The Black Lion - The Herald of Sol. (Patreon)

Tony Stark, Imperial Wing – Olympus Station.

"How did you do it?" billionaire Tony Stark asked with a frown, staring intently at Harrison, who merely chuckled as he prepared two glasses of whisky.

"Come on, Tony, I know you'll figure out how I did it without any trouble," the Emperor replied with amusement, causing Tony to pout, practically throwing a tantrum.

"But I must say, you've truly outdone yourself. She's beautiful," Harrison remarked as he critically examined his new suit, his omni-tool glowing around his wrist as it scanned the armor while he muttered to himself.

Normally, Tony wouldn't allow anyone to scan his suits, but Harrison was an exception. In fact, much as it wounded his pride to admit it, the Emperor had absolutely no need to copy his technology.

"It has problems, obviously. Your inertial dampeners are inadequate, you're using far too much Harrium in your mass effect nodes, and this alloy, while interesting for sturdy mining and exploration vessels, isn't the best choice for a small, crewed vehicle," Harrison explained, causing Tony to nod slightly.

"You're right, but it's still a prototype," Tony replied defensively, earning a raised eyebrow from Harry.

"And yet, you didn't hesitate to make a Mass Jump to the Moon without so much as blinking," Harrison remarked in that particular tone of voice that always made Tony feel like a little boy.

Tony rolled his eyes and answered.

"I already apologized, Dad, and your punishment was torture enough," Tony replied, grimacing in agony at the mere memory of the ten longest and most torturous minutes of his life.

Harrison simply laughed and answered with a sly look.

"Oh, Tony, I've already forgiven you, but I can't say the same for Pepper, you know? Hermione and she talk all the time about market conditions and business opportunities. I imagine your little experiment will come to light sooner or later," Harrison remarked with amusement, causing Tony to turn pale.

"Hermione wouldn't be that cruel, would she? She loves Uncle Tony. She wouldn't want to see him die in terrible agony," Tony replied, his tone somewhere between amusement and genuine terror.

Harrison merely snorted, just as the voice of the aforementioned A.I. made itself heard.

"I'm open to bribes, Uncle Tony, but that can wait. The Stark presentation has begun," the A.I. announced, prompting Harrison to nod while Tony made a gesture indicating that they would discuss purchasing her silence later.

"Well then, it's time to see that beautiful ship. What did you say it was called?" Harrison asked, causing Tony to nod as he watched Pepper walk toward the floating platform at the presentation event.

All the spotlights were focused on this event. The planet's entire press corps seemed to be present, along with investors, businessmen, and wealthy heirs. The venue was packed to bursting, everyone watching the platform where Stark Aerodynamics' new spacecraft awaited its unveiling.

"I didn't think you'd agree to this, by the way," Tony remarked casually as they both took their seats and watched Pepper begin her speech with a series of technical explanations.

Tony's future wife spoke about the future of Stark Industries, its research into energy, the first steps toward creating specialized drones and robots, and the plans for the newly established Stark Aerodynamics division.

Harrison snorted, took a sip of his drink while watching the presentation, and answered.

"Oh? Did you think I'd bury you beneath taxes and sanctions so your ships would become ridiculously expensive to build?" Harrison asked with amusement, and Tony couldn't help grimacing uncomfortably.

Because, to be perfectly honest, that was exactly what he had thought.

"Aye, that's precisely what I expected you to do. The fact that you approved the patents and even supported and promoted the project was… a surprise to everyone at Stark Industries," Tony admitted, causing Harrison to nod slightly.

"I can understand your reasoning, but my objective is to propel humanity toward the stars, and that includes making the road to progress easier for great minds. Let me show you something," Harrison replied, activating his omni-tool and sending a file to Tony, who opened it with interest.

On the screen, Pepper was discussing how Stark Industries intended to make its way toward the stars, mentioning extensive space-mining operations and the approval of the Stark Shipyards, which, much to Tony's surprise, would be constructed near Venus.

Curious. He had requested Titan, Saturn's moon, because of its proximity to the great Imperial helium-3 gas deposits. Although Venus wasn't a bad choice, Tony was curious about Harrison's decision.

"Venus? Did something happen with Titan?" the billionaire asked as he rapidly read through the file Harrison had shared with him, which, surprisingly enough, turned out to be a census from the Empire's first year.

