The Champion

Returning to the bustling camp, I was met with praise and applause. It was something I was used to by now, my name was spreading far and wide across Sakaar. Many slaves attacked their masters, using their own weapons against them. The lucky ones, the ones able to remove their disks were successful, escaping and searching for us.

Hiroim, Korg and the many other parties that were sent out to liberate slaves all brought them back. I, the leader of this rebellion was held in particularly high esteem, quite frankly, I could do no wrong in the eyes of the people before me.

A good thing for now, but it would more than likely be more trouble than it was worth in the future. An empire for the stars required vast amounts of manpower, sometimes the only way to secure it was to dabble in slavery. I'd try and avoid that for as long as possible and entirely if I could, but who knows what the future would hold. It was just a matter of ensuring that this worship didn't develop into something beyond my control.

I'd rather not have to kill everyone and start all over again, that would be far too much effort.

"Miek seems happy," Korg murmured, he and I walking through the camp, a large amount of expansion required to accommodate our rising numbers.

"Why wouldn't he be?" I questioned, looking towards the bug in question, he surrounded by his Hive. "He is reunited with his Hive. Did you know his father was a King of his species?"

Korg shook his head. "Does that mean?"

"I do hope so." It was best to act like I didn't know that Miek would become a King and soon, hopefully. I'd assume that being reunited with his Hive possibly forced his evolution, making him more aggressive and angry to the point he was actually willing to fight Hulk as crazy as that sounded.

I had tried, naming Miek in charge of his fellow bugs that didn't possess Hives. There were hundreds of them, making up a vast majority of our forces. Yet Miek had shown no signs of evolving, concerning though it was, I hardly worried too much. There was nothing to worry about, only Caiera and Beta Ray Bill posed a threat to me on Sakaar. So long as nothing unexpected happened then taking over Sakaar would be easy.

Wait, did me saying that mean that something unexpected was going to happen?

I hoped not.

"I hope so too. We could use a King Bug to take full control of those we have and those that could potentially join us in the future." Korg said, I picking up on the subtle undertones of his words. He noticed my look and nodded his head towards the main tent we were walking towards already.

Entering inside, I turned to Korg, arms crossed over my chest. "What's the problem?"

"Brood reported a large force scouring nearby areas. They're not baring the flag of the King, instead, it seems to be comprised of local Governors. In total, we're talking a force of near five thousand." Korg explained.

I scoffed. "Hardly something to be concerned over. I'll head out tomorrow and deal with them." It was only later than I expected. As I had already learned, Sakaar was much larger than the comic books portrayed with more Governors like Denebu able to raise large forces. Comics had barely touched upon the true number of lives that lived upon Sakaar. In a rebellion like this, it was only natural for forces to be raised to subdue us and I had expected them to come sooner.

A force of five thousand while larger than the number I had was hardly anything to get concerned over.

"I thought you'd say that," Korg murmured, smirking. "Just thought I'd let you know that we've had few deserters already when they heard the whispers of the force. They don't know and don't believe in your strength."

"Doesn't matter," I replied. "Things are already going to plan."

It was at that moment that Elloe burst in, looking a little flushed and out of breath. "Tah, Beta Ray Bill says he's willing to talk." There was a pause, a moment in which me and Korg looked towards one another before he nodded his head.

Ever since he had first awoken after his defeat, Beta Ray Bill had made no movement or even an attempt to resist. He just laid still, silent and unmoving. The only reason I didn't just leave him behind was because of the potential he held within his body. That was potential I couldn't allow to slip through my fingers, I needed him on my side.

Now would be the time to use my knowledge of the comics to gain him as my ally.

-X- Line Break -X-

"I must admit, I'm surprised you wished to speak after all this time," I said, sitting down upon a chair across from the chained figure of Beta Ray Bill. The chances of them doing much to restrain him were high, they were the same chan used to detain me, the same ones that in the comics were used to detain Hulk.

