Chapter -73 : The Crucible Suspicion

Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery

The heavy door to Valerius's quarters sealed with a grim finality, the two Navy guards resuming their impassive watch outside. The interrogation with Investigator Thorne and Lieutenant Commander Jian had been brutal, not in its physicality, but in its relentless, logical dismantling of his carefully constructed deceptions. They had the plasma core. They had his observed movements. They had Lieutenant Kaelen's increasingly plausible theories. All that remained was to connect the final dots.

Valerius stood in the center of the small room, the absence of the confiscated core a palpable void. His Wargod energy, though stable, felt restless, constrained. He was a predator in a cage too small, the bars forged from suspicion and Imperial Navy procedure.

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Fourteen hours. Still an eternity. He felt the profound lack of the System's guidance like a phantom limb. Every decision, every assessment, was now solely on his shoulders, filtered through his own intellect and impaired Wargod senses.

He extended his Spatial Sense cautiously. The guards outside were M2-Kinetic equivalents, their energy signatures steady, disciplined. Beyond them, the outpost hummed with Navy activity. He tried to reach further, towards the secure labs where the core was likely being analyzed, but his range was too limited without the System's amplification. He could only guess at the scrutiny his illicit power source was undergoing.

Meanwhile, in a shielded laboratory deep within Outpost 7's engineering section, Investigator Thorne, Lieutenant Commander Jian, and a team of Navy technical specialists gathered around the unstable plasma core. It rested within a heavy-duty containment field, its sickly yellow light pulsing erratically. Lieutenant Kaelen was present, observing with keen intensity, his datapad linked to the diagnostic sensors.

"The core's energy signature is highly volatile, Investigator," a lead technician reported, his voice amplified by the lab's comm system. "Its internal containment matrix is severely degraded. It's a miracle it hasn't breached already. Its origin is definitely not Imperial standard, nor does it match any known Syndicate or common pirate technology."

"Can you determine if it has been recently accessed or tapped for power?" Thorne asked, her gaze fixed on the swirling energies within the core.

"Difficult to say definitively without a full discharge and recharge cycle, which would be extremely hazardous," the technician replied. "However, there are micro-fractures within the energy regulation conduits consistent with recent, forceful energy extraction. The kind of stress one might see if it were tapped inefficiently, or by someone lacking the precise equipment or control."

Kaelen looked up from his datapad. "Investigator, the energy decay signature from those micro-fractures… I'm running a comparative analysis now against the 'sensor ghost' from the Frigate Two incident. The base resonant frequencies, when filtered for the plasma core's primary output, show… a potential correlation. It's faint, distorted by the core's instability, but the underlying harmonic structure is… similar."

Jian frowned. "Similar enough to be conclusive, Lieutenant Kaelen?"

"Not conclusive, sir," Kaelen admitted, "but highly suggestive. If Lieutenant Valerius did tap this core, even briefly, and channeled its energy through the outpost's auxiliary emitter, the resulting discharge, filtered and distorted by the emitter's own limitations and subsequent catastrophic failure, could theoretically produce the unique subspace harmonics we logged. It would require immense power control, far beyond a standard High-Level Warrior, but the energy source is clearly here."

Thorne remained silent, her expression unreadable. The theory was still circumstantial, but the discovery of the core, its instability, and the signs of recent use provided a powerful anchor for Kaelen's suspicions.

Back in his quarters, Valerius could only imagine the conversation unfolding. He knew his explanations were thin. He focused on what he could control: his own energy, his composure. He ran internal Wargod consolidation exercises, ensuring his power remained suppressed, stable, betraying nothing. He mentally rehearsed his answers for the next round of interrogation, preparing for accusations, for attempts to break his story.

He needed information. He pushed his Spatial Sense again, straining against its limits, trying to pick up any stray comms chatter, any unusual energy signatures from the direction of the labs. He caught faint, distorted fragments – technical jargon, energy level readings, Kaelen's voice, urgent and insistent. They were dissecting his secret, piece by piece.

The hours crawled by. His confinement was absolute. Meals were delivered by a silent orderly under guard. His access to the outpost network remained restricted to heavily monitored, basic channels. He was isolated, his fate being decided in rooms he couldn't see, by people who held all the power.

As the cycle neared its end, his door chimed again. This time, it was Lieutenant Commander Jian, alone. The guards outside remained.

"Lieutenant Valerius," Jian said, his tone less accusatory than before, more analytical, almost weary. "Investigator Thorne has reviewed the preliminary analysis of the plasma core and Lieutenant Kaelen's latest findings." He paused, his gaze steady. "There are still many unanswered questions. However, the energy potential of that core, and the signs of its recent, unorthodox use, are undeniable. As is your presence near several unexplained energy events."

He stepped further into the room. "Tomorrow, Investigator Thorne will conduct a final, comprehensive interrogation. She will present all available evidence. She expects your full cooperation in uncovering the truth, Lieutenant. Not just about the core, but about your actions during the battle, and any other… undisclosed capabilities you may possess."

Jian's eyes held a flicker of something Valerius couldn't quite decipher – curiosity? Warning? "This is your opportunity to clarify your position, Valerius," Jian continued quietly. "The alternative… will be far less pleasant. Sector Command takes matters of unauthorized high-energy sources and potential breaches of kinetic discipline with extreme prejudice, especially in a volatile sector like this, with Precursor mysteries and hostile anomalies in play."

He then turned and left, the door sealing behind him.

Valerius stood in the silence, the weight of Jian's words settling upon him. A final interrogation. Full cooperation expected. Undisclosed capabilities. The Navy wasn't just investigating a breach of protocol anymore. They were hunting for a hidden Wargod, perhaps even something more. And they were closing in. His System was still hours from even basic functionality. Tomorrow, he would face Thorne alone, armed only with his wits and the desperate hope that he could navigate the crucible of suspicion one last time.