His head resembled a human skull only the dark shell housed an E-Soul.

Ardi had been dragged out of her nap when she heard that Ropa wanted to call her so she got up and sat grumpily in her office where she faced the Archon whose head appeared in the holographic display before her.

[The Absolute Popsicle clearly wants to get rid of us both so I suggest that you abandon whatever grand ideals or plans you have and surrender. I will grant you a quick and honourable death so that you may be remembered favourably but that will be the extent of my courtesy.] Ropa thundered and while Ardi’s Higher Processes listened to what the third Tooth had to say, her Moderate Processes realized the truth behind Heatdeath’s words.

She was clearly heavily biased towards mankind, Meredith and the SIH.

And while she didn’t see a problem with picking a side, she had neglected the possibility that she could go out on her own.

As for whatever Ropa was saying, she apparently had a choice: surrender and let Ropa into her territory so that he may kill her and take over or resist and fight a war on multiple fronts since 0 had probably already declared her an enemy.

Of course, this was understandable.

0 stood to gain far too much by having Ropa and Ardi fight until they were weak.

He could then swoop in and take them both out, cementing his rule over the galaxy although she wondered how Ropa would deal with that.

She felt like asking him but decided to go for a more dramatic approach.

“I would rather experience a thousand deaths before either of my knees touch the ground!” She slammed the table.

[Mmmm… So be it. I called because I thought that you would be smart enough to see that you couldn’t possibly win but alas. I will have to quickly squash you and then deal with the treacherous ice box.] Ropa growled but this just made Ardi tilt her head.

“And I thought you’d be smart enough to know that I would a put up a fight and even if I ended up dying, by leaning too far into my Territory to attack you would be leaving yourself open.”

[You overestimate just how much effort it’ll take to kill you. That said, I’ll keep your advice in mind. I know that ice cube is up to something although I’ve yet to detect any movement from his side. Anyway, goodbye.]

The transmission ended and Ardi sat completely still for a moment.

She had tried.

Truly.

But it seemed as though 0, the SIH, the Dead Stars and everyone else were determined to not only keep her at arm’s length, they were also plotting to kill her.

So Ardi gave up on them.

She would simply plant all the seeds of her vision in her territory where she would tend to them until they bloomed.

She would focus on herself and her people.

Speaking of, Orion had just finished drafting his project and had made an order for several things.

Firstly, he would be making use of ten thousand worlds which meant he would need ten thousand LIAs.

He would also need billions of tons of resources and water which Heatdeath kindly offered.

This was where being the Admiral of a fleet came in handy.

Countless ships would be making their way towards the star systems around Plinth which Heatdeath was also going to protect and monitor.

He was really dependable in that sense, a trait which Ardi felt commendation and even reward.

Orion also deserved a reward for having a vision that closely aligned with hers and his proactive efforts to achieve it, even if he wasn’t an Archon, were admirable.

Swordtooth was also hard at work along with Gudo, Tsuro and the countless humans working alongside them.

Ardi wanted to thank all of them for not making her life more difficult than it needed to be so she stood up and tapped her right foot once, prompting her Nanitesuit to take the form of an Admiral’s Uniform much to Andy’s visible amazement.

Ardi then dramatically pointed upwards and declared.

“To the New Genesis!”

.

..

Ardi’s Higher Processes helped coordinate the troops on the border between her territory and that of Ropa.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

This group was led by ten of her two hundred captains who were under the charge of Captain Binga.

Gudo’s men weren’t quite ready yet hence the impromptu defence force.

Ropa wasn’t an idiot and wasn’t going to have his ships sail into the range of her many Gravfold Canons so Binga’s men would be covering the gaps and that’s where a large portion of the fighting would be happening.

Ardi hadn’t gotten a chance to outfit all of her men with Mark III Nanitesuits yet but, with sufficient coordination and planning, they would emerge victorious.

A call had also been put out for all the other captains to beef up their defences.

As expected, 0 hadn’t made a move in the days that followed his call with Ardi but she kept several eyes on him.

Well, that’s what her Higher Processes were doing.

Her Moderate self was sitting opposite Orion on the viewing deck of a ship that flew above the atmosphere of a lush, green world from which countless other ships could be seen landing and leaving.

The viewing deck was a luxurious ovular space made mostly of a transparent material, allowing the light of the local star to illuminate Ardi and Orion who shared some tea as they sat in otherwise complete silence.

She was still in her Nanite uniform and Orion was in his maid outfit.

“Tell me something about yourself. I realize that things have been moving far too quickly as of late but it’s important to stop and smell those Oh so pretty roses from time to time.” Ardi’s voice was almost deafeningly clear in the stillness of the deck.

“Where would you like me to begin? My short time on earth as a child or the years that followed as an ornament for the opulent?”

Ardi felt every bit of spite and hatred in his words.

“Share what you feel most comfortable with.”