And the more he read, the wider Tony's eyes grew, even as Harrison answered his previous question.

"We've discovered some strange alien ruins on Titan. The moon is littered with them, and I've assigned one of my Lionesses to investigate," Harrison admitted calmly, prompting Tony to nod in understanding.

"Are they the same ruins you found on Mars? Where you discovered that alien space station?" he asked, causing Harrison to shake his head.

"No, and that's what concerns me. The Prothean ruins are fifty thousand years old, but the preliminary findings from Titan are… considerably more troubling. Only a thousand years, Tony," Harrison explained with concern, causing the billionaire to stop reading altogether and stare at him in disbelief.

"Are you sure?" he asked incredulously, cursing when Harrison slowly nodded.

"Aye, I am. The ruins contain some interesting technology, but it's clearly very different from the current galactic standard. Titan is a dead world, and I intend to terraform the moon and turn it into a colony, but… we need to learn everything we can about this mysterious civilization," Harrison replied with a frown, before shaking his head and looking at Tony curiously.

"What do you think about the information I shared with you?" he asked, and Tony could only snort before answering.

"What do I think? I think people are breeding like rabbits! It's insane, Harrison! One hundred and seventy-two million births in a single year!" Tony exclaimed, utterly dumbfounded, while Harrison merely nodded slowly.

"Aye, it is. And even with my technology, that's a rate Earth simply cannot sustain on its own, and that's without accounting for Veridian's population explosion," Harrison replied calmly, causing Tony to frown slightly.

"So… you're already planning for more space. You're already thinking about colonization," Tony remarked, and Harrison nodded slowly.

"Aye, although it won't happen immediately. For now, we have room within the Sol System, but within a couple of years, we'll begin expanding," Harrison replied, gently rubbing his chin before leaning back and continuing.

"I've received an interesting proposal from a former pilot, Sebastian Banks. He's requesting Imperial funding to establish a space exploration group. I'm considering granting him the support he's asking for," the Emperor explained, and Tony nodded slightly before regarding Harrison with amusement.

"You know, you're the first ruler I've ever seen who's genuinely interested in actually governing," he remarked, causing Harrison to burst into hearty laughter before answering.

"Oh, I despise bureaucracy, but fortunately for me, I'm surrounded by beautiful and intelligent women who help me manage everything efficiently," the Emperor replied, causing Tony to nod just as Pepper reached the most important part of her presentation.

"And now, ladies and gentlemen, I present Stark Industries' greatest commercial innovation, the one that will carry humanity toward the stars! A civilian spacecraft, available for purchase starting today! Introducing the Javelin line of starships!"

The moment Pepper spoke those words, Harrison raised both eyebrows before turning toward Tony, who responded with an utterly shameless grin.

But before Harrison could say anything, Pepper continued.

"The Javelin line consists of three spacecraft models! The Javelin I, small and compact, perfect for short trips, rapid journeys, and long-distance travel, designed to explore the vast cosmos! Capable of making jumps covering five light-years per day!"

Following those words, everyone present began murmuring excitedly among themselves. The commotion was deafening, because this meant that Stark's Javelin was five times faster than the original Evans barges.

Pepper began discussing the technical specifications, while they watched Stark Industries' stock price soar in real time.

"Now that's a ship with style," Tony declared proudly as images of the Javelin I appeared in the broadcast.

"She's quite a beauty, although a little too Stark for my taste," Harrison replied with a chuckle, causing Tony to look at him with raised eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Tony demanded, just as Pepper began displaying the flight tests, technical specifications, and operational lifespan.

"The spacecraft fully complies with Imperial civilian vessel standards. These are customizable modular designs, with cabins tailored to our customers' preferences, ranging from something austere and practical to something extraordinarily luxurious and sophisticated."

As Pepper spoke, Tony watched images of the cabins appear throughout the press conference. Some were workshops equipped with specialized machinery for mining and space construction, while others were extraordinarily luxurious rooms with enormous windows that would undoubtedly provide exquisite views of space.

"Excellent work from Pepper, although, to be honest, I prefer Taiyo's luxury cabins. There's also a promising newlywed couple, a billionaire and his engineer wife, who invested their entire fortune in the space industry. I have it on good authority that they'll launch their first ships in a few months," Harrison remarked with amusement, causing Tony to look at him in surprise.

