According to the Exciel, there were three things the entire universe had in common.

Love.

Fear.

And death.

Julius scoffed at that, taking in the view. There was a time when he would've believed in all three. A time when he was too naïve to see the truth. But not anymore.

Not anymore.

Now he knew better than to believe that love existed. That was a topic best left to his people's romance movies.

Julius watched as a far-off meteor passed by his ship. The view a person could get in outer space was breathtaking. All the magnificent colours, the little pinpricks of light they called stars. So, so many stars. The first time he'd seen the glory of the cosmos, he felt like weeping. He didn't, of course. A strong leader did not cry. Especially not in front of his people.

He enjoyed standing in this room in his starship, more than his own room. This room — if one translated it from Innecan to English — was traditionally called the Meeting Parlour. Guests were usually welcomed to sit on the plush furniture, to talk with Julius about alliances and such. Or they were welcomed to be slaughtered in front of the glass wall, close to where Julius was standing. It depended on his mood.

"My lord?" A tentative voice piped up from behind Julius. He sighed at the prospect of his thoughts being disrupted. Would it kill these things to knock on the door?

"What is it?" He demanded of the servant, not bothering to turn around. He didn't really like looking at the servants, if Julius was being honest with himself. They weren't very pleasant to look at. The servant's kind were called Occidons. Julius remembered invading their planet perhaps half a loop ago. The Occidons were a peaceful species, but incredibly hard to kill. Julius had decided to save himself the headache and forced the Occidons into submission. It didn't take them much convincing after he threatened to eject their children into space. If only all species surrendered that easily.

Julius could hear the Occidon shift nervously behind him. Bad news, Julius noted.

"There was some interference with another one of the, ah, shipments, my lord."

"Oh?" Julius replied mildly, tracing designs on the glass with his finger. "What kind of interference? Engine breakdown for the fiftieth time interference?"

"No, my lord. An elite group from the Ayros corps attacked a starship earlier today."

Julius finally looked down at the Occidon. These things were made like stout boulders, and they looked like them as well. Their skin was usually a dusty gray color, rough to the touch. Though that was where the similarities ended. Their eyes were white — no pupils or irises. It was unsettling, to say the least. Julius didn't exactly enjoy speaking to them eye-to-eye. Not like he could if he wanted to, anyway. Their height was usually no higher than Julius' knee. Though despite their severe lack of height and decent looks, they have their uses.

"I see." He replied at last. "And do you know which elite from the corps attacked the ship?" He phrased it as a question, but the Occidon knew better than to take it as one.

"Our intelligence said that that attack was led by Phire of planet Ambrosia again, my lord."

Julius blinked slowly, taking his time to gather his thoughts. Finally, the leader of the human species squared his shoulders, as if preparing himself for a storm. But how does one prepare for a storm, if they do not intend to hide?

"Come along, then." He commanded of his servant as he strode past him. The Occidon struggled to keep up with his stubby legs. "We've got work to do."

This Phire person had been bothering him for a while now. But she was just a pest, another annoying bug to swat away. Julius would make quick work of her, and then proceed with his plans.

He couldn't help but smile to himself at that. Yes, what wonderful plans he had in mind.

~*~*~