Going Native: Desire for Change (ch. 71) (Patreon)

'The Vega system,' Koter thought, his hands interlocked as he watched streams of information coming in from countless spies in innumerable empires. A backwater system if there ever was one -- remarkable only for the number of habitable planets therein, and the fact that the Green Lanterns steadfastly refused to enter the system. Because of that, it became a den of sin that attracted the worst the galaxy had to offer.

For the most part, no one paid any attention to that dark corner of the galaxy. There was no reason to unless you had business there. The Vega system was located far from the galactic hub of civilization -- something that Koter recently learned was due to a failure of the Green Lanterns, with large swaths of the galaxy being exterminated millions of years ago. It had only been a blip on his radar before Prince Tarble had personally taken the system, but also considering the prior facts, that was hardly of note.

Now, years later, the Vega system was being whispered about by many. Rumors of concentrated construction efforts on the system had been leaked for some time. Still, Koter thought nothing of it. Despite his people's reputation, Prince Tarble built as much as he destroyed. The Vega system was a unique and valuable system -- of course, Prince Tarble would cultivate it appropriately. Yet, after years, a rumor was floating through the galaxy amongst the highest levels of government.

Prince Tarble was building a weapon in the Vega system. A weapon of mass destruction. A weapon so terribly powerful that the galaxy would surrender out of fear of him using it. Or, that was the rumor. Even if it did seem unbelievable, given that it was Prince Tarble, it warranted investigation. Koter, like many others, had sent drones and probes and spies to the system to learn what Prince Tarble was building there.

They learned nothing of what was being constructed, yet they all had learned something of its defenses. Prince Tarble had the system protected with energy shielding similar to the design that protected the Reach's Shield Worlds. That shielding was further fortified by an energy shield, and both shields were further protected by magical enchanting and mystic shielding from a half dozen magical races. That was enough to prove to the galaxy that the system was unusually well protected, and to most, that was enough to prove that Prince Tarble was at least building something of great importance.

Further attempts to investigate were similarly rebuffed. There was only one entrance and exit into and from the system. Not only was it under heavy guard, Prince Tarble had ensured that no one that he didn't trust could get in. Brainwashed spies would be rebuffed magically, preventing them from entering. Smuggling in a drone was impossible because of a hundred redundant layers of security. Everything that went in was inspected, broken down to its smallest components to be further inspected, before being scanned through technology and magic for tampering.

Koter had tried a hundred times to get into the Vega system, and a hundred times he had failed. The same could be said for the rest of the galaxy, and because they had failed, their imaginations ran wild. It was a maddening mystery. It was a terrifying unknown. The only thing that they knew about it was that it housed Prince Tarble's secret project, and that made the mystery that much more frightening.

"I should have killed you when I had the chance," Koter reflected, sounding wistful rather than angry.

It was his biggest regret, he reflected. A handful of soldiers left behind after a failed invasion had been so completely beneath his notice at the time because he had been too distracted by Frieza. It was above Rench that Koter realized that Frieza had no intention of returning to their previous arrangement. That this war was one of annihilation. That group of soldiers… he never would have expected that they could have survived. Much less that he had what would become the greatest threat to the Reach underneath his boot and all he had to do was step down.

There was no greater regrets than the ones that became clear with hindsight. If he had just sacrificed some soldiers rather than focusing on building his support base…

"What shall the galaxy do, I wonder?" Koter questioned, though there was no one in the room to answer. The chatter that Koter heard on the matter was indecisive. People were afraid. Terrified, even. They struggled to agree what was the worst-case scenario, much less a proper response.

It really was marvelous, Koter could admit to himself. A rumor about the Prince was enough to turn some of the most powerful empires in the galaxy into frightened children that couldn't even agree about what they were all so afraid of. All they knew was that Prince Tarble had something up his sleeve, and his reputation turned that mystery into a threat that could wipe out all life in the universe.

A sigh escaped him for he knew the answer to his own question. There was only one thing to do, really. "Whatever he's building must be destroyed," Koter voiced, knowing that was the conclusion the rest of the galaxy would soon come to. It was the obvious choice. People feared the unknown, even himself. The unknown in Prince Tarble's hands… a man that was managing to fight the galaxy to a standstill… the worst-case scenario was likely the exact scenario they were facing.

