Chapter 196: The Flagship
The light faded and the X-Men found themselves standing on polished metal floors, walls arching high above them in alien curves. Around them bristled a dozen guards in gleaming Shi'ar armor, spears glowing with crackling energy. Their faces were sharp, eyes colder than the void.
"Stand down," one barked. "You are aboard the flagship of the Shi'ar Empire."
Logan's claws itched under his skin. Smells like trouble already.
From behind the guards stepped a thin, birdlike figure dressed in the robes of state. His voice carried arrogance like perfume. "I am Councilor Araki. By the will of the Imperium, you will show respect."
Cyclops straightened, jaw tight. "What's the meaning of this?"
Araki ignored him and spread his hand toward a taller figure in dark military regalia. The man's eyes were hard, his presence heavy. "This is Admiral Samadar, leader of our rescue fleet."
Samadar's voice cut like a blade. "We will rescue our Empress if she still breathes. If she is dead, we will avenge her. Our fleet is prepared to strike the Earth itself. We know where she was taken. We waste time standing idle."
The X-Men froze. Kitty's mouth dropped open. "Strike the Earth? With all those people—"
"They are nothing compared to the Empress," Samadar snapped.
Storm stepped forward, thunder in her voice. "And yet they are innocent lives. Would you slaughter billions to avenge one?"
Samadar's lip curled. "I would burn a thousand worlds for the Empire."
Logan's nostrils flared, catching the sour tang under the admiral's polished exterior. Not fear, not pride—something else. 'Rotten. Hostile. Not just toward us, but toward his own kind.' That stink don't lie. He edged closer to Xavier and muttered under his breath. "Chuck. That one's dirty. He's not just gunnin' for us—he's got poison in his veins against his own people too."
Xavier's eyes flickered toward Logan, voice a whisper only he could catch. "Are you certain?"
Logan's growl rumbled low. "Never wrong."
Xavier's expression hardened. He rose from his chair, voice calm but edged. "Councilor Araki, Admiral Samadar, I will not allow your fleet to rain fire upon Earth. By the bond I share with Empress Lilandra, I claim the right of Imperial Consort. The X-Men will attempt the rescue. You must wait for our attempt to fail before unleashing your armada."
Samadar's eyes narrowed like drawn blades. "You would gamble with the Empire's honor?"
Araki frowned, torn, but after a long pause his thin shoulders sagged. "One day. No more. If you have not succeeded, the fleet moves, and Earth pays the price."
The guards shifted, tension bleeding from their stance, but Logan kept his eye fixed on Samadar. The man's body radiated hostility like heat from a furnace. He ain't angry at the delay. He's angry he's been caught holdin' back his hand.
The team was escorted to quarters, the doors sealing shut behind them with a hiss. The walls hummed with alien energy.
Kitty paced, arms wrapped tight around herself. "They're really gonna blow up Earth if we mess this up, aren't they?"
Colossus placed a steady hand on her shoulder. "We will not allow it, Katya. We will protect both Lilandra and our world."
Storm's eyes narrowed. "What troubles me more is this admiral. His words carried more than duty. They dripped with malice."
Logan leaned back against the wall, chewing on an unlit cigar he'd palmed from his jacket. "That's 'cause he's playin' both sides. My nose don't miss, 'Ro. He ain't just bluffin'. He's rotten through."
Cyclops folded his arms, visor glinting. "If he's a traitor, we can't just sit on it. We expose him now."
Xavier shook his head sharply. "No. Samadar commands loyalty. Without proof, we would be crushed as interlopers. Logan's instincts have given us a thread—we must unravel it quietly."
Nightcrawler tilted his head, tail flicking. "So… we sneak, ja? It would not be the first time."
Logan's grin was feral. "Leave the sneakin' to me, elf. I'll pay our Admiral a visit."
The team exchanged tense glances, the weight of a billion lives pressing down on their shoulders. The clock had started ticking.
Logan cracked his knuckles, eyes gleaming. "If Samadar's hidin' secrets, I'll drag 'em out by the roots."