"You're taking… all of this remarkably well, to be honest," Tony remarked curiously.

Harrison merely shrugged before answering.

"I've already given you my reasons, Tony. I have more important things to do than play businessman. More competition means better prices, better prices mean more sales, and more sales mean more taxes," Harrison replied with amusement, causing Tony to snort with thinly veiled mockery.

"Yeah, right, just one problem, your taxes are ridiculously low. Fifteen percent for businesses and corporations, and seven percent for the rest of the population… No wonder people practically kiss the ground you walk on, considering all the benefits you provide," Tony replied with a frown, causing Harrison to laugh, that damned self-satisfied laugh that always made Tony's eyebrow twitch.

Seconds later, they watched Pepper unveil the Javelin II and Javelin III, designed for personnel transportation and cargo hauling, respectively. She concluded by announcing that a fleet of the new Javelins would make the first jump from Earth to Venus to begin construction of the Stark Shipyards, ending the presentation with a holographic representation of the future station.

It was… a factory in space. There was simply no better way to describe it. A large modular installation, a network of enormous pressurized chambers connected by a labyrinth of walkways and decks, with at least ten hangars dedicated to spacecraft production.

These would become the new headquarters of Stark Aerodynamics, and although they were neither Olympus Station nor this luxurious Citadel, the shipyard would be formidable in its own right.

And most importantly, they would be his, belonging exclusively to Stark Industries. A true legacy, the beginning of the Stark family's journey toward the stars.

"So, Harry, what are you working on these days? Besides that Othys Station you mentioned," Tony asked with genuine interest, curious to learn how someone who ruled an entire empire spent his time.

Harrison regarded him with amusement before shrugging absentmindedly and answering.

"Oh, nothing special, Tony. I'm preparing a diplomatic mission to the Andromeda Galaxy. The Kree launched a second attack against us, so it's time we started looking for allies," the Emperor replied with complete tranquility, causing the billionaire to nod.

"I suppose you'll take a Kree ship and bring the prisoners of war with you," the Stark genius remarked, only to be surprised when Harrison gently shook his head.

"Of course not. The Dark Aster will remain nearby in case there's a third wave. I'll make the journey aboard my personal ship, naturally."

And the moment those words left Harrison's mouth, an immense curiosity seized Tony, who leaned forward, completely ignoring the fact that the entire audience had risen to its feet to applaud and cheer for Pepper.

"Your personal ship?" Tony asked, his interest more than evident in his voice. But before he could ask another question, Hermione's voice interrupted.

"Father, a message from Station Control. The Herald of Sol has arrived," the A.I. announced with an excited smile, just as Tony stared in utter astonishment at something happening in the vicinity of Olympus Station.

"Perfect, Hermione. Have the prisoners prepared for transfer. We depart for Andromeda tomorrow morning. I have matters to attend to at Hogwarts," Harrison replied with a smile, rising to his feet and draining his drink in one gulp before turning toward a thoroughly confused Tony.

"The station's hospitality is yours, Tony, but I have matters to attend to," Harrison declared, before simply winking at him…

And disappearing on the spot, before the billionaire's incredulous and envious eyes.

And as though that weren't enough, Hermione spoke again.

"Sling Space breach detected. Herald of Sol approaching the station's security perimeter for docking procedures."

As soon as the artificial intelligence finished speaking, Tony Stark immediately turned his attention toward the enormous windows of Harrison's private observation deck.

And what he discovered on the other side of the glass left him utterly bewildered, incapable of forming even a single word.

In the middle of the vacuum of space, quite close to Olympus Station's security perimeter, a gigantic orange anomaly was slowly beginning to manifest. At first, it resembled a simple luminous distortion, but within seconds it assumed truly colossal proportions, expanding until it formed an immense circular portal whose edges glowed with an unknown energy.

It was… strange, suspiciously uniform, clearly artificial in nature, although not entirely unfamiliar to Tony, who had seen Harrison use similar portals on several occasions.

Even so, it resembled no technology he had ever studied. There were no visible mechanical structures or recognizable energy generators. It simply existed, suspended in the void, as though someone had opened a door directly through space itself.

