A Glimpse of Strength

The plans had been finalized. The Cathexis had been promised a portion of land on Bastion, where they could live without worry. Plans upon plans of resource distribution and architectural enhancements had been finalized. This bug race would be assimilated in a seamless motion. 

Multiple Freighter class ships had begun evacuating the Cathexis from their home planet. The Expansionary Forces did their jobs flawlessly. Research and development on the multiversal warp gate would soon be underway. 

All that was left was to eliminate the threat. 

…

…

…

The Cathexis homeworld. Its entire planet was covered in red. Teeming with parasites. Any of the remaining survivors were either in hiding, or already dead. Consumed. It was too late for them.

Another structure loomed over the planet. It was akin to a celestial body, almost the same size. The main difference was that it was made of writhing flesh. Most likely the Hive's base. Intelligence had stated that it moved through the galaxy, feasting on any life it passes by. 

Swarms and swarms of wormlike parasites and insectoids were streaming down onto the forsaken planet. The Expansionary Force watched from their space fleet. A tense silence was present as they waited. 

The Kryptonian guard was ready. Unlike their leaders, they were unable to fly. Their strength did not reach the heights of Kara and Val, but they were still powerful to the greater beyond. 

Humanity watched from their section of the army, the rest being streamed live back to Bastion and Earth. The civilians had been given a few days off their jobs in order to witness the first Expansionary War. 

Starfire watched from the tempered glass of her assigned ship, where The Father and his Messenger floated in space. She couldn't take her eyes off him. His casual actions and words were like magnets that demanded attention. 

Then…it was time. Val-Ul raised both arms. His body lit up with radiance, his floating crown glowing even brighter. Only then did his voice wash over the entire space and planet, as well as the live feed. 

"My name is Val-Ul. I am The Guide. I am…The Father. Greetings to you, parasites. Your reputation precedes you. An insatiable hunger you all have." He spoke.

The parasites on the planet ignored his voice, devouring anything and everything. Only inside the hive mind did something listen and focus on the voice. It turned to the source as multiple fleets of starships and freighters arrived behind the floating man.

With a glowing crown suspended over his head, his figure illuminated the darkness of space. His mantle floated behind him delicately, emitting glory and praise. The hive mind felt something it hadn't felt before. Caution. Val continued. 

"To the unsatisfied hive that can never seem to grow full. I give my condolences. Now…pay attention. This is my message to you." 

His voice cut off to end his speech. The Father turned to The Messenger. To Kara. Val gave her a loving smile. Only then did he speak. 

"Go."

Kara grinned. Her eyes lit up with crimson energy, the power of the sun circulating through her cells. The radiation rising from her pores. Her gaze turned to the planet…then she accelerated. 

The sound was muted. Her speed constantly increased as she approached the forsaken world. She reached the atmosphere in a blink, the turbulence wrapping her in flames…but her speed kept increasing. 

Locating the largest continent teeming with parasites, Kara rocketed over the acidic ocean. A massive trail of wind pressure and atmospheric plasma trailed behind her. Not to mention the splitting of the sea. The continent was up ahead. 

Three. Two. One. Contact. The Messenger skimmed the body of land in less than a second. Flying directly through multiple buildings and massive insectoids. What followed was devastation. 

BOOOOOM

A chain of explosions erupted all at once. Like the ignition of an atomic bomb. Several nuclear emissions at a time…sheer power washed over the continent. There was no resistance. Only acceptance. 

The surroundings grew bright and shockwaves washed everything away. Kara had made a lap around the planet. Two thirds of the endless parasites were gone. It didn't end there. 

As soon as Val finished his speech, the Kryptonian Guard had already started preparing for planetary entry. A fleet of ships followed behind The Messenger, landing on the untouched continents. 

Kryptonian hybrids leapt out of their ships, crash landing on top of countless insectoids. Coz-Vor crash landed on top of a massive flesh beetle. His fist blew it to the ground, a crater appearing below. He didn't stop, sending earth shaking blows down on the parasite. Only then did his eyes light up with crimson fury, massive lasers burning through the beetle and the planet's crust. 

This scene repeated itself in several locations, the Hand of the Guide Battalion carrying out The Father's message. This gave the rest of the Expansionary Forces time to search one last time for survivors in the untouched parts of the world. The final rescue mission.

There wouldn't be much time left before The Father ended it all. Achievements must be made now in order to rise above one's station. To ascend in rank. 

By this point, Kara had already returned to Val's side. Her short black hair floated delicately, framing her perfect face. He looked her in the eyes and nodded…but that was enough for her. An overwhelming surge of pride flooded her body. 

She was his messenger. His right hand. This would remain for eternity. How it should be. 

Thirty minutes passed in this fashion. Time was up. This wasn't supposed to be a long ordeal. Val-Ul snapped his finger. No matter where his people were, the power of his snap reverberated through their bodies. 

'Return. Let us end this.' His voice resounded in everyone's mind. 

With his order, the Expansionary Forces were spurred to action. Starships were boarded and the last traces of the massive flesh worms were extinguished. With the mix of the military's technology, abilities, and the assistance of the Kryptonian Guard, victory was guaranteed. It was a clean sweep. 

Once his fleet was back in formation, Val-Ul made his move. His body vanished before reappearing in front of the flesh planet. The hive ground. Floating in front of it, the royal figure tilted his head. 

His eyes saw more than what was on the surface, and he frowned. There didn't seem to be an entrance or exit. Looks like he needed to make one. The Father casually waved his hand…and the structure of the planet was swept away. 

It was as if the atoms had been swiped out of existence, the path ahead resembling fingerprints. Like taking out a handful of sand. There was no impact, no muted explosion, no force of action. Just a cause and effect. 

A direct path had been made to the Hive Queen's breeding chambers. Val casually floated through, not bothering to let his feet touch such disgusting material. His mantle flapped regally as power began to circulate his body. 

Energy manipulation mixed with pure radiation and solar strength…absolute control of the body. With exploding suns added to this hotpot of goods, they merged into the form of golden static that danced across Val's body. 

The flesh planet was already breaking down and disintegrating. Any parasites that tried to approach were vaporized before even reaching 70 yards of his position. The sheer heat and radiation being emitted washed through the flesh planet. 

Upon reaching the Queen's chambers, his face twitched at the sight. A massive wall of wriggling worms. It was like a spider web made of flesh, twisted into the form of a face. It's gaze turned to The Father. 

"KREEEEEEEEE!!!" It screeched. 

The sound was extremely loud. The pitch off kilter. Its smell was unbearable. With so much power circulating through Val's body, he only asked one question. 

"Are you intelligent enough to know regret?"

The flesh face didn't seem to respond, too focused on the fact that Val's presence was burning its body. It was futile. Speaking with a parasite? What was the point?

Val-Ul floated up in front of the flesh face, only a few inches from it. The Queen was screaming and shaking, its body lighting up in golden flames. Vaporizing. 

He only tilted his head…then he flexed. An energy tinted in molten gold erupted from The Father's body. It resembled a supernova, quickly engulfing the Hive planet as well as the Cathexis planet. 

Fireworks merged together, a pinkish color mixing with the golden tint. Kara Dru-Zod watched in awe. She could feel the power of this emission through her pores, the power funneling through each kryptonian's cells. 

It was as if another sun had been born right in front of them, filling each of their bodies to the brim with strength. Civilians and soldiers alike watched through either the televised event or through the starship's tempered glass. This was The Father. This…was the Guide of Humankind. 

Omnipotent.