Koter unclasped his hands before he brought up a holographic screen. Inputting a code and submitting a biological marker, Koter spoke. "To all subjects -- Unite against Prince Tarble." He spoke the words softly, but firmly. The order would have all of his agents throughout the galaxy push to form a federation against the Prince.

It was a move that Koter had hoped to avoid. Simply put, nothing united people quite like a common enemy. Even once the enemy had been defeated, the scenarios Koter ran showed there was a high possibility that the federation would remain for some time -- first as a tight-knit alliance before loosening up over a few millennia. Something that was unacceptable. He would be creating an obstacle for the Reach resurgence -- instead of fighting countless divided enemies, the New Reach Empire would fight a united galaxy.

Still, he could sabotage the federation from within to a degree. Between Prince Tarble and his spies, Koter was faced with a coin flip about whether the federation would last.

An alert appeared on his monitor, earning a small laugh from Koter. "Speaking of uniting against a common enemy…" He sighed as he stood. His ceremonial robes hung off of his frame, the same robes that his father once wore. They used to fit him better… but it seemed that no matter how many nutrition pills he ate, Koter couldn't put on any weight.

It was as if the entirety of the Reach empire was weighing down on his shoulders, crushing him under its weight.

Clasping his hands behind his back, Koter strode towards the entrance to his office. His bodyguard stood at the door -- a white scarab. One that had been his trusty shadow for more than two decades at this point. His bodyguard followed him silently, as did the other nine as they used their phasing abilities. Long ago were the days that Koter didn't have to worry about assassination attempts because it would be against their culture to attack him so brazenly.

The building shook ever so slightly and his bodyguard offered him a view of the source using a hologram. Koter made a noise of acknowledgment, "Nuclear weapons on our birth planet… our ancestors are surely rolling in their graves." Koter remarked, seeing the explosion that took out the front of the capital palace of the Ve'sk family. It wasn't a particularly large explosion, but the fact that they had jumped to using nuclear bombs at all…

Other camera views allowed Koter to track the intruders into his home. No Scarabs. They didn't trust them, knowing that Koter could subvert them. Instead, he found a mix of races. Mercenaries. Including several members of his own species. They could hide their faces, but Koter already had their names. They were young. So very young.

Their race was a long-lived one due to the benefits of gene editing, extending their lives for up to a thousand years. Koter was young by his people's standards, having just passed a century old. Those that attacked weren't even in their fifties… children for all intents and purposes. Children… who decided to cast off the shackles of their shared culture, who decided to take action. However unorthodox.

A smile graced his lips as he continued to walk, heading towards the entrance hall where he would then be surrounded. All the while, he monitored their tactics. Children truly were the future, he thought to himself, a lingering ache in his chest that he had become accustomed to ignoring. By now… his child would have been born and molted from his infant shell. He wondered if Sousk would keep it, as was tradition.

He wouldn't ever know. For all of his power over a dying Empire on the verge of rebirth, his power seemed so very limited where it felt like it should matter most.

Pushing his thoughts to the side, Koter continued forward, sending his Scarabs forward while he sent out a signal. The lavishly decorated door slid open to reveal the ruined entrance to his home. Guns were aimed in his direction, and Koter met eyes with one of the insurgents -- a La'sk Varrow. Female, sea green faceplates that were currently being hidden under a mask… the heir to a minor family that amounted to little more than generations upon generations of servants.

"Welcome," Koter greeted, his tone even. Five were members of his face in total. A larger turnout than he expected. He truly was hated, it would seem. Ten were mercenaries, bringing the total to fifteen intruders. Koter slowly raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

Across the opulent entrance to his home, the mercenaries turned their weapons against the rebels just as his Scarabs revealed themselves. There was a small beat of silence as Koter lowered his hand, choosing to slowly walk down the stairs while the rebels were dragged into the center of the room. Each step made his knees ache. How could he be so young and feel so old?

"Tyrant!" La'sk snarled at him while the others meekly hung their heads. Two mercenaries held her in place, forcing her to her knees. Even still she struggled. And it would seem he was not the sole target of his ire. "You traitors! Which one of you sold us out?" She raged, thrashing in the mercenaries' grip.

