Knowhere.
The name surfaced from Alex's memories, bringing with it images of a massive structure floating in space - the severed head of a Celestial that had been dead for countless years.
That skull had been mined for centuries by various civilizations, its bone and tissue harvested for the exotic materials and energy sources contained within.
And despite all that time, despite countless mining operations stripping away its resources, Knowhere was still being mined in the present day of Alex's memories.
The sheer volume of valuable materials contained in a single Celestial body was almost incomprehensible. It represented wealth and power on a scale that could fund entire empires.
This Celestial buried in Earth's core could serve that same purpose for Krypton. The resources contained within Tiamut's body could accelerate their technological development by many years.
Throughout Krypton's recorded history, this event would be a first.
But then a more sobering thought followed immediately on the heels of that temptation.
What if mining this Celestial alerted the other Celestials?
The Celestials were not solitary beings. Alex's memories contained references to them traveling in groups, to a Celestial host that judged entire civilizations.
If one of their kind was being harvested, would they sense it? Would they come to investigate? Would they bring their full might to punish those who dared to desecrate one of their own?
It was tempting... incredibly tempting, to begin mining operations immediately.
The potential gains were enormous, and Krypton needed resources to rebuild and expand.
But greed might crush his empire even before it rose to power.
That was a lesson written in blood across galactic history. Countless civilizations had reached for power too quickly, had overextended themselves, had attracted the attention of forces they could not handle.
And they had all been destroyed for their hubris.
There was a reason the Kryptonian Council had categorized the Celestials as a race that could crush Krypton utterly.
The old records from the deep-space scout missions had been clear on that point.
When Kryptonian vessels had observed Celestials at work, they had witnessed power that operated on scales that made even Krypton's most advanced technology seem primitive by comparison.
Planets reshaped with casual gestures. Stars were manipulated as if they were toys. Entire solar systems restructured to suit the Celestials' unknowable purposes.
And these observations had been made from extreme distances, with the scout ships ready to flee at the first sign they had been detected.
The Celestials' full capabilities were still largely unknown.
What Krypton had observed might represent only a fraction of what they could truly do. And that uncertainty made them even more dangerous.
You could prepare for a known threat and develop countermeasures against understood capabilities. But how did you defend against the unknown?
So for now, Kon-Rao decided, he would analyze the dormant Celestial rather than attempt to harvest it immediately.
Patience over greed.
Information over immediate gain.
These were the principles that built lasting empires rather than flash-in-the-pan conquests that burned bright and died quickly.
And, even analyzing this Celestial might provide tremendous benefits.
Non-invasive scans of its structure, studying how its energy systems functioned, understanding the principles that allowed a being to operate at such a cosmic scale - all of this represented knowledge that could advance Kryptonian knowledge about such beings.
Kon-Rao knew that his empire might one day have to face the Celestials.
Whether through direct conflict, territorial disputes, or simply existing in the same universe as beings who judged entire civilizations, confrontation seemed inevitable at some point in the future.
And to face such an enemy - beings that had probably existed since the dawn of the universe itself, entities that had shaped the evolution of countless worlds - he needed to be prepared in advance.
You did not wait until the enemy was at your doorstep to begin developing strategies. You planned decades or even centuries ahead, gathering intelligence and developing contingencies.
A war could be won much faster if you knew the weaknesses of your enemy.
That was a fundamental truth that transcended species and cultures. Understanding vulnerabilities, identifying points of failure, finding the critical weak spots that even the mightiest opponent possessed - these were the keys to victory.
For example, his own race was vulnerable to Kryptonite and magic. Those weaknesses could be devastating if exploited properly.
A being as powerful as a yellow-sun-empowered Kryptonian could be brought low by these two things.
Every species, every being, every force in the universe had weaknesses. The Celestials could not be exceptions to this rule, no matter how godlike they appeared. They had to have vulnerabilities and limitations.
Analyzing this dormant Celestial might help him find the Kryptonite of the Celestials - metaphorically speaking.
And even if that specific goal could not be achieved, even if the Celestials proved to be as invulnerable as they appeared, he would at least try to find a way to safely mine this one.
A method that would not alert the others, that would not bring down the wrath of an entire race upon his fledgling empire.
Some questions required research and careful experimentation. But the potential payoff was worth the effort and time invested.
Overall, it was a win-win situation.
The decision made, Kon-Rao turned his attention back to the immediate situation.
He was still hovering above the ocean near Gateway City, with SHIELD agents below still securing the area and undoubtedly watching his every move.
Time to return to the ship and begin implementing this plan.
He activated his communication implant. "Var-Mo, bring the scout ship to my position."
"At once, Your Majesty," came the immediate response.
Within moments, the air shimmered, and the Kryptonian scout vessel materialized as its stealth systems deactivated. The boarding ramp descended smoothly, and Kon-Rao flew directly into the ship without touching down on the beach below.
The ramp closed behind him, and the ship immediately cloaked again before beginning its ascent. Within seconds, they had left the atmosphere behind, accelerating toward the massive Kryptonian mother ship that waited in high orbit.
The journey was brief. The scout ship docked smoothly, and Kon-Rao made his way through the vessel.
Crew members he passed immediately stopped and placed their fists over their hearts in salute, their eyes widening slightly at the sight of the Crimson Crown that marked him as the prophesied heir of Rao.
He acknowledged their salutes with a brief nod but did not stop to speak with anyone. For now, he had priorities that required immediate attention.
He reached his private study - a chamber that currently served as both office and throne room, designed for the serious work of ruling an empire.
