A meteorite carrying symbiotes drifting through space—it sounded bizarre at first glance, almost absurd.
But the moment Ethan Drake heard the report, he didn't hesitate.
He gave a direct order to capture it.
Lilith, living up to her reputation as a walking encyclopedia, immediately provided additional context as the operation was set in motion. Her tone remained calm, analytical, as she explained the nature of the creatures they were dealing with.
"Symbiotes can only truly thrive in oxygen-free environments," she said. "In oxygen-rich conditions, they don't die immediately, but they enter a prolonged state of starvation. When they can't endure it anymore, they instinctively seek out a host. That usually means drifting toward a habitable planet."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"In an aerobic environment, survival is difficult for them. However, through parasitic bonding, they can adapt and continue existing by controlling a host organism."
Ethan nodded slightly.
"So… parasites."
Lilith didn't argue with that classification.
Before long, the operation concluded successfully. The meteorite was intercepted by a Kryptonian fleet and brought under control without incident. The symbiotes inside were extracted and sealed within vacuum glass containment tubes, each unit isolated to prevent uncontrolled interaction.
Inside one of the life science bases, rows of these tubes were now stored under strict supervision.
There were more than expected.
A surprising number of symbiotes had been hidden within that single meteorite. In truth, their situation was almost pitiful. They had been searching for a primitive, undeveloped planet—somewhere they could feed and survive without resistance.
Instead, they had drifted straight into the territory of a high-level civilization.
A civilization that didn't tolerate parasites.
Not only had they failed to find prey, they had been captured wholesale before they could even react.
Inside the tubes, faint biological fluctuations could be detected. The symbiotes were aware. They could sense changes in their surroundings, perceive movement beyond the transparent barrier, and react to external stimuli.
They saw the scientists.
They saw the white coats moving in controlled patterns.
And then—
They saw him.
The doors to the facility opened, and a group entered.
"Welcome, Your Majesty."
The scientists bowed in unison as Ethan stepped into the room. Behind him followed Lilith, General Faora, and several key personnel. The atmosphere shifted immediately, becoming heavier, more focused.
The sudden order to capture the symbiotes had been impulsive, born from a fleeting thought in Ethan's mind. But he hadn't acted blindly. To verify the feasibility of his idea, he had gathered the necessary minds—scientists, strategists, and military leadership.
Now, it was time to test that idea.
"I assume everyone here understands the capabilities of symbiotes once they bond with a host," Ethan said, his voice steady.
"That's correct," one of the scientists replied immediately. "According to the Interstellar Species Archive, symbiotes can significantly enhance a host's physical attributes. They also possess adaptive weapon-forming capabilities, which makes them extremely versatile in combat."
Faora's voice cut in, cold and precise.
"They're also weak."
All eyes turned to her.
"In a direct confrontation, they're vulnerable," she continued. "Ultrasonic frequencies and high-intensity heat—especially fire—can destabilize them. Against a prepared opponent, they're far less threatening than they appear."
The scientists nodded in agreement.
"That's consistent with historical records," another added. "There have been documented cases where entire primitive civilizations were overrun. In one instance, millions of symbiotes invaded a planet and consumed the population within a week."
He paused, then added quietly:
"But those civilizations had no understanding of what they were dealing with."
Ethan listened, absorbing their analysis. Everything aligned with what he already knew.
Then he spoke.
"What if we built a symbiote army?"
Silence followed.
For a moment, no one responded. Then, almost simultaneously, realization dawned across the room. The purpose behind this gathering became clear.
Ethan continued, elaborating on his vision.
"Kryptonian soldiers are strong," he said. "Stronger than most interstellar races. But compared to me, they're still lacking. Individually, they don't possess overwhelming dominance."
He turned his gaze toward the containment units.
"Symbiotes can change that."
The idea was simple.
Enhance Kryptonian soldiers by pairing them with symbiotes. Amplify their strength, increase their adaptability, and create specialized units capable of rapid, high-impact operations.
"We don't need a massive force," Ethan added. "A hundred will be enough. A small, elite strike unit."
He paused, then clarified further.
"They can also be distributed among different legions. Even if an enemy identifies the symbiotes' weaknesses, coordinated support from allied units will compensate for it. In critical moments, they can disengage and recontain the symbiote if necessary."
The room began to stir.
The concept was undeniably appealing.
Symbiotes could significantly enhance combat performance. Kryptonian soldiers were already engineered for warfare—combining the two would produce something far more dangerous than either alone.
Even if the result still fell short of Ethan's own power, the improvement over their current baseline would be enormous.
Lilith was the first to respond.
"This is feasible," she said, her tone thoughtful. "Symbiotes are not inherently evil. Their behavior depends heavily on their host. A compatible pairing can produce stable and even cooperative results."
She folded her arms slightly, considering the implications.
"And our soldiers are genetically optimized. Psychological instability won't be a concern."
She paused again before adding a practical condition.
"However, the symbiotes should only be deployed during combat. After the mission, they must be removed and returned to containment."
One of the scientists chuckled softly.
"That makes them sound like equipment."
"Exactly," Lilith replied. "We treat them as symbiote battle suits. Deploy them when needed, recover them afterward."
Faora gave a slight nod.
"It works."
But not everyone was convinced.
One of the senior scientists raised a concern.
"There's a problem," he said. "Symbiotes are sentient. They have independent consciousness. There's no guarantee they'll cooperate. They could refuse bonding, or worse, reject the host entirely."
That was the real issue.
Symbiotes weren't tools.
They were living entities.
They could resist.
They could rebel.
And in the worst-case scenario, they could harm the very soldiers they were meant to enhance.
The room fell quiet again.
Then Ethan smiled.
A subtle, confident smile.
"What if," he said slowly, "we removed their consciousness?"
The words landed like a shockwave.
The scientist who raised the concern froze, eyes widening in disbelief. The idea itself wasn't impossible in theory—but in practice, erasing a living being's consciousness was far beyond conventional capability.
"Your Majesty…" he began, unsure how to respond.
Lilith, however, didn't hesitate.
"Brilliant," she said, her expression brightening.
Without consciousness, only instinct would remain. The symbiotes would no longer have the capacity to resist, to choose, or to rebel. They would function purely as biological tools.
Ethan stepped closer to the containment units, his gaze fixed on the writhing forms inside.
"If I leave behind a command," he continued, "one they cannot defy… then they become exactly what we need."
There was no arrogance in his tone.
Only certainty.
He already knew he could do it.
Even without the physical Mind Stone, the power it granted had already been integrated into his abilities. Through the Ultimate Evolution Module, he could manipulate consciousness itself—rewrite it, suppress it, or erase it entirely.
For him, this wasn't speculation.
It was execution waiting to happen.
And once it was done—
These symbiotes wouldn't be parasites anymore.
They would be weapons.
....
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