Crossing the sea of stars, they reached the far shore.
As the wake of the last frigate fully slipped into the dazzling "light gate," the 6th Company fleet led by the Renwei Yonggu completed an unprecedented intergalactic voyage and vanished beyond the bounds of the Milky Way.
The "light gate" rotated slowly behind them like a vast whirlpool, linking two galaxies separated by 2.54 million light-years.
Next, the great portal spanning the void did not close at once.
Energy along its rim, as if constrained by an invisible force, continued to rotate and flow in stable fashion, radiating a pulse that set nerves on edge.
Far away in the Milky Way, Grand Device 01's ring continued to emit a soundless hum, drawing dark-matter energy at astonishing efficiency like a tireless lighthouse keeper, straining to maintain the corridor binding two galaxies together.
The "light gate" was not only the entrance to the unknown, but the expedition's vital lifeline, ensuring they could retreat to known space in time if they encountered irresistible danger.
At the instant the fleet completed the jump and re-stabilized in the target system, on the bridge of the Renwei Yonggu—
Without a word from Sui Meng, Wu Ji was already in motion.
The ship's long-range sensor suites went to full power, and invisible scanning beams spread over this unfamiliar starfield like a vast net.
Every instrument began to drink in data:
gravitational-field distribution,
cosmic background radiation,
interstellar dust composition,
energy-spectrum fluctuations, and more
"Preliminary environmental scan complete."
Wu Ji's clear voice broke the bridge's quiet as a rough model of the current system took shape on the main screen. "The system's center is a white dwarf star in its twilight but relatively stable, surface temperature about 9,800 degrees Celsius, still shedding light and heat.
Within its gravitational reach, only two terrestrial planets remain on close-in orbits."
Her report did not stop there; deeper analysis followed.
"But reverse inferences from the current orbital parameters of the planets, residual nebular material, and the white dwarf's present mass indicate the system underwent severe mass loss in the remote past.
Models show its original structure should have been far larger—at least five terrestrial planets and an unknown number of gas giants and ice giants.
Its total mass…
is estimated at five to ten times that of the solar system."
Before Wu Ji could carry the analysis further, Halsey had already hastened to the central console. Her eyes swept star charts and figures; a scientist's intuition found the hinge at once.
Cortana followed to assist the deeper pass.
"A white dwarf," Halsey said quickly, excitement just audible: "That means its progenitor was likely a blue giant or an even more massive star. Blue giants live only briefly. They end in a glorious supernova, their outer layers flung away, and their core collapses to a white dwarf, neutron star, or black hole."
She pointed at the lonely, burning white dwarf on the screen, her tone heavy with the weight of deep time. "In the unimaginable past, this was a great, active system.
But its season of splendor was brief. The primary likely reached the end not long after the universe's birth—perhaps within only a few billion years.
A destructive supernova could generate enough energy to erase all traces of life in the inner orbits and violently disturb the outer ones—casting planets out or driving them to collide and be destroyed."
Cortana added in time, "From white-dwarf cooling models and the heavy-element abundance in the surrounding interstellar medium, the system's upheaval occurred roughly ten billion years ago.
What we see now—this dead quiet—has lasted more than ten billion years, far older than the solar system or Earth."
Halsey summed up: "If the Tavorantins pointed us here—and if this truly bears on the Marker's makers—then they captured only the faintest trace left here ten billion years ago—almost erased.
Time is the best camouflage this system has."
"."
Hearing this, Sui Meng stood silent before the viewport, staring at the cold, pale glow of the white dwarf and the two terrestrial worlds eking out orbits in its pull, doomed to barrens.
As Halsey said, over a timescale like this, in a system so changed, the odds that life—or even a being on the Marker-maker's level—left substantive clues to trace were vanishingly small.
The sight before them was more like a primordial tomb, empty and spanning ten billion years.
After a brief quiet, Sui Meng turned. His voice regained its usual steadiness and decision and carried clearly on the bridge:
"Orders: 6th Company's sub-fleets will, per the recon plan, proceed to each of the two remaining terrestrial planets.
Conduct full-spectrum, multi-band surface and deep subsurface scans; use every detection method available, including but not limited to ground-penetrating radar, neutron scanning, and quantum-resonance imaging.
Seek any unnatural structures, anomalous energy signals, or traces of artificial constructs, no matter how small or ancient.
Detach a cruiser with its escort group to the portal coordinates to hold with the flagship at maximum alert. Bring all defensive systems online to ensure our line of retreat is absolutely secure.
All units will maintain clear comms on quantum-encrypted channels.
Report any anomaly immediately. No unauthorized action.
Remember, we may be facing a mystery older than ten billion years. Any rash move could bring unforeseeable consequences."
With the orders given, the vast 6th Company fleet stirred like a waking hive and began to disperse in order.
The Imperial-class flagship took the lead with the first sub-fleet toward the nearer planet, while another ship led the second sub-fleet to the farther world.
Blue engine plumes traced graceful arcs through the dead night.
With the most advanced technology in hand, they would comb this starfield—dead for ten billion years—for the almost nonexistent filaments of the ancient past.
Meanwhile, the Renwei Yonggu and the smaller force on station locked themselves to the life-giving gate like a sea-calming pillar.
Armor plates on warship hulls threw back a cold gleam in the pale starlight. Weapons sat at the ready, "gazing" into the ancient, empty firmament, prepared for any threat that might appear.
In a corner of the bridge, Halsey and Cortana were already driving deeper into the first scan returns.
The system might look dead on its face, but a scientist's sharp instinct told them this starfield, weathered by ten billion years, could hide unknowns.
