Voyage Log:

  Year 192.

  Another solitary journey. Whenever I think about this number, I feel a sense of unease. 192 years—a lifetime for a human.

  On Earth, I always felt pressured to move forward.

  Elementary school, middle school, university, the workforce—it felt like an invisible hand pushing me.

  But now, centuries and millennia are but a blink. The vastness of space slows everything down.

  This year, my fleet finally reached its destination: Tau Ceti.

  I will lead my forces in a decisive conquest of this system.

  ...

  At some point, Luna developed the habit of keeping a journal.

  It was a way to combat the loneliness.

  She had lived for far too long.

  Luna gnced at the clock beside her bed, identical to the one on the Hope; it only dispyed the year.

  The year was 7260 A.D., 5223 years since leaving Earth.

  She closed her journal and pced her pen in a ceramic holder. A holographic projection of the Tau Ceti system appeared, based on recent scans.

  Tau Ceti had only 78% of the Sun's mass and was 45% less luminous. It was a retively young star, approximately 580 million years old.

  The system contained five rocky pnets. Even the smallest was twice the mass of Earth. Pnets b, c, and d (a being the star itself) were unsuitable for life due to their proximity to the star.

  Compared to the Sor System, these pnets were located within the inner region—too close, even considering Tau Ceti's smaller size.

  The system was also filled with numerous smaller objects.

  These were asteroids.

  Tau Ceti possessed a Kuiper Belt-like asteroid belt, ten times rger than the Sor System's, located at the edge of the habitable zone. This meant the pnets would be subjected to frequent asteroid impacts.

  Luna wasn't looking at the overall system but zooming in on Tau Ceti e.

  This pnet, the most likely candidate to harbor life, possessed an unremarkable ring system, its surface a yellowish-green, resembling an autumnal Earth.

  "Ay, is the war over there?"

  Luna hoped Tau Ceti would be retively peaceful, making it easier to manage.

  "It's rgely concluded. The Purple Thorns were victorious."

  "The civilization on that pnet was too primitive; they were conquered before developing advanced technology."

  "Their resistance consisted of stealing Purple Thorn ships for attacks; they were constantly outmatched."

  This civilization was only a Type 0.4 or 0.5 civilization, gradually brought up to Type 1.

  But the gap between them and the Purple Thorns remained vast.

  "What's our assessment of the Purple Thorns' current strength?"

  The reconnaissance vessel had lost contact. Ay had sent several more vessels, openly approaching, without attempting concealment.

  "Based on our observations, this area cks the Purple Thorns' most advanced warships. They're deploying older models."

  "These warships are comparable to ours in technology. Despite the prolonged war, they haven't been able to produce new warships. Their current fleet numbers only 67 ships."

  This wasn't unexpected.

  The remaining forces weren't the core of the nomadic civilization, likely mid-level personnel.

  These individuals wouldn't have access to the most advanced technology; providing them with such knowledge risked their independent development.

  After all, even in advanced civilizations, internal cohesion isn't absolute.

  Luna considered this.

  "Swift victory. Our energy reserves are limited, while the enemy can draw upon the star's energy."

  This was their current disadvantage.

  But it wasn't significant.

  The enemy's fleet size didn't allow for the complete conversion of its energy resources into military power. Overall, the Purple Thorns were at a disadvantage.

  Luna wouldn't repeat her earlier arrogance.

  She and the Celestial Pace wouldn't directly approach Tau Ceti. Thirty warships would remain in orbit to counter any ambushes.

  The remaining fleet would attack Tau Ceti e.

  "Enemy pnetary defense network activated. They know we're coming."

  Ay constantly monitored the system.

  The Purple Thorns' decision to defend suggested they had a strong position.

  The entire Tau Ceti system was heavily developed, with a comprehensive defense network and numerous space stations.

  While these stations weren't rge (a few hundred meters in diameter), their sheer number presented a challenge.

  Each of these stations possessed independent weapon systems, capable of harassing attackers and, when combined, forming a rudimentary barrier.

  But these barriers posed no significant obstacle to Luna's forces.

  A massive volley of neutrino weapons swiftly overwhelmed the pnetary defenses, destroying 10,783 stations within seven years.

  "Enemy warships are retreating to Tau Ceti f."

  This pnet was the Purple Thorn's base. Overwhelmed, they chose not to engage Luna's fleet directly but to retreat and defend from within the pnet.

  They had deployed numerous electromagnetic cannons in orbit, along with their remaining warships, creating a formidable defense.

  But this news reassured Luna.

  "The enemy commander cks experience in interstelr warfare."

  "While they have strong pnetary defenses, space offers far more maneuvering room."

  "Their best strategy would have been to retreat at the outset, turning a defensive position into an offensive one."

  "But they were unwilling to abandon this territory. Our superior numbers forced them to retreat, creating the current stalemate."

