The Malteek Queen watched through her drones as the creatures before used their terrifying weapons to force her forces to a standstill or be destroyed. The jungles of the planet in the region she held were perfect for her children, but she needed to expand. She’d received a message five days ago stating that a World Administrator had been assigned to this world and that the Adamantium Autocracy now controlled it. This had caused her to fail a quest she’d received as she’d been unable to produce or purchase any vehicles that could get her into orbit.
The Queen had watched as the various leaders on this planet had fallen until only the Adamantium Autocracy and the Malteek Hive remained. Her scouts had watched as the domains around hers had been taken over. Some had been conquered by creatures that her warriors couldn’t contend with in a matter of minutes. That’s why she had decided to break out in a new direction only to find it blocked as well.
A moment later she was completely surprised when one of the Humans wearing some form of clothing that covered his whole body appeared only 100 feet in front of her. The evolution of her species had engrained a sense of urgency when they were surprised and she launched her attack and missed. No matter how many times she attacked, she missed. Interestingly enough, the creature before her did not counterattack.
Realizing there was no point in attacking further she stepped back and commanded her drones to hold, as they had been ready to attack as soon as she was clear. Never taking her eyes off the creature she tried to communicate with it.
Strength through Dominance, the queen sent mentally.
Improvement through Conflict, the creature sent back through her mind speech.
You know the forms, Surrender or die? the queen declared.
The creature cocked its head and then disappeared. A moment later she saw him reappear through one of her drones in one of her outer Domains. A moment later a grey mass of what looked like a swarm of insects spread out from him and blotted out the drone’s vision. Over the next hour, the cloud moved back and forth across the domain destroying all plants as it passed until the only thing that remained were her drones and the Domain Crystal which floated above its pedestal. Her drones had been unaffected, even when they entered the swarm to try to stop it. Nothing they did could stop the foliage from disintegrating while they watched.
A moment later the swarm dissipated, and the creature reappeared before it.
You know the forms, Surrender or Die, it declared.
She had hoped not to use the treasure she had found because its destruction was indiscriminate, and she would lose some of her best warriors, but she didn’t hesitate. A moment later a black orb was sailing at the creature as a defensive array erected what it classed as a Class 4 shield around her.
The item in question was called a Quantum Grenade and would pull everything with a couple of hundred feet into it, before obliterating them. It was guaranteed to bypass all abilities and shields up to Class 3, which most creatures couldn’t afford to acquire.
The queen watched as the creature sighed as the item came toward it and then its clothing disappeared. The grenade activated and the queen watched as the flesh and bones of the creature and everything else within 300 feet were sucked to a pinpoint and disappeared.
What was even more surprising was that she didn’t receive a title or benefit of some kind from killing a creature that could decimate her domains as it had. She gave the orders needed to her drones and they began digging and replanting foliage from the nearby domains and areas that the creature had not touched. As for the crater that had appeared close to her, different orders were given as dirt began to be hauled in and the hole filled before replanting could occur.
***
A moment before the Class 2 Quantum Grenade went off Adam received a message that pissed him right off.
The nature of the weapon targeting you has negated the ability Adaptable.
Adam had seen the message and knew what it meant; the Multitude was negating one of his abilities. He sighed as he wondered if it was going to be like a nuclear bomb going off or a singularity event. Thoughts of running didn’t even cross his mind; he could take it.
He would find out later when he asked Zorvan about Class 2 Quantum Grenades that they actually created a black hole that existed for between 1 and 10 seconds. The duration depended on the area of effect that the grenade had been set for. The reason that it was called a Quantum Grenade instead of a Singularity grenade was that as it detonated, it created a quantum lattice out to the radius that had been set and pulled everything into the singularity within the lattice. Quantum grenades did not rely on the event horizon to pull matter in. Once its duration ended the singularity inverted and an explosion took place
Adam normally would have been able to withstand the high gravitation field of a black hole for a couple of seconds it existed before it disappeared except that because he was touching the object without his Adaptable ability active he was pulled right into the singularity. As his body was ripped into its component atoms even he understood that baring magic, or some force even stronger than magic, there was no physical force that could withstand the destructive force of a black hole.
