First Intergalactic Emperor: Starting With The Ancient Goddess-Chapter 488: Reactions

The common deck of Jareth’s ship was louder than usual, not with engines or machinery, but with voices layered over each other and a single screen pulled up larger than it needed to be.

Xavier’s stream filled it.

Reva stood close enough to the display that the glow washed over her face, arms crossed, posture tight in a way that slowly eased the longer she watched. She didn’t smile outright, but the tension that had been living in her shoulders for days finally loosened.

"He’s fine," she said quietly, more to herself than anyone else. "He wouldn’t be talking like that if he wasn’t."

Requiem nodded once from where he leaned against a bulkhead, eyes never leaving the screen. "He’s letting someone know where he is," he said. "And he’s doing it without saying it."

Reva glanced back at him. "Yeah. Us."

Lyra sat on the floor in front of the screen, knees pulled in, chin resting on her hands. She looked different now than she had days ago. Her shoulders were relaxed. Her eyes were bright. The weight that had been dragging her down since the bounty surfaced wasn’t gone, but it wasn’t crushing her anymore.

She laughed when Xavier downplayed himself on the stream, shaking her head. "He’s lying," she said. "He always does that." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Viola looked at her sharply. "You sound relieved."

Lyra nodded without hesitation. "I am. That’s how he says he’s got things under control."

Jareth stood off to the side with a few of his core crew, arms folded, watching the feed with interest that went beyond curiosity. When Xavier mentioned Helior Prime, a few of them exchanged looks.

"That place," one of them muttered. "He’s bold."

Reva didn’t miss the reactions, but she didn’t comment. Her attention stayed on the screen, especially when Xavier spoke Lyra’s name.

The murmuring around the room shifted.

A woman near the back frowned. "Why does he keep saying her name?"

Another crew member glanced from the screen to Lyra. "Does he know you?"

Lyra turned around where she sat and looked up at them like the question surprised her. "Yeah," she said simply.

"How?" someone else asked. "He talks like you matter to him."

Lyra shrugged, casual but honest. "He’s my master."

That earned a few looks.

"I stayed with him on Earth," she continued. "At his place. He took me in. Took care of me."

The room went quieter after that.

Jareth watched her for a moment longer than the others, something thoughtful passing through his expression.

Lyra turned back to the screen just as Xavier wrapped up the stream, her smile fading into something steadier and more focused. Whatever fear had been sitting in her chest had shifted into something else now, something closer to certainty.

Reva exhaled slowly and let her arms drop to her sides. "Now we know where he is," she said. "And now he knows we saw it."

Requiem nodded. "Which means the next move is already planned."

Around them, Jareth’s crew slowly dispersed, voices picking up again as the stream ended, questions and speculation spreading through the ship. Lyra stayed where she was, eyes on the darkened screen, shoulders squared, back to being herself.

Whatever was coming next, Xavier had made sure they weren’t walking into it blind.

Meanwhile, Kylus hadn’t slept much.

The lights in his private chamber stayed dim while multiple screens floated in front of his bed, each running a different feed from Helior Prime. He lay back against the headboard, bare torso lit by flickering broadcasts, sheets pushed down around his waist, jaw tight as footage replayed over and over.

Aurex Club surrounded with elite units deployed. City on lockdown. Velkhar Drome confirmed dead.

Kylus swore under his breath and dragged a hand through his hair. "Idiots," he muttered. "All of them."

He switched channels with a flick of his fingers.

He grabbed the remote and flipped channels. Another network took over, less focused on the attack and more on the aftermath. Analysts talked, footage looped, speculation ran wild.

Then the coverage switched again.

Xavier’s livestream replayed.

Clips rolled of him talking to fans, apologizing, explaining what happened, mentioning Jupiter, mentioning the crash, mentioning Reva and Lyra. And then Kylus heard his own name.

Commentators dissecting every sentence, analysts speculating about his arrival, news panels debating the bounty and the sudden public interest. One channel even discussed plans for fans organizing gatherings and support events across multiple cities.

He watched the segment replay where Xavier talked about the bounty and about coming after him anyway, chat messages flying past in support.

Before he could react, the bedroom door slid open.

His assistant walked in, red skin glowing under soft lighting, hair loose around her shoulders, carrying a steaming cup in one hand. She crossed the room casually, like entering his space was routine, and handed him the drink.

Kylus took it without looking away from the screen.

She climbed onto the bed and settled on his lap naturally, one arm slipping around his neck as she leaned back against him, eyes shifting to the footage.

They watched in silence as the replay finished and analysts started talking again.

Kylus scoffed, sharp and dismissive.

"Who the hell is this clown?" he said. "And why is he trying to pick a fight with me?"

His assistant shrugged slightly, still watching the screen. "Xavier," she replied. "Famous streamer. Been trending everywhere lately. Massive following. People treat him like some kind of hero."

Kylus snorted.

She glanced up at him and added, almost casually, "Looks like he’s connected to the girl too. Lyra. People are saying he’s her lover or something."

His brows pulled together as he studied the screen again.

Kylus clicked his tongue in annoyance. "That weak-looking guy," he muttered. "Can’t be her type."

He glanced sideways at his assistant. "Look at him properly. What do you think?"

She tilted her head and studied the screen for a moment, taking her time just to irritate him.

"Honestly," she said, "he’s pretty handsome."

Kylus shoved her off his lap immediately.

She landed beside him on the bed with a laugh, not offended in the slightest. She leaned back in, grabbed his jaw with both hands, and forced his chin up so he had to look at her.

"To me," she said, smiling, "you’re still the most handsome man alive. I don’t look at anyone else."

He held her wrist lightly, irritation still lingering. "You’re my assistant," he said. "And I’m your commander. That’s where it ends. We’re not supposed to have... whatever this is."

She raised an eyebrow. "Funny," she replied. "You don’t seem to protest that much when you fuck me every night."

Kylus released her hand and looked back at the screen, clearly done with that direction of conversation.

"Enough," he said.

He grabbed the communicator from the bedside table and activated it.

"Get me Vice Command," he ordered.

A voice answered almost immediately.

"Sir."

Kylus didn’t waste words. "Move every available unit toward Helior Prime. Push engines. Ignore speed limits and traffic protocols if you have to."

There was a short pause. "Sir, AIL clearance—"

"I’m not waiting on AIL anymore," Kylus cut in. "Secure every entry point to that city. If Lyra enters, I want eyes on her immediately."

He ended the call without waiting for confirmation and stared at the screen again, Xavier’s replay still running in the background.

His jaw tightened.

"Honestly, looking at his face makes me want to punch him. Let’s see," he muttered quietly, "how long your hero act lasts."