  "We don't even need to engage directly. We can simply use asteroids to deplete their energy reserves."

  Luna's main concerns were:

  1. Enemy escape;

  2. The enemy triggering a supernova, potentially forcing Luna to halt her advance.

  But neither scenario was likely.

  The moment the Purple Thorns retreated to Tau Ceti f, Luna could decre victory.

  The entire conflict had sted only 18 years.

  Easier than she'd anticipated.

  The fleets hadn't even engaged in direct combat.

  Now, Luna could focus on securing Tau Ceti e.

  Upon arriving at Tau Ceti e, Luna first dispatched Kate soldiers to initiate negotiations.

  This civilization, calling themselves the Lelera, resembled insects rather than mammals. Their bodies were encased in exoskeletons, their movements slow, except for their maniputors.

  They could be described as a cross between a spider (lower body) and a mantis (upper body), but their abdomens were more slender, their limbs more robust. They cked mandibles, possessing instead eight legs and six arms, each joint having six degrees of freedom.

  Each limb ended in seven "fingertips," each with 1518 joints, allowing for dexterity comparable to human hands.

  They were retively short—about 1.1 meters tall.

  Surprisingly, they possessed membranous wings, not insect wings but fleshy ones, forming thin membranes when extended. However, their considerable weight prevented flight; they could only glide.

  Like Earth insects, they reproduced through oviparity. Each family could produce 10–15 offspring per brood, averaging 35 broods. Their current popution was 36.2 billion—a number seemingly controlled by the Purple Thorns; at their peak, their popution had exceeded 51.6 billion.

  Facing such a weak civilization, Luna acted swiftly and decisively.

  First, they crified their identity—not conquerors, but liberators, the force that had defeated the Purple Thorns.

  Second, they demanded the Lelera join the gactic federation. This wasn't optional; it was mandatory. Refusal would mean the system held no value; they would withdraw, leaving the Lelera under Purple Thorn control.

  Third, they offered aid to the Lelera's lower csses, creating a pro-Federation faction and pressuring the leadership to choose between cooperation and resistance. Any resistance would be met with swift and decisive retribution.

  Luna implemented a policy of both reward and punishment.

  Neither overly lenient nor excessively harsh.

  This was to minimize internal conflict, avoiding a situation like the Multi-eyed pnet, where a significant portion of the popution was lost. This popution was, in effect, Luna's asset.

  This process took approximately six years before the Lelera stabilized and accepted the federation.

  Based on the remaining Purple Thorn technology, Ay began researching their advancements.

  Since the warships had been destroyed in the supernova and subsequently consumed by the star's gravity, Luna and Ay could only rely on specution and extrapotion.

  With these remnants, Ay could analyze and, combined with her own advancements, extrapote the Purple Thorn's technological weaknesses.

  The Purple Thorns were incredibly advanced.

  Their mastery of the four fundamental forces surpassed Ay's, providing her with considerable insights.

  Having initially been a nascent Type 2 civilization, Ay had now reached the mid-Type 2 level, mastering the technology behind the barrier.

  The barrier was a sophisticated electromagnetic disruption device.

  If electromagnetism is a block of iron, a lower-level civilization might use it to create swords; a higher-level civilization would use it to create guns. The power difference is immense.

  The barrier represented a technological leap.

  In its closed state, it utilized electromagnetism and the strong nuclear force to block nuclear energy.

  In its open state, to prevent the strong force from affecting entering and exiting ships, the strong force was deactivated, utilizing only electromagnetism.

  To remain hidden, the barrier also maniputed gravity, bending light to create gravitational lensing effects.

  The barrier could theoretically incorporate the weak force, but the weak force operates at a subatomic level; its energy output is insignificant compared to electromagnetism and the strong force, rendering it unsuitable as a primary weapon.

  Even Purple Thorn, while researching the weak force, have only used it for specialized attacks, such as the neutrino-scale organisms.

  Furthermore, energy consumption wasn't directly proportional to the force's strength, which is why the Purple Thorns hadn't focused on the weak force.

  This further research overturned many of Ay's earlier assumptions.

  For example, the depth of the Purple Thorn's understanding of the weak force.

  It turned out to be a matter of technological disparity affecting the analysis.

  The Purple Thorns' true strength y in their comprehensive understanding of all four fundamental forces.

  Incorrect assumptions weren't uncommon in science; progress involves constantly refining and overturning previous theories.

  After studying the barrier, Ay was confident in her ability to disrupt it from the inside.

  This paved the way for Luna's pn to eliminate the remaining Purple Thorn forces on Tau Ceti f.

  They couldn't leave them there.

  They might have already contacted other Purple Thorn forces; in a few centuries, reinforcements might arrive, creating significant problems.

