Interstellar Age

While the Milky Way was preparing for the invasion of the Naraku, so too were the Naraku preparing for their fateful day. Erich's attack on their Hive World had been devastating. It was a something which the Naraku Empress desperately wanted to avenge.

She had never expected those bastards in the Milky Way to strike her within the safety of Andromeda. This meant that one of the civilizations in the Neighboring Galaxy had the ability to traverse the dark void of space between the two galaxies.

It was not exactly what one would call a comforting thought. At any moment, they could launch another attack like the one they had done ten years ago. In fact, the losses that the Naraku sustained in that time were so severe that even after ten years, they had yet to fully recuperate from them.

Worse yet, any contact they had with the Milky Way had been cut off. When they were finally capable of invading the Milky Way, they would do so completely unaware of the Enemy's strength. Something that could not be said the same for those the bugs which to devour.

After all, more and more deep space probes made their way into Andromeda with each passing week, and though the Naraku had gotten good at detecting them, and eliminating them quickly, there was a not a doubt in the Empress's mind that these alien probes were taking images and sending them back to their masters before their ultimate destruction.

No matter how she thought about it, the Milky Way and whoever was behind these probes had the upper hand regarding intelligence and information. Something which did not bode well for her invasion.

Hell, the Naraku Empress still did not know that the Milky Way Galaxy had more or less been united in its desperate attempt to resist the upcoming invasion. This had happened so suddenly and during a time when her own scouts were under attack, that the Naraku Empress had no way of knowing this vital information, but she had begun to suspect it.

Why was the Naraku so capable of invading and destroying all life within other galaxies than the one they originated from? The answer is simple, because they were incredibly patient, sending scouts to observe their targets for thousands, if not millions, of years, waiting for a moment of chaos to launch their invasion.

The inability to perceive the extra-galactic invasion, and the lack of ability to unify against it was the key to the Naraku's repeated victories. But.... This might not be the case for the Milky Way.

If the residents of the Milky Way were already aware of the Naraku Presence within Andromeda, and clearly they were as they had not only already launched a pre-emptive strike, but continued to launch probes for the purpose of reconnaissance over the last decade. Then this could only mean one thing.

For the first time in the collective consciousness of the Naraku and their vast history, an enemy had time to not only unify, but prepare for their arrival. The results of which were entirely unknown. It could be a paltry defense, a rushed attempt to save themselves.

After all, the Milky Way only had a few decades before the Naraku in Andromeda were ready to invade. But if there was a possibility that these few decades could bring substantial gains to the inhabitants of the neighboring galaxy, then that could be disastrous for the Naraku and their invasion.

It was precisely with these worries in mind that the Naraku Empress of the Milky Way Galaxy spoke to one of her servants. This servant was one of the many bugs whose entire life purpose was to maintain the hive mind, and more specifically keep regular contact with the other not only the Empresses many subordinate Queens but also her sisters in the other galaxies across the Universe that had already been conquered by the Naraku, or were in the process of doing so.

Unlike the Naraku Empress, who had a rather anthropomorphic appearance, this communicator bug looked like a giant millipede. One that was particularly hideous, as its antenna were exceptionally large, and glowing at that.

No words were verbally exchanged between the two insectoids, but rather they communicated telepathically via the hive mind. The Epress's voice drowning out all other voices within the subordinate bug's mind. Compelling it to obey.

"Contact my sisters, who are nearest to Andromeda, and alert them to the fact that the prey in the Milky Way Galaxy appear to have discovered our existence within Andromeda, and are preparing for our eventual invasion.

If they are not too busy waging wars of their own, then their aid in this matter would be much appreciated…"

The words were transmitted across a vast difference to other hive minds belonging to other Naraku Empresses. Normally, Empresses did not interact with one another. Once a Naraku Hive Queen had risen to the state of a Galactic Empress, her territory was her own, and she would normally dispatch one of her daughters to conquer a neighboring galaxy with a significant invasion force of their own.

It was rare for Naraku Empresses to even speak with one another, in fact the Empress of Andromeda had not spoken with one of her sisters in a million years. And yet now she was contacting multiple of them at once.

The responses she got back was as to be expected. All of her sisters called her a failure and went so far as to mock her. Telling her to clean up her own mess. All but one… The voice of a Naraku Empress from a galaxy that was also near the Milky Way contacted the Andromeda Empress directly, as she offered her support.

"How very interesting… You're saying that the prey in the galaxy that neighbors our own respective territories know of your existence? And of your plans to invade. But do they know of my own?"

This revelation was stunning to the Andromeda Empress, who quickly interrogated her sister by what exactly she meant by this.

"Don't tell me you have eyes on the Milky Way as well?"

The voice that came back was almost like that of an older sister making fun of her younger sister for her own naivety.

"Oh, come now my dear sister, haven't I always coveted that which you desire? Indeed, I intend to send an invasion force of my own to the Milky Way, and I will say that I will do so in at most fifty years. So tell me? Shall we invade together? I do believe that even if they suspect you are preparing to invade, they have no idea that I am as well, correct?"

This information felt to the Andromeda Empress like she had just been stabbed in the back by a relative. But she had to admit, she was doubting whether or not she could take a united milky way on by her lonesome. Still, this was highly unorthodox, and because of this the Andromeda Empress was quick to ask the immediate question on her mind.

"If we do that, then whose daughter shall become empress? Mine, or yours?"

Naturally, the big question was who would rule over the Milky Way once they had ravaged it and all of the biological life within it? But Andromeda's sister was quick to offer a solution to this problem, one that intrigued the Andromeda Empress.

"Isn't it obvious? After we have dealt with these pesky prey, our daughters will fight for control of the Milky Way, whoever is left standing at the end will be named Empress of the Milky Way. Fair is it not?"

Andromeda thought about this for only a few minutes before ultimately agreeing to the compromise, and she did so with an eager smile on her face.

"May the best bug win!"