The next moment Adam found himself floating as energy in his Dual State form within the Astral Plane. Unlike before, he had no control of his destination and soon found himself exiting the Astral Plane into his Office on the Administrator Station above New Alamo.
There were no notifications or any other acknowledgment that he had died. He was simply himself again. A moment later Zoran appeared.
“Is everything all right Adam?” Zoran asked.
“He died,” Thor said from his hologram image.
Zorvan looked at Adam quizzically as Adam pulled out his jumpsuit and equipped it then created nanites with Mold Chaos and reinstalled his quantum link to Thor
“It’s nothing,” Adam said, “Thor a portal to the queen’s location please.”
A portal opened and Adam stepped into what was left of the Queen’s chamber. The chamber and everything within 500 feet of the detonation point was gone, except for the area directly around the Queen. There was a column of stone remaining which the Queen rested upon while the other Malteek drones worked to dump dirt into the huge hole. Adam used Flight to float up in front of the Queen while she watched him then sent, My Turn as he conjured nanites and had them remove her wings as she tried to jump away.
She crashed to the ground, her workers cushioning her landing as Adam floated above her. One of the warriors jumped at Adam and ceased to exist as the nanites ripped him apart and converted him into air before he even came close. Three more followed suit as the Queen righted herself and shook her head as she sent out a single command to her drones, Stop!
Let’s try this one more time, Adam sent, there will not be a third request, Surrender or Die? Adam sent.
Adam was watching the Queen’s aura with his Aura Sight when it started to turn red. Without a thought, he ripped her head off.
Too late, The Queen sent with the last of her mental energy.
Adam activated Freedom of Flight and flashed straight up at 186,300 miles per second. He felt a shudder just as he started his escape but it didn’t stop or slow him down. Once he was in orbit he looked down to see a mushroom cloud rising from the location he’d just been at.
Thor, portal everyone close to the Queen’s position… Adam sent, before he was cut off.
I’m sorry Adam, I do not have the exact location of everyone on either New Alamo or New Venus yet, Thor sent.
Sorry, tell Zorvan to have everyone in the domains closest to the Queen to take shelter. A blast wave is coming. Adam sent.
What did she do? Thor asked.
Some kind of nuclear detonation, probably in the 10-megaton range, Adam confirmed.
Done. What are you going to do? Thor asked.
Take over the rest of New Venus. Repair the damage this caused then head over to see the Emperor of the Trilax after I great his assault squads.
What about the Trilax domains that surrendered to us here? Thor asked.
Are they causing issues? Adam asked.
Zorvan says no, Thor sent back.
Adam: They can sit for a bit. If everything goes right they’ll be part of the Empire soon anyway, Adam sent before he cut closed the interface and went to work.
Some of the Malteek drones went crazy and started attacking anything that moved while others stood in place, not moving at all. It didn’t matter to Adam.
Adam created a nanite swarm in the 100-foot radius around him and began going from domain to domain. He allowed the nanites to clear the area around each domain crystal and then had Thor open a portal to send through 1,200 of his vassals to secure the area and clear out the leftover Malteek drones. Once he had claimed the last 24 domains he received a notification making him the World leader for a second planet.
A new notification popped up.
To become a System Emperor, you must be the World Emperor for two planets in a solar system that has no other World Emperors in it.
Adam couldn’t help but think how perfect the timing for that message was. He activated his advanced communication suite to talk to Zorvan, Thor, and Al.
Zorvan, how close are the three combat shuttles to the Station? Adam asked.
They are quite close; they should be within docking range within moments, Thor sent back.
Thor, portal, please? Adam sent.
A portal opened and Adam stepped into his office and made his way to the airlock area the three ships were docking three decks below his office.
Unseen to the occupants of the shuttles, as Adam came within 100 feet of the airlock, nanites infiltrated the ships, analyzed their weapons and armor, and then nullified the weapons without harming them. Moments later three airlocks and individuals rushed in.
Adam stood in the middle of the corridor 20 feet from the closest airlock to the elevator. The soldiers that exited the airlock raised their weapons and tried to fire at him. Adam ordered the nanites to disconnect the control mechanisms from the pilot board for each ship and then waited for them to work while the invaders tried to decide what to do.
