Chapter 42 41:
Like a fleeting sigh in the immensity of the void, Seven segments had vanished like a furtive exhalation before the gaze of General Varnak-Sul, stationed at the periphery of the main squadron of the Viltrumite Empire.
All the forces they had as reserves had been made available for the coming battle, all prepared in Vorkath, the principal stellar system of the empire within the Luminus Sector.
Far away, behind his colossal military formation, rose a silhouette of ineffable proportions, a marvel impossible not to contemplate.
The figurative morphology of an ancient and desiccated tree, whose roots, made of interstellar gas and nebula dust, sought to bind the entire universe in an impossible embrace, as though yearning to hold the totality of the cosmos within its infinite vastness.
Ironically, its energy seemed to delimit the sector itself, and its light, to a certain degree, appeared to influence the physiology of its conscious beings inhabiting its interior.
That arborescent and ghostly structure was none other than the very threshold of the Aizir territory, those silent giants whose nature channeled energies so anomalous that the lesser races, in their ignorant astonishment, had ended up calling "magic."
Varnak-Sul was not alone. In truth, the emperor Thragg himself stood at his side, observing with scrutiny that all his demands had been fulfilled to the letter.
And yet, despite the passing time already gone by, Varnak-Sul could not feel any less nervous, for his career depended on how the emperor proceeded with this new incursion in this stage of the galactic campaign.
Seven segments after what could have been considered for the empire, a public humiliation of General Varnak-Sul, the war machine of the Viltrumite Empire in the Luminus Sector had been reconfigured under the hands of Thragg himself.
In the eyes of all imperial viltrumites, victory had to be successful no matter what.
Varnak-Sul performed a reverence toward the supreme one at his side.
"Great Regent, the forces are deployed. The colonial infantry are at their posts, also the Venatici, eager to begin the battle, and as for the Syrenis, communications are at one hundred percent of their capabilities."
Varnak-Sul declared through the report of his personnel ready for battle. Despite the fact that he had not moved his lips in the slightest, his thoughts had reached the regent.
"I know that you, so superior in intelligence and cunning in comparison to us, your subjects inferior in all things and more. Considering your mercy, it is necessary to request in advance my apologies according to what I wish to ask your eminence."
General Varnak-Sul bowed even further, awaiting the response of his regent.
"permission to ask me." Thragg granted.
"my great regent, under your forgiveness I dare to ask. We have spent 20 orbits attempting to subjugate this galactic sector according to the decrees that drive the advance and deployment of our great empire. But this sector, lacking so many inhabitants in comparison to other sectors. Other battlefronts, such as our urgency to subjugate the emerging coalition of planets right beneath the nose of our sector. Why such insistence on this sector?"
Thragg seemed to raise an eyebrow, but could not help releasing a sigh. His race seemed to lose their sense of things with the passing of the orbits, and his elite men seemed to be the most affected.
He often felt that he did not belong to his own people, he was so different from his own race that the comparison seemed almost absurd. But because he loved them, it was necessary to continue educating these soldiers, or at least, explain to them the reason for their sacrifices.
"I often lament knowing that the elite of my species are only experts in the matter of battle. Despite my efforts to revolutionize the dorymathos to create perfect assets within any existing field, all of them focus on battle and fail to see beyond imperial objectives. Allow me to enlighten you, Varnak-Sul. The empire's interest in this sector is simple. merely economy."
"whaaaat?" Varnak-Sul's eyes seemed to want to leap from their sockets, not knowing how to react to his emerging emotions of disbelief, added to a multitude of sensations that he quickly strangled even before they could be reflected upon his face.
But the simple fact that all his efforts, the millions dead, the losses of colonial assets, imperial assets, and spilled viltrumite blood, were reduced to mere interest in a few credits.
It was simply....
"sir..." Varnak-Sul wished to ask, object, say something about it because he felt that all his efforts in this campaign, the one he believed would be the most important of his life and which, however, had ended with him degraded, had been in vain.
But Thragg interrupted him long before his complaint could be sent in thought.
"not all was in vain, Varnak-Sul. Do not rush your conclusions, for your sight has been reduced by your own cognitive restraint. This sector could very well be considered an important piece. It is a key gateway to the most valuable resources of the Luminus Sector. Within that nebula there are star-core minerals, quantum fission gases and hyper-spatial jump routes that lead even beyond the visible universe, impossible to traverse by our personal means or technology. No race has mapped anything beyond what is known, and those primitive giants have barely scratched their resources for mere special effects upon matter."
Thragg paused only momentarily, while thinking at speeds no other viltrumite ever would have. He processed variables and possibilities that even other seer races would believe he could see the future, through simple predictions and calculations.
"Listen to me well, general. You will well remember that 25 orbits ago, we made contact with the Galactus Sector, which after a demonstration of force and threat evaluation, a truce was chosen and we remained interacting through trade treaties. Assuming you have investigated said sector, they are currently suffering a critical shortage of resources and the little they can obtain is barely enough for them. The Geldarians control their trade routes and strangle them with usurious prices since the kingdom, which long ago was an empire, probably the longest-lived one, has now been fragmented."
Varnak-Sul strained himself to reflect, thinking of that dark and exceedingly dangerous sector for any kind of life. A viltrumite could not simply venture into that place without being properly prepared, not because of the dangers, but because of the lack of oxygen. Oxygen was a very important compound for the functioning of smart atoms, an essential part of the reaction of internal energies produced by the absorption of cosmic energy. And in that sector there was little oxygen.
"but sir," Varnak-Sul thought for a moment, before implying. "but the Galactus Sector, that dead empire of Solarux. Are they not commercial and military partners of the Geldarians?"
"only on paper, general, only on paper. In reality, Solarux could very well be considered just another colony of those disgusting gelatinous beings who love intelligent cans." Thragg frowned at the latter. He despised the Geldarians and their technology with all his heart. They lacked honor, and always acted under absolute irrationality. "it seems you are somewhat more cultured than other generals of your generation, young Varnak-Sul."