CHAPTER 29: CH 29 THE SHUTTLE TOUCHED DOWN.

But Kevin came out of his thoughts soon enough. He shook his head to clear it, refocused, and addressed William’s question.

"That..." Kevin said after a moment of contemplation, "...is something beyond my direct authority, Mr. William. I can raise it with the Federation Council, of course. But whether they’d allow someone like you to enter with command authority—that’s a decision only they can make."

He paused, then added with more certainty, "However, if it’s just formal membership in the Federation—joining as a citizen, not a military or political figure—then yes. That’s within my power to grant. The rest... as you said, can be discussed later."

Kevin knew very well what kind of game-changer William could be for the Federation and humanity as a whole. But no matter how valuable an ally he might be, Kevin couldn’t act outside his jurisdiction—especially not when it came to introducing such a potentially overwhelming force into the political structure of the Federation.

Back aboard the Ragnarok, William had been listening in silence. At first, his brow rose in surprise, but then he smiled and nodded in agreement.

"Haha... Admiral Kevin, it seems you misunderstood me," William said with a relaxed laugh. "I wasn’t asking for a position of authority within your Federation. I only wish to join as a simple member, just another human under your banner. And as for rank—well, I can earn it, if I choose to. Don’t you agree?"

Kevin blinked, a little surprised. He had genuinely assumed William would request a high-ranking position immediately—especially after witnessing the terrifying power of the Ragnarok. That assumption now felt a little foolish.

"My apologies, Mr. William," Kevin said sincerely. "It seems I jumped to conclusions. Forgive the misreading."

William waved it off casually. "No need to apologize, Admiral Kevin. I didn’t exactly make it clear either."

Then William’s tone shifted slightly as he brought the conversation back to the matter at hand. "Now... about that basic membership in the Federation. That’s something you can approve, right?"

A gleam of anticipation flickered in his eyes.

Kevin nodded. "Yes, that much I can certainly authorize, Mr. William. You just need to prove that you’re, well, human. Standard protocol—nothing more. Once confirmed, I’ll have you formally registered into the Federation’s citizen database."

William gave a wide, confident nod, visibly pleased. He had no concern about that requirement—after all, he was human... just one who had ascended beyond normal limits.

"That I can do right now," William replied smoothly. "Send someone over to the Ragnarök. Have them take a blood sample, or run whatever biometric scans you need. I’ve got no objections."

Kevin, hearing William’s response, was once again surprised—but more excited than shocked this time. And he didn’t regret what William had proposed. Not when the man himself seemed genuinely eager. Not when Kevin, deep down, also wanted to get this done.

So he replied quickly, a rare spark of anticipation in his voice."I’ll have a shuttle dispatched to your flagship immediately. And if you don’t mind..." he added with a hopeful smile, "...I’d like to visit your ship personally."

William was unfazed by the request. He glanced at Elsa, then nodded in agreement."Of course, Fleet Admiral. You’re welcome aboard the Ragnarok anytime. I have no problem with that."

The conversation wrapped up shortly after, and William ended the transmission with the Pegasus-class flagship. Leaning back in his command chair, he turned his gaze to Elsa, who sat calmly beside him. Her face, this time, was unreadable—no amusement, no irritation. Just stillness.

William raised an eyebrow and decided to tease her.

"Well, well... what’s with that face, wife?" he asked with a wide grin. "Don’t tell me you’re upset about how the good Admiral addressed you. Not satisfied, hmm?"

Elsa’s eyes widened as the word wife echoed in the air again, his tone dripping with playful affection. A deep blush bloomed on her face as she turned her head away, hiding her embarrassment. Even for someone like her, that teasing hit its mark.

Meanwhile, back on the human fleet, Admiral Kevin was moving with unusual urgency. He had already teleported to one of the hangars aboard his battleship and now boarded a short-range shuttle, accompanied by a small team of five or six officers.

There was one thing they all had in common, despite their different ranks and roles—the storm of emotions flickering in their eyes.

Excitement.Awe.An almost religious reverence.

