Chapter -68: The Unproven Variable

Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery

The atmosphere in the shielded test chamber following the failed experiment was thick with unspoken questions and palpable disappointment. Lieutenant Kaelen stared at the flatlined readings from the fused auxiliary emitter, his earlier fervor extinguished, replaced by a frustrated bewilderment. The clean, replicable proof he had sought, the direct link between a mundane equipment failure and the anomalous 'sensor ghost' from the battle, had evaporated into smoke and ozone.

Investigator Thorne's holographic image observed the scene impassively. "It appears, Lieutenant Kaelen," she stated, her voice devoid of inflection, "that a simple catastrophic overload of an auxiliary emitter does not produce the specific subspace harmonic distortions logged during the Frigate Two incident."

"No, Investigator," Kaelen admitted, his shoulders slumping slightly. "It doesn't. The energy signature is fundamentally different." He looked at Valerius, his gaze no longer accusatory, but deeply puzzled. "The power surge you described, Valerius… it must have interacted with something else. Some other field, some other influence. The raw overload itself isn't the answer."

Valerius met his gaze, projecting calm professionalism. "As I mentioned, Lieutenant, the chaos of battle, the frigate's own shield interactions, atmospheric plasma from weapon discharges – any number of variables could have contributed to the sensor readings. Isolating a single cause under such conditions is inherently difficult." He subtly reinforced the idea of external, uncontrollable factors.

Lieutenant Commander Jian nodded thoughtfully. "The experiment, while not replicating the specific anomaly, has at least ruled out one potential explanation. That, in itself, is valuable." He glanced at Thorne. "Investigator, this outcome doesn't negate Lieutenant Kaelen's broader theory about unconventional energies being at play, nor the confirmed resonance link between the outpost anomaly and Moon 7C."

"Agreed, Jian," Thorne's image replied. "The Frigate Two incident remains an unexplained variable. Lieutenant Kaelen, continue your analysis of the battle logs. Focus on all energy fluctuations during that period, not just those attributable to known weapon systems. There may be other correlations we've missed." She then turned her attention, metaphorically, to the larger mission. "The primary focus remains the deep scan beneath this outpost. The equipment is nearly ready. We proceed as planned."

For Valerius, the outcome of the experiment was a dangerous reprieve. Kaelen's direct line of attack regarding the emitter had been blunted, but his underlying suspicion, and Thorne's interest in "unconventional energies," remained. Kaelen would now likely broaden his search, looking for other explanations for the 'sensor ghost', potentially stumbling closer to truths Valerius couldn't afford to have revealed.

He retreated to his quarters, the need for his System's full functionality more acute than ever.

<>

Twenty hours. Still too long. The deep scan beneath Outpost 7 was scheduled to begin within the next operational cycle, as soon as final calibrations on the second scanner unit were complete.

He spent the intervening time in intense, focused Wargod practice, pushing his impaired Spatial Sense, refining his energy suppression techniques. He needed to be able to feel the scanner's probing beams, to sense any shift in the anomaly's behavior, to react instantly if necessary – all without his primary analytical tool.

Updates from Moon 7C continued to be relayed by Jian. Scanner Unit One, under Thorne's remote direction, meticulously mapped the Precursor containment vault. They confirmed the 'Omega-734' signal was highly localized within the central chamber, but its nature remained elusive. No definitive biological signs, no clear technological purpose beyond being an incredibly powerful, shielded emitter of an unknown energy type. 'Project Chimera' seemed to be about accessing or perhaps even attempting to replicate this Omega signal, possibly using the Void Stone remnants found at the site.

The main Scorpion fleet in Grid 11 remained an unnerving, silent presence. Their continued inaction was a strategic riddle Valerius couldn't solve with his current limited analytical capacity.

As the designated time for the Outpost 7 deep scan approached, Valerius felt a familiar cold focus settle over him. He had survived Kaelen's direct test, but the larger investigation, armed with the Navy's most powerful sensors, was about to delve into the very ground that held his secrets. He checked the unstable plasma core one last time – still secure, still pulsing with inaccessible power.

He received the summons from Jian: report to Auxiliary Control Bravo. The scan was commencing. Investigator Thorne would again be overseeing it remotely from Moon 7C, her primary focus still on the Omega signal, but her sharp attention undoubtedly also on the linked anomaly here. Kaelen would be present, his eyes peeled for any correlation, any flicker of energy that matched his theories.

Valerius walked towards the control center, a Wargod operating in the blind, his every instinct on high alert. The unproven variable of the battle anomaly still hung in the air, and soon, the unblinking eye of the scanner would descend again, searching for answers in the deep dark.