"...Well, fuck."

Yeah, probably not the best way to follow up a scream of undiluted rage, but seriously, this sucked!

"Indeed. You are not exactly in a good position."

Thank you, Celm, for taking that well.

"You're welcome. So, what are you going to do next? You've already made it clear with Omega that you won't try to go back to your ordinary, dreary life. Not anymore, at least. Are you going to hole up in your hub universe and maintain your dominion there?"

"Would that actually work?" questioned Cyreesia.

"yes. Somehow, while I was not able to stock the rest of our anti-commander measures from awakening, I was able to ensure they would not be able to track you back to your hub. You could just lie low there and avoid their wrath forever."

Hmm.. "I could...but I won't."

"Why?" asked Celm. I got the feeling he not surprised by my course of action, just curious as to my motivations.

"Because as long as the counter measures exist, they'll target other commanders. Others like me. And while I'm willing to bet some are unspeakably evil, most probably aren't all that bad, and I can't condemn them to die because of an accident on my part."

"Brave words, and brave thoughts. Though, I must ask you this - how will you stand against this tide, all on your own?"

..Ok, I didn't think that part through. "Well, I-"

"He's not alone."

Turning, I found that Viv had stepped up to my side, face now filled with determination. "I'm with him."

"So am I," intoned Etran.

"Count me in," interjected Asaru.

"...Eh, I'm in too," remarked the representative of the Nocturni Legion, "and so are all my followers."

On and on the affirmations of alliance continued. It seemed I had drawn quite a few allies to my cause.

"Really," intoned one of Councilors. "And who are you?"

For a moment, the crowd looked at eachother.

At last, Etran spoke. "We are the heroic.."

"..and we are the villainous," continued the Dread Lord Ambassador.

"We are the liberal," answered the Terrran Alliance representative.

"And we're...the tyrannical," intoned...wait, when had the Worm showed up?!

"We are the wise," spoked Simaris.

"And the mad." That was Alad.

"We are the honest-" remarked Eudico.

"And we...are...the corrupt."

"We are the beautiful," boasted Ballas.

"And we are the monstrous," added Zen'hurros.

Then, to my surprise, Cassidy spoke up. "We're not exactly the best group of heroes around, if we can even be called heroes, but for that man? For Commander Flame? We'll fight for him."

The Councilors seemed taken aback by that statement. Milsanrima was the first to recover.

"So, you're going to help this one man try and defeat an army of machiens that are pretty much the pinnacle of the warsmith's art?"

"Yes!" Shouted my ROB.

"...Good."

...Wait, what? She was complimenting them on this?

Apparently, everyone else was surprised by this turn of events as well, if their expressions were anything to go by.

Finally, I mustered up to strength to venture a question. "You're...happy with this?"

"Yes, I am. You see, the only reason you defeated the lone Coelohim was because you had allies to call upon."

"Really?"

"Yes. All other attempts to defeat it, by other commanders, invariably ended in failure because they went it alone. Be it for pride, or care for their allies, they always tried to overwhelm these drones with their own might, only to be bested by those who new the power of the Progenitors better than any gamer could. You, though...you know when to ask for, and by extension, when to accept help. You know when to swallow your pride. And that is what secured you victory."

"...oh. Well, good to know."

"You're welcome. Now, anything else you want to say?"

"Just one thing."

"And that is."

Welp, time to drop a bombshell.

"I think I'm going to replicate what the guy who made these cubes did."

"...Explain. Now."

Here we go! "Now that the Commander Annihilation Force your kind left behind is on the loose, it would be prudent to send out information to warn other commanders this, if only to prepare them for the coming storm. Also, I'd like to send out an advance force of probes across the multiverse, to cultivate some universes for my arrival such that they will be prepared to face the rather of your forces when and if they decide to come knocking."

"Fair enough. Now, with that out of the way, meeting dismissed."

The council moved to leave. As they did, I turned my attention to my newfound allies. "...Thank you for supporting me."

"Eh, don't mention it," was Etran's response. "You've helped us so much, might as well repay the favor."

"I see."

Then I turned my attention to Anyo and the Worm. How they had arrived was beyond me. "Why are you helping me, though?"

The Worm went first. "Well...um...me an my sister thought siding with you and dealing with whatever punishment you offered was better than letting the sentients try to eat us?"

"...Would they actually eat you?"

"Some of my former comrades would," intoned Zen'hurros. "Also, Ntah has decided to return to assisting the Tenno. She is...conflicted, at the moment."

"...When did she change sides?"

"Sometime during the battle. I believe she assisted in the sniper and artillery attack against the Coelohim."

"...Well, thank her for that."

Then my attention rested on Anyo. "Why are you going to help me?"

"The Void told me assisting you would lead to greater profit...but also, similar reasons to the Worm."

Noticing movement behind the two tyrants, I tilted my head. There, Wally was waving at me. Wordlessly, I asked him a question.

"Yes, I really did tell Anyo that," was his response.

"I see. You know I can't exactly allow you o go unpunished for your actions?"

"Yes...how much do you...want me...to give up...to charity?" questioned Anyo.

Silently, I sent a message to Eudico. She replied soon enough.

"Eighty percent of your holdings, barring what I paid you to see the Solaris forgiven of debt. As for other terms...ask Solaris United."

"I understand. May the void bring you...good fortune."

With that, Anyo left to...have a meeting with his investors.

Now my attention was focused on the Worm.

"...Please be reasonable."

Hmm, what to do with her and her sister.

"...Please don't kill me."

"I'm not going to do that. Know, though, that the Grineer aren't going to be as strong as they once were."

"I suppose you'll want us to demilitarize and assist in the rebuilding?"

"I also want the Kuva Fortress."

"As a trophy? Not surprising...How long are we going to spend in prison?"

"...However long it takes for me to feel you've learned your lesson….even if that never happens."

"Fine."

"Well, then, I guess were done. Really, though, I do need to ask one more thing."

"And what might that be, scrawny?"

"...Did all of you rehearse that part where you referred to yourselves as brave, craven, and stuff like that?"

"No...it was a spur of the moment thing. I didn't even want to say tyrant, it just felt most appropriate."

"Makes sense. Now go, get your sister."

"Ok...and thank you for being merciful."

As the Worm left to prepare, I turned my attention back to Vivienne. "So, I guess were allies...permanently."

"Eh, yep. I guess we are."

"...So what do we do next?"

"...Well, get ready for tomorrow. Trust me, its important."

….Why did that sound so worrisome?

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AN: Read and Review! This is Flameal15k, signing off!