Chapter 49: Instruments Unveiled
Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery
The supply convoy 'Star Chaser' remained in orbit, a constant reminder of the Navy's entrenched presence. Its shuttles became a regular sight, ferrying personnel and, most significantly, the components of the deep-penetration scanning arrays. Valerius watched their assembly in the designated staging areas with a detached intensity, using his Spatial Sense cautiously from afar. The scanners were marvels of Imperial technology, intricate lattices of energy emitters and subspace sensors designed to map geological strata and detect energy signatures buried kilometers deep. Instruments of truth, poised to dissect the outpost's secrets.
He knew, with chilling certainty, that Investigator Thorne would deploy the first unit to Moon 7C as planned. The mystery of Project Chimera and the Omega signal took precedence. But the second unit remained on Outpost 7, awaiting its turn. The countdown continued, measured now in the assembly time of complex machinery and the deliberate pace of Navy procedure.
Valerius focused on maximizing his readiness within these constraints. He couldn't risk accessing the unstable plasma core, so he doubled down on refining what he had. Hours were spent in deep Wargod consolidation, his internal energy circulating under the System's guidance, smoothing pathways, enhancing efficiency. He pushed his Spatial Sense relentlessly, learning to filter the background noise of the crowded outpost, focusing on picking out specific signatures – Kaelen conferring with Navy technicians near the scanner assembly area, Jian moving between the command center and secure comms rooms, Thorne's potent but shielded presence during her brief visits planetside.
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He was becoming adept at masking his Wargod aura, projecting only the steady energy of a High-Level Warrior. It was a necessary deception, practiced constantly.
News arrived from Moon 7C. Thorne's team, utilizing the newly arrived scanner unit, began their deep probe beneath Crater EC-117. Initial results were relayed back to Outpost 7, reviewed by Jian and his intelligence analysts. Valerius accessed the reports via the System.
A confirmed Precursor structure. Void Stone energy traces. A deeply buried, shielded signal source marked as a high-threat containment protocol. The picture was becoming clearer and infinitely more alarming. What had the Scorpions unleashed, or attempted to control? And why destroy the facility afterwards?
Lieutenant Commander Jian convened a brief update meeting. Valerius attended, alongside Kaelen and Commander Vorlag.
"Investigator Thorne's findings confirm a Precursor site was compromised by the Red Scorpions," Jian stated grimly. "The nature of the 'Omega-734' signal remains the primary unknown, but its designation is deeply concerning. Analysis suggests the Scorpions likely completed their objective – whatever 'Project Chimera' entailed – extracted something or someone via the shuttle, and then scuttled the facility to cover their tracks."
"And the resonance link?" Kaelen interjected eagerly. "Between Omega-734 and the anomaly beneath this outpost?"
Jian nodded slowly. "Thorne confirms the resonance correlation holds, though the signal here is much weaker, more diffuse. Once the Moon 7C primary scan phase is complete – likely within the next 24-36 hours – the second scanner unit will be deployed here to investigate that link thoroughly."
Kaelen looked vindicated. Vorlag looked uneasy. Valerius kept his expression carefully neutral, but the timeline solidified. One, maybe two days.
"In the meantime," Jian continued, "all personnel remain on high alert. The main Scorpion fleet in Grid 11 remains inactive, but we cannot become complacent. Lieutenant Valerius, continue monitoring their posture. Lieutenant Kaelen, continue your analysis of internal sensor logs for any further anomalies."
Dismissed, Valerius felt the pressure ratchet up another notch. The scan beneath Outpost 7 was confirmed, the timeline narrowing. Kaelen, emboldened by the resonance link confirmation, would redouble his efforts to find correlating anomalies, likely focusing even more intensely on the timeframes and locations Valerius had compromised.
He needed to ensure his tracks were completely covered.
'System,' he commanded later, back in his quarters. 'Perform deep diagnostic sweep of all outpost network logs accessed by Host. Identify and purge any residual nanite intrusion signatures or data manipulation artifacts related to security bypasses, emitter log corruption, or core acquisition. Utilize advanced counter-forensic protocols.'
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It was a necessary precaution. As the Navy prepared its instruments of truth to probe the physical depths below, Valerius deployed his own digital countermeasures, attempting to erase the ghosts of his passage through the outpost's data streams. The countdown to the scan continued, and Valerius worked frantically in the shadows to ensure that when the light finally shone downwards, it wouldn't illuminate his own carefully guarded secrets.