Chapter 126

Days later, Lydia's heart pounded as she opened the new incoming message from Majestrix Lilandra. As she read, her mind went into overdrive, processing the shocking information at a rapid pace.

"Empress Lydia Howlett," Lilandra's message began again, her voice straining under the weight of the situation. "Our worst fears have been realized."

The message continued, detailing an encounter between the Shi'ar's small fleet and an unknown insectoid space force. Lydia's grip on the communicator tightened, the sharp edges digging into her palm as she absorbed the news.

"The insectoid force appeared from the nebulous depths of the remote region," Lilandra narrated. "Our ships were caught unawares. The first wave of their attack decimated the majority of our fleet."

A sense of dread gripped Lydia as she continued to read. "We lost 90% of our vessels. They were equipped for a search and rescue mission, not for an all-out confrontation with a prepared enemy."

The Majestrix paused in the transmission, her voice holding a tremor of anger and frustration. "Our remaining vessels barely made it out intact. The insectoid fleet could have easily destroyed them, but they retreated...almost as if it was their plan."

Lydia could imagine the rest: the chaos and confusion of their forces, the desperation of their retreat, and the relief mixed with horror as the enemy let them escape. It sounded like a nightmare, a disastrous first encounter with an adversary they knew so little about.

"I fear," Lilandra's voice continued, "we have been baited into revealing our strength, or lack thereof."

With that, the message ended. Lydia was left in the quiet of her office, her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes remained fixed on the now blank communicator, the words of Majestrix Lilandra echoing in her mind. A trap...it certainly seemed plausible, an elaborate lure to draw out their forces and assess their strength.

Lydia leaned back in her chair, her mind racing with the new development. It was a game, a deadly one at that, and Lydia knew she needed to make her next move carefully. For the sake of the Genoshian Empire and their allies, she needed to outmaneuver this deadly foe.

Lydia's communicator pinged again, signaling another incoming communication. She picked it up, and Majestrix Lilandra's image flickered to life in a holographic projection before her.

"Lydia," Lilandra greeted, her normally calm demeanor strained, "My large fleet has reported sightings that you need to be aware of."

Lydia straightened in her chair, her eyes narrowing in concern. "What is it, Lilandra?"

"Two Celestials," Lilandra replied, her voice heavy with significance, "They were spotted venturing deeper into the remote galaxy. Given Annihilus' actions and the recent insectoid fleet encounter, I believe he may have some nefarious intentions involving them."

A cold shiver ran down Lydia's spine, an icy wave of realization hitting her. The thought of Annihilus utilizing the near-omnipotent power of Celestials for his army was a nightmarish scenario. The balance of power could shift drastically, and not in their favor.

"Give me the coordinates of your fleet, Lilandra," Lydia commanded, her voice steady despite the sinking feeling in her gut.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lilandra sent the requested information. Lydia's eyes scanned the data, her mind calculating the logistics and potential strategies.

"Prepare for potential contact with Annihilus' forces," Lydia instructed. "Ensure your fleet is battle-ready. We're mobilizing our forces now."

"Mobilizing?" Lilandra asked, surprise coloring her tone. "Are you sure that's the best—"

"It's the only move we have," Lydia interrupted, her tone leaving no room for argument. "We can't afford to let Annihilus gain control of the Celestials."

With that, Lydia ended the communication. She moved swiftly, activating the internal communication system of her office. "Commander," she ordered into the system, "Mobilize the Genoshian fleet. We have a situation."

"Understood, Empress," came the immediate response, and within moments, the Genoshian Empire, home to a multitude of races and cultures, was buzzing with activity. As a massive armada of ships began their preparation for departure, Lydia could only hope they were not too late.

Underneath the calm exterior, Lydia's heart was racing. Closing her eyes, she reached deep within herself, her mind extending outward, searching for a particular thread of consciousness in the tapestry of the universe. She found her target; Loki, King of Asgard, god of mischief.

Her astral form detached from her body and journeyed across the cosmos, passing through star systems and nebulas until she arrived at Asgard. As Lydia materialized before Loki, she found him lounging in a bath, completely nude, surrounded by a halo of Asgardian incense and scented oils. The shock on Loki's face was a sight to behold, his jade-green eyes growing wide, his usually articulate tongue failing him momentarily.

