Gultong sat inside his first official transport vehicle, his wide eyes gleaming with amazement as he touched the sleek seats and walls.

"I’m going to be an Alliance soldier one day!" he declared, his voice brimming with excitement.

Thierry chuckled and ruffled the boy’s hair. "Heh, when the time comes, join Legion Glory."

"Deal!"

Their convoy was filled with lighthearted chatter as they made their way to the spaceport.

When they arrived, the group spotted the waiting ship and stopped in awe.

They had seen pirate vessels before—terrifying and imposing—but this one was different. This one felt like a lifeline, like hope itself.

"Let’s go," Thierry said, organizing the group into an orderly line. But as they began moving, his opticomputer beeped urgently.

"Thierry here," he answered.

Cohen’s voice came through, strained and panicked. "Don’t go to the spaceport!"

Thierry had never heard Cohen sound so alarmed. He looked up and immediately saw why: countless mechas, fighters, and starships descended from the sky like a storm of darkness, blotting out the sun.

His heart sank. He recognized at once that these weren’t Alliance forces.

"Everyone, to the bunkers! Now!"

...

Lyra’s words hung in the air like a thunderclap. Coros and the guards froze before bursting into laughter, mocking her as though she’d said something absurd.

"You witch, still spouting nonsense!" Coros sneered, pointing at her disdainfully. "The Conners family has served the Alliance for centuries! He’s been in the military for seventy, eighty years! How could he possibly be a spy?"

The guards, who had tried to remain indifferent, chimed in. "Exactly! Admiral Conners is holding the front with Rear Admiral Whyte right now."

For the first time in so many years, Lyra’s composure cracked, her expression twisting in panic.

Her sudden change in demeanor wiped the smugness from Coros’ face. Something about her reaction struck a chord of deep unease within him.

Before anyone could respond, the ground rumbled violently, followed by a deafening explosion.

Coros grabbed his opticomputer, trying to connect with the ground forces.

The device crackled with a cacophony of chaos: screams, gunfire, and the thunderous roar of explosions.

"Rear Admiral! The Empire has invaded—ahhh!"

The transmission cut off abruptly, leaving only silence.

Coros stood frozen, his mind reeling. Lyra’s warning echoed in his ears.

Suddenly, a hand shot through the bars and grabbed his uniform.

"Let me out!" Lyra demanded.

Coros recoiled, glaring at her. "What are you planning? Don’t even think about using this as an opportunity!"

The guards raised their weapons. "Ma’am, step back immediately!" one barked.

Coros gritted his teeth. "Lyra, I’m warning you—"

His words faltered as he met her gaze.

"Coros," Lyra said, her voice low but unyielding. "You’d better think very carefully about what’s happening right now."

Her quiet yet commanding tone cut through his rage. The weight of her words, combined with the disaster unfolding outside, shattered his resolve.

After several tense seconds, he pulled out the crystal key and unlocked the cell.

As the bars slid open, Lyra stepped out.

She raised her hand, and with a surge of psychokinetic force, tore a hole through the space above. Sunlight streamed through the clouds, glinting off her armor as it assembled around her.

In moments, she stood fully armed, an imposing figure of war, and launched herself skyward.

Above Voidstar No. 1, chaos reigned. Fires raged, superpowers clashed, and the enemy fleet unleashed unrelenting bombardments.

Activating her communicator, Lyra called out to her team.

"SIS?!" Phelixes’ voice came through, crackling with static and exhaustion. "We’re at the spaceport protecting civilians! Rear Admiral Whyte is here too!"