Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Keli Empire

High above the orbit of Hara, the detectors of the Star Spirit Empire had long concealed themselves there. This planet, which had given rise to two intelligent species, naturally piqued the curiosity of the Star Spirits. However, at that time, the Kree were just emerging as a civilization, so the Star Spirit Empire merely conducted passive observation. Later, when the Star Spirits discovered that the Skrull Empire had dispatched an exploration ship, they chose not to pay further attention to this world.

Because of this, the Star Spirit Empire failed to notice that agents of the Zerg had infiltrated the Skrulls. They merely assumed that negotiations had broken down and hostilities had erupted, much like the incident at Karathi.

“We should immediately dispatch a fleet; otherwise, a full-scale war between the two sides is likely,” Elder Kaipel suggested at once.

“No, absolutely not. This is an internal matter between their peoples; we must not interfere,” Elder Marien retorted immediately.

Elder Priestley offered his view, “We do not yet know the origins or the course of these events. To step in and halt both sides now would be far too rash.”

“So what should we do? Just sit by and watch them destroy each other?” Kaipel slammed his hand on the table, only to withdraw it awkwardly under the Governor’s disapproving gaze.

“First, the Skrull Empire is still some distance from Hara; it’s unlikely they would seek to exterminate the Kree entirely. Second, the Kree’s technology is only just beginning to develop, so a major conflict is unlikely to break out in the short term,” Priestley reasoned calmly. “Besides, the Kree wiped out the Kotati at the same time. Limited intelligence indicates it was due to the two-race conflict proposed by the Skrulls. Such petty, vengeful people, lacking any psychic gift, are not fit for our acceptance.”

“Elder Priestley, that is overstepping your bounds. It is not for you to decide who may be accepted. Every civilization has its unique value. The last destruction of the Aevon and the Zerg has already sounded a warning for us. If we allow these civilizations to wage war unchecked, it will only lead to catastrophe. We should establish a platform to resolve such conflicts and help these peoples coexist more peacefully,” Aldaris rebuked Priestley and put forth his own view.

“A platform to resolve conflicts?” Kaipel pondered, then asked Aldaris, “Do you have something concrete in mind?”

“I have a preliminary idea, but it needs further discussion.” Aldaris nodded, glancing at the elders who were nodding in agreement. “Since you all support my view, let us discuss how to build this platform. My concept is that it should, to some extent, prevent war between civilizations and avoid unnecessary casualties.”

“I don’t think we should prevent all wars. Many arise from historical grievances or resource competition. Whatever we do, the underlying contradictions will remain unresolved,” Priestley shook his head. “Besides, on what grounds do we intervene in the disputes between empires? They cannot comprehend the world as we see it, nor can we fully understand theirs.”

“But we can’t do nothing and watch them march toward destruction…” “I think—” “In my opinion—”

With the question of how to handle the affairs of multiple alien species, the Council of Light and Shadow convened a debate lasting a full year. The breadth of the issue and the complexity of the matters involved were such that not even the psychically linked Star Spirits could resolve them quickly.

Meanwhile, as the Star Spirit Empire argued, the Kree Empire’s technology began to advance with astonishing speed. With traitors from the Skrull Empire among them, the Kree quickly achieved technological leaps through reverse engineering. In a few centuries, they transformed from a primitive civilization just entering the space age into an interstellar empire spanning several star systems.

On the Skrull side, after their exploration ship lost contact, they paid no further attention to Hara—partly because of distance and slow communication, and partly because a wave of rebels had risen within the Skrull Empire. These rebels claimed to be the heirs of the Aevon Empire and aimed to break away and revive the old order, leaving the Skrulls in chaos. What the Skrulls did not realize was that this rebellion was a smokescreen orchestrated by the Zerg Matriarch, designed to allow the Kree Empire to develop without interference.

By the time the Skrull Empire had quelled the rebellion and investigated the disappearance of their exploration ship, they were shocked to discover that the Kree Empire had reached technological parity with them. As some within the Star Spirit Empire had observed, in the absence of an enemy or an ally, a civilization’s technological development often stagnates. The Skrulls had not advanced in a long time; even the legendary Star Spirit Empire was now but a myth, and the Aevon Empire’s technology had been inferior to the Skrulls. With the assistance of the traitors, the Kree soon caught up—and all within just a few centuries.