These were people who practically worshipped

warships and mechs as divine weapons of destruction. And now, they were about to step aboard a vessel that might very well surpass the Federation’s own mech gods—a ship so advanced, it didn’t just break their expectations; it shattered them.

And yet... with that excitement came dread.

This was unknown territory. Uncharted. Unclaimed. The Ragnarok didn’t belong to the Federation. It belonged to him—a man of uncertain origin with terrifying power. And that uncertainty came with its own quiet fear.

The shuttle itself wasn’t very large—about 40 to 60 meters long. As the pilot ran final checks, fingers danced across the controls. Once everything was green-lit, he tapped a few buttons, then turned toward the admiral.

"All systems ready, Fleet Admiral. We’re good for launch."

Kevin, already strapped in and practically leaning forward, gave a sharp nod."Go. Go!"

With precision, the pilot guided the shuttle out of the hangar and into the void of space. It slipped through the docking field and accelerated, gliding smoothly toward the distant behemoth that loomed ahead.

The Ragnarok—still and silent—waited about a thousand kilometers away.

A monster in the dark.

And they were flying straight into its shadow.

Meanwhile, inside the Ragnarok...

William didn’t need to say a word. Ascendancy had already overheard his entire conversation with Fleet Admiral Kevin of the Human Federation. So, instead of issuing orders, he remained focused on teasing Elsa.

Her face was already flushed crimson—having been called "wife" again and again in such an unashamed, affectionate tone. But no matter how many times she tried to muster the courage to refute him, the words died in her throat. She was far too flustered and confused to respond properly.

Ascendancy, standing before them, ignored their antics entirely. She had her own task.

Her primary function now was to guide the incoming Federation shuttle into the Ragnarok’s main hangar—one of its many bays, currently unoccupied and ready for use. Without waiting for approval, she remotely interfaced with the Federation shuttle’s systems and cleanly hijacked their navigation protocols.

A moment later, the pilot of the Federation shuttle stiffened. His console blinked—new commands had overridden his controls."System override?!" he exclaimed, startled.

Fleet Admiral Kevin looked over from his seat, but instead of reacting with alarm, he just sighed.

"She’s probably the ship’s AI," he muttered. "Let it go. Their tech’s already leagues ahead of ours."Then, with a light tap on the pilot’s shoulder, he added, "Just stay focused."

Back aboard the Ragnarok, Ascendancy completed the transfer, guiding the shuttle toward one of the starboard hangar access points. It was a clean descent—no turbulence, no friction. The Federation shuttle slipped seamlessly into the artificial gravity field and began its final approach.

With her task complete, Ascendancy turned toward William, who had finally stopped teasing Elsa. She had recomposed herself, though a faint blush still lingered on her cheeks.

"They’re here, Master," Ascendancy said. "Landing procedures are complete. Shall we go greet them personally—or would you prefer I teleport them directly to our medical facility? We could meet them there."

William considered for a moment, then replied with a shrug,"Teleport them. No need to go out of our way to greet them at the hangar."

He leaned back, expression calm.

"Even if I want to join their Federation... I don’t want to appear overly eager. I want them to understand something: just because I seek to be part of their civilization doesn’t mean I’m someone they can view as an equal—or worse, someone they can control."

Ascendancy nodded without question and prepared the teleportation protocols.

While Ascendancy began her work, William and Elsa quietly made their way toward the medical facility aboard the Ragnarok. There was no need for ceremony—William had already made his intentions clear. He didn’t want to roll out a red carpet; he wanted efficiency, not spectacle.

Ascendancy, following her master’s orders precisely, guided the Federation shuttle to land smoothly in the Ragnarok’s main hangar bay. The massive doors opened without sound, revealing a sleek, clean docking space devoid of personnel—eerily quiet but meticulously maintained.

The shuttle touched down.

A hiss of pressure signaled the hatch opening. Fleet Admiral Kevin stepped out first, flanked by five of the Federation’s top genetic researchers and a handful of elite pilots—each handpicked for their discipline, discretion, and scientific skill. These were experts in genetic analysis and molecular diagnostics, all prepped to verify William’s claim of being human.

As the team disembarked and looked around, they were met with a strange stillness. Not a soul in sight. Just vast machinery and silence.