Daisy and Gladiator had their differences, but the conflict was not sharp. Both kept their disagreements within a very limited scope, leaving ample room for getting along in the future.
"I'm not going back. The Kree still need me, and I can accomplish far more in Kree than in Shi'ar. I hope the universe can remain at peace forever." The two clinked glasses lightly, drawing a close to their friendship. Relations between nations were complicated, and sometimes they could not be swayed by personal wishes. Meeting again as enemies on the battlefield would not be surprising.
"I heard King Daiken has awakened?" Near the end of her conversation with Gladiator, Daisy casually brought up a major event that had spread across more than half the universe.
King Daiken was the father of the current Queen Lilandra and the former king of Shi'ar. He was somewhat neurotic, always fond of studying ancient texts or having priests interpret divine prophecies for him.
There was no damn divine prophecy. The Shi'ar Twin Gods were still whiling away their days in Neutral Space; they had no ability whatsoever to concern themselves with these lowly commoners.
Yet the old king believed blindly in such prophecies. Thirty years ago, he had dispatched a spaceship to Earth to abduct Cyclops's parents and their family of four while they were out buying groceries, all because of a sudden whim.
A hawkish leader himself, he had suppressed domestic opposition and regional separatist forces. During the old king's reign, the Shi'ar launched eleven large-scale cosmic wars. He was a genuine war maniac.
Now that the old king had awakened, there were signs of confrontation between him, the current queen, and Gladiator. Many believed the Shi'ar Empire was headed toward a split in two.
"If you need help, Kree is willing