Chapter 157: A New Power in the Ashen Sector 4

Ethan never expected to hold sway in a planetary council. Yet here he is.

The war room, once filled with debate and heated voices, has gone silent. Every leader, every influential figure in this fractured coalition, now turns to him.

He is not one of them. Not a Kynaran. Not a politician. He is a mercenary, a drifter who crash landed into this planet, became a hired gun to survive and stayed long enough to help burn a criminal empire to the ground. He had no grand plan, no long-term stake in what happened after the dust settled. The war is over. His ship is nearly repaired. He could leave.

And yet… he remains.

Not out of duty. Not out of obligation.

But because the people who fought and died for this planet deserved more than another empty victory.

He had read about stories like these before on Earth. Liberators turned into conquerors, power vacuums swallowed by new tyrants, the cycle of war repeating itself with different banners. He doesn't want that for Kynara. If he walks away now, knowing that this world could still fall to corruption, greed, or external control, then what was all the bloodshed for?

So he stays. Just a little longer. Just long enough to set things right.

Ethan looks at each leader in turn. Lirien Vossel, sharp-eyed and calculating, searching for his stance. Marik Vos, arms crossed, waiting to see what a crucial ally such as Ethan has to say. Darrik Voss, smiling encouragingly as he understands the pressure placed on him.

He exhales slowly before speaking.

"I'm not Kynaran. I don't get a vote in how this planet is run. But I've fought for it. I've bled for it. And I want to see it survive."

He leans forward, elbows resting on the table, voice firm.

"Defiance isn't an option. You all know it. No single planet can stand against a galactic powerhouse such as the Orion Federation. If you make this a fight, you'll lose. And all this? Everything we fought for? It'll be gone. You don't want a second more destructive war, especially not one you bring upon yourselves."

Marik exhales sharply but does not argue.

"That doesn't mean surrender," Ethan continues. "It means diplomacy. You don't roll over, you negotiate. You set terms that secure your future while making it clear that Kynara isn't some broken world waiting to be owned."

Lirien nods approvingly, while Darrik's smile widens.

Ethan shifts the conversation to security.

"Right now, Kynara is vulnerable. You just tore down a criminal empire, and that kind of power vacuum is like blood in the water for every space pirate, bandit warlord, and criminal syndicate looking for a new foothold. If you don't secure this planet now, someone else will."

Marik grunts in agreement.

"We can't let that happen," Ethan says. "Which is why you need allies. And the Ashen Prime could be exactly that."

Darrik raises an eyebrow.

"So what you're saying is that we should ally with the Ashen Prime?"

Ethan nods.

"For stability, yes. You don't need to bend the knee to them, but you need them invested in keeping this sector secure. A strong Kynara is better for them than a lawless one. Make it clear that you're willing to work with them to keep order, rather than leave them wondering if they need to do it themselves."

Lirien exhales slowly, thinking it over.

"It's not a bad strategy," she admits.

Ethan moves to the next point.

"You also need a military force of your own. Something structured, official. Not just scattered resistance cells, small Federation Guard squads and independent mercenaries. If Kynara is going to stand on its own, it needs a real planetary security force."

Marik leans in slightly, listening intently.

"That means merging the Kynaran Federation Guard with resistance fighters. You take the best from both, utilize funding from Ashen Prime and create something unified. One force, under one command structure."

Lirien is the first to respond.

"Who leads it?"

Ethan looks between her and Marik before making his stance clear.

"Both of you."

Marik lets out a dry chuckle.

"You're joking."

Ethan shakes his head.

"You need each other. The Guard has experience with discipline and structure. The resistance fighters have grit and adaptability. Separately, you're two factions with different ideologies. Together, you're Kynara's best chance at long-term security. You need to put personal grudges aside and focus on what's best for this planet."

Lirien and Marik exchange wary glances, but neither outright refuses. That's the best Ethan can hope for at the moment.

Finally, Ethan brings up the issue of reconstruction.

"You can't expect people to rally behind this if they don't have homes, jobs, or resources to survive. The Federation will invest in rebuilding, if you push for it. If you let them decide on their own, they'll rebuild what benefits them. That means military outposts, strategic hubs, and trade centers that serve their interests before yours."

