Chapter -53: The Eye Of Revelation (II)
Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery
The final hours before the anticipated deployment of the deep-penetration scanner beneath Outpost 7 stretched taut, each moment amplified by a sense of impending revelation. Valerius felt it like a physical pressure. The second scanner unit, now fully assembled and calibrated in its shielded hangar bay, was a silent testament to the Navy's methodical advance. Its unblinking technological eye would soon turn downwards, towards the secrets he had fought so hard to protect and the ancient anomaly that pulsed beneath their feet.
He spent the time in his quarters, a state of hyper-awareness his new norm. His Spatial Sense was pushed to its limits, a constant, subtle probe of his surroundings. He tracked the movements of Navy technicians near the scanner hangar, felt the focused energy of Lieutenant Commander Jian as he coordinated with Investigator Thorne's team on Moon 7C, and noted Lieutenant Kaelen's increasingly frequent presence in the engineering sections, likely reviewing sensor schematics and preparing his arguments for the upcoming scan.
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His power was consolidated, his control refined, but the lack of further energy infusion was a gnawing frustration. The unstable plasma core beneath his bunk felt like a caged beast, its potential untapped. Accessing it now was out of the question.
A priority notification arrived from the System – an update from the secure Navy comms channel, intercepted and decrypted. It was a directive from Captain Rostova aboard the Vigilant to Investigator Thorne on Moon 7C.
Valerius felt a chill. "Earliest opportunity." That meant now. Thorne had completed her initial survey on the moon, and the focus was shifting here, directly beneath them.
He immediately focused his Spatial Sense on the scanner hangar. He felt a shift in energy signatures – technicians moving with renewed purpose, power conduits humming to life. They were preparing to move the scanner.
His door chimed. He smoothed his energy signature, composed his features, and opened it. Lieutenant Commander Jian stood there, his expression serious.
"Lieutenant Valerius," Jian said. "Investigator Thorne has completed her initial scan phase on Moon 7C. As per Captain Rostova's directive, deployment of Scanner Unit Two to investigate the anomaly beneath this outpost will commence within the next two hours. Access to Sub-Levels 3 and 4 will be restricted. Your cooperation, and that of all garrison personnel, is expected to ensure a smooth operation."
Two hours. The final countdown was explicit.
"Understood, Lieutenant Commander," Valerius replied, his voice steady. "We will provide any necessary support."
"Investigator Thorne will be returning from the moon to oversee this scan personally," Jian added. "She, along with Lieutenant Kaelen, will be present in the auxiliary control center monitoring the data feed. Your presence may also be required, given your familiarity with the outpost's lower level sensor logs and previous anomalous readings."
Valerius felt the trap closing. Thorne and Kaelen, monitoring the scan, with him potentially present. It was the worst possible scenario. They would be watching the data, watching him, looking for any correlation, any reaction.
"I will be available, Lieutenant Commander," he said.
Jian nodded. "Good. The truth of what lies beneath this outpost is a priority for Sector Command." He turned and left.
Valerius closed the door, his mind racing. Two hours. He needed to ensure every countermeasure was in place, every contingency considered. The System's digital scrubbing was complete, but physical traces or energy residue from his geothermal vein visits were a different matter. And the anomaly itself – what would the scanner reveal about its true nature? Could it react to the scan?
He focused on his Wargod energy, running through suppression protocols, ensuring his outward signature was impeccably that of a High-Level Warrior. He reviewed the schematics of Sub-Level 4, the location of the geothermal vein, the path he had taken. Was there anything he had missed? Anything the scanner might pick up that could be directly tied to him?
The unstable plasma core beneath his bunk felt like a burning weight. If the scan revealed something truly dangerous, something that threatened the outpost or his own position, would he be forced to use its power? The thought was a desperate one, a last resort.
The outpost hummed with a new level of activity as Navy teams prepared for the scan. Valerius felt the unblinking eye of the scanner turning towards the depths, and towards him. The eve of revelation was upon them, and the secrets of Outpost 7 were about to face their ultimate test.