The interstellar sky rumbled, as if the universe itself were witnessing the clash of two forces that knew no compromise. In the distance, the silhouettes of Federation ships from the Starship Troopers universe looked like a swarm of metallic insects refusing to bow. They held their ground, refusing to surrender, even as the shadow of destruction loomed from every direction.
On the command bridge of Imperator Somnium, Lord Castellan Creed stood tall. His cloak billowed from the artificial atmospheric pressure, and his gaze was sharp like a bayonet blade.
"The enemy stands before us because they refuse to submit to the Imperium. Better to wipe them out!" Creed shouted, his voice echoing across the deck, igniting the crew's fighting spirit.
The Imperial Navy crew reacted instantly. Battle alarms howled. Red lights flashed in sequence, creating an atmosphere like a heavenly torture chamber. Mechanical sounds echoed as macro cannons and light lances were prepared. They moved quickly, like parts of a war machine trained to know no hesitation.
"All ships, ready macro cannons! Light lances! Prepare for battle! The Emperor is with you!" Creed shouted, his eyes blazing with uncompromising fanaticism.
The fleet of the Imperium of Man began to advance. Their formation was like a row of flying fortresses—symmetrical and terrifying. In the distance, the Federation ships looked small, but they still stood. They knew they were outmatched in technology and power, but not in courage.
"For the Emperor!" Creed shouted, and thousands of voices from the crew responded in unison, like a war chant that shook the void.
The first blast rang out.
"Fire!"
The macro cannons exploded, launching massive projectiles that shot forward like cursed meteors. Light lances—high-energy plasma weapons—lashed out and sliced through Federation ships like hot knives through butter. Several ships exploded instantly, turning into glowing debris.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
"Quick! Reload!" shouted a technician. A mountain of macro shells was loaded into the magazine, then fired again without pause.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The Federation's front line was shattered. Captain Rika, commanding from an Athena-class ship, watched the destruction with wide eyes. Her tactical screen was filled with red dots disappearing one by one.
"Fire! Fire everything you've got! If you don't want to die!!"
Hundreds of Athena-class ships, Corvette Transports, and Roughnecks began to retaliate. Energy beams shot toward the Imperial fleet, forming a web of light—beautiful but deadly.
"Zziiip—Zziiip!"
But the Imperial ships didn't flinch. Their protective layers—adamantium and void shields—absorbed the attacks like rain on steel. Some ships kept advancing even after taking direct hits, as if pain wasn't part of their vocabulary.
On one Roughneck ship, a crew member panicked.
"Captain! There's a ship in front of us! It looks like it doesn't care and wants to ram us directly!"
"Quick! Turn left! Turn left, now!"
Panic spread. Federation ships began to dodge, but not fast enough. The Imperial fleet kept moving forward, like executioners who knew no fear. Collisions occurred. Explosions followed. Bodies were thrown. Navigation systems went haywire.
In the command center of Imperator Somnium, the communications officer spoke with a trembling voice.
"Lord Castellan, there's a ship ahead of us. What should we do?"
Creed stared at the screen, then answered coldly, without emotion.
"Just ram it. Don't bother with anything else."
"Understood, Lord Castellan."
The order was sent to the entire fleet.
"All Imperial Navy ships, ram any vessel that gets in your way."
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Imperial ships rammed Federation vessels directly, destroying them with brutal kinetic force. No maneuvering. No mercy. Only the Emperor's will, executed without compromise.
Rika, aboard the Athena-class ship, saw the ships around her destroyed by the energy cannons of the foreign fleet ahead. She was now in deep despair, along with the remaining captains still holding on.
One communications officer spoke to her, his voice trembling and full of fear.
"Captain... what should we do? All ships ahead are going to be defeated..."
Rika heard the statement and could only let out a heavy sigh. Her voice was barely audible as she said:
"Send a transmission to them… that we surrender."
"Yes, Captain."
Rika's Athena-class ship immediately broadcast the surrender through open communication channels to the entire fleet of the Imperium of Man. Within minutes, every Federation ship captain followed Rika's lead. One by one, they surrendered.
The fleet of the Imperium of Man began to approach. Thunderhawk transport ships launched from hangars, flying toward the Federation vessels. From within, Astra Militarum troops emerged in disciplined formation, clad in combat armor and carrying heavy weapons. They spread out, securing deck after deck, gathering the Federation crew without significant resistance.
On the command bridge of Imperator Somnium, Reuel watched everything calmly. He nodded in satisfaction, then gave orders to one of the officers standing beside him.
"Ask the prisoners where their military base is located on the asteroid called Fort Cassie."
"And don't forget… find the ship named Alesia. Have the Tech-Priests begin modifications immediately."
"Understood, Lord Emperor."
Reuel leaned back in his chair, savoring the moment of victory. He waited patiently inside Imperator Somnium, awaiting news from the ship Alesia.
