Transformed into Cosmic Horror in a Sci-Fi Universe
<em><strong>EP.80 The Intruder</strong></em>
“ording to the investigation results, it shouldn’t be too difficult. The report states that no particrly dangerous energy was detected.”
The first target for expanding the Gctic Union’s territory was set as Sector Y.
They had considered going for both Sectors Y and Z simultaneously.
However, due to the possibility of unforeseen variables, they decided to y it safe and concentrate their forces on one side instead of dividing them into two.
Given that this was their first operation, the impact of failure would be significant, so it was an unavoidable choice.
Of course, that’s not to say that any danger factors were found in either sector.
No energy emissions from giant monsters or highly advanced civilizations were detected, nor were there any traces of foreign entities.At most, Sector Y contained thergest ck hole ever observed, but that could be avoided by simply going around it.
There wasn’t much difficulty to speak of.
They would simply go in, secure the major gxies as strongholds first, and then expand outward from there, terraforming suitables to secure the surrounding cosmic space.
Repeating this process, considering their current technology and the avable Elven workforce,
They estimated that with about 20 years of intense effort, they could im one entire Y sector.
Of course, terraforming wouldn’t bepletely finished, but at least the foundations would beid.
That should be enough.
After all, from that point on, they just needed to spread out and wait.
Having finished these calctions, Eugene and the elders proceeded with the n.
“I have been given overallmand. I look forward to working with you all.”
Lowie Hendrick, who was now a full-fledged elder rather than an elder-in-waiting.
He had been entrusted with the role of chief executive for this Y sector pioneering mission.
Based on the assessment that it wouldn’t be too difficult, this was the Meias elders’ gesture of goodwill, allowing the young new elder to achieve the great feat of sessfullypleting the first expansion.
Of course, it was also Eugene’s consideration.
“I will ensure its sess without fail.”
Lowie Hendrick, well aware of this fact, was determined to make it seed no matter what.
Even though there were said to be no difficult obstacles, this was still their first external sector expansion.
Since anything could happen, he nned to proceed with the utmost caution.
“The total number of avable Elves is 20 million. Most of them are not warriors but ordinary Elves skilled in terraforming, so their protection is our top priority.”
“Understood.”
Lowie Hendrick nodded at Lasi’s words.
A total of 20 million Elves.
With them, they should be able to securely establish key footholds in each gxy within the vast 30 billion light-year sector.
Now the preparations wereplete.
All that remained was to wait for an easy sess.
…At least up until this moment, that’s what everyone thought.
#
“Space mothership ‘Rios’. We are now departing.”
The Elves’.
There, massive spaceships carrying Elves to pioneer Sector Y were now holding a departure ceremony.
And leading this massive spaceship fleet was the space mothership ‘Rios’.
Built with the Elves’ own technology, this state-of-the-art mothership boasted 1.5 times the durability of regr Alliance motherships while being even lighter in weight.
With anti-gravity propulsion systems capable of free directional movement even in the vacuum of space, and thetest neutron cannon arrays.
It was truly the epitome of cutting-edge technology.
The total capacity was 5 million.
It was not an exaggeration to say it was on the scale of arge city.
Including all the fleet itmanded, the total capacity reached up to 30 million.
It boasted a truly enormous scale,parable to that of an entire nation.
Tomemorate this incredible scale and power, as well as the estimated initial Elven poption of 30 million, it was named after their god ‘Rios’.
“Ooooh!”
“Wow!”
As the massive space fleet rose, the Elves erupted in cheers.
They were rejoicing at the thought of this state-of-the-art mothership and its fleet traversing space and achieving countless feats.
“Well then, shall we depart?”
The overallmander was Elma, an Alliance elder and the Elven warrior chief.
Woooong─
They rise beyond the atmosphere into space.
The blue Elven could be seen below.
“Enter the wormhole. Move to the designated location.”
“Yes! Opening wormhole!”
“Opening wormhole!”
“Opening wormhole!”
Woooooong─
Upon entering space, they quickly move to the designated location by opening a wormhole at the specified coordinates near the Elven.
Fwoop!
The massive mothership and fleet disappear in an instant.
After several wormhole jumps, they reappeared on the outskirts of Sector U, near Sector Y.
