The communication screen went blank, and the room was engulfed in silence for a moment. Vimur, ever loyal, looked at Ashton with a hint of concern in his eyes.
"That should get her riled up," Ashton commented, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Was all that really necessary, Ashton?" Vimur asked, his deep voice resonating through the room.
The plasma cuffs on Rea crackled softly in the background as Vimur offered her a seat. She had been blindfolded, and her ears blocked so that she couldn't see or hear what was happening around her.
Everyone thought Ashton was going a bit too far with his antics, but not everyone dared to call him out. But since Vimur was one of the 'dumb' ones, he didn't think about the consequences and blurted out whatever was on his mind.
"Necessary? No, perhaps not," Ashton, still wearing a cold expression, turned to Vimur. "But it sends a message. One that needs to be heard loud and clear. I'm not hurting them because they betrayed me, but to get a message through to Astaroth that I'm not the same guy he killed."
Vimur raised an eyebrow, prompting Ashton to explain further. Ashton's tone turned icy as he revealed a side of himself Vimur hadn't seen before.
"When I died on the Verge, a part of me died there for good. A part I used to call compassion. I had it for strangers, for those who needed help. But not anymore."
Vimur, though accustomed to Ashton's decisive and, at times, ruthless actions, couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern.
"You're saying you've forsaken compassion entirely?"
"Not for those on my side, like you," Ashton's gaze remained fixed, and he shrugged. "From now on, no matter who betrays me, they will face the consequences. Whether I destroy them or make them desire to destroy themselves, I'll make sure of it."
Vimur understood the weight of Ashton's words. The man who once had room for empathy now seemed driven solely by a calculated and unforgiving mindset.
It worried Vimur, but he respected Ashton's decisions as he knew his captain would only do what was best for them even though it might cause him harm.
Before Vimur could delve deeper into the conversation, Ashton's communicator beeped again. Ashton gestured for Vimur to remain silent. The room held an air of anticipation as Ashton accepted the incoming call, his expression unreadable.
"That happened faster than I thought," Ashton mused before accepting Ibis' call. "Yahallo! How may I help you?"
"Cut the crap!"
Ibis, usually composed and diplomatic, couldn't mask her anger. The humiliation of seeing Rea, an ambassador of the Xyrans, treated like a criminal struck a chord deep within her. Pride was a pillar of Xyran culture, and Ashton had strategically aimed where it hurt them the most.
"Oh, feisty. I can see why Astaroth was so fascinated with you."
"Is this your idea of negotiation, Ashton?" Ibis spat, her tone laced with fury. "You think you can disgrace us and get what you want?"
"Negotiation is a two-way street, Ibis," Ashton chuckled, unfazed by Ibis' outburst. "You wanted to play hardball, so here we are."
Ibis, struggling to maintain her composure, shot back, "This won't end well for you, Ashton."
"Says the ones who wronged me not once or twice but thrice!" Ashton shrugged. "You should be thankful I'm still willing to discuss this. Had it been Kro'Han, your body would be floating somewhere in space."
"Is this the extent you're willing to go?" Ibis gritted her teeth, realising that Ashton wasn't going to let things go. "Threatening us with hostages?"
"I'm willing to go to any extent to protect my interests. Some would call it dedication," Ashton's grin widened. "Besides, you started this game, Ibis. I'm just playing by your rules."
"A war, is that what you want?" she inquired, attempting to gauge the gravity of Ashton's intentions.
"You should remember what happened the last time your people tried something like this," he retorted. "Yes, I took some losses, but the Xyrans were decimated. I'm well aware of my significance in the current situation."
Ashton saw Ibis change expressions yet again and pushed even more. "Even if that wasn't the case, you people need me more than I need you. Especially after your beloved decided to side with Kro'Han and take Soul Killer with him."
Ibis got silent. Every word Ashton said was accurate. If Astaroth had sided with Kro'Han, their only hope was Ashton, as his Precursor gene was the only 'weapon' to keep Kro'han in check.
After all, even though they had 'won' a war against Precursors, they had only managed to kill a few. Most of the Precursors had been dealt with their own kind, led by Jo'Han.
Their 'victory' was nothing more than an inside joke amongst the council, and Ibis knew Ashton was more or less aware of the truth.
"So? What's it gonna be, Miss Representative?" Ashton taunted, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
This time, Ibis struggled to hide her anger. The game of negotiations had taken a dark turn, and Ashton revelled in his strategic advantage over the rest of them.
"Give me some time to discuss your terms with the rest of the council," Ibis conceded, her tone betraying a hint of frustration.
Ashton maintained his wicked smile. "Take all the time you need, but remember, the clock is ticking, and your citizens' lives are on the line."
"Believe me, I would rather die than forget what you did today," Ibis said as she took a deep breath. "Neither will I let you forget about it either."
"What can I say? You messed with the wrong man."
With a final, steely look, Ibis disconnected the call, leaving Ashton alone with his wicked satisfaction.
As the silence settled, thoughts churned in Ashton's mind. Threatening them was a gamble, a calculated risk to bend the Xyrans to his will. Thankfully, they were oblivious to the truth behind Ashton's words.
He wanted the Xyran warships, as they were the most advanced fleet. But he also wanted to smoke out any more rats hiding in Xyran ranks while serving Kro'Han, and thoroughly humiliating them was one way to get them acting weird.
The game had just begun, and Ashton was determined to come out on top, no matter the cost.