Outer Sector Outpost 7, Imperial Periphery
The final hours before the Sector Command fleet's arrival stretched thin, each tick of the chronometer amplifying the tension. Valerius remained a fixture in the analysis room, fueled by nutrient paste and the relentless drive of his ambition. He pushed his Wargod practice whenever the tactical situation allowed, refining his Spatial Sense to the point where he could dimly 'feel' the energy signatures of individuals moving two corridors away, and achieving greater finesse in the environmental control simulations.
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Progress felt agonizingly slow compared to the direct infusion from the geothermal vein, but it was steady, building a foundation of control that raw power alone couldn't provide.
Drone Prime-3's vigil over Moon 7C continued. Crater EC-117 remained stubbornly silent after the shuttle's departure. The 'Crimson Fury' and its escorts were ghosts on the sensors, their energy signatures suppressed, their intentions opaque. Were they simply waiting for the opportune moment to flee? Or was there more to their mission?
Valerius tasked the System with running predictive models based on the cruiser group's remaining time window before the Imperial fleet arrived.
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The most likely scenario was an escape attempt soon. Valerius forwarded a summary of the prediction to Commander Vorlag, recommending heightened sensor focus on EC-117 for signs of pre-launch sequences.
Vorlag acknowledged curtly. The entire outpost was on edge, waiting for the Scorpions to blink.
It happened three hours later.
Not with a sudden energy spike or launch sequence, but with something more fundamental.
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Valerius's head snapped up, his eyes locked on the feed from Prime-3. Simultaneously, multiple alerts flared across the main command center displays as the outpost's own long-range seismic sensors registered the event.
"Report!" Vorlag's voice boomed over the command channel.
"Major seismic event on Moon 7C, Commander!" the sensor chief relayed, his voice strained. "Epicenter deep beneath Crater EC-117! Magnitude 3.8, artificial origin confirmed!"
On the enhanced visual feed from Prime-3, Valerius saw it – dust plumes rising from multiple points across the crater floor, thrown upwards by the force of the underground disturbance. The ground itself seemed to ripple momentarily.
'System! Analyze seismic data! Correlate with known structures, energy signatures!'
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They destroyed it. Whatever facility they were using, whatever Project Chimera involved, they had scuttled it from within. And the energy released during its destruction contained traces matching the anomaly deep beneath the outpost? The implications were staggering. Was there a connection? Were the Scorpions utilizing technology or accessing locations linked to whatever ancient power resided below Delta-7?
Before Valerius could fully process this, new alerts flooded in.
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"They're powering up, Commander!" Valerius relayed instantly. "The cruiser and both frigates are hot! Preparing for launch!"
On the display, the three Scorpion warships lifted from the dust-choked crater floor, their powerful engines blazing, shields flaring to life. They rose rapidly, forming a tight combat formation.
"Their vector?" Vorlag demanded.
'System! Track vectors! Predict intention!'
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Valerius felt a chill despite the Wargod power humming within him. "Commander," he said, his voice dangerously calm. "They're not running. They're coming here."
The command center fell silent for a heartbeat, the reality sinking in. The Scorpions weren't fleeing before the fleet arrived. They had finished their business on the moon, destroyed the evidence, and were now turning their full attention – a battle cruiser and two frigates – towards the only Imperial presence in the system: Outpost 7.
It wasn't a feint this time. This was the main event.