The Grand General hesitated.
"Then what exactly are you proposing, Your Majesty?"
Emperor VII clasped his hands behind his back and slowly surveyed the chamber.
"A war against Thanos is not a burden we should bear alone."
His voice echoed through the vast hall.
"Facing the Black Order head-on would be difficult enough. Facing them and the Kree simultaneously would be disastrous."
Several generals exchanged grim looks.
The emperor continued.
"Do not forget that Thanos and the Kree have been allies for years."
"If necessary, Thanos could easily persuade the Kree to join him against us."
His expression hardened.
"And let us not pretend the Kree need much convincing. They are our oldest enemies."
The room fell silent.
Everyone understood the implications.
If the Skrull Empire fought only Thanos, victory might still be possible.
If the Kree Empire entered the war as well...
The odds changed dramatically.
"That's why we need an ally," the emperor said.
"A powerful one."
"A civilization capable of tipping the balance."
The assembled generals looked toward their ruler.
They already knew a name was coming.
The only question was which one.
The emperor smiled faintly.
"Earth."
In truth, the conclusion was almost inevitable.
The conflict with Thanos had already evolved beyond a dispute over resources.
It had become a contest of authority.
A question of who would bow and who would stand tall.
Neither side was willing to yield.
The Skrulls were notoriously domineering.
Thanos was even worse.
One side wanted tribute.
The other refused to give it.
At that point, compromise was nearly impossible.
Because surrender wasn't merely a financial loss.
It was an acknowledgment of superiority.
The moment the Skrulls handed over those worlds, they would effectively be admitting that Thanos stood above them.
That was something they would never accept.
Not willingly.
The problem was that their chances of defeating Thanos alone were uncertain.
The Black Order was dangerous enough.
Adding the Kree Empire to the equation made matters significantly worse.
The Kree and Thanos had maintained cooperative relations for many years.
The alliance endured because their interests rarely conflicted.
But now that conflict had emerged, there was little doubt whose side the Kree would choose.
If the Black Order and the Kree joined forces, the Skrull Empire would struggle to survive.
So they needed an ally.
A powerful one.
And when the emperor reviewed the galaxy's major powers, only one realistic candidate remained.
Earth.
The Nova Corps?
Impossible.
Their hatred of criminals and aggressors was legendary, and relations between the Nova Corps and the Skrulls had never been particularly friendly.
The Kryptonian Empire?
Even worse.
The Skrulls had no desire to become part of the Kryptonian Empire's ever-expanding territory.
That empire was growing at an alarming pace.
Getting too close to it seemed like an excellent way to become its next target.
Earth, however, was different.
Earth was strong.
But Earth was also poor.
At least by galactic standards.
A smile slowly spread across Emperor VII's face.
"We can hire them."
Several generals blinked.
The emperor nodded.
"Earth lacks resources."
"That world possesses powerful warriors, but its civilization remains primitive compared to ours."
The Skrulls controlled technologies humanity could only dream of.
Rare materials.
Advanced manufacturing systems.
High-grade isotopes.
Resources beyond Earth's current ability to extract or even properly utilize.
Even if humanity received Skrull technology today, it would likely take centuries, perhaps millennia, to fully absorb and understand it.
Outdated Skrull technology alone would keep Earth's scientists occupied for generations.
The same applied to resources.
Many materials common within the empire were treasures on Earth.
The emperor spread his arms.
"We hire Earth's champions."
"We ask them to fight Thanos for us."
His smile widened.
"And in return..."
"We give them a resource world."
The chamber fell quiet.
Then the generals' eyes lit up.
A resource planet.
To the Skrulls, that wasn't an unbearable cost.
To Earth?
It would be priceless.
The emperor was convinced humanity would leap at the opportunity.
After all, billions of humans were crowded onto a single world.
The Skrull population numbered only in the hundreds of thousands, yet enjoyed the wealth of tens of thousands of planets.
From his perspective, the deal was irresistible.
"Brilliant, Your Majesty!"
"Earth won't refuse."
"One resource world in exchange for those super-powered warriors?"
"It's a bargain."
The chamber erupted into approval.
For the first time since Thanos's ultimatum arrived, optimism returned to the room.
Meanwhile, deep within the Centauri Sector.
Thanos sat across from Ebony Maw.
The two were in the middle of a quiet game of strategy.
Suddenly, the Mad Titan shivered.
It wasn't much.
Just a brief chill.
But Ebony Maw noticed.
"My lord, are you unwell?"
The question escaped before he could stop himself.
The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.
Immediately.
A ruler could not appear weak.
Especially not a ruler like Thanos.
Pointing out even the slightest abnormality risked implying vulnerability.
And Thanos was not known for his patience.
The Black Order's strategist felt cold sweat form beneath his robes.
His body stiffened.
For a moment, he feared he'd just signed his own death warrant.
Fortunately, Thanos merely glanced at him.
Then he rolled one shoulder.
"It's nothing."
His voice remained calm.
"I simply had an unpleasant feeling."
"My body is perfectly healthy."
"Of course, my lord."
Ebony Maw bowed immediately.
"Forgive my foolish concern."
The strategist inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
He'd survived.
This time.
The loss of a key subordinate had complicated Thanos's plans considerably.
Without Proxima Midnight, the Black Order's logistical operations had suffered.
The transition from the Black Order's traditional five-member leadership structure to four had created numerous organizational problems.
Supplies moved less efficiently.
Administrative tasks piled up.
Coordination became increasingly troublesome.
There was little that could be done about it.
A replacement would eventually have to be found.
Until then, the burden remained.
Still, the larger plan continued moving forward.
Thanos had already secured an agreement with the Kree.
The two sides would strike together.
Their hatred of the Skrulls stretched back over a hundred thousand years.
The Kree and Skrulls had fought, schemed, and sabotaged one another for longer than most civilizations had existed.
Neither side had ever managed to gain a decisive advantage.
Their power remained relatively balanced.
A total war of annihilation would likely leave both empires crippled.
Which was precisely why such a war had never occurred.
Until now.
With Thanos entering the equation, everything changed.
The agreement was simple.
Destroy the Skrull Empire.
Divide its wealth.
Split its territory.
Share the spoils.
Thanos had already calculated every stage of the campaign.
The fleets were preparing.
The Black Order stood ready.
Now all he needed was the signal from the Kree.
He moved another piece across the board.
Then he smiled.
After a long silence, he spoke.
"Once the Skrulls are gone..."
His eyes gleamed.
"The Kree will be next."