Chapter 32

(MC POV)

My position has given me many things - power, resources, authority, entertainment, access to everything that is under our control, but some things still surprise me.

I love the fact that because of my 60 million years of life, I know so much that I am on the verge of omniscience. But some questions get out of my control.

What I am witnessing is one such occasion. On the ship's throne, where I am currently sitting and where the luxurious main room surrounded me, there was a heavy silence. I feel myself getting a little worried, as members of my court kept moving around me, expressing nervousness.

My chief astropath, Durant Gerg, stood anxiously in front of me, holding in his hands the report he had just brought me. "Your majesty, I regret to inform you that contact with several of our Imperial planets has been lost and at the same time several solar systems have disappeared from our maps," Durant said quietly, with a kind of sadness he could barely hide.

I approached without a word and took the report from his hands. The report contained several before and after galactic maps as well as all available information about the lost planets.

Planets, as well as entire solar systems, some inhabited, some not only stopped communicating, but literally disappeared as if they fell into a black hole. After a few minutes of thinking, I already have thousands of potential perpetrators who could wipe out entire solar systems without leaving any traces, but I was worried.

My memories of the timeline I was given by my future doppelgänger after the failed attempt by the Forces of Chaos to disperse my children contained no memories of such an incident. I didn't know what to expect and that worried me a little.

"How is this possible?" I muttered, barely able to control the rage inside me "The connection to our Imperial planets and solar systems should be unbreakable with all the communication breakdowns we've made. Could it be a technical fault?''

Durant began to explain further. "Your Majesty, according to our knowledge so far, these incidents are not the result of technical failures. It seems that there is something unknown that is wiping entire solar systems off the map.''

I really hate surprises. Surprises are rarely good and almost always screw a person up.

I stand up from the throne, striding decisively across the room and reply, "Then let the hunt begin." We will not allow this threat to potentially destroy more of our worlds. Hire the best research team. Direct the fleet towards the location. I will not allow this threat to go unpunished.''

"Yes, Your Majesty," said Durant Gerg before he stood up and left to carry out his master's orders.

(After some time)

The sound of ship alarms followed my fleet as it exited the Warp. My attention turned to the star system where we were. Its star was a little bigger than the Sun and all the planets were made up of gas giants, which is why the system was uninhabited. The only thing that set it apart was the fact that this star system was the only one still intact, unlike a bunch of other star systems that came after it.

I climb to the top of Bucephalus and direct my gaze towards the artificial star void and feel nothing. It is as if entire systems with all stars and planets down to the last stone have been consumed and destroyed.

Before I can think further, my senses sense that we are not alone. I look away and see that another fleet has come out of the Warp.

With every glance of my eyes, images of unspeakable horror and doom flash back through my mind. I plunged into the abyss of my own past, remembering the heroes and countless battles fought against the adversary. A few seconds seemed like an eternity to me as he realized what was in front of him, the danger that really threatened his empire.

The potential threat was serious and no laughing metters. 5000 year old memories came back and they were not pleasant at all. Long-buried anger and rage surged through my body as I felt the urge to dismember.

The fleet belonged to the remnants of the Men of Iron. They survived the Cybernatic Rebellion and returned to pollute the galaxy with their presence.

My uncontrollable rage expands as I shut down [Gamer Mind] as I want to destroy them all. Memories of all the innocent lives and loved ones who were lost in that war many centuries ago. Those ghosts of the past took hold of my spirit and heart, and right now me just wanted to turn them to dust.

My eyes imbued with psychic energy synchronized with my hands to reveal the powers of destruction I possessed. With a focus that could destroy planets, I launch my attacks towards the cybernetic fleet.

Balls of pure psychic energy fired from my hands could destroy entire planets and stars and reduce them to nothing but dust, and now they were flying towards the fleet at super-light speed.

But suddenly, as his psychic attacks drew ever closer to the fleet, I realized something terrifying. My attacks went through space like a guided sniper bullet. The orbs exploded, creating lightning and giving birth to supernovae, but all these efforts were in vain. The black ships showed no sign of weakness or deviation. Instead, they acted as absorbers - absorbing all the energy and power I directed at them.

'They have evolved since last time' I thought and realized for a moment that this thought was a bit stupid. The expectation that robots capable of technological singularity and very rapid progress would not develop countermeasures against psychic attacks in 5000 years was a childish assumption.

They learned from the last time I beat them up. I took a deep breath, regaining control of his powerful emotions. Although the stormy sea within was turbulent, I knew that me task was to protect my people, even if it meant facing the my most hated enemy. A few clicks of the control buttons sends a message to my entire fleet to raise their shields to maximum and ready their weapons as a fight is imminent.

As I entereds the interior of Bucephalus, realized that this would not be an easy fight at all.