  In the 41st year after arriving at Tau Ceti, after confirming the absence of any further Purple Thorn reinforcements, Luna ordered an attack on Tau Ceti f.

  The earlier asteroid impacts had significantly depleted the Purple Thorns' energy reserves.

  This attack sted only four years. At a cost of seven warships, they destroyed the orbital defenses around Tau Ceti f. The fleet completely surrounded the pnet. If Luna hadn't wanted to preserve Tau Ceti f, she could have simply fired a single shot from the main cannon.

  "Surrender?"

  "They want to negotiate?"

  Two years into the assault, Ay intercepted a surrender message.

  Luna considered this.

  "They have no right to negotiate."

  "Continue the bombardment. We need to completely neutralize their ability to resist."

  The attack on the Purple Thorns wasn't just about eliminating them; the prolonged conflict allowed the Kate and Multi-eyed to vent their centuries-old rage.

  It also ensured the Lelera's loyalty.

  The remaining Purple Thorn forces on Tau Ceti f held out for another year before finally realizing their predicament.

  Ay received a blueprint.

  It was a map of the Purple Thorn's territory, marking resource locations and coordinate anchor positions.

  In space, a star chart is just as important as a pnetary map!

  This allowed Luna to expand her exploration and gradually assert control over these areas.

  The map showed 26 star systems and six civilizations.

  ...

  "First, dispatch robots to negotiate."

  "Inform them that we accept their surrender, but they must disarm completely."

  Luna sat, her fingers intertwined, thumbs pressing against her temples.

  Ay nodded and looked towards Tau Ceti f.

  The remaining Purple Thorn popution on Tau Ceti f was approximately 22 million; over 40 million had died since the beginning of the conflict.

  On an interstelr scale, this wasn't a particurly rge conflict.

  For example, the earlier conflict at Proxima Centauri resulted in nearly 20 billion casualties.

  "They've agreed."

  Ay quickly deployed robots to seize all weapons.

  Including the warships.

  From the beginning of the war, those 67 warships had never been used.

  This reminded Luna of certain historical dynasties—powerful at home but weak against external threats.

  It was understandable; 97% of their military strength had been eliminated, leaving only a few scattered remnants.

  The disarmament process took two months.

  Luna ordered Ay to transport the Purple Thorns to Tau Ceti e.

  On Tau Ceti e, the Lelera, Kate, Multi-eyed, and the few remaining humans gred at the Purple Thorns with hatred.

  The Purple Thorns had inflicted sting scars on these civilizations, wounds that could never fully heal.

  "Are we really going to live alongside them?"

  This was the question on everyone's mind.

  "Most likely. The gactic federation is a tolerant organization."

  "Our culture is derived from a human civilization, where there is a saying: 'The sea embraces all rivers; tolerance is greatness.'"

  "..."

  The Purple Thorns, their connection to the sphere severed, crawled on the ground, their infrared sensors shut down in shame and humiliation, facing the myriad gazes upon them.

  Aboard the Celestial Pace.

  Ay asked, "Are you sure about this?"

  Luna nodded.

  "Yes."

  "A once-powerful civilization won't willingly submit. Their blood cries out for rebellion."

  "And their hatred towards those who have wronged them runs deep. We must act decisively to ensure their complete integration into the federation."

  Luna pnned to execute all 22 million surrendered Purple Thorns.

  This wasn't an easy decision.

  Each civilization was a valuable asset to the federation.

  But the Purple Thorns' unique characteristics forced Luna's hand. Sacrifice was necessary. The six civilizations on their map were far more important.

  On the screen, the 22 million Purple Thorns were gathered in a massive open space.

  A robot, levitating via anti-gravity, stood above the gathered Purple Thorns. It was approximately 5 meters tall and cd in judicial robes.

  This was a trial.

  Text appeared before the robot, and it began reading the indictments in several nguages—the Purple Thorns' crimes, each one infuriating.

  Some intelligent Purple Thorns sensed what was coming and attempted to flee, but they were surrounded by robots.

  Without weapons, their weak bodies were no match for the multi-ton machines. Their escape was futile.

  Once the indictments were read.

  The robot raised its right hand.

  "Today, I, on behalf of the Gactic Federation, and as its supreme leader, pronounce judgment on the Purple Thorn civilization."

  "The judgment: The Purple Thorn civilization is guilty of heinous crimes and is unfit for the Federation."

  "I hereby order the execution of all Purple Thorn beings..."

  "Execution!"

  Its hand fell.

  A massive ser beam, over 10 kilometers in diameter, descended from space, like divine judgment.

  Twenty-two million Purple Thorns were instantly incinerated, vaporized into nothingness.

  Shock!

  The observing beings were astonished by this outcome.

  Then, cheers erupted.

  This was the outcome they had secretly desired.

  The robot then addressed all the civilizations. "The Gactic Federation hereby issues a universal bounty on all remaining Purple Thorn beings."

