Despite their fear of the Kryptonian Empire's growing influence, Empress Lilandra had no intention of letting the matter go.
Kallark was the military symbol of the Shi'ar Empire.
It did not matter that he was technically not Shi'ar, but a Strontian. To the people of the empire, he was Shi'ar in every way that mattered.
"Send a ssage to the Kryptonian Emperor," Lilandra ordered after a mont of thought. "See whether he knows Kallark's whereabouts."
The mysterious Kryptonian Emperor had beco a subject of fascination across the universe. Yet despite conquering vast territories, he had rarely appeared in public and had shown no interest in speeches or diplomacy.
He remained an enigma.
"Your Majesty… we have no way to contact the Kryptonian Empire."
The Supre Council mber looked distinctly uncomfortable.
Lilandra blinked. "How is that possible?"
"Not just us. The Kree Empire doesn't have their contact information either. Neither do the Skrulls. As far as anyone knows, the entire universe lacks a direct communication channel with the Kryptonian Empire."
"They appear completely uninterested in diplomacy."
Of course, they did not know about the compensation deal between the Kree and the Kryptonian Empire. The Kree actually did possess a thod of contact.
They simply had no intention of publicly admitting how badly they had been extorted.
So, officially, nobody knew how to reach Krypton.
As far as Esdeath was concerned, diplomacy itself was unnecessary.
Why negotiate when conquering soone turned foreign affairs into dostic affairs?
The frightening part was that she was genuinely capable enough to think that way, to the point where even Drex occasionally wondered whether he had sohow created the real Esdeath rather than a replica.
"What do we do, then?" Lilandra asked.
She was still a relatively new ruler and lacked the experience of a seasoned empress.
"We can send a diplomat directly to them, Your Majesty."
…
"A diplomat from the Shi'ar Empire?"
Esdeath stared at the intercepted vessel lingering near the outer territory of the Kryptonian Empire.
"What does he want?"
The Kryptonian Empire's navigation technology might not have been particularly advanced by galactic standards, but that did not an they were helplessly watching enemy ships wander through their territory.
Drex could now manufacture a new generation of Kryptonian spacecraft using combined Kryptonian ship technology. His quark-level matter manipulation allowed him to produce ships faster than any industrial shipyard.
The vessels resembled enlarged F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighters, though vastly bigger and far deadlier.
A normal Nighthawk could carry a handful of people.
The new Kryptonian warship, the Talon, could carry more than five hundred.
The Shi'ar diplomat's ship froze in place after dozens of Talons suddenly appeared around it.
"How is this possible?" the Shi'ar diplomat said in shock. "Weren't we told Kryptonian ship technology was underdeveloped?"
Their sensors had detected absolutely nothing until the Talons appeared practically on top of them.
The Shi'ar Empire prided itself on its scanning technology.
And yet those scanners had failed completely.
Which ant one thing.
The Kryptonian Empire's stealth technology was far beyond expectations.
At the sa ti, the diplomat waited nervously for a response. If the Kryptonians decided they could not be bothered talking and simply vaporized his ship instead, nobody would care.
After all, he was not Shi'ar himself. He was rely an alien diplomat employed by the empire.
The Shi'ar had chosen him precisely because the mission was dangerous.
If he died, they could pretend nothing had happened and avoid risking war with the Kryptonian Empire.
Even if he were captured, the Shi'ar Empire could simply deny any involvent.
"What's going on?"
Drex sensed the intrusion into his telepathic range and contacted Esdeath directly.
"A Shi'ar diplomat showed up," Esdeath replied. "Not an actual Shi'ar, though. Could be fake. We could just shoot the ship down."
There was obvious excitent in her voice.
For Esdeath, starting wars was practically recreational.
"Behave."
From thousands of light-years away, Drex seized control of the Shi'ar vessel through telekinesis and dragged it directly before him.
The enormous ship descended onto Krypton's surface.
mbers of the Angel Legion surrounded it with flaming swords in hand, ordering the occupants outside.
"So this is Krypton… the howorld of the Kryptonian Empire?"
The diplomat hurriedly opened the hatch while his escorts stumbled out behind him in visible terror.
Then they looked up.
The sky contained ten thousand stars.
No…
Not stars.
They emitted incredible light and thermal radiation, but they lacked the presence of true suns.
Artificial stellar technology?
And deployed directly across their howorld?
Then the diplomat saw the Kryptonian Emperor himself.
Drex Valen sat high above the ground upon a floating throne, angels standing at either side as attendants and guards.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
The diplomat imdiately threw himself flat against the ground.
"What do you want?" Drex asked with mild interest.
He could have read the diplomat's mind instantly through telepathy, but that would have been boring.
The diplomat explained his purpose.
The Shi'ar Empire, and Empress Lilandra specifically, wanted to know the whereabouts of Kallark and his guard ship.
After all, the region where they vanished sat directly between Shi'ar and Kryptonian territory. Claiming the Kryptonian Empire had nothing to do with it would have been difficult to believe.
"Kallark?" Drex said casually. "He is indeed within the Kryptonian Empire."
Using telepathy, he summoned Gladiator.
A mont later, Gladiator descended from the sky.
"Your Majesty."
He bowed respectfully.
"Lord Kallark!"
The diplomat nearly shouted in relief upon seeing him.
Gladiator turned toward him. "You're… from the Shi'ar Empire?"
"Yes, Lord Kallark. Empress Lilandra is deeply concerned for your safety. She hopes you'll return at once."
"I won't be returning."
The diplomat froze.
"W-Why, Lord Kallark?"
"Here, I found my people."
Gladiator's voice remained calm and unwavering.
"They have beco citizens of the Kryptonian Empire. I will remain here as well. I now serve as a Royal Knight of the Kryptonian Empire, Supre Commander of the Imperial Forces, and leader of the palace guard."
My people?
The diplomat's mind reeled.
Kallark's people ant the Strontians.
A whole species of beings like Gladiator?
Dear God.
The Kryptonian Empire was even more terrifying than anyone imagined.
"Lord Kallark… could you perhaps have been deceived…"
"I've made my decision."
Gladiator cut him off with a wave of his hand.
"Return and inform the Empress."
Wearing radiant golden armor, Gladiator stood firm and absolute.
The diplomat could only leave in silence.
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