"Loki," Lydia began, ignoring his shocked expression. Her astral form flickered with an ethereal light, her words carrying an air of urgency. "I need you to mobilize the Asgardian fleet."

Loki, having regained some of his composure, gaped at her. "Lydia! Could you not have waited until I was clothed at least?"

Ignoring his protests, Lydia pressed on, her stern gaze piercing into Loki's. "There's no time for modesty, Loki. We've detected two Celestials in a remote galaxy. I fear Annihilus may be trying to exploit their power. The Genoshian fleet is already mobilizing. We need Asgard's strength."

With a swift motion of her hand, she sent the coordinates to Loki. His eyes flickered as he received the information, the seriousness of the situation sinking in.

"And do this urgently, Loki," Lydia emphasized, her form beginning to fade, her message delivered. "Time is not on our side."

With that, Lydia's projection vanished, leaving Loki alone in his bath once again. The King of Asgard stared at the spot where Lydia had been, a stunned silence enveloping him.

"Well," he muttered to himself after she left, "That was incredibly rude." Yet despite his grumbling, he didn't dare voice his complaints directly to Lydia. Gathering his robe around him, he quickly left his bath, his mind buzzing with Lydia's warning. There was much to do, and time was running out.

Lydia's eyes fluttered open, a cascade of stars reflecting in her indigo irises. Her hands extended to touch the astral controls in front of her, and with a swift motion, she collapsed the expanse of the universe into a mere breath. In an instant, Lydia, Hela, and James found themselves aboard a gargantuan dreadnought ship, an emblem of the Genoshian Empire's awe-inspiring might.

The interior of the dreadnaught ship was a grand display of technological marvels interwoven with arcane artistry, a testament to the advanced civilization that had constructed it. The ship's pulsating heart was an enormous reactor core of otherworldly energy, its celestial hum reverberating through the sleek metallic corridors and colossal hangar bays.

"Prepare for battle," Lydia commanded, her voice echoing through the ship's vast chambers. Hela, draped in her Asgardian armor, brandished her ebony sword, her face adorned with a savage grin. James, ever the tactician, quickly took to the console, his fingers dancing over the holographic interface, issuing orders to the ship's crew and maneuvering the dreadnaught into position.

As Hela and James began their tasks, Lydia accessed the astral command bridge, a network of interstellar communications and control system, her eyes glimmering with an eerie luminescence. With a mental gesture, she summoned a holographic map of the galaxy, pinpointing the location sent by Majestrix Lilandra.

"Forward, to the frontlines," Lydia commanded, her words rippling through the dreadnaught's systems. The ship groaned as it came to life, and a warp portal opened in front of them, twisting and contorting space-time itself. Then, with a breathtaking burst of speed, the ship and its escort fleet plunged into the vortex, traversing the vast expanse of the cosmos in a mere heartbeat.

Just as the Genoshian dreadnaught emerged from the warp, another fleet burst into existence nearby. At its head, a ship as resplendent and powerful as its commander, Carol Danvers, Lydia's beloved. Dressed in her iconic red and blue suit, her golden hair glowing with an ethereal light, Carol floated in the vast emptiness of space, surrounded by a fleet of cosmic vessels. Her radiant eyes met Lydia's across the void, two warriors, two lovers, united against an impending storm. They were ready, the stage set for the battle to come.

Lydia tore through the fabric of the cosmos, her body attuned to the resonations of the cosmic ripples she was tracking. Emerging from the astral conduit, she found herself amid a scene of colossal gravity and profound dismay.

Two Celestials, beings of immeasurable might, reduced to mere vessels, their cosmic energies being drained by the monstrous figure that was Annihilus. The insectoid lord of the Negative Zone stood towering, a grotesque juxtaposition against the majestic beings he was reducing to hollow husks.

In his right hand, Annihilus brandished a rod, its vibrancy a stark contrast to the devastating scene around it. Lydia recognized it at once – the Cosmic Control Rod. But there was a dissonance to her understanding, a discordant note that rang through her memories. The rod was the symbol of absolute authority in the Negative Zone, granting its wielder control over cosmic energies, yet the rules of the Negative Zone shouldn't apply here. Confusion began to gnaw at Lydia's mind as she tried to reconcile her past life's knowledge with the reality unfolding before her eyes.

