Chapter -77 : The Slower Mend

Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery

The hours in confinement bled into one another, a monotonous cycle of stark walls, recycled air, and the silent, watchful energy signatures of the Navy guards stationed outside Valerius's door. He spent the time in a state of rigorous self-discipline, pushing his Wargod energy through internal consolidation cycles, attempting to eke out any marginal improvement in control and stability. The 35% mark towards Mid-Level Wargod felt like an unyielding barrier without access to a significant power source.

His primary focus, however, was on the slow, agonizingly incremental repair of his System. He poured his mental energy into coaxing the nanite network, visualizing the microscopic machines rebuilding pathways, purging the lingering psionic interference from the anomaly's attack. The internal interface was still a garbled mess, but occasionally, a flicker of coherent diagnostic data would shimmer through the static.

<>

Nine hours. The countdown was a lifeline. Basic diagnostics wouldn't give him back his full arsenal of sensory enhancements or analytical power, but it might offer some insight, some advantage, before the looming Board of Inquiry.

He used his impaired Spatial Sense to monitor the outpost beyond his confines. He felt the ebb and flow of Navy personnel, the constant thrum of the Battle Group's operational energy. He sensed Kaelen frequently visiting the ad-hoc intelligence hub where Lieutenant Commander Jian now spent most of his time. Kaelen's energy was a tight knot of focused intensity; Valerius had no doubt the Lieutenant was meticulously building his case, presenting his theories about unconventional energy manipulation and Valerius's 'improbable' battlefield feats to anyone in the Navy command structure who would listen.

A new ration pack was delivered by a silent orderly, the exchange brief and devoid of interaction under the watchful eyes of the guards. Valerius ate mechanically, his mind elsewhere. The confiscation of the plasma core was a significant blow. It wasn't just the loss of a power source; it was a critical piece of evidence now in Thorne's hands. The Navy technicians were undoubtedly dissecting it, analyzing its unique energy signature, its instability, the signs of recent use. He knew their findings would be damning.

His thoughts turned to the anomaly. Had the Navy attempted any further scans? Unlikely, given the catastrophic failure of Scanner Unit Two. But they wouldn't simply ignore it. It, and its counterpart on Moon 7C with the Omega signal, represented a Precursor-level mystery that Sector Command would demand answers for.

He wondered if his "exposure," as he had briefly considered, could indeed be leverage. If he hinted at possessing unique insights into these anomalous energies – insights gained through his 'misguided study' of the core – could he trade that knowledge for leniency? It was a dangerous path, risking revealing more than he intended, but perhaps less dangerous than facing a Board of Inquiry with no cards to play.

Later, the System flickered again, a more stable diagnostic appearing this time.

<>

Six hours. And they were actively analyzing the core. He needed the System back, even its most basic functions, before Thorne and Jian summoned him again based on those lab results.

He pushed his Wargod energy, not outwards, but inwards, guiding it subtly through the damaged nanite pathways, trying to accelerate the repair process, to aid the microscopic machines in their struggle against the psionic residue. It was a delicate, exhausting effort, requiring immense concentration, like trying to reassemble shattered crystal in the dark.

Hours passed. The outpost moved through another shift change. Valerius felt the subtle shifts in patrol patterns, the change in the guards' energy signatures. He remained focused, his will a laser point, aiding the System's slow mend.

Then, finally, after what felt like an eternity, the chaotic static in his internal interface began to coalesce.

<>

It was a shadow of its former self, but it was functional. Basic diagnostics. Limited sensory augmentation. Rudimentary analysis. It wasn't enough to make him a master of the situation, but it was enough to give him a fighting chance. He could access some data, analyze his surroundings with greater clarity, perhaps even detect Kaelen's or Thorne's next moves before they happened.

The first thing he did was run a detailed scan of his quarters, searching for any hidden surveillance devices beyond the standard room monitoring. None detected. He then initiated a low-level scan of the outpost network, focusing on secure channels related to Investigator Thorne's team and the plasma core analysis.

The information began to filter through, slow and fragmented due to the System's limited capacity, but it was there.

<> The feed corrupted.

Micro-siphons. They knew he'd tapped it repeatedly. And Kaelen was linking it.

Before he could process further, his door chimed. This time, it wasn't an orderly. His newly restored, albeit limited, sensory augmentation identified the energy signatures instantly: Lieutenant Commander Jian, and with him, a grim-faced Investigator Thorne.

Valerius rose, his Wargod energy carefully suppressed, his mind now armed with a sliver of his former advantage. The Board of Inquiry hadn't been convened yet, but the next phase of his personal crucible had just arrived.