Carter floated silently in the vast expanse, his form a stark silhouette against the stars. His six wings unfurled once more, casting a faint glow across the surrounding void. He sifted through the newly acquired memories of the generals, piecing together the story that had driven their desperation.
"So, they live on a massive ship… about one-eleventh the size of Earth," he murmured. "It draws power from nearby stars, just enough to keep it running. No wonder they feared losing their precious energy sources."
He considered his options carefully, the weight of his decision hanging in the stillness. "I could destroy their ship," he mused, "but… there's no new life equation there—nothing beyond what I've already obtained." He paused, a flicker of empathy crossing his mind, tempered by his evolving purpose. "One or two unique equations might be possible, but… ending countless lives for such a small gain would be pointless."
A quiet resolve settled within him as he folded his wings, shifting his focus back to his journey. The choices he'd made today only strengthened his conviction; there would be more battles, more worlds he would face, but each would have to align with his purpose. For now, the path forward was clear.
Carter's gaze hardened, his voice a whisper in the silence of space. "I only need power." With a single, swift motion, he launched himself through the galaxy in a flash, his wings cutting through the cosmos like beams of light, leaving trails of faint gold that shimmered momentarily before fading into the dark.
As he hurtled forward, he felt the weight of his journey press on him, the memories of countless years echoing in his mind. Thousands of years of existence had shaped him, stripping away illusions and leaving only pure, unwavering resolve. In the beginning, he might have sought meaning, perhaps even redemption, but now, those notions were distant memories—whispers of a former self. His purpose had become singular, his mentality unshakeable. He moved through the stars like a force of nature, driven by a relentless pursuit of strength, unbound by morality or sympathy. Power was his only goal, and nothing would deter him.
Meanwhile, in another universe—Universe 297, a galaxy dominated by the X3X Collective—alarms pulsed across a massive tower, the tallest spire in a sprawling X3X megacity. The structure gleamed with a metallic sheen, embedded with countless monitors and glowing control panels. The atmosphere inside the command chamber was tense, the glow of various star maps illuminating the faces of X3X commanders as they reviewed the data flowing in.
A tall, thin figure stood at the head of the table, his skin a sleek, silver metallic sheen that shimmered in the dim light. His eyes, a sharp crystalline blue, flickered between the readings. "This is no ordinary cosmic disturbance. We're picking up an energy concentration in Universe 296 far beyond what we've cataloged before," he said, his tone clipped, professional, though tinged with curiosity.
Across from him, a human commander with short-cropped hair and cold, calculating eyes crossed his arms, glancing skeptically at the displays. "We've seen spikes before," he remarked, his voice laced with doubt. "But nothing in that universe has held our interest before now. What makes this different, Commander Virex?"
A third figure, a hulking, insectoid alien with layered chitin and six small, glinting eyes, let out a low, chittering laugh. "Different? The readings are off the scale. I haven't seen anything like it in my entire service. Whatever's there could prove… quite useful," he hissed, his mandibles twitching in anticipation.
Commander Virex raised a hand, silencing the murmurs from the other assembled officers—an assortment of alien races, each representing different sectors under the X3X dominion. "This is more than just a high energy reading," he said. "It's unlike anything we've documented. A force this powerful could alter our position, perhaps even beyond our current galaxy."
Another officer, a serpentine alien with iridescent scales that shifted colors with each movement, nodded in agreement. "If it can be harnessed," he added, his voice a low, reverberating hiss, "then we should send a reconnaissance fleet immediately. Waiting could cost us the advantage."
The human commander leaned forward, gaze fixed on Virex. "I agree with Recon Commander Tarvan," he said, his tone soft but intense. "Send the fleet. Let's find out exactly what we're dealing with."
The insectoid commander clicked his mandibles, eyes glinting with a hunger for the unknown. "Then it's settled. We go. This... entity… will either serve us or be obliterated."
Virex's crystalline gaze moved over the room, weighing the silent nods from each officer. Finally, he issued a single order. "Deploy our strongest fleet to Universe 296. I want detailed scans, combat-ready formations. And prepare the containment protocols. Whatever this thing is… it will be under X3X control."
In that moment, they set their sights on Carter, unknowingly locking onto a force that would test the limits of their ambitions and their survival.