As he entered, the lights automatically adjusted to his preferred settings. He moved to the throne-like chair positioned at the center of the room.
"LYRA," he called out, activating the ship's AI system.
"Yes, Your Majesty?" Her melodic voice filled the chamber immediately, attentive and ready.
"Create a new project designation in the archive," Kon-Rao commanded.
"Classification level: Emperor."
"The project name is Starborn."
There was a brief pause as LYRA processed the command and established the necessary security protocols. "Project Starborn has been created with maximum security parameters, Your Majesty. All files associated with this project will be accessible only through your direct authorization. What is the nature of this project?"
"Earth contains a dormant Celestial entity buried approximately seven hundred kilometers beneath the ocean floor in the Pacific region," Kon-Rao explained. "The being is currently in a state of hibernation or gestation, being nourished by the planet's thermal and tectonic energy. It will eventually emerge, which will result in Earth's destruction."
He paused, letting that information sink in before continuing.
"Project Starborn's primary objectives are threefold: First, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of this Celestial's biological structure."
"Second, to identify potential weaknesses or vulnerabilities that could be exploited in the event of future conflict with Celestials.
"Third, to develop methodologies for safely harvesting Celestial biological materials without alerting other members of their species."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Kon-Rao nodded, satisfied that this particular thread was now properly organized.
But another matter required attention - one that had been forming in his mind since his encounter with Diana and Hades.
Diana, with her origin and abilities. Hades has his dominion over death itself.
And, from what he knew, there were many others with remarkable capabilities scattered across this planet.
Some of these individuals could become valuable assets to his empire. People whose unique talents could be leveraged for the good of his Empire.
Mutants particularly interested him.
If Kryptonian scientists could study the X-gene that granted these abilities, they might be able to replicate or adapt it. Imagine combining mutant abilities with Kryptonian physiology, results could be extraordinary.
But more immediately practical, there were specific mutants whose abilities made them exceptionally valuable in their current forms.
"LYRA," Kon-Rao spoke again, "I want you to deploy multiple Specter-class surveillance drones to Earth. These drones are to locate and establish monitoring protocols on specific individuals."
"How many drones should be deployed, Your Majesty?"
"Six targets, so deploy six separate drone squads. Each target is to be tracked by a dedicated unit."
"Understood. Please provide the target list." Lyra responded.
"Erik Lehnsherr, Nathaniel Essex, Ororo Munroe, Jean Grey, Emma Frost, and Raven Darkhölme."
Kon also listed some basic information he knew about them that could help to find them faster.
"All six targets have been logged into the system," LYRA confirmed.
"Deploying Specter-class surveillance drone squads now. Initial search parameters are being processed. Estimated time to target acquisition varies by individual, but I anticipate locating most targets within twenty-four hours."
"Acceptable. These individuals are not to be approached or contacted at this time. Surveillance only. I want comprehensive profiles built - their daily routines, their associates, their abilities in action if possible, and their psychological profiles."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
Kon-Rao nodded, satisfied that this element was also now in motion.
These individuals might prove invaluable assets in the coming years. Especially with their unique powers, they could serve the empire in ways that even empowered Kryptonians might struggle to match.
And the timing was fortuitous.
An organized order among mutants had not yet been established on Earth. There was no X-Men yet, no Brotherhood of Mutants, no clear factional lines dividing those with the X-gene.
That meant these individuals could potentially be recruited before they became entrenched in Earth's political structures or ideological conflicts.
Once they allied themselves with Earth governments or formed their own organizations, recruiting them would become significantly more complicated. But for now, in what appeared to be the early stages of mutant-emergence into public awareness, there was opportunity.
Kon-Rao leaned back in his throne, closing his eyes and allowing himself a moment of contemplation. His mind reviewed the events of the past hours - the fight with the Harbingers, the encounter with Diana, the confrontation with Hades, the discovery of the Celestial.
He had a great deal on his plate right now. The list of threats and challenges facing his empire seemed to grow with every piece of new information.
Gods with their divine authorities and powers that could probably bypass Kryptonian physical defenses. The Greek Pantheon alone represented a significant force, and there were likely dozens of other pantheons scattered across Earth and beyond.
Viltrumites were also expanding through distant sectors of the galaxy. A warrior race known for its brutality and its policy of complete conquest. Eventually, their expansion would bring them into conflict with Kryptonians.
The Green Lantern Corps.
Darkseid and his forces on Apokolips. A being who sought the Anti-Life Equation and commanded armies that had conquered countless worlds. His conflict with New Genesis kept him occupied for now, but that could change.
And there were more threats beyond even these - threats he knew about from Alex's memories and undoubtedly countless others he had not yet discovered. This merged universe seemed to be filled with beings and forces that could threaten even a species like the Kryptonians.
He had to navigate his empire through all of that and everything else that would inevitably come his way. The challenges were immense, the dangers real, and the margin for error was almost nonexistent.
One wrong move, one miscalculation, one instance of overreach, and Krypton could be destroyed again - this time permanently, with no survivors to carry on their legacy.
But dwelling on the dangers accomplished nothing. Fear was a natural response to such overwhelming odds, but it could not be allowed to paralyze decision-making or prevent necessary action.
Instead, Kon-Rao focused on what he could control.
And above all, he would ensure that when Krypton finally revealed itself fully to this universe, they would do so from a position of overwhelming strength rather than desperate weakness.
But one thing was sure: Krypton would leave a mark on this universe.
.....
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