Interstellar Age

Chapter 290 Let it Burn!

Erich sat alone in the darkness for his quarters for some time. Though he was used to having a shared consciosness with Tia. This was different. It wasn't just a shared mind with Terminus, and the other unhatched larvae that were currently being incubated. 

No, he felt as if his very soul was melded into one with the others. It was a strange feeling and haunted the man to the core of his being. He contemplated for some time how he had been led to this situation. Better yet, how he kept finding himself in such predicaments. 

One of the key reasons behind his repeated failures was frankly his own ignorance. He was born and bred to be a dumb grunt, sent against the enemies of the empire to repeatedly die in battle until either his luck had run up, or he had been deemed no longer useful by his superiors. 

Despite having been an officer in the Germanic Military, the Germanic Armed Forces consisted of trillions of men. And billions of officers. He was still disposable. A tool to be used against the Empire's enemies. 

And because he was disposable, he was never taught much about the galaxy beyond their immediate borders. He had truly underestimated the Naraku. And despite Tia's repeated warnings that they were planning something, he did not listen. Believing them to be a bunch of mindless bugs. 

Tia had pleaded with him not to accept Terminus into his palace, and yet he had stubbornly refused to do so. Believing he knew more than a supremely powerful artificial intelligence. This led the man to understand the second problem of his, that led him to enduring such losses repeatedly throughout his life: arrogance. 

It was the act of a fool not to listen to one's advisors, especially when said advisors were far beyond one's own mental faculties. Yet his bias, and his experience, had compelled him to believe that Tia had been mistaken. Despite the fact that she had never been proven wrong, even now, no matter what she advised him on. 

Despite this proven track record, and absurd level of intellect that was unmatched across the galaxy. Erich had not listened to it. And the result was obvious. He was now a freak, one who would be run out of the galaxy if it were revealed that he was affiliated with the Naraku in any way. 

Finally, there was impulsivity. Erich had a bad habit of acting on impulse, and not thinking things through properly. If he had sat back for five minutes, or as long as needed really. He would have realized the risks that were posed by the allowing the Nesurian delegation into his world. Yet, he believed his reputation was on the line, not realizing that as a sovereign he had the right to dismiss any would be attempts at negotiation. 

This was an act of impulse, and a desire to prove he was a capable leader. Which until thus far, all the progress the Silber Enclave had made was the result of Tia, and Tia alone. If anything, Erich was a figurehead, and Tia was the true power behind this throne. 

Perhaps if he could apply his vast intellect to become educate, and learn some humility, while also gaining a sense of patience, he would make a great leader. But that didn't matter anymore. He wasn't human; he was a monster. How could he possibly face his family, knowing now what he was? What his own actions had led him to become. 

There was only one good thing to come out of this whole ordeal. The Hive Fleet Behemoth had broken off its course towards the Silber Enclave and returned to its previous state of torpor. As if they were waiting for the rise of the new hive fleet to finally occur. 

It was at this moment that Erich heard a voice in his head, thankfully it belonged to Tia, and not Terminus. Because if that damned bug had attempted to contact him, he swore to god he would blow his owns brains out. 

Perhaps that was the solution to escape this fate, but unfortunately Erich doubted it. Because his consciousness and body were cloned in its exact state and replicated in a new body. And Tia did not yet know what changes had been done to his brain that needed to be removed. 

While Erich was thinking about this, he heard Tia's voice ring throughout his head in a tone that was loud enough to garner his full attention. 

"Master!" 

Erich did not even realize it, but he had shouted out loud when he responded to his trusty companion, and his voice was filled with monstrous rage. 

"What!?! God fucking Dammit, Tia, I told you to leave me alone!!!!" 

Tia's voice turned timid after hearing how angry Erich was, as she warned him about what was happening at this moment. 

"Tia just wanted Master to know that the eggs are hatching... The first brood is about to be born..." 

Knowing this Erich sighed heavily and got up from his bed. He then walked through the palace that Tia had constructed for him, and descended into the subterranean layers, which held the current broods that Terminus had spawned. 

It wasn't just the first brood, she had received enough of Erich's seed, and devoured enough of his cloned genetic material to produce an entire army over night. The first brood would be their royal guard. Designed to protect Terminus and Erich from any threats that dared to harm them.

They may look anthropomorphic, but they were incredibly powerful beings. Powerful enough to sheer through an Orc's power armor, and body with a single swipe of their claws.  Or perhaps even an Enclave tank. They also had supreme speed and flight capabilities. And like the Naraku drones that Erich had encountered in space, they could survive in a vacuum for extended periods of time. 

