Chapter 42 - The Kree’s Response

The fall of T265 had sent ripples across the war front.

But the Kree Empire did not bend so easily.

Within the towering war council chamber of Hala, the Kree homeworld, a congregation of elite military officials gathered under the dim blue glow of holographic projections. The room was filled with a quiet but palpable intensity—the type that preceded an empire's vengeance.

The holographic battlefield flickered before them, replaying the one-sided massacre.

T265 had not been merely conquered.

It had been erased.

A Kree admiral, his face scarred from countless campaigns, folded his arms as he studied the footage. "They fight with no hesitation. No wasted movement. No regard for casualties because there are none." His jaw tightened. "These creatures… they are war itself."

A Skrull strategist adjusted the projection, zooming in on the white-armored warriors. Their movements were fluid, calculated, and inhumanly efficient.

"They don't fight like any race we've encountered," the Skrull murmured. "Their adaptability is unnatural."

A silence stretched across the chamber.

Then, a scientific officer stepped forward. Unlike the battle-hardened commanders, he carried no weapons—only data. And in this war, information was just as deadly.

"We have studied them closely," he began. "They are fast, resilient, and adaptive. But…" He zoomed in on a slowed-down recording of a battle.

A single moment of weakness.

One of the warriors, mid-reaction, faltered for half a second before its form reshaped and continued fighting.

"It's subtle," the scientist continued, "but they have an adjustment period. Their bodies adapt—but not instantly."

The Kree admiral narrowed his eyes. "Meaning?"

"If we strike with unpredictable, rapid-changing attacks, their response time will lag." The scientist tapped the screen, showing multiple instances where this weakness had surfaced. "They rely on their bodies evolving mid-battle, but if we overwhelm them with diverse, high-speed attacks before they can adjust, they will struggle to keep up."

The Xandarian admiral exhaled, rubbing his chin. "So they're not truly invincible. Just highly resistant."

The Kree High Commander smirked. "Then we exploit that flaw until they break."

A new projection appeared—one displaying a massive counteroffensive.

Hundreds of warships.

Thousands of elite Kree warriors.

The deployment of the infamous Starforce.

A hushed murmur spread through the room. Even among hardened war veterans, the mention of Starforce carried weight.

The Kree High Commander continued, his gaze sweeping over the gathered officers. "We assumed they were nothing more than an irregular force." His fingers drummed against the table. "We were wrong. And now, we will respond in kind."

The Skrull strategist nodded. "They strike in the shadows. We will force them into the light."

The Xandarian admiral crossed his arms. "You're proposing a direct confrontation?"

The Kree admiral smirked. "Not just a confrontation."

He pressed a control on the console, shifting the hologram to a new battlefield.

"We will bait them into a trap."

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Elsewhere in the Dark Quadrant – Aboard Lin Fan's Warship

Lin Fan stood before the expansive viewport, the cold light of distant stars reflecting in his gaze. He had been watching the Kree's movements unfold—waiting for their counterattack.

They had taken their time.

And now he saw why.

A vast fleet had begun mobilizing.

Their battle formations weren't those of a desperate empire scrambling to recover.

No.

This was a carefully planned retaliation.

"Their counterattack will be swift," an officer murmured, eyes locked on the holographic map.

Lin Fan nodded slowly. "That's what makes it predictable."

Another officer hesitated. "But that also makes it dangerous."

A pause.

Lin Fan smirked slightly.

"Of course," he admitted. "But danger is only a problem if you don't know how to use it."

The officer blinked. "...You expected this?"

Lin Fan tapped his finger against the console. "The Kree don't fear strong enemies. They fear what they don't understand." His eyes darkened slightly. "That's why they're trying to force us into a direct war. To make us play by their rules."

Another officer frowned. "And what if they know something we don't?"

Lin Fan didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his gaze drifted back to the holographic warriors—his own troops.

They had never failed him.

But something about the Kree's approach felt different this time.

Almost as if… they had learned something.

His fingers tapped against the console.

A flaw.

Had they found one?

The thought lingered in his mind longer than he liked.

Finally, he turned, his expression unreadable.

"Prepare the fleet." His voice was calm but firm. "Let's see how well they play the game."

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