The first Harvester ships materialized at the edge of the Kelthara Expanse like cancer cells metastasizing through healthy tissue. Their arrival wasn't announced by grand displays of power or threatening broadcasts—just the sudden, systematic silence of entire star systems as billions of minds were processed into pure energy.
Reed watched from the command deck of the Fractured Hope as his reality anchors—carefully positioned defensive structures that had protected free worlds for decades—were consumed with terrifying efficiency. The Harvesters had evolved since their last major engagement, their consciousness extraction arrays now specifically designed to counter his liberation technology.
"The Threnody Collective is gone," Marcus reported, his voice hollow with disbelief. "Twelve billion souls, processed in seventeen minutes. Sir... they're not just consuming faster than before. They're learning from each engagement, adapting their methods in real-time."