Every anomalous energy reading, every unnatural distribution of bodies, could be a lead.
Sui Meng still stood at the viewport like a statue unchanged by eras.
His gaze reached far, as if to see into the essence of the two barren worlds.
As a Primarch, he understood how vital this expedition was—
not only to fight the Marker's threat, but to shape the Empire's understanding of ancient beings they might face in time—and he must ensure every possibility was chased down.
Engines etched elegant tracks through the dead sky while every sensor bay went live, beginning long-range sweeps of the targets.
On the bridge, Wu Ji continued to take live feeds from the two sub-fleets and updated detailed parameters for both planets on the main screen.
"Target Planet A, 0.5 astronomical units from the white dwarf," Wu Ji's voice echoed. "Diameter about 6,794 kilometers, mass 1.1 times that of Mars.
Surface temperature reaches 430 degrees Celsius on the day side due to lack of atmospheric moderation, and falls to minus 180 degrees Celsius on the night side.
Atmosphere is nearly nonexistent, with pressure only one-thousandth of Earth's. Planetary magnetic field is weak and cannot effectively deflect the white dwarf's high-energy radiation."
She switched displays. "Target Planet B, 1.2 astronomical units from the white dwarf, diameter 1.8 times Earth's, mass about 2.1 Earths.
It has a thick atmosphere primarily composed of carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide. Surface pressure equals 80 times Earth's.
Mean temperature holds around 300 degrees Celsius. The atmosphere contains thick clouds of sulfuric acid droplets."
Despite the harshness, the 6th Company's recon showed its customary professionalism.
On Planet A, many landers pushed down through fierce radiation, deploying specially hardened scouting robots and Auxiliary soldiers in heavy protective suits.
In that dead world they searched with care, taking core samples and analyzing them—missing nothing that might be a clue.
Recon on Planet B faced even greater challenges.
When the first bots touched down, their feeds showed a true hellscape:
beneath dense yellow cloud was a rolling sea of sulfuric acid and bare rock. The high temperature and pressure caused standard scout gear to fail in short order.
"Based on present data…" Wu Ji continued her report to Sui Meng, "Planet B's environment is lethal to carbon-based life. If life exists at all, it could only be extremophile microbes."
At that moment, Dr. Halsey strode quickly to the console, a sharp light in her eyes.
"Wait!" she cut in. "Those atmospheric components… the temperature-profile pattern—Cortana, pull every file on conditions for silicon-based life."
Cortana responded at once, pulling the relevant information.
A holo unfolded overhead, listing in detail the environmental conditions where silicon-based life might exist:
suitable temperature range: 200 to 500 degrees Celsius,
a geology rich in silicates,
specific pressure regimes,
a liquid medium present, such as liquid sulfur or sulfuric acid.
"Cross-correlate Planet B's parameters against these conditions," Halsey urged.
Cortana computed quickly, and the display updated in real time.
"After comparison…" she replied soon, "Planet B's environment matches to 58% for silicon-based life, especially in surface temperature, atmospheric components, and geology—very favorable for silicon-based evolution."
She paused, then refined her analysis. "Given the system's age over ten billion years and Planet B's relatively stable conditions, life-origin probability models put the odds of silicon-based life evolving on this world at about 16%."
That number stirred a faint buzz across the bridge.
On a cosmological scale, 16% is striking.
Sui Meng stared at the planet wrapped in yellow cloud on the screen. After a moment's thought he decided: "Ready my personal landing craft. I'll go down to Planet B myself."
Halsey objected at once. "Child, the environment is extremely dangerous—eighty atmospheres and a strong-acid bath…"
"Precisely because it's unusual, it needs to be confirmed in person."
Sui Meng cut her off calmly. "If silicon-based life truly exists—or… something else—I must see it with my own eyes."
He turned to Wu Ji. "While I'm dirtside, you and the adjutant have fleet command. Maintain maximum alert, especially on the portal."
"Yes, sir." Wu Ji bowed slightly.
With the orders given, the bridge snapped to activity.
In the armory, technicians began special hardening on Sui Meng's power armor, adding acid-resistant coatings and pressure-regulation systems.
The landing team formed up quickly—the Xianzhen Honor Guard and four War Maidens as before—while Halsey and Cortana raced to finalize the recon plan.
"We need to prioritize any anomalous geological activity or energy fluctuation," Halsey said, pointing at Planet B's relief map. "Silicon-based metabolism may be entirely unlike any mode we know."
"I've retuned the scanners to focus on abnormal silicate aggregation and specific thermal-distribution patterns," Cortana added.
Half an hour later, all was ready.
Sui Meng stood before his personal Thunderhawk gunship, armor flashing with austere light. The Xianzhen had already boarded; the War Maidens stood ready at his side.
"Keep comms clear," Sui Meng gave Wu Ji a final reminder. "Report any anomaly immediately."
The Thunderhawk's hatch slid shut. With a mechanical lock engaging, the craft rolled to the launch track.
In the Renwei Yonggu's belly hangar, the launch doors opened to the jeweled night—and the mysterious world waiting to be explored.
At countdown's end, the Thunderhawk hurled from its sling, arrowing straight into Planet B's heavy atmosphere.
Around it, several escorts kept tight station, forming a close protective formation.
At the bridge viewport, Halsey watched the departing wedge grow small. She spoke softly:
"May knowledge—and the Emperor—guide us to the truth."
Her eyes held a scientist's anticipation—and a faint, hard-to-see worry.
In a system that has existed for ten billion years, what they were about to uncover might be a secret far beyond imagination.
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