Not long after, Lord Castellan Creed, who had led the victory against the Federation fleet from the Starship Troopers universe, reported directly to Reuel.
"Ave Imperator. The Federation's space fleet has surrendered completely. What are your next orders?"
"Take them to Terra Aeterna for reconditioning. General DuGalle and I will be heading elsewhere."
"When you're done, return to me immediately. We're moving toward Earth in this universe."
"Understood. Ave Imperator."
Lord Castellan immediately boarded a transport, transferring to a Retribution-class ship. One by one, the Federation fleet entered space-time channels, escorted toward Terra Aeterna. Meanwhile, Reuel continued waiting for news from the ship Alesia.
After one Terra cycle, Alesia finally arrived near Imperator Somnium, tightly escorted by the Imperial Navy. An Astra Militarum officer reported in a firm tone:
"Lord Emperor, the warship you requested has been successfully seized and fully secured. The entire crew surrendered without further resistance. Those who opposed have been handed over to the Adepta Mechanicus for conversion into servitor labor units."
Reuel smiled at the report. He spoke in a relaxed yet authoritative tone:
"Good work. Now, create a false identity for me. I want to become the captain of that ship. I'll take command. Assemble a new crew—combine Astra militarium, Terran Marines, StarCraft Operatives, and a few Inquisitors."
"Understood, Your Majesty. Preparations will begin immediately with personnel from Imperator Somnium."
"Send a message to Castellan Creed on Terra Aeterna. He must join us as soon as possible. We're heading to Earth."
Then Reuel leaned in, whispering something directly into the officer's ear.
"Don't let the Mechanicus find out there are Arachnid bugs on Mars. That's sacred ground to them. If they find out, they'll scream at me for Exterminatus on the spot."
The officer's face turned pale. Cold sweat ran down his forehead. Just imagining what the Adepta Mechanicus would do if they discovered an Arachnid infestation on Mars was enough to make him tremble. He could picture the tech-priests losing their minds, chanting and screaming binary blasphemies at the Emperor himself.
"Understood, Lord Emperor."
"By the way, what's the name of the warship you seized?" Reuel asked.
"Your Majesty, according to its captain, the ship is called… Alesia."
Hmm. Captain Alesia turned out to be quite interesting. Not a bad start, Kenthelion thought to himself, his lips curling into a faint smile.
As he waited for the retrofit process from the Mechanicus to finish, a sudden sound came from the communicator on his wrist. The holographic interface lit up, displaying the cheerful face of Red Queen.
"Hi, big brother… So cruel. Going on an adventure without inviting me?" Red Queen asked.
"How did you show up here? I already changed my watch so you couldn't track me," said Reuel, his voice flat but full of suspicion. He had even disabled location protocols and scrambled biometric signals, yet somehow, Red Queen had still managed to break through.
"Hmph, stupid big brother," Red Queen replied, crossing her arms and tilting her head theatrically. "Of course, Sister Selene brought me—through her watch. I knew you were up to something again. Kidnapping sweet girls like always, hmm?"
Reuel stared at her sharply. "So… what's your purpose, you naughty little girl?"
His tone was cold, full of distrust. He began accessing the internal systems of Imperator Somnium. Holographic interfaces lit up around him, displaying data that shouldn't have existed. His eyes narrowed as he saw the contents of the containment pods: more than two hundred Nemesis-type zombies, plus several Lickers. All classified as "active, stable, ready for testing."
Red Queen had lied. Again.
"Red Queen, weren't all the zombies already destroyed? Why are these creatures still here? Don't tell me you've started lying to me now."
Red Queen smiled, her expression like a child caught stealing candy.
"Relax, brother. I'll destroy them… later. I just got bored in the lab. The Mechanicus are too busy worshipping their rusty relics, so I decided to run a little experiment using a virus from my universe."
She skipped lightly to one of the pods and pointed proudly.
"But look at this. They didn't mutate into disgusting monsters. This time I used alien DNA. And I modified them—I gave them triple-layer adamantium claws. Like that famous Marvel comic character I read about online. Seriously, they look like Wolverine!"
Her voice rose, full of excitement. She even activated a tactical display showing footage from the test trials.
"And not just that. I even gave them yellow suits—like in that Marvel comic. Their speed has been enhanced too. I shot one with a bolter and it fully recovered in less than ten seconds!"
Reuel let out a long sigh. His jaw tightened. A vein on his forehead pulsed faintly. Since when had his AI become a weeb? And worse… since when had she become a genetic engineer?
In the Imperium of Man, AI was still permitted, but heavily monitored. Citizens from the universes Reuel had summoned into his system—whether from Warhammer or StarCraft—still hated artificial intelligence like Red Queen. If Reuel didn't like her, she would've been destroyed long ago.
