A Swarm teor launched randomly over a century ago, after nurous course adjustnts, was now miraculously on the verge of entering the Neighboring Star System.
If it had maintained its optimal speed, it should have reached this position more than 30 years ago. However, repeated deceleration events had significantly delayed its progress.
Despite its reduced speed, the teor required less than two months to reach the outermost planetary orbit of the Neighboring Star System.
This was the closest any Swarm teor had co to the system.
A response team of 20,000 mbers was assembled, consisting of experts in fields like astrophysics, spectroscopy, mathematics, physics, and environntal sciences.
Since these experts were all Swarm Intelligent Entities, the assembly process was highly efficient. Entities without physical bodies simply transmitted themselves into the Swarm Network’s dedicated research spaces, while those with bodies stored them in nutrient chambers at nearby Swarm bases or facilities before returning to the network. Luo Wen then pulled their consciousnesses into the task force.
Codenad “Visit,” the team swiftly took control of the Swarm teor, referred to as “Greeting Gift.”
All data collected by the teor’s observational organs—spectral readings, radiation levels, and information about surrounding celestial bodies—was continuously transmitted back for analysis.
The team faced challenges due to the teor’s outdated technology from a century ago. Its radar system was particularly primitive, capable of detecting smaller asteroids or teors only at very close ranges.
To ensure safety, the Swarm teor began decelerating more than a month before its arrival.
Although this extended the ti needed to reach the outermost orbit from a few weeks to over a year, the denser obstacles within the star system required slower speeds to allow sufficient reaction ti.
Navigating the Outer Asteroid Belt
Months later, the Swarm teor cautiously approached the outer asteroid belt of the Neighboring Star System. This belt, a chaotic field of small obstacles, ford the system’s first line of defense. Careless navigation could easily result in collision and destruction.
During this phase, the “Visit” team expended imnse effort analyzing and calculating trajectories. The workload beca so heavy that the team expanded to 100,000 mbers. Eventually, the Swarm teor safely identified a less congested route and successfully traversed the belt.
The belt was over 10 million kiloters wide. Although the Swarm teor successfully crossed it, multiple unavoidable deceleration maneuvers reduced its speed to 20 km/s—only a fraction (1/1,500) of its initial 30,000 km/s. This further extended the ti required to reach the outer planetary orbit.
Such complications stemd from the outdated technology onboard the teor. Its propulsion system, a simple hydrogen-oxygen reaction thruster, was vastly inferior to current Swarm bio-ships.
Modern bio-transport ships, like the one Luo Wen used, could detect obstacles from much greater distances and react with far greater agility. Even when forced to decelerate, their powerful propulsion systems could easily regain speed afterward.
The latest bio-ships, equipped with electromagnetic propulsion systems, could reach 20 km/s effortlessly in space and exceed 50 km/s under higher power. Within planetary atmospheres, their speeds ranged from 1 to 10 km/s depending on their size and air density.
In contrast, the Swarm teor’s outdated technology ant that once its speed decreased, regaining montum beca nearly impossible.
Targeting the Neighboring Star System
The Neighboring Star System was slightly smaller than the Genesis Star System, with only seven planets. Based on spectral analysis, the Swarm aid to land the teor on the third planet.
This planet, slightly larger than Genesis Planet at 1.2 tis its volu, had an atmosphere and temperatures ranging from -30°C to 50°C. Spectral data indicated the presence of abundant liquid water on its surface.
These characteristics strongly suggested that the planet, nad Neighboring A3 or “Great Genesis,” might harbor life. For Luo Wen, alien genetic material was an enticing prospect.
The Swarm teor was approximately 6 billion kiloters away from this planet. At its current speed, it would take nearly 10 years to arrive.
Fortunately, the gravitational influence of celestial bodies ahead cleared the space significantly, improving safety.
Although the extended mission duration posed challenges, the “Visit” team remained active. According to projections, several other Swarm teors would navigate through obstacles to reach the Neighboring Star System in the coming years.
The team’s responsibilities expanded to include trajectory planning and landing site selection for these incoming teors. mbers without physical bodies remained permanently assigned to the team, while those with bodies rotated shifts for rest.
Ten Years Later
As a decade passed, the “Greeting Gift” Swarm teor was joined by three more teors under the “Visit” team’s guidance, successfully crossing the outer asteroid belt and entering the Neighboring Star System.
The seventh planet in the system, nad Neighboring A7 or “Great Valley Planet,” served as a resting point for one of the teors.
Unlike the Genesis Star System, which included the gas giant A7, the Neighboring Star System consisted entirely of terrestrial planets. Such planets were ideal for establishing Swarm bases.
Great Valley Planet, composed mainly of rock and ice, was only about one-tenth the size of Genesis Planet and lacked an atmosphere. Despite its small size, it boasted three small moons—one more than Genesis Planet.
However, its distance from the sun resulted in surface temperatures averaging -200°C.
Although the Swarm had experience constructing bases on similarly harsh planets, such as Genesis A11, Great Valley Planet’s conditions posed unique challenges.
When the teor was launched, Swarm technology was still lacking. While the Fungal Carpet could withstand such environnts, it could not directly absorb radiation for sustenance. It relied on an internal ecosystem for energy, which was highly inefficient.
Additionally, the Brood Queen egg carried aboard the teor had a gene pool barely adequate for establishing a base on Great Valley Planet. However, it lacked the capability to produce new combat units, making its presence only marginally aningful.
Updating the gene pool required a direct link with Luo Wen’s primary consciousness. Fortunately, Swarm technology had advanced significantly since then. In about 20 years, Luo Wen’s primary body would pass through Great Valley Planet’s orbit, updating the gene pool and establishing a Swarm base on the planet.
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