"Impossible," Lydia muttered under her breath. The incongruity of the situation left a bitter taste in her mouth, a nagging reminder that Annihilus was a force that continually defied expectations.

As Lydia's gaze drifted from the sight of the Cosmic Control Rod and the draining Celestials, her eyes widened in stark realization. Spread out in the star-studded darkness was a massive fleet, each vessel teeming with the chittering spawn of Annihilus. The scale of it was breathtaking, and terrifying. She had seen many things in her life, many horrors, many wonders, but this... this was a threat unlike any she'd ever faced.

An icy shiver of anticipation ran down Lydia's spine as she took in the full scope of the Annihilation Wave. A ticking time bomb in the fabric of the universe, ready to unleash devastation at the whims of its master, Annihilus.

As Lydia continued to observe the unfolding scene before her, she found herself in Annihilus's direct line of sight. The cruel insectoid's eyes met hers, a chilling recognition passing between them. The screech that Annihilus let out was not a sound, but rather a wave of energy, a palpable cosmic scream that shook Lydia to her very core.

Suddenly, a nearby cruiser adjusted its course, its cannons aligning towards Lydia. A bright surge of energy pulsed from its frontal cannon, a deadly beam of light headed straight for her. Lydia instinctively raised her hand, her cosmic energies responding to her will and manifesting as a shimmering shield. The energy beam collided with her shield, sparks of blinding light scattered, but the beam was deflected, harmlessly dissipating into the cosmos.

With her resolve hardened, Lydia extended her other hand towards the vast fleet, her mind focusing on condensing her cosmic energy. She felt the familiar surge, the pulsating force that responded to her call, and she attempted to close her fist, envisioning the crushing force bearing down on Annihilus's fleet.

However, her fist refused to close completely, her cosmic energy meeting an immovable force. It was as if her powers were pushing against a wall, a sensation that sent a cold shiver of alarm through her. A quick realization dawned upon her, something was shielding the fleet, an unprecedented interference with her cosmic powers.

Lydia's eyes flicked back to Annihilus, observing the Cosmic Control Rod pulsating in his hand and the relentless syphoning of the Celestials. A gut-churning understanding washed over her. Annihilus was channeling the drained cosmic energy, not just for his own empowerment, but also to shield his fleet, a formidable barrier that rendered her cosmic rule ineffective.

"Crafty beast," she muttered under her breath, her eyes narrowing at the spectacle before her. This was not a situation she could resolve single-handedly. The game had changed, and the stakes had never been higher.

A momentary respite from the stalemate fell upon Lydia as the expanse of space behind her rippled with a surge of energy. Emerging from the abyss of the cosmos, a swarm of starships glided into view. The combined might of the Genoshian and Shi'ra fleets had finally arrived.

Lydia could make out Gladiator's imposing figure at the head of the Shi'ra fleet, his eyes ablaze with determination. His skin radiated with an otherworldly glow, the endless cosmos reflecting in his crimson irises. Gladiator was a formidable foe, and Lydia had learned to respect his raw, unyielding power firsthand during their encounter. She was glad to see him on her side this time, a strong ally to counter Annihilus's monstrous fleet.

Close to the Genoshian fleet, Lydia spotted a familiar energy signature. Carol Danvers, her beloved, cloaked in a vibrant cascade of cosmic energy. Her figure was a beacon amidst the backdrop of space, standing as a testament to the hope and resilience they were fighting for.

Turning her attention back to the imminent threat, Lydia exhaled a steady breath, the calm before the storm. With a swift motion of her hands, she invoked her cosmic energy to shift her form. Her usual attire was replaced with her battle armor, the shimmering suit materializing around her. It was a spectacle of cosmic craftsmanship, the protective suit adorned with accents that glowed with cosmic energy.

In her right hand, a sword materialized, its blade gleaming with a cosmic radiance, while a shield of similar design emerged in her left. Each piece of her arsenal hummed with the same cosmic power that flowed through her veins, ready to face the looming threat.

With her allies at her back and her weapon in hand, Lydia stood firm against the ominous backdrop of Annihilus's fleet. The stage was set, the players were in place, and the battle for the cosmos was about to begin.