The transformation was complete. Jack Steel, former NYPD detective, devoted father, and reluctant hero, no longer existed as anything recognizable. In his place was something that processed thoughts at light speed and manipulated matter at the subatomic level—a cosmic entity that happened to have been born human.
His consciousness now existed as pure information, distributed across trillions of nanomachines that formed a living satellite array around Earth. Each machine was simultaneously Jack and part of something greater, a collective intelligence that had transcended the biological limitations of its origin.
The message he broadcast to the galaxy went out on all GTN channels simultaneously, ensuring that every civilization within a thousand light-years would witness what happened next:
"To the three fleets approaching Sol System—Bio-Harvester Syndicate, Mind Flayer Consortium, Star Devourer Collective—this is your only warning."
As he spoke, Jack casually rearranged Jupiter's moons into a defensive formation. The gas giant's four largest satellites moved like chess pieces across space, their orbits shifting with gravitational precision that would have required supercomputers to calculate. Jack did it as an afterthought.
"You came here expecting to purchase livestock. You found a god."
The response from the Bio-Harvester Syndicate was transmitted on emergency frequencies: "Impossible. No planetary species achieves Class-7 evolution this quickly."
Mind Flayer Consortium's reply carried undertones of what might have been fear: "The neural readings are... unprecedented. What has Earth become?"
But it was Star Devourer Collective that provided the most honest assessment: "...interesting. We haven't faced a challenge in ten thousand years."
Jack's laughter rippled through eleven dimensions simultaneously. "Turn back now," he offered with the magnanimity of absolute power, "or become part of my collection."
The three fleets' response was unified for the first time in their species' histories:
"We accept your challenge, Earth-entity."
PLANETARY DOMINION CHALLENGE: ACCEPTED
As the timer began its final countdown—71 hours, 47 minutes, 12 seconds—Jack realized that somewhere in his transformation from defender to dictator to cosmic entity, the very concept of saving humanity had become irrelevant.
This wasn't about protection anymore. It wasn't about justice or revenge or even survival.
This was about ownership.
"I am not Earth's protector," Jack announced to the galaxy as three invasion fleets entered the outer solar system. "I am Earth's owner. And nobody steals my property."
The Planetary Dominion Challenge was about to begin.