Beneath the control room, the heavy mechanical arms began to operate.
They carefully gripped the hazardous cylinder, smoothly transferring it into a specially designed deployment capsule.
The interior of the deployment capsule featured multiple layers of cushioning and securing mechanisms, ensuring the bomb would not suffer any accidental impacts during launch.
"Loading complete. Deployment capsule sealed. Conduit connection confirmed."
"Navigation team, final orbital verification." Osiris turned his attention to the bridge's navigation center.
"Orbital parameters re-verified. Deployment point: fifty kilometers above the equator of Planet Mar Sara, at longitude sixty degrees west. This position sits directly above a major atmospheric circulation node. The virus cloud is projected to cover over eighty percent of the globe within twenty-four hours. Deployment window countdown: ninety-two minutes."
"Observation satellite launch preparations."
"Three 'Watcher'-class observation satellites have entered the launch tubes. The satellites are equipped with multi-spectral scanners, biomass detection arrays, atmospheric composition analyzers, and high-resolution optical sensors. They will launch ten minutes after the virus bomb is deployed and enter their designated observation orbits."
All preparatory work proceeded in an orderly and meticulous manner.
The Eternal Seeker functioned like a precision timepiece, with every gear turning flawlessly.
Osiris pulled up the real-time orbital imagery of Mar Sara.
The surface of this once-human colony planet was now covered in purple scars.
The creep coverage had expanded by another eight percent since the last sample collection.
In several regions, Swarm structures—Hatcheries, Spore Crawlers, and Spires—could be seen growing upon the creep.
The human resistance signals had completely vanished.
"Ideal test conditions," Osiris recorded. "The target planet is fundamentally under Swarm control. No friendly units exist, and there are no facilities requiring preservation. The Swarm's biomass density is high and concentrated, making it ideal for observing viral transmission efficiency and lethality."
His logical core began projecting potential outcome models.
Best-case scenario: The virus spreads rapidly through the Swarm network, completing the decomposition of the global Swarm biomass within forty-eight hours and generating a massive volume of flammable gas. The subsequent atmospheric ignition will completely cleanse the planet's surface, proving the virus bomb is a highly efficient solution against the Swarm.
Median scenario: The virus is effective against the Swarm, but the transmission speed or decomposition efficiency falls short of expectations, potentially requiring over seventy-two hours for global cleansing. Alternatively, certain Swarm units might possess strong resistance to the virus, requiring additional measures.
Worst-case scenario: The virus has limited efficacy against the Swarm. This could occur if the Swarm's biochemical structure differs from standard carbon-based life, if the Swarm's collective hive mind can actively suppress viral transmission, or if the Swarm rapidly evolves resistance. This would mean alternative planetary-destruction weapons must be tested, or more targeted biological weapons developed.
Regardless of the outcome, invaluable data will be generated.
The countdown continued.
Simultaneously, Osiris received regular reports from Valerie on Agria.
The data indicated that the evacuation of Agria was underway amid fierce combat. Although the Swarm's scale was vast, it had not yet established the absolute control seen on Mar Sara.
Raynor's Raiders were performing as expected.
The two sets of data provided an interesting contrast: one was a fallen world about to be completely cleansed, while the other was a frontline world locked in a brutal struggle.
In the final thirty minutes of the countdown, all preparations were finalized.
"Virus Bomb VB-03, deployment system finally ready," reported the Tech-Priest of Weapons.
"Observation satellite launch system ready," reported the Tech-Priest of Navigation.
"All decks enter silent observation mode. Drop non-essential system power consumption to minimum," Osiris ordered. "Maintain relative orbital standstill with Mar Sara. Prepare to log all data."
The main engines of the Eternal Seeker shut down completely, relying solely on maneuvering thrusters to maintain attitude.
The sensor arrays across the hull shifted entirely toward Mar Sara, entering maximum sensitivity mode.
The final ten minutes of the countdown.
Osiris's primary host stood motionless before the main observation deck, his optical lenses locking onto the purple-ravaged planet on the screen.
The data streams flowed smoothly through his consciousness, devoid of emotional fluctuation—there was only pure observation and waiting.
The final sixty seconds of the countdown.
"Deployment conduit open," the Weapon Priest's voice echoed through the control room.
On the underbelly of the hull, a concealed launch port slid open. The internal multiple isolation doors opened in sequence, revealing the pathway to space.
"Deployment capsule separation mechanism unlocked."
"Propulsion system ignition."
The thrusters at the base of the deployment capsule emitted blue ion flames, pushing the capsule carrying the virus bomb slowly out of the launch port and into space.
"Deployment capsule clear of the hull. Navigation system activated."
Small thrusters adjusted the capsule's attitude, aligning it to the designated re-entry angle.
"Entering deployment orbit. Estimated arrival at detonation altitude in eight minutes."
The deployment capsule turned into a tiny speck of light, plunging toward Mar Sara's atmosphere.
"Observation satellites, launch," Osiris commanded.
The launch tubes on the opposite side of the Eternal Seeker opened, and three silver-gray observation satellites ejected in sequence, shooting toward Mar Sara's orbit at different angles.
They would reach their designated positions within twenty-five minutes, forming a triangular observation network to cover the globe.
Everyone's attention converged on the main screen.
The deployment capsule's data link transmitted real-time footage: below lay the expanding planetary curvature of Mar Sara, with purple patches of creep shifting in and out of view through the gaps in the clouds.
The capsule began to vibrate slightly, signaling its entry into the upper atmosphere.
"Altitude: eighty kilometers. Velocity: seven point five kilometers per second. Re-entry shield temperature: normal."
"Altitude: sixty kilometers. Approaching designated detonation point."
"Altitude: fifty-one kilometers. Velocity: five point six kilometers per second. Attitude stable."
"Arrival at deployment coordinates. Detonation sequence initiated."
On the screen, the outer shell of the deployment capsule automatically separated at the predetermined altitude.
The internal virus bomb was exposed to the thin atmosphere. The detonation device at the front of the missile body lit up with a red indicator light.
"Detonate."
There was no violent explosion, nor any blinding flash of light.
The virus bomb disintegrated in a relatively mild manner—the outer casing split into dozens of pieces under the action of pre-installed explosive cords, and the internal virus storage core ruptured. The ultra-low-temperature preserved viral particles billowed out like a gray-green mist, rapidly blending into the surrounding atmosphere.
The moment the storage core ruptured, the changes in internal pressure and temperature activated the viral particles.
On a microscopic level, trillions of "Reaper-7" Life-Eater viruses woke from dormancy and began replicating at an exponential rate.
They were far too minuscule to be seen by the naked eye, yet every single particle carried a lethal genetic directive: invade organic cells, hijack their metabolic mechanisms, and convert them into flammable gases and biomass sludge.
The gray viral cloud spread through the stratosphere, drifting in all directions along the high-altitude air currents.
The debris of the deployment capsule continued to fall toward the surface, ultimately burning up in the lower atmosphere.
It left no obvious trace behind.
"Virus deployment complete," the Weapon Priest confirmed.