"Fuck… What the hell is that?" the billionaire murmured, instinctively approaching the window and placing his hands against the synthetic glass, as though doing so might allow him to see more clearly what was happening beyond it.

Then something began emerging from the… portal? Wormhole? Tony had no idea, too astonished to think clearly at that moment.

The billionaire genius parted his lips slightly as he distinguished an enormous metallic structure slowly passing through that orange surface. At first, he could only make out what appeared to be the bow of a ship, a gigantic mass of dark metal whose surface was covered in thick armor plating. And judging by the monstrous size of that bow, it was nothing like any of the vessels already known to the Imperial fleets.

The structure continued advancing.

And advancing.

And advancing.

"Fuck…" Stark repeated, this time in a whisper.

More sections of the hull appeared before his eyes, revealing a construction of simply absurd proportions. Enormous armored structures extended along both sides of the vessel, perfectly integrated into a military architecture that combined the ruggedness of a battleship with the operational capabilities of a freighter. The colossal ship was escorted by an entire fleet of corvettes moving around it like tiny insects.

"Those… those are Deimos ships," Tony whispered, observing what had to be at least a hundred Hoplites belonging to the rival company, evidently modified, all sporting black hulls and leaving green trails in their wake. He distinguished numerous turrets distributed across the colossal vessel's hull, the most striking being those gigantic twin cannons positioned directly beneath the command bridge, clearly designed to bring down capital ships with ease.

Others, considerably smaller, occupied strategic positions around the main structures, providing what could only be formidable defensive coverage.

And that was merely what he could distinguish with the naked eye.

The vessel was armored to an extent Tony found difficult to comprehend. Its enormous black metal plates formed a compact, angular, and menacing structure, with scarcely any exposed surfaces that might represent vulnerable points. Even the command bridge appeared to be protected by an independent fortification, surrounded by thick defensive structures.

It wasn't a ship designed to impress through elegance, and yet it was undeniably beautiful. An unstoppable giant, a vessel built for war, designed to destroy fleets, besiege star systems, and conquer entire worlds all by itself.

"It can't be… You're insane, Harry," Tony murmured, his eyes following the seemingly endless structure that continued emerging.

He attempted to calculate its dimensions using the nearby installations as references, but soon realized that he was witnessing something completely beyond the standards he knew. The Hoplites weren't small ships, each measuring approximately fifty meters, and yet they looked like mosquitoes against the vessel's black hull.

"Jarvis? How big is that thing?" Tony cautiously asked the A.I. in his omni-tool, his attention entirely focused on the sight before him.

A kilometer?

A kilometer and a half?

"Five kilometers, Mr. Stark," the A.I. answered, causing Tony to snort indignantly, knowing perfectly well that those were the dimensions of the Dark Aster, the vessel that had dared attack Earth.

"You're a goddamned mad and arrogant fucker genius, Harry," Tony repeated, shaking his head as he watched the titanic vessel emerge completely from the… portal.

Finally, the central section of the hull became fully visible, allowing Tony to distinguish an inscription engraved upon the dark metal.

HERALD OF SOL.

Beside the name appeared an emblem he recognized immediately: an immense Yggdrasil tree, its branches extending across a heraldic design carefully integrated into the armor plating.

The Imperial Symbol, the emblem of Evans Shipyards.

Tony felt a smile of absolute disbelief beginning to spread across his face.

"Harrison…" he murmured, finally understanding what he was looking at.

Harrison's personal ship.

Tony had built suits of armor capable of confronting extraordinary threats. He had developed technologies that many governments were only beginning to understand, and he was accustomed to being several years ahead of his competitors.

But this…

This was something else entirely. Tony felt like the Justin Hammer of the space race.

He wasn't simply looking at a more advanced version of technology he already understood. He was witnessing the product of an industrial and military development whose capabilities appeared to be entire generations ahead of anything Stark Industries or the rest of the Empire could develop.

And then he realized something.

Harrison had never shown much interest whenever Tony mentioned technological competition or commercial disputes between the major corporations on Earth.

He had always responded with that almost irritating tranquility so characteristic of his friend, as though such problems were too insignificant to deserve his attention.

Tony had interpreted that attitude as confidence, perhaps even a touch of arrogance.