Finally, one of them stepped forward, “In the name of the Trilax Imperium we are…”
The soldier was cut off as a portal opened beside Adam that led to the Trilax Emperor’s office. Adam moved forward, grabbed the soldier by his uniform, and threw him solidly through the portal until there was a crunch against the outer bulkhead before he could even react. He’d made sure to limit the force he used as he threw the soldier so that he’d end up wounded, not dead.
What followed over the next 11 seconds was almost comical as Adam used simple brute force and speed to grab and throw the other 11 guards through the portal where they were left unconscious in a pile on the floor. Next, he entered each shuttle and forcefully escorted each of the pilots to the portal which he assisted them through. When one of the Trilax Emperor’s guards tried to come through the portal, Adam hit him with a Chaos Bolt. It didn’t kill the soldier but the attack when right through the soldier’s armor and left him unconscious on the ground. After that, the rest of the guards decided not to test the portal.
Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.
Thor closed the portal while Adam allowed his nanites to analyze the shuttles and then break them down, storing the mass on the outer hull of the station for later use. Adam would go talk with the Trilax Emperor in a bit. He still had three days before the projectiles from their weapons platform would reach the station, though the staging area and weapons platform had been destroyed while he was taking over the last domains of New Venus.
Adam had planned to head directly over except that a new issue had popped up. It seemed that the Multitude’s grace period had ended and some of the Vassals had this idea that they were kings in their private fiefdoms. Those actions had caused a new quest to appear.
Put down the Revolt.
People within your Empire have decided that they can do a better job than you. Reclaim the contested domains in your world.
Reward? Maintain World Emperor Rank.
Thor, please put a fighter over each domain. Use the fighters to give me the exact positions of the individuals contesting my leadership. Adam sent.
Zorvan, is there a way for me to send out a World message? Adam asked.
Of Course, Zorvan sent it back through the communications channel.
Very well, review the troublemakers and identity the most powerful person, give me their location, and then open a channel for everyone, please, Adam sent.
A few moments later the one fighter was hovering over each of the 100 planetary domain crystals on New Alamo while Adam reviewed the information Zorvan had sent him concerning the cruelest revolter. It was a god damned Cordite. In fact, it was the same piece of shit that had tried to fling him into a Universe with a Universal Density that would kill him. Granted he should be thankful because that’s how he had met the Eterium race, but you know what, fuck that guy. That he was still living meant that Adam had not faced him during the Classification. He was sure that if he had, he probably would have destroyed him without a second thought.
Zorvan, regarding the information concerning the Cordite, where is the individual that bested this guy during the Classification? Adam asked.
He was killed 15 minutes ago. Hold one, Zorvan sent.
Adam waited while Zorvan did his research and reviewed where the Cordite was on the planet. Adam activated Obscure and Flight and started heading to that side of the planet at a rather leisurely pace. As he came to stop a mile above the domain the Cordite was trying to take from Adam. Adam lowered until he was less than 100 feet from the ground so he could hear and see everything this Cordite was doing.
“Now listen up, I am the new King of this region. You saw how quickly I killed my so-called Master. If you do as I say and follow my orders, we can be friends. If you do not, we won’t be enemies for very long,” The purple-skinned humanoid bellowed as he issued follow-up instructions for people to prepare to defend the Administration building he’d claimed.
Adam watched for a moment then contacted Zorvan.
Never mind, I know he killed his master, who is his new master now? Adam asked.
You are Adam, Zorvan said.
Crime and Punishment as dictated by the Multitude? Adam asked.
Punishment for crimes is left to the devices of the various domain holders. The Multitude remains neutral, Zorvan said.
Very good, how many other masters have died? Adam asked.
Seven, so eight total, Zorvan said.
Okay, names and locations to Thor please Zorvan. Thor be ready with the ships, you’ll know when, Adam sent back.
Camera’s on me, record and get this out to every monitor on the planet.
As you wish, Zorvan said.