Then the next few broods were labor drones and harvesters. Labor drones were self explanatory. They built and maintained the massive bio-technology hive ships that the Naraku dwelled in. While Harvesters were the ones who harvested organic material and inorganic resources for the Hive to expand with. 

Finally, there was the warrior class of Naraku. Who in a single night of breeding with Erich, Terminus had spawned a large enough army to easily obliterate Tier I and Tier II Minor Powers. However, unlike the other Naraku Hive Fleets. The bugs in this newly reborn terminus were significantly more powerful, as so far the only genetic material which had been used to enhance their birth and growth was cloned from Erich's DNA. 

Meanwhile, the seed they had been born from was also Erichs. Meaning that these Naraku were genetically enhanced super bugs. So though the Terminus Hive was currently small compared to its sisters. It was actually powerful enough to devour Tier III Minor Powers, and most Tier I Regional Powers.

It was perhaps even strong enough to devour the Great Oni Empire. Which means it could consume up to Tier III Regional Powers, but the losses would probably be too severe to be worth such an effort. Of course, as the Hive King, Erich would never allow Terminus to harm the land where his wife, lover, and daughter were located. No matter what, he had to protect his loved ones from these monstrous bugs. 

When Erich watched the anthropomorphic Royal Guard hatch from their eggs, and immediately devour the massive glob of mystery meat that Tia had prepared for him. He felt quite disgusted. Yet Terminus, who stood by his side, wore a wicked smile before speaking about her first children. 

"Magnificent aren't they? Normally, the royal guard would be a hive queen's mates, but I have you and your superior genes. Thus, their only purpose from today until the day they day will be protecting their king and queen."

Luckily, Tia had not informed Erich that the meat that these bugs were devouring was cloned meat based on his own DNA, or else he might literally have thrown up at that moment. As for Tia, she was quick to offer news to Erich that he might find appealing. 

"Master.... By Tia's estimates... If the Terminus Hive continues to grow at this rate. Within five years it will be able to devour the Ghimderi Trade Union, and all those who come to defend it.... Although Tia understands your feelings about your current... circumstances... She believes that Master may have made a valuable ally to be wielded against Master's enemies."

Erich had a monstrous stare, almost as if he truly was no longer human, as he gazed upon his newest "children"... Most of which had begun to hatch and devour the mystery meat in their habitats. He was truly disgusted by what he had become, and what had been given birth to as a result of his actions. 

But... Tia was right... Terminus was a powerful weapon to be wielded against his enemies. More powerful than the Iron Horde, and the Legions of Advanced Combat Droids, or ACD he now had access to. Hell, even if he gained control over Emrys' L,egion of the Damned, they could not truly compare to the Terminus Hive once it had fully realized its true potential.

With this in mind, he asked a single question of Tia in an almost inhuman voice. 

"Tia... What would happen to the Galaxy if the world of Ghimderi were to be devoured, along with all of those who come to aid it in its final hour?" 

  Tia understood what Erich was getting at, and though she supported the idea he was having, she felt like she had come to think of it because of the wrong reasons. Almost as if he had decided to reject his humanity, which was the majority of his being. This actually caused the Artificial Intelligence to feel fear, which was apparent in her voice when she answered the question. 

"The.... The Galaxy would be thrown into a state of anarchy... Without the Ghimderi Trade Union, the economy would collapse and every interstellar civilization would have to fend for itself.... Trillions will burn in the flames of war that follows...." "

Erich smirked, but it was not the arrogant smirk he normally wore. It was almost as if the man had become a devil wearing the face of a man. 

"Let it burn! And from the ashes, the Germanic Star-Empire will rise as the preeminent power of the Galaxy!" 

As much as Tia did not care about biological life, she was becoming concerned about how much her master's brain was being affected by the hive mind. And whether or not he was actually doing this for his the good of his people, or simply because he wanted to vent the hatred he now had for himself. 

Terminus, however, was shocked at Erich's goal. If the Galaxy entered a state of anarchy, the pesky alliances which had been formed between various powers would dissolve, meaning the Narraku could expand as they pleased.... She had not expected him to be bold enough to make such a destructive and chaotic decision. But she approved. 

As for Erich, only he would know what had so suddenly made him have the desire to destroy the Ghimderi to such an extent that it would light the galaxy aflame in the process. And this was something he planned to keep to himself.