"No one here, I promise you," Koter answered her as he strode to the five kneeling members of his race. "Simply put, these mercenaries are mine." As more of his race turned to more overt and extreme means… Koter had been prepared. The mercenaries they could hire were brainwashed and bought off by him long in advance. Each failed assassination attempt revealed the family backing it, victims of a conspiracy that he himself had orchestrated to keep an eye on dissenters and would-be rebels.

"Get this over with," La'sk demanded, using anger to mask her fear. "I have no intention of listening to your bragging."

"I don't believe you're in a position to do anything but listen to me boast," he returned, and it felt nice to spar with words again. Before, he dueled verbally at least once a day with someone. When was the last time he spoke words that weren't just an order to an agent or drone? A year? Two? How long had it been since his wife left, to a different galaxy to preserve their species and history if he failed? "But, I am quite busy."

Koter snapped and the ten mercenaries were killed by his Scarabs. La'sk gaped up at him with horror and confusion, looking at the corpses with an openly dumbfounded expression on her face. Koter didn't approve of it… but such a skill could be learned with time.

"What are you doing?" La'sk questioned, too caught off guard to even act. Or she knew better than to try.

"Arranging my assassination," Koter answered easily. "A few risks didn't pay off as I had hoped, and my time is shorter than I would like. The only thing to do is make sure that my work continues after my death." It was disappointing, but it was evident that he wouldn't see the rebirth of the Reach Empire.

La'sk looked up at him while the other four shared a look. "What?" She questioned, puzzled. Koter supposed she would be. She wasn't used to thinking in advance, beyond an immediate goal. The innocent short-sightedness of youth.

"I have decided that my death shall serve as a catalyst for the rebirth of our empire, and who best to kill me than one who steadfastly refuses to accept our cultural flaws?" Koter questioned, tilting his head as he looked down at her.

"You… want us to kill you?" She questioned, thoroughly caught off guard, but she was recovering better than the others.

"Not right now, of course. I still have much to do. And you are not up to the task of filling my shoes," Koter informed.

However, La'sk shook her head. "Wait- no, I'm not doing anything until you tell me what's going on here!" She demanded, and Koter smiled at the direct question.

This is what made him pick her to be his successor. Directness, a willingness to take action… she was everything that the Reach abhorred. She was perfect.

"I already have. Do keep up," Koter chided. "Our empire… it's dying, and not solely because of Frieza, or Prince Tarble. It's how we think. How we steadfastly refused to act until things progressed to this point. It is us that have poisoned our empire with vanity and arrogance, deluding ourselves that we will not fail because we never have before. That petty squabbles between families are a more pressing concern than annihilation, because we cannot see ourselves being beaten." La'sk gaped up at him, her mandibles dropping in astonishment.

She shook her head, "No, you're…" she trailed off.

"I did what I could to buy our empire and race time to recover. The list of my sins is long, La'sk, but all I have done has been for the Reach," Koter told her, his voice resolute. If the Reach continued after his death… if it reemerged better than it ever had before…

It made it all worth it. Every murder ever staged, every catastrophe created for his rivals…

"Yet, things are slipping out of my control. It is unfortunate, but expected. Which is why I brought you here. You, La'sk Varrow… you shall be the one to kill me. In doing so, you will break the mold our race has lived in for so long. You will bring forth the change that we both long to see in the Reach. No more will ancient families control things simply because they have for millennia. People like you, people willing to act… you shall determine the future of our race and species." Koter finished, feeling at peace with himself.

He would die by his own hand, by events he set in motion. He would die without ever seeing the bright future the New Reach Empire would have. He would die without ever holding his son, or even knowing his name. Everything he set out to achieve, everything that he tirelessly worked towards…

It was bittersweet, Koter decided. Bitter because he would never know what came next… and sweet because he had faith and hope that the empire he sacrificed so much for would achieve more than his mind could ever dream of.

"But," Koter began, clasping his hands behind him. "That day is still far away. You still have much growing to do before you will be permitted to take my life. Your first test shall be to escape." With that, his Scarabs picked up the five dumbfounded children and dragged them away. A way out would be made for them along with a few others to help build their initial support base. As well as having their memories wiped of the conversation.