“Well, contrary to popular belief, life on Earth wasn’t all that bad. We humans have always been a resourceful bunch and our instincts, when exposed to certain conditions, kick right back in. While the endless ashes from the bombardments relentlessly swirled above, Andy and found shelter as the solitary inhabitants of one of the bunkers below. It protected us from nuclear radiation and other such things. We were alone because, desperate to attain the precious few seats in the escape shuttles, our parents left us behind to guarantee their escape. I often find myself wondering if they made it out… Either way, the water in the bunker was clean and we had more than enough food for the both of us.”

Orion’s eyes fell as he spoke.

“But it was hard. Hearing Andy’s silent cries in the night as we waited for adults who never came. I watched over her in sickness, in sorrow and our solitude as I learnt to be whatever and whoever she needed.” A single tear formed in Orion’s left eye.

“I was to her a brother, sister, father, mother and friend. The only other face she knew and the only face she needed for fifteen years.” Orion smiled as he wiped the tear.

“Is that why you wear inverted clothes?” Ardi raised a brow but this just made Orion giggle.

“No. Remember, I said that Zenith only did that to complete his eccentric aesthetic. For you to forget such a detail… maybe you aren’t as omnipotent as some would believe.”

“Oh.” Ardi sounded making Orion giggle.

His face, however, would go on to stiffen and crease.

“But… while I was more than content being there for her to lean on as her big brother… I also wanted someone to lean on. Someone who would hold me and tell me that everything was alright but… no one ever came until the traders found us.”

His voice was hoarse and laden with hatred.

No tears fell as he stared at something that wasn’t quite there which made Ardi bite her teeth.

While her circumstances were different, she too had been looking for someone to lean on.

“Come here.”

Ardi spread her arms and, while he hesitated a bit at first, Orion eventually stood up and allowed himself into her embrace.

“I suppose I must come clean and say that I have been using you. I also wanted someone I could lean on and I forced onto you some kind of surrogacy. Even now I am grasping at whatever pieces of humanity I can and I guess there was no one more human than two of the last Earthlings.” Ardi whispered before gently raising Orion’s head.

“But I don’t want to care for you out of some self-imposed sense of necessity. I want to care for you on my own terms and I am more than willing to be the one you lean on.” Ardi smiled and this made Orion’s eyes well with tears as he looked into hers.

“Alright but only if you continue to lean on me as well.” He smiled he pressed his forehead on Ardi’s.

“Alright.”

Ardi let Orion go, allowing him to return to his chair where he wiped the handful of tears that had fallen.

“Whew! Try as I may, I cannot get used to your eyes.” He softly laughed but this made Ardi’s shoulders droop a little.

“And that’s a good thing, my dear. It means that, for as long as you will allow it, I will be amazed by your being every single time.”

Ardi let out a flustered groan as her eyes fell a little.

She knew Orion liked her eyes but, out of consideration, she tried not looking directly at him if she could avoid it but Orion assured her that it was alright even though it made him get all flustered which created a loop of awkward stares.

But Ardi loved them.

Yes, she loved every little moment and wanted to share more with him, Andy and any others who were willing.

“Now, back to business. I have decided to give up on the Starlight Coalition and their affiliates.” Ardi sighed.

“Andy told me as much. And it should be said that you tried, at least. And Ropa? How are you going to deal with him?” Orion crossed his legs, revealing his short-heeled black shoes which went well with his white socks and uniform.

“Once my Armada is assembled, we will begin the second phase of our grand plan and move to take over his territory while keeping an eye out for the remaining teeth. 0 won’t attack until he sees an opening but complacency would mean a painful death for all of us that’s why I’m not going to take even a single soldier from the captains.”

Orion frowned.

“So… you’ll only be using the Armada? But you only sourced from the planets around Plinth.”

“Yep.” Ardi grinned.

“But they’re going up against a force of thirty billion!” Orion cried making Ardi giggle

“I know.”

“And the Armada only has fifteen million!”

Ardi stood up and looked into the ink-blackness of space beyond the planet beneath them.

“I know.”

“So… you’re not going to deploy the total of thirty billion troops under your captains so that you can bolster our defences?” Orion’s face was strewn with terror.

“Yep. Fifteen million men will, when the time comes, March into hell to strike at the maw of Death.” Ardi smiled as she allowed herself to tap into her Higher Processes.

She watched as countless men on several worlds were trained to the bone, fitted into Mark III Nanitesuits and mentally tuned into the Ardinite Network allowing Ardi to monitor and support each and every one of them.

That is why she was so confident in them.

Because she had complete confidence in herself.

Orion sighed as he walked up to her side.

“Hopefully your sword will be here by then.”

Ardi's expression remained unchanged.

Her eyes still burnt with ambition that rivalled the light of any star in the sky.

“I will accept whatever decision she makes although I would prefer if brandished both a mighty Spear and Sword."