Adam released nanites from his Shadow Vault and then lowered himself until he was within range of the Cordite. In a moment his nanites had infiltrated and analyzed the Cordite’s biological makeup and realized that except for the purple skin, it was 85% similar to homo-sapiens with very similar muscular structures, though the bones were slightly denser, and the muscle mass was greater. Otherwise, he could with a thought cut his brain off from his body and take control of him.
Adam continued to watch for another minute until someone that wasn’t moving fast enough was targeted and the Cordite moved to slap the female gnome? Seriously, he had gnomes too? Now that he thought about it, he also had a dragon somewhere, though he very much doubted that the dragon would be a problem. They’d talked. Adam displayed his power and showed Fedirox respect. Thinking about his Domains on New Alamo, Adam remembered that Zorvan had placed him in charge of a Domain in a mountainous area with other vassals that were a little harder to control. Adam had thought it was a good idea because who was going to mess with a dragon unless they could beat them?
Bringing his mind back to the moment he froze the Cordite just as he was about to strike out, grabbed him by the back of the neck, and lifted him into the air above the other people in the square that had been helping him take over the town. While he floated there he had the nanites create a cross with clamps and had the nanites control the Cordite to place him in the cross and place a gag over his mouth, even though he didn’t really need to, but it should help get his point across.
A gun went off and a bullet hit Adam in the forehead. He could have let the nanites stop it but he knew the type and caliber of every weapon they had and knew that his normal hit points and regeneration rate would make it appear as if the bullet stopped and bounced off his head. It didn’t mean it didn’t hurt, though he made sure not to show any sign that it had affected him.
“That first shot was free, the next person that shoots one of ‘My’ weapons at me will get vaporized by the ship directly above us,” Adam said as he pointed straight up, where his fighter was hovering with its antigravity generator with its nose facing down. A moment later 5-inch diameter hole appeared at the feet of the person that shot Adam. The man, to his credit, dropped the gun.
The area went deathly quiet and still as everyone realized the person talking wasn’t fucking around. From every monitor, an image of Adam, with a man on a vertical cross gagged behind and below him appeared. Additionally, Adam’s voice boomed from every Administration Building and public communication terminal. For the forces that had invaded New Venus, they were able to view the announcement as a notification within their Interface.
“Greetings to all of you, citizens of the Adamantium Autocracy.
As you all know, the grace period directly after Classification has ended and now we must all make our way within the Multitude. If you are near one of the Administration buildings please look up. You will see a small fighter hovering there.
Now, I could make long speeches about this or that and try to be an overbearing micromanaging dictator but that’s just not my style. We are all slaves to the Multitude, and we will all progress or fail together from this point on. I only have three rules, well four actually.
First, No killing, especially your Master. If you lost to someone during the Classification, you lost. It is my understanding that you can eventually purchase your freedom, or you can have it purchased for you. Opportunities will become available as we expand to have your Vassal status transferred to me or even bought off if you Contribute significantly to the Empire. Murder, however, will be punished immediately.
Second, No abusing your vassal. You do not get to turn them into sex slaves or punching bags. Save those violent tendencies for our enemies that do not surrender. Rape is off-limits at all times. The first can be punished, the second will result in your immediate death once discovered.
Third, after this announcement, if someone attempts to seize control of one of the domains you die. You do not have the strength to challenge me and if you try to seize my domains you have proved beyond doubt that you are not going to be an intelligence asset to my empire because you cannot follow very simple instructions.
Fourth, Zorvan, the World Administrator for New Alamo has final authority on all decisions. The only person that can override him is me. As you may or may not know, he is very experienced at his job. You would do well to listen to him when he speaks and try to learn from him if you can.
Now, as for the Cordite behind me. Fate must really not like this guy because we met before the Unification and Classification. He is not being punished for trying to rebel against the empire. Others of you have done so. As I said, one minute after this announcement if anyone is still trying to take over our empire’s domains for their personal gain, I will end them.
No, this individual and seven others have been found guilty of murdering a fellow member of the empire who also happened to be their Master immediately after the grace period ended.
The Death Penalty of anyone within the empire is for me alone to issue.”