But I was on guard nonetheless.

"Usually when you ask to talk, it means you want a conversation. Well, it requires two people, minimum to have one." Just like from the moment I had entered this tent, Beta Ray Bill remained silent. "Very well, I won't waste my time, I'll take my leave."

"Why have you rebelled?"

"Why?" Beta Ray Bill looked at me and I smiled. "Because I refuse to bow my head in subservience to anyone. I lived my life trying to do my best for others and received nothing in turn. I betrayed the one person who rewarded loyalty and have since paid for those actions dearly. Before I was weak, living my life in service of another, well not anymore. I'm going to make my own decisions."

Beta Ray Bill remained silent.

"Why have you never rebelled?" I wondered, genuinely I wondered why he never had. "You have the strength, no one on this planet except Caiera could rival you. So why remain here, a prisoner? A slave?"

"I have no purpose."

"I doubt that very much. You're a Korbinite, a cybernetically enhanced one. You must have particular standing amongst your people, why not return to them?" Hopefully, he would finally answer the question that I was wondering, where exactly in Beta Ray Bill's journey were we. Obviously, it was before he encountered Thor, but the fact that he was here, on Sakaar also directly contrasted that. I could never be too sure because the last thing I needed was to be blindsided by something.

Bill slumped in defeat. "I have no people."

Ah, so that was it, just like I expected. "You've lost them, you failed them and you wish to die." All my points earned no reaction, almost like Beta Ray Bill wasn't listening to me anymore. "But you haven't been able to do that, do you know why I think that? Because your people are still alive. Deep down inside you, you know that to be true."

That earned a reaction, Beta Ray Bill looking up to me, his eyes glaring out at me. "What would you know?"

"I know a lot. I have not encountered another member of my race since its destruction." It was best not to tell the whole truth, just a portion of it, worded in a way that would not backfire upon me. "But I hold out hope that I will encounter others in the future. And I intend to prepare a suitable place for my people to return to."

I honestly had no clue where Argo City was in the universe. But I would find it eventually and implement myself as the new Emperor, incorporating it into my own vast empire. Same with Kandor, once I freed it from Brainiac's ship.

"You and I are similar in that way." I continued. "But whereas I hold out hope to find them in the future. You have lost all hope, but inwardly you still hold on to it. We could help each other you know, build a safe place for our people to reside in. Ensuring that they could never come under threat again. Searching the cosmos for our people together. With our powers combined, nothing could stand in our way."

That was a lie, there was plenty of people who could body both of us as we were right now. But for the purpose of this, it was probably best to give a little lie.

"It's up to you though. If death is what you wish for, if you truly believe your people are dead, then I will give you what you wish. I'll even search the stars and make sure, that if your people did survive, that they are safe." I told him, Beta Ray Bill's glare softening. "But wouldn't you prefer to search the stars yourself, to redeem your past failings by saving them. Work with me, and we can do just that."

-X- Line Break -X-

Floating down onto the top of the nearby rock formation, I looked down upon the army below. Behind me, Korg and Beta Ray Bill landed, they having leapt great distances to keep up with my leisurely pace as I flew through the sky.

"This should prove no challenge for you." Beta Ray Bill said nothing in return as he moved to stand beside me. "But prove to me that you're serious about this, crush this army and leave a few alive to tell the tale of how Beta Ray Bill, the Champion Red King announces his rebellion."

There was a moment of hesitation from him before the Korbinite jumped off. Part of the rocks we stood on crumbled under the force he exerted, smoke and wind blasting out and striking at me and Korg.

Releasing a low breath, I dispersed the smoke as I watched Korg plummet down towards the army. "Can we trust him?"

"Not yet," I responded, Korg crossing his arms over his chest. "But that's where you come in Korg. It's your job along with Elloe's to keep an eye on him. We can't afford to lose him, we need him on our side if we want to do this right."

And by we, I meant me.