Koter heard polite clapping coming from behind him. He turned to see a yellow-skinned man dressed in black and purple, a golden mane of hair and similar-colored eyes. Koter's faceplates adopted a neutral expression.

"Vril Dox," Koter greeted. "How unlike you to make a personal appearance."

Vril offered a polite nod as he stopped his polite clap, standing directly behind him. "It seemed appropriate," Vril offered, ever mysterious with his motivation. "I noticed your order," he said, his tone blank to make it impossible to tell what he thought of it.

"It was necessary," Koter replied, eyeing the man. It was difficult to describe what they were. They weren't allies, and they weren't partners either. They simply had aligned interests on the occasion and didn't let a war get in the way of that. The last time they had spoken was years ago, and never before had Vril chosen to appear in person.

"It is according to Prince Tarble's plan," Virl informed.

Koter nodded, "I suspected as much." The Prince… it was for good reason that Koter regretted not killing him when he had the chance. Prince Tarble simply was a master of conflict -- small scale warfare, to galactic spanning tactics. From information wars, to propaganda and diplomacy. Even the mighty Guardians of the Universe crumbled against him as their every sin was exposed to the universe they swore to defend.

Simply put, Koter had studied the Prince for over a decade at this point. This was a bold and unorthodox plan, meaning it was exactly what the Prince would do.

"Is there even a weapon?" Koter questioned, and only earned a small smile from Vril. Koter let out an amused huff. "Bluffing with an empty gun. How unlike him, which makes it exactly like him." It was frustrating in a way. If only he had killed Prince Tarble… if only, if only. "But I doubt you've come here to tell me this."

Vril nodded before he walked forward, approaching him and holding out a hand with some type of container inside of it. Koter’s eyes dipped from Vril’s face, down to the container, but he didn’t hesitate to accept the it. Raising it to his face, he saw some type of marble inside the clear container. No more than an inch in circumference, the metallic gray marble hovered inside the container.

However, Koter noticed that it wasn’t smooth. The marble was ridged, some parts higher, other lower… the closer that he looked… he saw cities.

Thanagar. He was looking at Thanagar.

“I thought your father was the one that stole Thanagar from under Prince Tarble’s nose,” Koter admitted to the clone of Branic, a renowned collector of rare and unique items. If only because he made them rare and unique. This changed things considerably, Koter thought to himself. It was just a question of what strings came attached to this unexpected gift.

“I merely used his technology,” Vril answered.

“Dare I ask why?” Much less why a staunch supporter of Prince Tarble was giving him a planet that had been stolen from the Prince.

Vril smiled ever so slightly. It was a cold and calculated thing, Koter noted. “Having Thanagar in the Prince’s possession did more harm to my own goals than it benefited.” He answered simply without really giving an answer. In truth, Koter didn’t know exactly what those goals were. Years ago, he believed Vril to be a spy of the Frieza-Force, but had decided to use the Director for as much as he could, anticipating his betrayal.

Years later, Koter had gone through several theories ranging from Vril attempting to usurp the TO from underneath the Cold family, to a man trying to hedge his bets on the victor of the war. More than once, Vril had provided valuable intelligence or an opportunity. And, since the death of his spies in the Board of Directors, Vril was the one that provided him the most information while his information network was restructuring itself to counter Prince Tarble’s policies.

Now Koter was given the planet Thanagar, a planet made of a mythical metal that the Reach had long since coveted. It had been the goal that they strove towards during the last war, the one with the Green Lanterns so many years ago.

“It being in my possession aids your goals, then?” Koter questioned, hating feeling flat-footed, but he didn’t have much choice when dealing with Vril. The man was a mystery. So much about him was unknown. Koter only knew what he did because of the Reaches' contacts with his father.

Vril offered a simple and curt nod. “It does. I trust you know how to best utilize it?” He questioned and Koter swallowed a scoff.

Instead, he smiled.

“I do.”

...

Shorter chapter than normal, but it felt like a good place to leave it. Next chapter starts the battle for the Vega system and it should go on for about two or three chapters... then that's the end of the war.