Hey there, it's been a while for the Anissa fic, huh?
Floating aimlessly in the black vacuum, drifting against a backdrop of distant nebulae and shimmering starlight, a lone figure in a tattered cloak twisted helplessly—an eerie phantom abandoned to the void. It looked like as if someone had just carelessly dumped a body in a random spot in outer space. What a way to get discovered, dumbass! You dump the body near a giant boiling gas of mass, a planet about to be destroyed, a black hole, a forming wormhole, even a desolate world would do. Anyone who wanted to get rid of a body in outer space knows this, but this didn't look dead; it twitched with life.
In the sprawling command deck of his cruiser, Mokk, a prominent high-ranking official within the Coalition of Planets, stood imposingly behind his crew, the sharp edges of his formal attire a stark contrast against his bestial, feline visage. His luminous amber eyes narrowed thoughtfully at the report scrolling rapidly across his data tablet.
"An unidentified biomatter detected, sir," a young lieutenant reported nervously. "Floating unassisted, just ahead."
Mokk's ears twitched slightly, a subtle gesture betraying his inner tension. He knew too well this grim tactic: abandoning troublesome crew members with nothing but an oxygen helmet, a punishment favored by ruthless captains—and, worse yet, an all-too-familiar bait for ambushes by pirates and slavers.
"Deploy a recon unit immediately," Mokk ordered firmly, his deep voice resonating like distant thunder. Two guards armed with sleek plasma rifles nodded promptly, stepping into the airlock. They soared out, propelled by small personal thrusters, quickly scanning the surroundings for hidden threats.
"All clear, Commander," crackled their communication link shortly afterward. "Just one stranded figure, appears barely alive and unarmed."
Mokk exhaled sharply. "Bring him aboard. But proceed with extreme caution."
Moments later, the guards dragged in the mysterious cloaked figure—who stumbled forward clumsily into the brightly lit room, disoriented and shivering, eyes blinking against the sudden harsh glare. Beneath the cloak, the man's face was clean-shaven, oddly smooth—his freshly removed mustache leaving behind a faint shadow of its former existence.
It was the Mustache Mark variant.
After a lengthy series of arguments, coin tosses, and numerous rounds of rock-paper-scissors, Mustache Mark had reluctantly agreed to shave his trademark facial hair, becoming their designated informant. Now stripped of his iconic identity, he looked uncomfortable yet resolved, playing his part with practiced skill.
"Identify yourself," Mokk demanded calmly yet sternly, eyes carefully scanning for deceit.
"My name's Mark," Mustache Mark said hesitantly, feigning fatigue. "Leader of... a scrapper guild. Was the leader." He paused, as if the memory pained him deeply. "We were supposed to plunder valuable resources from a nearby planet about to blown to bits. Life-changing credits, more than any of us had ever seen. I could finally retire and settle down with the kids. But...I was betrayed by my own crew."
"Mutiny." Mokk said spitting over his shoulder.
Mark shook his head sorrowfully. "They abandoned me—left me drifting like refuse. After all I have done for them, some of them I have known since we were little. It seems I was the one who didn't know them."
"Remind me again why he vehemently refused to do this? I don't think any one of you could have done a better job than him, I almost believe him." Levy said, turning away from his screen and turned to the Marks watching alongside him. He had a camera that could auto camouflage follow mustache mark since sending him there.
"Tch… nothing special. I could have done that." Long Hair Mark said under his breath as he turned to watch the screen.
Mark's voice carried a carefully calibrated note of bitterness, something he had picked up from Angstrom Levy himself. Mokk watched carefully, observing microexpressions, his instincts honed by years of political intrigue. Finally, satisfied with the scrapper's convincing desperation, Mokk allowed himself a faint nod.
"Bring him to me," Mokk commanded sharply. Guards swiftly escorted Mustache Mark forward.
Mark squinted slightly, as if struggling to recognize the official. "Wait… you—you're Mokk, aren't you?" His eyes widened theatrically, displaying genuine awe. "An actual council official of the Coalition!"
A flicker of pride crossed Mokk's face, his posture subtly straightening. Yet the pride was quickly overshadowed by an unsettling gleam in the stranger's eyes—a disturbing shift in demeanor. Mark leaned forward, his voice lowering conspiratorially, "I may have information that might interest someone of your stature, sir."
Mokk's curiosity stirred dangerously. "Speak freely."
Mark described, with uncanny clarity, secret Viltrum operations and internal strife on worlds recently flagged for Coalition protection. Mokk listened, captivated yet cautious. Though he felt no deception from the stranger's words, a nagging unease lingered.
Shortly after, Mokk granted Mark an escape pod, along with credits to survive a month on the next Coalition-governed planet. As Mark disappeared into the vastness once again, a concerned guard whispered urgently to Mokk, "Sir, surely you don't trust that ragged mongrel?"
Mokk's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I sense no outright lie, though something feels off. Still, it wouldn't hurt to verify his claims."
On Viltrum, Thragg rose from his throne like an ancient titan awakening, muscles rippling beneath his royal attire. General Kregg shifted nervously, tension radiating palpably through the throne room.
"But, sir," Kregg pleaded urgently, "there is no need for you to leave personally. Luka and I are more than capable of handling the Coalition's matter. We could bring back Thaddeus alive and well for you."
Thragg fixed Kregg with a piercing glare, his voice echoing menacingly, "Thaddeus—the most wretched traitor Viltrum has ever known—is finally within my grasp. And you dare suggest I leave his fate to another?"
"Yet, your departure leaves the planet's safety entrusted to Anissa," Luka interjected carefully. "She's already occupied with the academy."
"Do you question Anissa's strength or ability? Isn't she a General like the both of you?" Thragg thundered, voice reverberating harshly through the vast chamber.
"No," Luka responded quickly, head bowed submissively. "She is strong and capable, Grand Regent."
Thragg nodded approvingly. "Then it is settled."
Swiftly, royal attendants floated gracefully around him, draping his massive shoulders with the regal crimson cape, marking him unmistakably as the supreme ruler of Viltrum. Thragg stepped decisively onto the awaiting warship, Kregg and Luka trailing obediently behind.
From below, Anissa watched silently, already briefed on her new temporal role as overseer in Thragg's absence. Power surged through her, intoxicating and frightening all at once. It was a new level of authority she wasn't used to but she accepted it with the finesse of an experienced General, knowing the affairs of Viltrum were in her hands for now.
Above the swirling, ivory clouds encircling Viltrum, Angstrom Levy emerged from an interdimensional portal, hovering menacingly in the vast emptiness, his silhouette outlined by crackling energy.
"Finally," he whispered darkly, eyes glowing with a feverish light. He could sense the threads of destiny twisting beneath his fingertips. "The pieces are set, and my chessboard awaits."
Laughter erupted from his lips, echoing sinisterly through the void. Levy had carefully orchestrated events—each Mark variant, every subtle manipulation leading inevitably here. A thrilling anticipation surged through his veins. Chaos was coming.
"Let the game begin!" Levy declared triumphantly, arms spread wide against the stars, his laughter echoing ominously as he vanished once more into the dimensions, leaving behind only silence—and the gathering storm.
What is Levy's goal this time? Can anyone in the class give an educated guess?
Read ahead and catch up on the plots, schemes and steamy scenes on patreon.com/futamommy