Seeing Rhodes's playful smile and AsanethAyu at his side, Trazyn was furious.
But the facts were clear: Rhodes could revive or destroy him at any moment. Trazyn realized he had no power to resist.
"Well? Want to join me? Be my subordinate?" Rhodes asked, lounging in a chair, AsanethAyu massaging his shoulders.
"The honor of the Infinite One forbids it. I cannot surrender to you," Trazyn finally said, clinging to Necron dignity.
Rhodes grinned, "Endless torment awaits you. I'll have you captured and delivered to your original body's tomb. The Necrons will be thrilled to experiment on you."
Trazyn trembled, trying to remain calm. But he knew: if that happened, he'd be tortured unimaginably, without anesthetic.
"You'll be exposed too! The Necrons will read my memories and learn about you," Trazyn said.
"Good point—thanks for the reminder. I'll have your memories wiped clean by one of my Necron experts before handing you over," Rhodes replied.
"Father, let me handle him! We'll lock him up, then hand him to the Necrons. I'm sure they'll take good care of him," AsanethAyu said with a wicked grin.
"Wait! I surrender! I'll submit to you—just help me reach my tomb's core, and I can control the planetary fortress," Trazyn finally caved.
Better to live than be dissected. He realized every step had been foreseen by Rhodes.
"Smart choice! Surrender brings rewards—I'll transform you into a super-beast, a super lifeform, with immense strength and near-immortality," Rhodes promised.
A former Necron Overlord was valuable—his surrender would make others more likely to yield, especially since he'd also bring a fortress with him.
"From now on, call me Lord Rhodes," Rhodes ordered.
He didn't force Trazyn to call him "master" or "father"—that'd be too humiliating. Trazyn wasn't as twisted as AsanethAyu, who liked calling Rhodes "father."
"Yes, Lord Rhodes. Can you help me reclaim my legacy now? I have five Necron fortresses—if I get to the tomb's core, I can activate the ultimate codes and control them all," Trazyn explained.
He sought Rhodes's help because Rhodes had advanced teleportation tech, allowing infiltration of even Necron fortresses.
"Once we deal with your other self, who'll the other Necron Overlords go after? You?" Rhodes asked.
"But Lord Rhodes, my other fortresses hold many exhibits. The rogue backup stole most of my collection—artifacts from a thousand galactic civilizations!" Trazyn lamented.
"We just need to take the most important fortress, where I left some things during my visit. Retrieve the best stuff—the rest can stay as decoys," Rhodes said.
That was key to his plan—he couldn't afford exposure now, as the Imperium couldn't withstand a full Necron assault.
Rhodes planned to upgrade Imperial arms using Necron tech—Gauss weapons were even deadlier than Pedanium beams.
He'd also obtained a star core for Trazyn to modify.
"So, which fortress will you help me seize?" Trazyn asked.
"The one in the pocket universe, southeast of the galaxy. I left some things inside," Rhodes replied.
"As you wish, Lord Rhodes—everything is under your control," Trazyn said, resigned.
Rhodes summoned Tartarus and the Angel Zog.
"You two, help him capture the fortress," Rhodes ordered.
"Yes, master!" They teleported instantly to Trazyn's fortress.
"Father, you should consider recruiting a Necron phaeron. An Overlord is prestigious, but a phaeron is a true king. If a phaeron surrenders, it's a whole new level," AsanethAyu suggested.
Overlords were powerful, but phaerons were true monarchs, able to ennoble other Overlords.
"I know. Have you picked a target?" Rhodes asked.
"Great Father, let's start with my dynasty. I know its exact location and the phaeron's resting place. With some tricks, we can contain the core backup and avoid data leaks," AsanethAyu volunteered.
"A stranger is useless to me. But you—you're already a super lifeform. I can give you a cosmic beast, upgrade your soul, and make you a new phaeron. Will you be a queen for me?" Rhodes asked.
"It would be my highest honor, Father!" AsanethAyu exclaimed, kneeling in excitement.