Lothar gave little thought to the brief encounter with Hela. As for the so-called "March Pact," he had completely forgotten about it after a single night's sleep. To those unfamiliar with Lothar, this might seem arrogant—but that was simply the reality. Since his rise to prominence, none of his defeated opponents had ever managed to fulfill their proclamations of revenge.
You work hard. But those with talent work even harder. That was what truly drove Lothar's adversaries to despair.
"Breakfast has been prepared for you, Lord Lothar."
Standing at the entrance of the gravity training chamber was a plump, blue robotic feline, neatly tied with a checkered apron. It bowed respectfully.
"Got it."
A breathless voice echoed from within the chamber. The hatch slid open, revealing the polished black floor drenched in sweat. Lothar grabbed the towel that Gaitz had lifted overhead for him and turned toward the washroom.
"To mitigate any potential disruptions during this operation, Gaitz has already stocked the warship with sufficient supplies. Additionally, preparations have been made for the Chitauri forces..."
The ever-efficient Gaitz continued to speak, ensuring every detail was in order.
Following their heavy losses on the Bloodstained Plains, the Chitauri army had swiftly replenished its numbers upon returning to Chitauri Prime. The Chitauri had many shortcomings—low cultural sophistication, limited intelligence among most of their ranks, and an inability to execute complex strategies—but they had one undeniable advantage over high-intelligence species: sheer numbers.
Before departing the Black Quadrant, The Other had thumped his chest and proudly assured Lothar that he could restore the fleet's full combat capacity in a single night.
And, true to his word, he had done just that.
When Lothar returned to Chitauri Prime after breakfast, The Other stood before him, displaying the results of his tireless efforts: rows upon rows of Chitauri soldiers clad in battle armor, systematically boarding their designated warships.
Since half of this batch consisted of freshly recruited, untested soldiers, The Other had taken the initiative—without seeking Lothar's approval—to implement a "one-on-one mentorship" system, pairing rookies with experienced warriors.
Initially, The Other had been apprehensive, fearing that Lothar—who had always ruled with absolute authority—would be displeased with his unilateral decision. However, to his surprise, Lothar did not react with anger. Instead, he cast a brief glance at The Other and gave him a nod of approval.
The Other's heart surged with excitement. What did this mean? It meant that Lord Lothar was beginning to delegate authority to him. It proved that singing praises of his lord had paid off.
A loyal dog always reaps its rewards.
"Woz, set coordinates for Torfa," Lothar commanded as he settled into the control panel. His peripheral vision caught The Other lost in thought, grinning foolishly as if reveling in some imagined triumph.
Idiot. Lothar thought to himself. If he weren't somewhat useful and utterly loyal, I would've kicked him to the curb long ago.
"Lord Lothar, Torfa is currently caught in the crossfire between the Kree Empire and the Skrull Empire. If we venture there recklessly, we may be caught in an all-out crossfire. Shall I send diplomatic transmissions to both factions to secure safe passage?"
"No need. Plot a course that avoids the direct battlefronts of the Kree and the Skrulls," Lothar replied, shaking his head. He wasn't here for sightseeing. He was here to extract a target.
According to Thanos, the Kree Empire had an unusual level of interest in Astra.
That was precisely why Thanos had ordered Lothar to take the Chitauri forces to Torfa. Should their operation be compromised, the Chitauri army would provide enough firepower to cover Lothar's retreat.
"Upload relevant data. Keywords: Kree, Astra."
After finalizing the flight path, Lothar leaned back into his mechanical seat and issued another command. Thanos had only given him a broad summary regarding Astra. Before making his move, Lothar needed a comprehensive understanding of his target.
Know your enemy as well as yourself, and you will never falter in battle. His father's words echoed in his mind.
"Data uploading. Upload complete."
Name: Astra
Race: Kree
Age: 203
Family: Father (deceased), Mother (deceased), Brother (missing in action, presumed dead)
A stream of intelligence gathered by Ebony Maw flowed across Lothar's display. Thanos had always entrusted his intelligence operations to that sycophantic sorcerer, who reveled in the art of flattery.
"Presumed dead?" Lothar raised an eyebrow at the phrasing. It was rare for Ebony Maw to use the term 'presumed' in his reports. The sorcerer considered ambiguity to be an insult to intelligence work.
Either something is true, or it isn't. Uncertain information could cost a war.
Yet, here was that vague phrase—'presumed dead'—appearing in Astra's profile.
"Yes, Lord Lothar."
"Astra's parents and brother all served as high-ranking Kree officers. A century ago, when the Skrulls invaded Planet L77, Astra's parents were leading the Kree defense forces stationed there. However, the Skrull assault came too swiftly, and L77 fell within days. Astra's brother, dispatched under Supreme Intelligence's orders, was ambushed upon arrival. His entire fleet was wiped out. He has been missing ever since—his fate unknown..."
The brutal reality of war was laid bare in this dossier.
"Skrulls... shapeshifters, huh?" Lothar mused as he scanned the data.
He was more intrigued by the Skrulls than the defeated Kree. Once a Skrull laid eyes on a target, they could perfectly replicate their form—down to recent memories and even genetic structures. Their terrifying mimicry had long been their defining trait.
According to Thanos, the Skrulls had also set their sights on Astra.
That meant Lothar might very well encounter Skrulls with flawless shapeshifting abilities during this mission.
Interesting.
Lothar had always found the technologically-obsessed Kree to be dull. The Skrulls, however? They were far more intriguing.
"Lord Lothar, Woz has completed the route calculations. We will reach the nearest jump point in five seconds. Please prepare for transition."
Lothar glanced at the control screen. Twenty-four consecutive hyperjumps.
Torfa was indeed far from Chitauri Prime.
"Five… four… three… two… one… Jump."
In an instant, the colossal interstellar fleet vanished into the warp node.
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