As Adam made that statement the ships above the city he was in and seven others scattered across New Alamo fired their beam weapons at eight vassals immediately vaporizing a 5-inch hole through the top of their heads, down the center line of their bodies, and into the ground below. Each was dead before they’d even had time to react. The eyes of the Cordite on the Cross went vacant, and the body sagged against the restraint before it was rendered into its component atoms by Adam’s nanites.
“For those of you that might think I’m nothing without my technology, there are 999,992 individuals on this planet that I faced during the Classification. I have no doubt most of them have others of you as vassals.
That is all I have for today; I will be visiting each of the cities with one of the executed murders momentarily. I will be invisible so do not be alarmed when the bodies of the dead start disintegrating.
Finally, welcome to the Adamantium Autocracy, follow the rules, and I, with your World Administrators’ help, will try to make sure you have every opportunity to grow and advance.”
Adam disappeared from sight with the use of Obscure then flew to each city to remove the bodies. Three seconds after disappearing the revolt was over and no cities were under threat of revolt. A minute later he’d completed removing the bodies and headed back up to the Administrator Station.
Adam teleported into his office and then said, “Thor, please start producing more fighters, I would like at least a squadron of 100 per planet. We need 100 right now and another 100 for Trilax then make the 100 fighters as we continue to conquer worlds.”
“On it,” Thor said.
“Zorvan, any thoughts of the proceeding?” Adam asked.
“Simple rule structure, not many ways to mess it up,” Zorvan said.
“I’m counting on you to keep track of those that commit murder or rape. Those that do, the ships can take care of when they are outside of a building. If they prove too elusive just let me know and I’ll take care of it,” Adam said.
“What’s next?” Al asked.
“Honestly, I’d like to start saving the people of Earth that survived but I’m pretty sure they’re somewhere else. Barring that, I think it’s time to talk to the Trilax Emperor.”
Adam started walking to the airlock and repurposed all the mass he’d acquired from the three shuttles and created another one of his shuttles already attached to an airlock. He waited until the nanites finished and the airlock cycled open. He stepped into the shuttle, took a seat, and made his way to the cock pit.
Thor’s voice came over the intercom, “Just sit back and I’ll get you there in no time,” Thor said.
Adam sat back and watched as the ship raised shields, transferred to Faster-Than-Light (FTL), and flew around the sun until they came up to another planet that seemed to be a lot like New Alamo. He’d come here once before but this was an official visit. As the ship entered orbit his radar detected a missile on an intercept course. The missile detonated against his shield which registered the attack as coming from a Class 2 weapon, well within the limits of the shuttle’s shields.
“Thor, open a channel?”
“Channel is open,” Thor said.
“Trilax Emperor, by now you know that your Weapons Platform near the gas giant has been destroyed along with your facility in the asteroid belt. I have also returned the personnel you sent to my station and I’m sure your sensors detected how long it took me to get from my planet to yours in this craft. I would like to speak with you in person. Should this be something that you do not wish to do, I will exit my craft and enter your station regardless, conversations after that point will be pointless, you have 60 seconds to reply.”
A moment later a male voice with an almost imperceptible lisp answered, “Please proceed to the illuminated airlock.”
Thor moved the shuttle toward the station and docked at the airlock. As the airlock cycled open a small spherical device was thrown into the shuttle. Adam had been ready and simply reached out and touched the item to send it into his Shadow Vault. A second later two male Trilax stepped through the airlock with weapons drawn.
Adam activated Stutter-Step, which effectively doubled his movement and attack speed reached out to the part of the weapon that appeared to be where the barrel met the housing and squeezed which destroyed both weapons simultaneously.
The soldiers both tried to draw daggers from the belt but as they tried to draw them Adam reached out with a two fingers strike against each creature’s wrist, shattering the bones underneath with a loud crack. At that point, his nanites had infiltrated the creatures enough to shut off their electrical impulses to their legs and arms causing both to slump to the ground.
Adam stepped through the airlock and was met with a barrage of weapons fire that disappeared into a portal that opened between him and the forces at the end of the hall. The exit point of the portal opened beside the soldiers and started bouncing off the hull beside them. This created a lot of noise which caused the guards to pause to figure out what was going on.