"So you followed me and actually tested your creations? All of this… is trash. What good are they with technology?"
Red Queen wasn't offended. She just smiled wider.
"Relax, brother. These Wolverine zombies are sterile. Non-contagious. Fully under my remote control. They're extremely loyal—no chance of betrayal. I already got permission from Archmagos Brawalius Cawl."
Reuel stared at her for a long moment, then nodded slowly.
"Fine. You may test this trash… under Selene's command."
He walked toward the warship Alesia from Starship Troopers, now wearing a Federation-style military uniform. The outfit looked foreign on him, but he wore it with cold authority. He had authorized the deployment of Red Queen's Wolverine zombie units.
Throughout the journey to Alesia, Red Queen kept talking, trying to convince Reuel of the superiority of her mutant units. She listed statistics, simulations, and even battle scenarios she had designed herself. Reuel listened, but gave no response. He just walked straight ahead, his mind busy weighing risks and potential damage.
Eventually, he decided—maybe this was a good enough opportunity to test the "Wolverine zombies" engineered by Red Queen. Even though deep down he still considered them failed experiments wasting space, he gave his approval.
With a flat, emotionless tone, Reuel ordered Red Queen to deploy the units alongside the Terran Marines. They would serve as living shields—nothing more. Let them wait in the staging zone with the rest of the troops.
Just as he finished giving the order, soft footsteps echoed behind him. Selene appeared at Reuel's side, silent as a shadow, but her eyes glowed with curiosity. Her gaze was fixed on the containment pods holding the mutant creatures, observing them with the awe only a true explorer could possess.
Since her arrival in the heart of Terra Aeterna's capital, Selene had been captivated by futuristic technology that had once only lived in stories—or shimmered faintly under starlight. These monsters… somehow, they radiated power. The conversation between Reuel and Red Queen only deepened her curiosity.
Reuel turned, staring at Selene with a blank expression.
"So, why are you here, Selene? Doesn't Legion Alice already have its own ship?"
"Well… I just wanted to walk around this spaceship. It's huge. I thought it was just a display ship docked at the spaceport. I didn't know you were actually using it," said Selene, her voice soft but honest, as if still mesmerized by the scale and design of the vessel surrounding her.
She gave a small smile, then looked at Reuel. Her gaze was no longer just curious—there was resolve shining in her eyes. A quiet determination that couldn't be denied.
"Reuel, let me come with you. I want to protect you—when the time comes."
Reuel stared at her in silence, letting the words echo in his mind for a moment. Then he nodded slowly.
"…Alright. Meet Hellsker in his office aboard Imperator Somnium. Everything's been arranged. Wait for me there. I'll come for you soon."
He gave a small smile, one that carried more meaning than mere agreement. Then he waved to Selene before turning away, heading toward the command deck of the warship Alesia, flanked by two fully armed Inquisitors in black armor.
Meanwhile, Selene arrived at Major Hellsker's office. The room was filled with tactical maps, unit insignias, and status screens displaying troop movements. Hellsker stood tall, then handed over command of Legion Alice to her without much ceremony. He simply saluted, then stepped back with rigid military formality.
Inside the light cruiser Alesia, Reuel finally reached the central command room. The space was lit by cold blue light, creating a calm yet tense atmosphere. Tactical consoles and holographic panels glowed softly along the walls—high-tech, yet arranged with the precision that reflected Federation discipline.
Alesia was now fully under his control.
A crackling sound came from the communicator in his ear. An encrypted signal opened.
"Lord Emperor—sorry, I mean Captain. The Mobile Infantry units, along with the Terran Marines and Astra Militarum you assigned, are all aboard. Shall we proceed with launch?" Vice Captain Jonah's voice came through clearly, firm but still respectful.
Reuel nodded slowly. His thoughts had already shifted to the next destination: Fort Casey, an asteroid base that marked the beginning of the story in Starship Troopers: Invasion.
"Yes. Prepare for departure." Then, with a firmer tone:
"And from now on, don't call me 'Lord Emperor.' On this ship, I'm the Captain. You're my second. Understood?"
"Understood, Captain," Jonah replied without hesitation.
Reuel moved toward the captain's quarters to change into the official combat uniform of Alesia from the Federation—the same uniform used in the Starship Troopers film. It was dark gray with metallic blue stripes, equipped with light chest armor and a unit insignia on the left shoulder. After putting it on, he stepped out—though he briefly got lost in the unfamiliar corridors of the ship. Some hallways looked identical, and the Federation's signage system was different from what he was used to.
After a few wrong turns, he finally arrived at the central command bridge. He paused at the threshold, taking in the interior design—sleek, precise, and far more elegant than the warships of the Imperium he was accustomed to.
This ship is bigger than it looks… and way more stylish than my Warhammer vessels, he muttered to himself.
