At this moment, the entire fleet seemed to enter a state of suspended animation.
All external lights on the capital ships were extinguished.
The engines maintained minimal pulsations, just enough to counteract inertia and remain precisely stationary relative to the asteroid.
There were no communication signals, no active scanning beams, and even non-essential internal energy circulation was suppressed to its limit.
They were no longer the steel behemoths that once dominated the star sea, but rather resembled a group of perfectly synchronized symbionts clinging to the shadow of a giant whale.
They had become part of the asteroid's shadow—a moving cosmic dark patch.
On the bridge of the fleet's flagship, the Kunlun Mountain - Modified, the lighting was dimmed to a faint red, barely sufficient for basic operations.
Qin Beiwang stood before the tactical console, his gaze fixed not on the star chart, but on the gravitational field readings of the Savannah Star System ahead, captured by external sensors through gaps in the asteroid.
"The gravitational peak is approaching the critical point... 3, 2, 1..."
Zhuang Zhixuan counted down softly, her voice unusually clear in the silent bridge.
The moment her words fell—
In the void ahead, an invisible web of force suddenly tightened!
The composite gravitational pull from Savannah's primary star and its giant planets acted like a finger extended by a cosmic hand, precisely hooking a weak point in the trajectory of asteroid GC-7712.
The massive asteroid, which had been gliding in a straight line at a constant speed, shuddered violently!
Its cumbersome body seemed tugged by an invisible rope, slowly yet irresistibly changing direction, bending toward the embrace of the Savannah Star System.
Fragile structures on the icy rock surface fractured under the gravitational mutation, scattering fine ice crystals and rock debris, leaving a brief, hazy wake behind.
Almost in the same millisecond!
The engine control systems of every ship in the Pluto Fleet, as if operated by a single mind, reacted in perfect unison!
A low hum, almost inaudible, resonated through the cores of each vessel.
It was not the roar of violent steering thrusters, but the ultra-precise, minuscule yet crucial synchronous adjustments made by all vector thrusters and attitude adjusters.
From the outside, the darkness clinging to the asteroid's shadow showed no signs of disarray or disruption.
Hundreds of starships of varying sizes, like a cosmic ballet troupe trained countless times, executed an immensely complex collective course-change maneuver in absolute silence.
Hidden behind the asteroid, shielded by the natural cover of its trillion-ton mass, they silently followed the cosmic forces' pull, slipping into the arc trajectory leading deep into the Savannah Star System.
Qin Beiwang felt the nearly negligible inertial change transmitted through the hull, his gaze remaining calm.
The first step was a success.
They had successfully boarded this one-way, star-gravity-driven ride.
Next, under the cover of this giant rock, they would traverse Savannah.
And wait for the next critical gravitational turning point to surge toward their final destination—the Bushman Star System.
Meanwhile, at the Imperial monitoring station in the Savannah Star System.
Monitor Simon Brandon was idly scanning the sensor array screen before him.
The work of a monitor was monotonous and repetitive.
Suddenly, the perimeter early warning system emitted a soft alert tone.
A light spot representing a large object was approaching Savannah's gravitational boundary from the direction of Elvira.
Brandon perked up and zoomed in on the data.
Target identification: natural celestial body, ice-rock composite meteor, diameter approximately... 82 kilometers.
"Supervisor!"
Brandon immediately patched through to Monitoring Supervisor Owen Pine's channel.
"Detected a large natural celestial body intruding into our star system's gravitational range.
Diameter approximately 82 kilometers, moderate speed.
Should we, in accordance with the Potential Threat Handling Regulations, request the nearest orbital defense platform or nearby patrol vessels for preemptive destruction or deflection?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the channel before Supervisor Pine's somewhat impatient voice came through.
"Destroy it? Brandon, use your head!
Don't you know how tight the theater energy allocation is right now?
The energy consumed by activating the kinetic weapons or laser array of an orbital defense platform once is enough to run our monitoring station for a month!
Not to mention the fuel and ammunition required to mobilize patrol vessels!
For a worthless rock like this?"
Brandon was taken aback and defended himself quietly.
"But the regulations state that potential impactors with a diameter exceeding fifty kilometers..."
"Regulations are rigid, people are flexible!"
Pine interrupted him.
"Simulate its trajectory immediately!
I need to know if, upon entering Savannah, it will pose a direct threat to our extraction platforms, supply stations, and especially the stellar ring?
If it's just passing through, let it pass!
If there's a risk of trajectory intersection, then calculate the lowest-energy deflection plan to make it go away!"
"Yes, Supervisor."
Not daring to say more, Brandon immediately pulled up the trajectory simulation program and input the meteor's parameters along with Savannah Star System's real-time gravitational data.
Complex calculation curves rapidly generated and extended across the screen.
A few minutes later, the results were in.
"Supervisor, simulation complete."
Brandon reported.
"After entering Savannah, this meteor will complete an irregular semi-arc trajectory under gravitational influence, during which it will not approach the minimum safe distance of any important facilities.
Ultimately, approximately seventeen hours later, near the L3 Lagrange point of the star system.
It will be gravitationally captured by the primary star of the adjacent Bushman Star System, leaving Savannah and entering the asteroid belt in the outer reaches of the Bushman Star System.
No collision risk throughout the entire process."
"Bushman Star System?"
Pine's voice sounded considerably more relaxed.
"Isn't that the core of our current defensive zone now?
Alright, since there's no risk, we don't need to bother with it.
Compile a report with its detailed trajectory data and estimated transit time, and send it to the Stellar Navigation Authority for filing.
Let them remind transport ships and patrol teams operating near the relevant navigation routes to steer clear of this big rock and avoid collisions."
Brandon hesitated for a moment but still asked one more question.
"Supervisor, then... should we also send a copy to the Bushman Early Warning Department?
After all, it will eventually enter the Bushman Star System, where there are important facilities now..."
"Early Warning Department?"
Pine scoffed, his tone carrying a clear bureaucratic evasion and a hint of disdain.
"Brandon, our scope of responsibility is celestial body monitoring within the Savannah Star System and Federation vessel movement patterns."
As long as this rock doesn't cause trouble while it's in Savannah, it can go wherever it wants.
Once it leaves Savannah's gravitational sphere, it becomes the responsibility of the Early Warning Department on Bushman's side. What does that have to do with us?
Better to avoid unnecessary trouble. Do as I say."
"Yes, Supervisor."
Brandon said no more and began organizing the routine report to be sent to the Navigation Route Authority.
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