Adam Teleported to the elevator behind the soldiers and pushed the button as a portal sprung up behind him that exited into the bulkhead on the shooter’s now right side after they turned around to try to bring their weapons to bear on Adam. When nothing happened, Adam activated Technomancy and brought the elevator to him, stepped inside, and then rode it to the Trilax Emperor’s office. Of course, they tried to override the commands he was giving. Of course, they failed.
The door opened to a room that only contained the Emperor. Well, that’s what they wanted you to think. With True Sight and Aura Sight active Adam could easily discern the 5 assassins just outside the elevator. Two on each wall and one actually hanging from the roof.
Adam pulled the flash-bang grenade they’d thrown into the shuttle to the floor just outside the elevator and steeled himself for the detonation. Once it went off, he walked forward as the nanites in his wake entered the stunned assassins and then immobilized them.
Adam also sealed and locked every door into this chamber as he walked up to the Emperor’s Desk, had his nanites create a chair that allowed him to look down at the Emperor then took a seat, “Vytrix, you wouldn’t believe what I had to go through to meet you?”
Emperor Saljihar looked at this human in front of him and then back to his five assassins that were still not moving.
“They’re fine, they’ll only move if I let them. Stand in a line boys, backs to the Emperor and me,” Adam said as he directed the nanites controlling them to put all five in a line facing the elevator with their backs to the emperor and him.
“You are formidable, but all creatures eventually succumb to the poison in the air. You are already dead, you just don’t know it,” Emperor Saljihar said with a laugh.
Adam had the nanites test the air quality and look for the toxin. Truthfully, he hadn’t even thought to worry about a toxin because Adaptable made him immune to pretty much every poison and toxin unless the Multitude decided to pause his ability of course.
Very soon he found a toxin that made it hard for bodies that relied on oxygen to process it. It also had a component to it that made it ignore the Trilax physiology. A moment later Adam made a minor change to the toxin within 100 feet of him with his nanites. Moments later as the Trilax Emperor started to gasp for air, Adam took large deep breaths.
“Emperor Saljihar, are you having a problem breathing? I wonder what could be causing such an issue, let me fetch help,” Adam said sarcastically.
Adam waved his hand and neutralized the toxin in the air and bodies of the six Trilax in the room.
Emperor Saljihar took a few deep breaths and then looked at Adam warily.
“Emperor Saljihar, it is a very lucky day for you,” Adam said.
Emperor Saljihar finally caught his breath and then looked at Adam warily as he asked, “How so, exactly?”
Adam looked thoughtful then leaned forward as he said, “Well either you’re going to help me take over this system so I can move on from here and leave you in control of it, or you’re going to be stubborn and I’ll have to elevate one of your subordinates to your position.”
“How do I know you’re going to treat my people as equals?”
“Please. You’re just farther along in your Trial for Supremacy than I am. The Multitude doesn’t want equals, it wants slaves fighting each over for an, as yet, unidentified reason. Unfortunately for you, you happened to be in this system and I must take it over so I can progress beyond it. After that I won’t need it anymore. Additionally, I can give you the tools and equipment you need to take over the other nine inner planets in a couple of weeks if not days.
Or, your people will join me anyway, they’ll get the same terms I’m going to offer you, but, you won’t be around. So the question now becomes Do you wish to Surrender or Die?
Emperor Saljihar opened his interface and surrendered to Adam which caused him to immediately fail a quest he had. His title changed to Duke Saljihar and Adam smiled.
“Now Duke Saljihar, Now I can show you what I can do, that is after I stop the projectiles that were going to hit this station in roughly 48 hours.”
“What?” the Duke said, shock evident.
“Oh, didn’t I tell you, the second time you decided to use that weapons platform against my station, I had it destroy itself, the projectile staging area, and sent some of the payloads this direction as well? Not to worry, my fighters will find them in a moment and then they’ll be slamming into one of the gas giants. I can now tell you that the decision you just made was the best decision you could have made,” Adam said.
“Thank you…Sire,” the Duke of the Trilax said.
“Not a problem, besides I think you’re going to like this next part,” Adam said with a grin.