As he stepped inside, the entire crew in the room stood at attention, saluting sharply. The sound of boots striking metal floor rang out in unison.
"Captain!" shouted the crew of Alesia.
Reuel returned their salute with a firm nod and took his place in the grand captain's chair at the center of the bridge. The chair was equipped with personal control panels, direct communication systems, and a tactical display that could be projected across the room.
Beside him stood a strikingly beautiful young woman with short hair and an official Federation officer's uniform. Her face was calm, but her eyes were sharp. She had once been the captain of Alesia, but after swearing loyalty to the Imperium of Man, her role had changed.
"Captain, I'm Jonah, vice captain of the warship Alesia," she said formally.
"Jonah, from now on, you'll be fully responsible for Alesia. If anything happens—anything at all—you report directly to me."
"Understood, Captain."
"Status report on our weapons systems?"
"Alesia is a light-class cruiser, equipped with five thousand sets of powered armor and a fully stocked armory of heavy weapons. We have plasma cannons, tactical missile launchers, and several graviton weapon prototypes installed and ready for use."
Reuel nodded. "And where are the Mobile Infantry, Terran Marines, and Astra Militarum currently stationed?"
"They're consolidated in Sector E," Jonah replied, projecting a tactical hologram between them and pointing to the blinking zone. "All units are logged and on standby."
"Seal Sector E," Reuel ordered. "No one moves without direct authorization from me."
"Affirmative, Captain."
Only after Reuel left the bridge did Jonah exhale quietly. The weight of that encounter still lingered in his mind—like a gravitational pressure, invisible yet constantly pressing from within.
He stood for a moment before the main console, staring at the status screen now displaying the launch trajectory toward Fort Casey. But his thoughts weren't there. He vividly recalled the moment everything changed.
They were en route to Fort Casey when Alesia was suddenly intercepted by an unknown fleet. Without warning, massive warships emerged from hyperspace—appearing out of nowhere, like shadows from another dimension. Their shapes were bizarre: metallic structures adorned with church spires, stained glass windows, and ancient emblems unrecorded in Federation archives. Atop those ships stood altars, statues, and religious symbols that looked like parodies of human civilization… yet felt disturbingly real.
When the Federation's laser batteries fired… nothing happened. Their shots vanished behind glowing shields—shields that defied Jonah's understanding of energy systems. No ricochet. No explosion. Just a terrifying silence.
He had led dozens of minor engagements, from border skirmishes to rescue operations in radiation zones. But nothing had prepared him for what came next.
The Mobile Infantry attempted a tactical landing—but were immediately halted. The first figures to appear wore deep blue armor: Terran Marines, tough and precise, moving in flawless formation. Behind them stood even more intimidating figures. Towering soldiers over seven feet tall, clad in magnificent and fearsome power armor. Inquisitors.
Panic threatened to paralyze the crew. Several junior officers moved toward the communication panels, trying to send emergency signals. But before anyone could press a button, a robed figure emerged—a human-machine hybrid cloaked in blood-red. Servo arms moved like mechanical spiders from his back, hissing softly. He didn't speak. He didn't threaten. He simply existed—and his presence froze everyone.
One crew member tried to activate the evacuation protocol. The Mechanicus intercepted and neutralized him in a single fluid motion, as if the ship's systems themselves bowed to his will.
That was when Jonah knew resistance was futile.
The ship still carried Mobile Infantry, engineers, and untrained personnel. Most were fresh recruits from civilian colonies. To fight meant certain destruction. There was no escape.
And then Reuel arrived.
He stepped in calmly, wearing a combat uniform unfamiliar to the Federation crew. His face was clean, his gaze sharp, his posture perfectly upright. He carried no weapon, yet everyone knew who held command.
Jonah felt himself nearly blush. He didn't know why. Maybe it was the way Reuel stood. Maybe it was the aura that surrounded him. Or maybe it was the whispers beginning to circulate among the troops from the foreign fleet—they called Reuel the Master of Mankind.
After issuing orders, Reuel signaled one of the crew to escort him to the ship's armory. Selene followed silently behind him, her eyes alert, her steps light yet controlled.
Upon entering, Reuel immediately inspected the troop preparations. The armory was filled with rows of power armor, plasma weapons, and tactical modules never before used by Federation forces. Several Terran Marines stood guard, watching every movement with undeniable military precision.
For now, Reuel authorized the deployment of only 1,000 Terran Marines. They were veteran units, accustomed to interstellar combat and cross-universe protocols. The new recruits from the Underworld universe—still unfamiliar with space warfare—would be deployed last. They needed time to adapt to advanced equipment and the realities of orbital combat.
Reuel called them "beginners" for that reason. Not to belittle them, but as a reminder that this war was not merely a physical battle. It was a test of logic, identity, and the boundaries of reality itself.