Chapter :46- Closing The Doors
Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery
The aftermath of the interrupted energy transfer left Valerius feeling like a thief who had escaped with only half the loot, leaving behind incriminating footprints. The 35% progress towards Mid-Level Wargod was a tangible gain – his energy felt denser, his Spatial Sense sharper, reaching further, discerning more detail – but the knowledge that Kaelen had likely flagged the anomaly near the decommissioned Xenobotanical Lab 3 was a cold counterweight.
He spent the following cycle rigorously consolidating the volatile plasma energy, using the System's internal circulation and refinement protocols. He needed his Wargod foundation absolutely stable, not just for combat readiness, but to ensure no erratic energy fluctuations betrayed him to the increasingly sensitive Navy sensor grid or Kaelen's watchful eyes.
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He practiced relentlessly in his quarters, focusing on stealth applications of his abilities. Could he use minor environmental manipulation to create sensor ghosts away from his actual location? Could his Spatial Sense detect active sensor sweeps before they reached him? The System provided simulations, pushing his control, preparing him for a future where evasion might be as critical as confrontation.
His passive monitoring confirmed Kaelen's actions. The Lieutenant formally submitted a detailed report to Lieutenant Commander Jian regarding the 'low-level, unidentified transient' logged near Lab 3 during the reactor shutdown. Kaelen meticulously cross-referenced the timing with his previous theories about energy fluctuations and the 'sensor ghost' from the battle, arguing that the pattern warranted immediate, localized investigation, separate from the planned deep scan of the lower levels.
Valerius accessed Jian's response via the System's network monitoring.
Relief warred with caution in Valerius. Jian hadn't authorized Kaelen's immediate localized sweep. The Navy's focus remained on the bigger mysteries – Project Chimera, the Omega signal, the Void Stone, the anomaly deep below. Kaelen's theory about Lab 3 was noted, but sidelined for now. However, the door wasn't completely closed; Jian hadn't dismissed it outright, merely deferred it. And the supply convoy carrying the deep scanners, the 'Star Chaser', was now only twelve hours out. The countdown continued.
Valerius knew accessing the testing bay or the xenobotanical lab again was now suicide. Kaelen would ensure those areas were watched, passively if not actively. The unstable plasma core beneath his bunk became a source of pure frustration – immense power, just out of reach. His path to Mid-Level Wargod was blocked again, forcing him back to slow, incremental progress through standard cultivation and nanite optimization, which felt wholly inadequate given the circumstances.
Updates from Moon 7C were minimal. Thorne's team continued documenting the site, awaiting the specialized scanners. The Omega signal pulsed faintly, an undeciphered heartbeat beneath the ruins. The Scorpion fleet in Grid 11 remained silent. It felt like the entire system was holding its breath, waiting for the 'Star Chaser' and the technology it carried.
Valerius focused his attention outwards again, using his enhanced Spatial Sense to monitor the outpost. He felt the subtle shift as Navy security subtly increased patrols near the Sub-Level 2 access points leading towards Lab 3 – likely a low-key precaution prompted by Kaelen's report, even without a full sweep being authorized. The walls were closing in, the opportunities for clandestine action evaporating under the Navy's methodical presence.
He stood by his viewport, looking out at the dusty, twilight landscape of Outpost 7. He was stronger than he had ever been, a nascent Wargod walking among unsuspecting soldiers. Yet, he felt trapped, constrained by circumstance and scrutiny. The power he craved was within reach but locked away. Kaelen circled like a patient predator. Unknown forces stirred on the moon and deep below. The Navy held all the cards.
His ambition demanded he find a way through, around, or over these obstacles. The System was a powerful tool, his Wargod abilities growing, but strategy, patience, and ruthless calculation would be just as crucial. The arrival of the 'Star Chaser' would change the game again. He needed to be ready to adapt, to find new openings, to ensure that when the truths hidden in this sector were finally revealed, he was positioned to capitalize, not become collateral damage. The doors were closing, but Valerius was already searching for the keys to new ones.