Darrik lets out a short laugh.

"You've dealt with the Federation before, haven't you?"

Ethan shrugs.

"I've done my research, that's all. You need to negotiate funding and resource allocation now, before they finalize their plans. Focus on rebuilding destroyed settlements, outposts, and infrastructure for civilians first. Make sure the terms are clear: if they're going to operate here, they help the people here."

Vos strongly nods in agreement.

"That means trade agreements, too," he adds. "Making sure they don't strip Kynara for its resources without giving anything back."

"Exactly." Ethan responds.

Silence follows his words as the council absorbs everything.

Lirien is already calculating, mentally adjusting strategies to align with his suggestions. Darrik seems amused, but interested. Marik… well, Marik is never easy to read, but at the very least, he has not walked out.

Finally, Lirien speaks.

"We'll need to draft an official proposal. If we go into that meeting with Krell, we need to show that we're united. That we have demands, not just requests."

Marik sighs, rubbing his temples.

"Fine. But if the Federation tries anything, anything, I'm not going to sit back and let them walk over us."

Ethan smirks.

"That's why you negotiate from a position of strength. Give them no reason to think they can walk over you."

Lirien folds her arms, watching him carefully.

"For someone who claims he's leaving soon, you're awfully invested in this."

Ethan exhales, leaning back.

"I just want to make sure Kynara doesn't burn itself down before I'm gone."

Lirien tilts her head slightly.

"And after? What happens when you leave?"

Ethan looks around the room.

He doesn't know the answer. It will all depend on the outcome of these diplomatic talks.

But for now, there is work to do.

After hours of debate, strategy, and tension thick enough to cut with a knife, the coalition council had come to a reluctant agreement. Negotiations with Governor Krell would move forward, and Kynara had a game plan. Whether it would hold up against Federation bureaucracy was another matter entirely, but at least they weren't going in blind.

Ethan stepped out into the cool evening air, rolling his shoulders and letting out a slow breath. The war was over, but for the people in that room, the battle for Kynara's future was just beginning. He had done what he could, pushed for security, stability, and a fair deal. Now, all that was left was to hope they didn't screw it up.

And, after all that, he needed a damn drink.

Ethan made his way to the bar, dropping into a seat with the weight of someone who had spent too much time talking and not enough time drinking.

 "You look like a man in need of something strong," a familiar voice teased.

He glanced up to see Nara herself, the sharp-eyed bartender who had kept this place running through war, and more bar fights than Ethan could count.

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head.

"Just get me whatever's strongest."

Nara smiled and poured him a drink of Rigofrás, a strong rum-like liquor. The glass hit the counter with a soft clink, and Ethan took a slow sip, savoring the burn.

It was exactly what he needed.

He let his gaze wander across the bar, as his thoughts drifted back to the meeting. To Lirien, sharp and calculating, already planning her next move. To Marik, stubborn as ever, but willing at least for now to play his part in securing Kynara's future. To Darrik, always calmly supervising, always watching.

And to the negotiations ahead.

Ethan wasn't naive. He knew the Federation played the long game. They would come to the table with smiles and promises, but behind every handshake was a contract designed to benefit them first. Kynara had to be smart. Had to push back just enough to carve out their own future without provoking a crackdown.

Would they pull it off? He didn't know.

But for now, that wasn't his problem. He had done his part. Given his advice. Laid the groundwork.

Now, all he could do was wait, drink, and hope they didn't screw it up.

Nara leaned against the counter, watching him.

"So, you sticking around for a while? Or is this your last drink before you fly off into the stars?"

Ethan smirked, swirling his glass.

"That depends on a few things out of my control."

Nara gave him a knowing look.

"In other words, you want to leave, but you're not going anywhere until you're sure this place doesn't go to hell the second you're gone."

Ethan chuckled.

"Something like that."

She shook her head, pouring herself a drink.

"Well, if you're gonna be stuck here a little longer, might as well make the most of it."

She raised her glass, and Ethan tapped his against hers.