Now he understood that it was neither.

Harrison simply had no competition. The Black Lion was the Empire, as simple as that. He allowed Tony and the others to play around with mass effect technology and civilian space travel because he simply had more important things to do.

The billionaire once again contemplated the immense silhouette of the Herald of Sol, which had finally finished passing through the portal. Its black hull stretched across the heavens like a floating fortress, while numerous white lights outlined its structures and revealed the extraordinary complexity of its construction.

Tony let out a small chuckle, slowly shaking his head.

"Son of a bitch…" he murmured, with a mixture of admiration and resignation.

For the first time in a very long while, the genius behind Stark Industries found himself confronted with technology he didn't even know where to begin studying.

And the most bewildering thing was that this monstrosity didn't appear to be an experiment, a prototype, or some extravagance constructed to demonstrate power. It was a fully operational military vessel.

Built with a purpose in mind, one unknown to Tony.

The personal ship of his friend and Emperor.

Tony slowly rested a hand against the glass, contemplating that marvel of engineering while an incredulous smile remained upon his face.

Evans Technologies and Harrison were playing in an entirely different league.

And on that day, it had finally become perfectly clear to him.

Tony continued watching in silence as the entire station mobilized to accommodate the docking of the spaceborne leviathan. He had much to think about, and his mind was spinning, but of one thing he was certain.

The future was going to be… very interesting.

Madelyne Pryor, Hogwarts – Midgard.

"How did your meeting go?" the redheaded woman asked, sensing the passive arrival of a new mind upon her precious balcony, her back straight and her legs crossed as she read with complete tranquility in her safe haven within the beautiful castle she had called home for the past several months.

Life at Hogwarts, in this beautiful place, was… extraordinarily peaceful, yet at the same time, very stimulating.

Madelyne didn't really remember much about her life. In fact, she remembered practically nothing at all, only pain and suffering, needles and strange serums in that damned facility, at least until that handsome young man with brown hair appeared, lifted her into his arms, and carried her out of that hell.

Scott was his name, Scott Summers, one of Emperor Harrison's most trusted commanders, an important and powerful man.

And unfortunately for Madelyne, a man she hadn't seen again since her arrival at Hogwarts, yet one who invaded her thoughts with increasing frequency every passing day.

It was… extraordinarily strange, and something that had begun to worry her. She was seriously considering speaking to Madame Wanda or Madame Ilyana about the matter, having even begun to suspect that there might be something supernatural involved.

"I can't complain. It's been a busy day," a masculine voice replied with a quiet chuckle, causing Madelyne to pause her reading for an instant, her eyes widening slightly.

That… that voice belonged to a man, something rather unusual at Hogwarts.

This place was a mutant academy for young ladies. The men permitted to enter the castle could be counted on the fingers of one hand, with fingers to spare.

Madelyne had enjoyed the pleasure of meeting all three of them. Lord James was a frequent visitor, generally spending his time staring toward the Black Lake, his eyes sorrowful and his mind troubled, nothing like the rumors about the Crimson Lion that the other Lionesses had shared with her.

Lord James was courteous, elegant, and extraordinarily powerful. His telepathy and telekinesis, abilities Madelyne could compare with her own, were highly advanced and precise. On several occasions, he had even offered her advice during her exercises at the academy.

Then there was Doctor Strange, or Stephen, as he had insisted his fellow practitioners of the arcane arts, including Madelyne, should call him. An elegant man, somewhat serious, but exceptionally well-mannered.

And the third… the third was someone Madelyne had spoken to only once, the man her eyes had fallen upon the moment she arrived at Hogwarts.

The most powerful man in the Empire.

Harrison Evans himself.

The damned Emperor in person.

"MY LORD!" Madelyne cried, her eyes widening as she quickly rose to her feet and knelt in deference before the imposing figure, displaying her complete submission and spilling her tea in the process. Not that she particularly cared, far too occupied trying not to tremble as she felt the Emperor's monstrous power beside her.

If Madelyne had considered James Potter a powerful man, she now understood just how terribly mistaken she had been.

The Crimson Lion, that wizard whose power had seemed extraordinary to her, was little more than a speck of dust compared to the monstrous strength she could feel emanating from the man standing before her. An insignificant ant before a mountain of colossal proportions. The difference was so overwhelming that the redhead could scarcely comprehend how such an immense amount of power could possibly be contained within a single being.