After concluding their debate, the Star Spirit Empire decided to establish an Interstellar Tribunal, which, at present, set forth only three laws:
1. No wanton destruction of planets that harbor life.
2. No wanton extermination of intelligent species.
3. No wanton interference in the development of primitive civilizations.

The interpretation of “wanton” would, of course, be left to the Tribunal’s judges. For the time being, the Star Spirit Empire would maintain a permanent bench, reserving seats for other guardian civilizations. The Council of Light and Shadow believed this would be enough to safeguard the basic survival of each civilization; other issues would be left for future consideration.

With these discussions behind them, the Star Spirit Empire naturally turned its attention to the looming conflict between the Kree and Skrull Empires.

As for the time discrepancy, it was because the Elders’ meeting had been held on Ulna. To enhance the welfare of the Council’s members and avoid a shortage of candidates, the Council moved its chamber to Ulna, where the representatives would both cultivate their powers and handle official duties. To ensure the timely handling of state affairs, all matters not requiring the assembly’s deliberation were delegated to the Executors of the Purifiers. Thanks to these measures, the Council, which had struggled to recruit new members for centuries, finally saw renewed participation.

At this very moment, under the watchful gaze of the Star Spirit Empire, the two sides had already entered into battle.

First, the Kree Empire: they had never forgiven the Skrulls for their betrayal. Under the wise and valiant leadership of Prime Minister Syra, they were about to seek vengeance.

Thousands of warships gathered at the Hara starport. Prime Minister Syra was rallying the nation for war.

“Today, we shall have our revenge on the wicked Skrulls! Today, we shall claim the glory that is rightfully ours! Victory to the Kree!” Syra shouted, raising his arm high. He was the fifth prime minister of the Kree Empire—but no one knew he was also the first.

“For the Kree!” the zealous warriors cried as they boarded their ships. Long ago, they had deciphered the star charts from the exploration vessel; the route to the Skrull capital was already clear. Striking without a declaration of war was a tradition of the Kree—strike first, strike hard. They intended to destroy the Skrull capital before their enemies could react.

On the Skrull side, though they had detected the Kree’s presence, the Kree had always refused diplomatic relations. The Skrulls, not wishing to provoke conflict, did not dispatch a fleet to investigate and merely harbored suspicions.

Skrull Imperial Capital—3:00 p.m.

The Central Park was the largest in the capital, with thousands of visitors—Skrulls from other worlds enjoying their leisure. That afternoon, as the sun shone down, the guests suddenly noticed a beam of light descending rapidly toward the park. Before anyone could react, consciousness fled them.

At that same moment, the highest alert blared through the Skrull capital. The city and planet raised their shields, repelling the sudden assault from high orbit.

“What’s happening? Who is attacking us?” The administrative center was a primary target in the first barrage, but survived thanks to the immediate activation of its shield. The parliamentary leader was now demanding answers from the planetary defense commander.

“Sir, it appears the enemy’s ships possess cloaking technology. They bypassed our system defenses and appeared directly above the capital. Our sensors failed to detect them in time. However, after the first attack, we have locked onto their position and are analyzing their identity,” the commander reported everything he knew, causing the parliamentary leader to frown deeply.

“How long can the shields hold? Where is our fleet? When will they arrive?” The leader tapped his desk, asking the crucial questions.

“Well…” the commander hesitated. “The enemy seems to have jammed our signals. We cannot contact the fleet, but if the homeworld is cut off for twenty minutes, all fleets will return immediately. As for the shield…”

He considered carefully. “If the attack remains at the current intensity, our shields should hold until the fleet arrives.”

The leader nodded. “Who do you think the enemy most likely is?” The commander dared not speculate wildly and replied honestly, “Sir, I suspected the rebels, but they cannot possess cloaking technology. Beyond that, I have no idea.”

The leader’s fingers tapped the desk. Just as he was about to speak, someone burst in.

“Commander, half of our planetary shield generators are down. The enemy has air-dropped combat units, heading straight for the remaining generators!”

The leader’s brow furrowed. The assault had targeted all vital points. The enemy clearly knew them well. Who could it be?

Another messenger rushed in. “Commander, we’ve identified the enemy. It’s the Kree Empire.”