[Wee, Elder Elma.]
Upon arriving at the designated location, a message came from Lowie Hendrick’s main force, which had arrived earlier.
“I leave the missionmand in your capable hands, Elder Lowie.”
[Of course.]
A warm atmosphere.
Up until this point, no one doubted that the mission would seed easily.
They were only thinking about living out the rest of their lives receiving excellent treatment as members of the fleet that seeded in the first external pioneering mission.
…
“Retreat! Retreat!”
“Aaaah!”
“Damn it! What is that!”
They encounter a tremendous obstacle and fall into crisis.
A few days before that happened.
There was no particr difficulty at the first point.
They just arrived, checked the’s condition, and went down for terraforming.
A full of only nts, with no dynamic life forms.
Perhaps because of this, the air was extremely clear and clean.
In addition, it seemed like it would be extremely useful as the was filled with various minerals embedded in the ground.
“Terraforming isn’t necessary.”
“There’s also enough water that can be used as drinking water… It seems optimal to use as a temporary base.”
Following the orders of the overallmander, Lowie Hendrick, they decided to use this ce as a temporary base and quickly began to build a provisional facility.
After confirming that there were no risk factors on the, they left only the personnel needed to build the base and the fleet returned to space.
The second point they arrived at.
It was a ce with a main sequence star of suitable size for use as an energy source, along with resources suitable for creating a Dyson sphere scattered on the surroundings.
“We can start terraforming from here.”
Although there were nos with life, there was one that could meet the requirements for life if it had an oxygenyer, allowing for the creation of water.
Just as they were about to settle there and start terraforming.
Beep beep beep beep─
Suddenly, an emergency rm started ringing on one of the Elven ships.
It’s something that rings in case of a sudden external attack or intrusion.
Since there were clearly no life form reactions in the vicinity, everyone thought it was just a small rock or something flying and hitting the ship.
But.
[E-emergency! Intruder! There’s an intruder! Everyone, quicklye here… Aaaagh!]
The Elf who went to check the scene left this radio message before the signal was cut off.
“What? An intruder?”
“But there were no life form reactions in the vicinity. And even at the location where we’re supposedly under attack, there’s no life form reaction…”
The reporter stopped mid-sentence, startled.
Isn’t it strange?
No life form reactions?
They sent five Elves to check the scene.
Does this mean all five, including the Elf who just radioed, are dead?
From what?
There was external damage, but the ship is equipped with an automatic repair function, so repairs werepleted immediately.
This means there’s no possibility of oxygen deficiency or being sucked into space.
“It’s an intruder. There might be some kind of stealth robot. Warriors, prepare yourselves.”
Of course, they have radar technology that can detect even the most advanced stealth.
But thinking there might be a machine with stealth capabilities that can evade even that, the ship’s captain quickly prepared the warriors.
“Report to Elder Elma at the main force. The current situation as is.”
“Y-yes! Understood.”
And after informing the main force of this fact, they headed to the scene with the warriors.
30 warriors including the captain.
To prepare for any unforeseen situations, they had more warriors on standby behind them, and the regr crew members moved to safety bunkers.
“Is this the ce?”
[Yes. This is where the motion detection sensorst detected something.]
About 200M away from the ident site.
Since life detection, temperature detection, and energy emission detection all failed, they checked the old-fashioned motion detection sensor they used to use, just in case.
And it had momentarily detected and transmitted movement from this location.
The fact that movement was detected from such a distance means that there must be some kind of life form or machine somewhere.
The captain and warriors began to look around tensely.
Then.
“Captain. This.”
One of the Elven warriors discovered something and called the captain.
“…Huh.”
And what he discovered was that one of the doors of the food storage, made of strong titanium alloy, was smashed as if it had been torn off by something.
‘It tore through titanium alloy like paper?’
At that moment, he could guess how the intruder was able to prate the outer hull.
Although the outer hull material is harder than the interior, if it can tear through the interior material like paper, the outer hull probably wouldn’t have held out for long either.
Unless it was the radiation-removing beryllium alloy used in the mothership ‘Rios’.
‘Is it inside the storage?’
Thinking this, he slowly entered the storage.
And there.
“Kieeeeek!!”
They came face to face with it.