And yet, there he stood before her, closer than many people would ever come to the Emperor, looking at her with a polite, composed smile, completely in control.

Harrison Evans.

The Black Lion. The Great Unifier. The Scourge of the Kree.

The most powerful man not only on that planet, but throughout the entire Empire of Humanity, stood before her, regarding her with a warm, courteous smile that contrasted almost absurdly with the terrifying magnitude of his presence.

Madelyne swallowed, feeling her heart begin to beat faster. She had heard countless stories about the Emperor, but none of those stories had prepared her to meet him in person.

The most bewildering thing was his attitude.

Harrison didn't seem interested in intimidating her. His posture was relaxed, his movements calm, and his smile possessed a natural charm that would have been delightful under any other circumstances. Yet Madelyne was perfectly aware of who stood before her. He could atomize her in an instant with a mere thought, and that realization was enough to make her cheeks turn a deep crimson.

Was it fear or desire? She had no idea, and that was what frightened her most.

"You have nothing to worry about, Madelyne," the Emperor replied kindly. "After all, I'm the one who arrived unannounced. You've found yourself a charming little spot. Do you enjoy being here?" he asked pleasantly.

The courtesy of his words only embarrassed her further. Madelyne momentarily lowered her gaze, attempting to recover a composure that seemed to have abandoned her the instant she recognized her unexpected visitor.

It was then that Harrison noticed what had happened during her startled reaction.

The redhead had accidentally spilled some of what she was holding, leaving behind a small mess that, under normal circumstances, would have been utterly insignificant. However, beneath the gaze of the Emperor himself, that little accident seemed to have become yet another source of mortification.

Harrison made no comment about it. He simply raised one hand and made a casual movement with his fingers.

Magic responded immediately.

Without uttering a single incantation, the spilled liquid began rising in tiny droplets, gathering neatly before returning to the container from which it had come. Every trace of the accident vanished within seconds, as though it had never happened.

Everything was accomplished with insulting ease. Madelyne could barely move a feather with her own arcane arts.

"There we are," the Emperor remarked with a calm smile.

The redhead slowly raised her gaze toward him, still blushing.

"I'm sorry, my Lord. It's just that… I've been rather distracted these past few days," she admitted with a sigh, closing her eyes beneath the weight of everything she had been experiencing.

Madelyne expected a polite response, not the sudden interest and concern that appeared upon the handsome man's face. He frowned slightly before asking.

"Distracted? Is something happening to you, or is there a problem at the academy?" he asked with genuine interest, real concern for her situation, rather than the empty questions people usually asked because they lacked the courage to admit they didn't give a damn about what someone was telling them.

And Madelyne, like a house of cards, collapsed immediately, speaking without pause about her fears, the needles… the indescribable desire and the dreams, those damned dreams that wouldn't stop tormenting her.

And the more she spoke, tears streaming down her cheeks, the more serious the Emperor's expression became. By the time Madelyne finished her story and the redhead was preparing to apologize to the Emperor… he spoke, uttering words that made her blood run cold.

"I recognize those symptoms. I've experienced them myself," he declared solemnly, fury evident in his voice, a fury directed not toward Madelyne but toward something else, an invisible enemy. He then shook his head slightly and regarded her with determination.

"But unlike those who failed me, I'm willing to help you, if you'll allow me," he declared firmly, causing Madelyne's eyes to widen before she nodded rapidly, terrified that he might change his mind.

"Yes, my Lord! Please! It's… it's torture! What's happening to me?" she asked desperately, causing the Emperor to sigh before answering.

"From what you've described, someone has been tampering with your mind at an extraordinarily deep level, manipulating your subconscious. A capital offense, at least as far as I'm concerned," he declared furiously, his titanic magic shaking everything around them and causing Madelyne to swallow at the… strange and contradictory sensations of lust and terror that feeling such tremendous power provoked within her.

"We're going into your mind, right now, and we're going to find whoever is responsible for this, one way or another," the Emperor promised, and the beautiful redheaded woman believed him, relieved that her torment would finally come to an end once and for all.

Neither of them suspected that they were about to unleash a series of events that would change both their lives.

Forever.