Chapter 756: Virus Bomb
Simultaneously, the auspex arrays continuously monitored the global situation on Mar Sara.
The Swarm's expansion encountered no effective resistance; human resistance signals had nearly dropped to zero.
Creep coverage reached sixty-five percent.
Valerie's regular report also came through an encrypted channel: she had arrived in the Agria system with Raynor's Hyperion and was participating in the colony's evacuation operation.
The report included brief battlefield data, showing that the Swarm invasion on Agria was still in its early stages, far smaller in scale than on Mar Sara.
Ryo compared the two sets of intelligence.
Mar Sara was a textbook case of large-scale Swarm occupation, while Agria was in the mid-stage of an invasion.
The two provided observation samples of different stages.
However, for Mar Sara, the observation phase was nearing its end.
The value of this planet was shifting from an "observation target" to a "testing ground."
Ryo began evaluating various options for dealing with the Swarm.
Within the armory carried by the Eternal Seeker, there were several weapon systems specifically designed for planetary-scale extermination.
In the Warhammer universe, these weapons were used to deal with worlds tainted by Chaos, occupied by xenos, or suffering from uncontrollable genetic mutation.
Now, facing a pure biological threat like the Swarm, they might provide a highly efficient solution.
Particularly one type of weapon, which in theory was perfectly suited for dealing with an enemy like the Swarm that relied on a massive biomass foundation.
"Bring up the inventory status and detailed technical parameters of the Virus Bombs," Ryo ordered.
The relevant data immediately appeared on the main screen.
Weapon Type: Virus BombInventory Count: SixStatus: Stored in specialized biochemical armory, preservation state stableDetonation Mechanism: Pending activationCarrier Virus Type: Reaper-7Mechanism of Action: Atmospheric transmission, targeting standard carbon-based biological circulatory systems. Through hyper-accelerated replication and decomposition, it converts organic matter into highly flammable gases and a biomass sludge.Effective Range: Planetary scale (dependent on atmospheric density and circulation patterns)Duration of Action: Initial infection to complete conversion takes approximately 48 to 72 standard hours.Follow-up Procedure: Typically accompanied by orbital bombardment to ignite the atmosphere, thoroughly purifying the surface.
Ryo rapidly reviewed the technical details.
The Virus Bomb itself did not directly produce a massive explosion. Its core was a genetically engineered, enhanced Life-Eater Virus.
Once this virus was released into the atmosphere via the bomb, it would rapidly spread globally on air currents.
The moment it came into contact with organic life, the virus would replicate at an exponential rate, invading cells and rapidly decomposing their internal matter into two products: a highly flammable alkane-based gas and a lifeless biomass sludge.
When the virus completed the "digestion" of the entire planetary biosphere, the atmosphere would be filled with a high concentration of combustible gas.
At that point, all it took was a single spark—usually a lance strike or a small thermonuclear detonation—to ignite the global atmosphere, creating a surface incineration effect that would last for days, thoroughly wiping away all remaining traces of biomass.
In theory, this weapon should be extremely effective against the Swarm.
The Swarm relied on a massive biomass foundation, and its units themselves were highly concentrated organic bodies.
Once the virus spread through the Swarm network, it could trigger a chain reaction, rapidly disintegrating the Swarm's presence across the entire planet.
But theory required practical verification.
Mar Sara's current state made it an ideal test site.
The Swarm's biomass density was high and concentrated, making it easy to observe the virus's transmission efficiency and lethality.
"Target selected: Mar Sara," Ryo's voice rang out on the bridge. "Initiate Virus Bomb testing sequence. Objective: Evaluate the weapon's extermination efficiency against Swarm biological clusters, and collect actual performance data."
Inside the weapon core control room of the Eternal Seeker, the atmosphere was solemn and focused.
Six Tech-Priests stood before their respective control consoles, data streams scrolling rapidly across their screens.
The air was permeated with the unique ozone smell of energy capacitors, along with a subtler, colder scent characteristic of highly dangerous biochemical agents.
Hovering above the central holographic projection console was a three-dimensional structural model of a Virus Bomb.
It was a long cylinder, roughly eight meters long and one point five meters in diameter. Its outer shell was made of thick alloy, its surface etched with the Adeptus Mechanicus's binary litanies and hazardous material symbols.
The middle section of the casing was the virus storage compartment, maintained at ultra-low temperatures near absolute zero, sealing trillions of "Reaper-7" Life-Eater Virus particles.
The tail housed the propulsion and navigation modules, while the nose contained the atmospheric re-entry shield and detonation mechanism.
"Virus Bomb, designation VB-03, status check complete," the priest responsible for the weapon system reported, his voice processed by a synthesizer to be steady and emotionless. "Storage compartment temperature: negative 273.15 degrees Celsius, stable. Virus vitality seal status: intact." "Detonator energy circuit: nominal. Safety lock sequence: activated, requires triple authorization code to disengage."
"Navigation and propulsion systems self-check passed," another priest chimed in. "Received preset drop coordinates and orbital parameters. Re-entry shield energy reserves: 100%. Separation mechanism response test: nominal."
"Biochemical isolation barrier status: operating at full power," the third priest reported. "The three layers of inner and outer isolation doors of the armory are locked. Drop chute purification system is ready. The moment the bomb leaves the hull, the chute will undergo high-temperature plasma decontamination."
Ryo's main body monitored every link in real-time via the datalink.
His logic core rapidly verified every parameter, ensuring there were no errors.
"Disengage first-level safety lock," he ordered.
"First-level safety lock disengaged. Awaiting second-level authorization code," the weapon priest responded.
"Authorization code: 1001011111001100 10111001," Ryo provided a string of encrypted binary code.
"Second-level safety lock disengaged. Awaiting final physical key confirmation."
A concealed compartment on the side wall of the control room slid open, revealing a complex mechanical key equipped with a genetic identification lock.
This was the final physical failsafe of the Virus Bomb. It had to be personally inserted and turned by an authorized individual possessing a specific genetic sequence to fully disengage the bomb's security state.
One of Ryo's mechadendrites extended over, its precision claw grasping the key.
A miniature interface opened on the surface of the mechadendrite, interfacing with the key's genetic identifier.
A string of encrypted bio-key data was transmitted over.
The key emitted a faint hum, and the indicator light on its surface turned from red to green.
The mechadendrite inserted the key into the dedicated slot on the control console and turned it clockwise one hundred and twenty degrees.
"Final safety lock disengaged. Virus Bomb VB-03 is now in a launch-ready state," the weapon priest confirmed.
In the holographic projection, the color of the bomb model changed from a safe green to an armed, dark red.
"Load it into the drop bay," Ryo commanded.