[Lunar Base Alpha - Command Center]
Alex stood before the massive holographic star map. The Star-Chart of the 9 Users was overlaid onto the galaxy. Eight red pulsing dots marked the graveyards of the previous Tycoons.
"Dawn," Alex asked, sipping a fresh espresso. "Give me the breakdown. Where is User 001?"
"Scanning..." Dawn highlighted a dot in the exact center of the galaxy. "User 001's signal originates from the Galactic Core. It is located inside a supermassive black hole event horizon. Threat Level: Impossible."
"Great," Alex sighed. "The ultimate treasure is in a black hole. Classic. What about the others?"
"Analyzing proximity..." Dawn zoomed in on a sector relatively close to Earth.
[Target: User 006.] [Alias: The Forge Master.] [Status: Deceased (30,000 Years Ago).] [Location: The Nebula of Rust (Sector 8).] [Known Assets: S-Rank Weapon Foundries, Planetary Factories.]
"The Forge Master," Valerius stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "I know the legends. User 006 was a warlord who tried to buy peace through superior firepower. It is said his factories could print a Dreadnought in an hour."
Alex looked at his own fleet. The Void-Walkers were strong, but they were old. "My coffee empire pays the bills," Alex said. "But coffee doesn't shoot lasers. If we want to survive the 'Cosmic Predators,' we need User 006's factories."
[The Logistics]
"Dawn, calculate the travel time to the Nebula of Rust."
"Using standard Warp Drives: 3 Months," Dawn replied. "Using the Void-Walker Military Drives: 3 Weeks."
"Too slow," Alex shook his head. "The Banking Guild will be back in a week. I can't leave Earth undefended for that long."
Alex opened the System Store. Category: Galactic Travel.
Item: Hyper-Lane Ticket. Cost: 500 GC. (Public Transport).
Item: Slipspace Drive (Class B). Cost: 50,000 GC.
Item: The Bifrost Gate (Portable Wormhole Generator).
Description: Creates a stable, instant bridge between two points in space.
Cost: 5,000,000 GC.
Alex checked his balance. [8,500,000 GC]. He had burned through most of his "Coffee Money" on the Moon Base and the Gate Tribute. But he still had enough for one big jump.+1
"Buy the Bifrost Gate," Alex ordered. "We aren't driving. We're teleporting."
[The Departure]
[Transaction Complete.] [Deploying Bifrost Gate in Lunar Orbit.]
Outside the window, a massive ring of golden metal materialized in space. It spun rapidly, generating a swirling vortex of blue energy.
"Admiral Valerius," Alex turned to the hologram. "Leave 5 Cruisers here to guard Earth. Take the Dreadnought and the Elite Marines. We are going grave robbing."
"Understood, High Command," Valerius saluted.
Alex walked to the teleporter pad. Luna was already there, checking her void blades. "Ready to leave the solar system?" Alex asked her.
Luna nodded. "As long as the pay is good."
"The pay," Alex grinned, "is going to be astronomical."
[Warp]
The Revenant (Valerius's Dreadnought) moved into the golden ring. Space bent. In a flash of light, the ship vanished from Earth's orbit.
[Sector 8 - The Nebula of Rust]
Instantly, the view on the bridge changed. Gone was the blue marble of Earth. They were now floating in a thick, orange fog. The Nebula of Rust lived up to its name. Drifting in the cloud were millions of destroyed ships—carcasses of ancient wars.
"Warning," Valerius shouted. "Shields up! This nebula is corrosive!"
"Signal Detected," Dawn announced. "I am picking up a massive energy signature dead ahead. It matches the frequency of the God-Tycoon System."
Alex looked at the screen. Looming in the fog was a planet made entirely of metal. The Forge of User 006.
But they weren't alone. Surrounding the planet were hundreds of small, jagged ships. "Alert," Dawn flashed red. "Scavenger Fleet detected. Designation: The Junkers. They are mining the outer shell of the Forge."
"Looks like we have squatters," Alex straightened his tie. "Admiral, warm up the cannons. I hate trespassers."