Chapter 764: Tal'Deria
At this moment, the communicator in the laboratory rang.
It was Matt Horner's voice: "Dr. Hanson, Miss Valerie, if it is convenient, please come to the briefing room. We are about to arrive in the Tal'Deria system and need to formulate a preliminary operational plan."
"Thank you again, Miss Valerie. These materials have benefited me greatly." Dr. Hanson carefully placed the data-slate on the workbench. Her gaze still lingered on those structural diagrams, as if she were continuing to deduce the technical details in her mind. "I look forward to more opportunities for us to exchange ideas."
"I look forward to it as well, Doctor," Valerie maintained a proper smile, but her mind was rapidly evaluating.
Dr. Hanson's reaction was even more positive than she had anticipated. This scientist's thirst for knowledge was pure and intense, providing an excellent entry point for subsequent contact.
The two walked out of the temporary laboratory side by side, stepping into the somewhat narrow but tidy metal corridors of the Hyperion.
Heading to the briefing room required passing through a short section of the living quarters. Along the way, the faint sounds of mechanical operations and distant conversations could be heard.
"These technological concepts," Dr. Hanson said as they walked, her tone still thoughtful, "especially the analytical methods regarding high-mutation-rate biological samples, truly provide a completely new perspective. When I was on Agria, I attempted to sequence the genes of Swarm tissue, but their genetic chains are extremely unstable. Conventional alignment algorithms produce a massive amount of undecipherable noise data."
She turned her head to look at Valerie. "Your method seems to presuppose that this 'instability' is itself an analyzable feature, rather than pure interference?"
Valerie slightly adjusted her pace to stay in step with Dr. Hanson.
This question touched upon the core difference in their technological approaches.
"You could understand it that way, Doctor. In our research framework, high mutation itself is viewed as an information carrier. Rather than pursuing the absolute accuracy of every base pair, it is better to analyze its mutation patterns, frequencies, and underlying trends. This requires immense computational power to support the probabilistic models, but it might be more applicable to creatures like the Swarm, whose evolutionary speed is abnormally rapid."
"Treating the noise itself as the signal..." Dr. Hanson repeated softly, a thoughtful gleam in her eyes. "This requires changing many foundational assumptions. But if the Swarm's evolution is truly guided by some higher-level 'directive', then there might indeed be decipherable 'grammar' within their mutation patterns."
She paused, her tone becoming cautious. "Of course, this is merely theoretical speculation. At present, we don't even have a definitive conclusion on whether the Swarm possesses a collective consciousness in the true sense."
"Any theory against the Swarm requires empirical support." Valerie smoothly steered the topic toward a more practical domain. "This is also why Far Star United places such high importance on frontline research. Theoretical models need verification and correction from battlefield data. The observations and insights of an expert like yourself, who has both a profound theoretical background and firsthand experience with Swarm attacks, are extremely valuable."
Dr. Hanson seemed slightly comforted by this validation, but her expression quickly grew heavy again.
"Valuable... only if it can save more people. No matter how good a theory is, if it cannot be translated into practical protection and early warning measures, it is meaningless." She looked out at the passing stars through the corridor viewport. "I hope the situation on Tal'Deria isn't like Agria."
By this time, the two had approached the briefing room.
Before entering, Valerie offered one last thought: "Doctor, if we can acquire fresh Swarm samples during this operation, perhaps we could try using the rapid sequencing method we just discussed for a preliminary analysis. Although our equipment is limited, we might be able to discover some interesting traits."
Dr. Hanson's eyes noticeably lit up. "That would be incredibly helpful. I will have my assistants collect and preserve tissue samples as meticulously as possible."
The door to the briefing room slid open, and the sound of conversation drifted out. The two appropriately ended their private chat and stepped inside.
Inside the briefing room, Raynor, Matt, Tychus, and several Raider officers were already present. The main screen displayed the star map and planetary scan data for the Tal'Deria system.
"Tal'Deria. Its primary industries are grain and livestock farming," Matt began the briefing, pointing a laser pointer at the planetary model on the screen. "Population of about fifty thousand, scattered across a dozen large farms and one small space station. The distress signal came from the space station, claiming that Swarm activity has been detected on the planetary surface, though the scale is unknown. The interior of the space station is currently secure, but they lack evacuation vessels."
Raynor stood before the screen with his arms crossed, his gaze sharp: "Is the Swarm confirmed?"
"Orbital scans indicate abnormal biological signals in several regions on the planet's surface that match Swarm signatures." Matt pulled up the specific data, and several red zones flashed on the planetary surface. "However, the creep coverage is very low, less than five percent. The invasion is likely still in its very early stages."
"Then what are we waiting for?" Tychus said gruffly. His massive frame leaned against a nearby console, his blue CMC power armor gleaming coldly under the lights. "The bugs haven't established a foothold yet; perfect time to wipe them all out. Save the people and get out quick, so we don't have to bust our asses like we did on Agria."
Dr. Hanson walked up to the screen and carefully examined the scan data.
"The Swarm is highly dispersed, with no obvious centralized incubation zones." She traced the areas between several red dots with her finger. "This might be a vanguard force for reconnaissance purposes, or a scattered group that arrived accidentally via spore drift. If it's the former, their mission might be to assess the planet's value and establish outposts. If it's the latter, the threat is relatively minor, but they still need to be completely eradicated to prevent them from building Hatcheries."
"Doctor, what do you think the risks are if we go down there to clear out the Swarm?" Raynor turned to ask her.
"The risks are controllable, but it requires swift action," Dr. Hanson analyzed methodically. "The Swarm numbers are small and dispersed, which works in our favor to eliminate them one by one. The key is to prevent them from transmitting information back to the main swarm, or successfully establishing even a single small Hatchery before they are wiped out. Additionally, strict biological decontamination must be performed on all contact areas to prevent spore residue. We still do not fully understand the survivability and transmission potential of Swarm spores."
Valerie stood quietly to the side, observing and taking in everyone's reactions.
Raynor's focus was on rescue efficiency and risk assessment; Matt paid more attention to the logistics and procedures of the operation; Tychus, as always, acted direct and impatient; while Dr. Hanson demonstrated the rigor and pragmatism of a scientist.
Her own thoughts, however, drifted in another direction.
Tal'Deria was an agricultural world whose main outputs were grain and livestock. It was highly unlikely that a place like this buried a Xel'Naga Artifact fragment.
Raynor's choice to come here was purely out of humanitarian rescue.
Therefore, the clues to the Artifact fragment were likely still with Tychus, or in some intelligence channel Raynor possessed.
She needed to wait patiently for the right opportunity, while using this operation to further solidify her relationship with Dr. Hanson, and by extension, the Raynor team.