System Supervillain, Book 13 Epilogue

Epilogue – Elsewhere

(Thraxl Secunda, Thraxl System, Gel-Nak Empire)

Planet Leader Druxl had never been so glad to be assigned to a hell world. Thraxl Secunda was a hot, miserable rock too close to the system’s primary to be properly habitable. Flows of molten iron and other metals ran openly across the surface, making it impossible for anyone to try and set up normal habitation on the world. Not that they’d be alive long enough to try, anyways, since the heavy atmosphere was so acidic that it would strip an unprotected Gel-nak to the bone in minutes.

However, so much metal, so easily accessible and already heated enough to be molten, made Thraxl Secunda a prime mining and manufacturing world. Sure, it wasn’t comfortable, and having to spend one’s days inside sealed habitats was far from enjoyable, but it was very profitable. The only being in the system that matched Druxl’s wealth was the System Leader. That had matched, rather, since the System Leader had been in the command center with the Emperor when the Rhuk of Earth attacked.

Thraxlanth, the capital city and where the Invasion Point was located, had been destroyed in atomic fire, and the world itself plunged into an ice age by the Rhuk. Druxl smiled, when he was alone, thinking about all the soft-scaled weaklings on Thraxl Prime that were now getting a taste of being trapped in habitats to keep from freezing whenever they went outside. Especially the remaining Leader Caste on the world, who had always looked down on him for being in charge of the volcanic Secunda while they were comfortable on their plantations. Now, those Leaders were starving as food supplies quickly ran out, with the frost killing many plants and animals on the world.

Secunda was in a much better position, now, and all the Worker, Warrior, and even Leader Caste under him knew it. The previous Planet Leader, Yara, had created special agriculture habitats on Secunda, to reduce reliance on Prime’s farms, after a dispute between two Leader Caste had cause food shipments to be interrupted. He had expanded the program when he became Planet Leader, and could now truthfully claim that Secunda could feed itself. Not only that, but the farms also helped reduce the load on the atmospherics, making the colony truly self-sustaining. It had cost him valuable coin to set up, but, even before the Rhuk attacked, it was more than paying for itself as the mining colony prospered. Now? It was keeping everyone alive, and all the Gel-nak on Thraxl Secunda knew it.

Of course, it wasn’t only Gel-nak on Thraxl Secunda. There were plenty of slave species, as well. Primarily the furred Rathas, the stony Undar, and the plantlike Geran. The Rathas were feline creatures, with nimble hands and sharp eyes, making them perfect for mechanical and technical work. The Undar, on the other hand, were sturdy and strong, making them the best laborers available. The fact that they could survive the atmosphere outside the habitats for short periods without a suit only made them more valuable, especially when setting up new habitat buildings. And the Geran were masters at growing things. It was through them that the hydroponic gardens managed to feed everyone.

Druxl was smarter than some of the other Leaders in the Empire. He understood that the controls put in place through the Ordering treatments were not foolproof. After all, if they were, then the Uprising Controls that had doomed the navy ships that went to Earth would not have been needed in the first place. He hadn’t known about the controls, before the Rhuk’s transmissions, but there had been similar devices on Thraxl Secunda, especially in the older habitats. He’d had them removed once they had been brought to his attention.

Removing the controls helped win him more support amongst the lower castes and slave species, along with ensuring that everyone had enough food. Not that winning the support of his lessers was the sole reason, of course. The controls were discovered because of upgrades to the atmospherics, and their existence made public. The controls had been idle and unmaintained for so long that it was doubtful they would have worked, even if activated. The fact that he could show that even his predecessor hadn’t known the controls were there shielded him from any consequence of the discovery.

Druxl was smarter than the Leaders in more comfortable postings. He did not do anything openly subversive, but quietly cultured an attitude of ‘Secunda pride’ in his people. They were tough, and they knew it. They did not have the same luxuries as other worlds, but they also didn’t need thousands of Slavewatchers and Slavetenders with whips to keep things moving, taking up food and other resources while not producing anything. Which also meant that he did not have to pay for more than the legally-required minimum of those types, and most of them were in administrative, rather than enforcement roles.

Thankfully, the fighting in the rest of the Empire had avoided Thraxl, so far. The Fleet High Commander for the Thraxl Defense Fleet was a fat, decadent fool, but he understood immediately that the dishonor of being unable to do anything while the Rhuk struck down the Emperor meant he was not ever going to be the new Emperor. The Thraxl fleet had stayed out of the different factions, so far. Which was just fine for Druxl. War was good for business, when it was somewhere else. On his doorstep, it was a problem.

“Planet Leader, a ship from the Srusk Defense Fleet has arrived in system. They’re carrying word of an attack!”

Damn it all. If one of the factions finally decided to get off their asses and capture Srusk to deny the agricultural world’s food supplies to the other factions, then things were moving into a new stage. So far, the system had been forgotten by the main factions, since Thraxl Prime was not only where Emperor Throhi died, but was also in the process of dying to frost thanks to the Rhuk. There had been gas mining platforms in the outer system, but they were all dead by now, thanks to the Defense Fleet taking all the available foodstuffs they could get from Thraxl Prime.

Druxl looked at the frightened Rathas messenger. Motus, her name was. “Which faction was it?”

“None of the factions, Planet Leader. They’re saying that it was the Rhuk of Earth! He had a ship, and destroyed most of the Srusk Defense Fleet, and the station. Only four destroyers escaped, and only because the Rhuk’s ship, also named Rhuk, focused on the larger targets.”

Druxl blinked once, considering. That was… unfortunate. Unfortunate, and earlier than he expected, but far from the worst case. He had expected the Rhuk to carry through on his promise, once he obtained a ship. He had planned for this.

“Very well, Motus. Get me any information the Ship Leader for the destroyer has on what happened. And send word to the different Site Leaders. Tell them that Scenario 4 is in effect.”

“At once, Planet Leader!”

As the feline messenger turned away, Druxl breathed softly. He had known that the Rhuk would come eventually. And he had prepared. Not for victory, because he was not mentally infirm enough to believe that he could succeed where the Emperor had failed. No, Scenario 4 was not a plan for victory, but for survival. His survival, and that of the colony. He hoped to remain in control of the colony afterwards, but he would gladly settle for not being dead. Hopefully, the Rhuk would be willing to talk, once he’d dealt with or driven off the Defense Fleet.