  "For each sin Purple Thorn, the killer will receive one Federation Energy Credit as a reward."

  Federation Energy Credits.

  This was Luna's idea.

  Luna had already established a system of civilization contribution points for inter-civilizational trade. But this wasn't suitable for individual transactions.

  To create a unified currency and control the Federation's economy, Luna had Ay develop the Federation Energy Credit.

  Each credit was a small disc (4 centimeters in diameter, 0.5 centimeters thick) composed of Ay's newly developed material. Removing a single electron would make it unstable, causing nuclear decay and releasing 1 trillion joules of energy (equivalent to 277,700 kilowatt-hours).

  These credits, representing both energy and the Federation's authority, would become the standard currency.

  Why create a fuel-based currency?

  To maintain its value and prevent devaluation.

  A unified interstelr currency is difficult to establish; gaining acceptance across numerous star systems is a significant challenge.

  The unch of the Federation Energy Credit was timed to coincide with the Lelera's integration; this would facilitate circution and increase acceptance, especially given the bounty.

  "Distributing this currency requires an infrastructure."

  Luna and Ay had developed a comprehensive industrial pn.

  This industrial network would support the construction of new warships.

  This wasn't merely to conquer the Purple Thorn's remaining territories.

  Luna also pnned to revive the Interstelr Explorers Guild, with a clear objective: discovering more civilizations.

  Type 1 civilizations would be conquered through force; negotiations would be attempted with Type 1 and above civilizations, followed by conquest if necessary. Type 2 civilizations would be avoided unless absolutely necessary, then engaged militarily.

  There were no Type 3 civilizations in the Milky Way—a conclusion reached by both Luna and Ay. If a Type 3 civilization existed, the entire gaxy would be under its control.

  There was no evidence of this.

  Therefore, upon reaching Type 2, Luna, controlling the gactic federation, would become a dominant force, needing to exploit the gaxy's resources before a Type 3 civilization emerged. They might even become the Milky Way's first Type 3 civilization.

  Luna pnned to use Tau Ceti as a base to build the true gactic federation.

  After dealing with the Purple Thorns.

  Luna had a pn for Tau Ceti.

  "Tau Ceti is a remarkably stable single-star system, which is unusual in the universe. Most star systems are binary, like Alpha Centauri."

  "Ay, what do you think of establishing the gactic federation's capital here?"

  Luna had given this considerable thought.

  The Purple Thorns were spread across a vast region of space; their territory was easily mapped.

  Furthermore, it was retively close to the Sor System—only a dozen light-years away. One could even see the Sun at night.

  And the system had five rge, rocky pnets suitable for habitation.

  "I concur, Luna."

  "It's an excellent location, but we must consider the scarcity of metals here."

  "While I can synthesize metals using string manipution, the energy cost is immense. Gathering enough metal to create something like Celestial Pace would take over a century."

  "Building a gactic capital would require an astronomical amount of metal—millions of times more than a single warship."

  This was a significant issue.

  But compromises were necessary.

  Luna couldn't lead a fleet on another long interstelr voyage; the time and resource costs would be prohibitive.

  "Then let the explorers gather the metal."

  "Increase investment in the Interstelr Explorers Guild, expanding the range of items explorers can exchange for, such as warships or advanced weaponry."

  Previously, Luna had provided explorers with smaller spacecraft. Two hundred meters had been considered rge.

  Now, having reached Type 2, Luna wasn't concerned about minor rebellions. She could easily provide 500-1000 meter css warships to Type 1 civilizations.

  These warships would enhance the explorers' capabilities.

  "Noted."

  "So, Luna, what's your pn for developing Tau Ceti?"

  Ay undoubtedly had many pns, but she still sought Luna's input.

  Luna had several ideas.

  "To utilize the star system's resources, we must first harness the star itself—restart the Dyson swarm project."

  "Defense is also essential—restart Project Celestial Shield, but this time, incorporating the Purple Thorn's barrier technology to provide a more robust defense."

  The previous Celestial Shield had been ineffective against the Purple Thorns.

  "The quantum coordinate anchor technology is excellent. Deploy them within 1.5 light-years as an early warning system."

  "Most importantly, develop the star system itself. Completely exploit all asteroids within Tau Ceti; leave nothing behind. Eliminate any potential threats."

  The impact of asteroids is immense; a single impact can release the energy equivalent of hundreds of trillions of tons of TNT. Larger, faster asteroids could easily reach quadrillions of tons of TNT.

  "The cosmic lifeform project can commence. We've waited long enough."

  Luna's previous research on three cosmic lifeforms had been interrupted, but restarting it wouldn't be difficult.

  These organisms would require some modifications. For example, the blue algae would be genetically modified to perform photosynthesis.

  Since Tau Ceti cked gas giants, alternative methods of generating atmosphere would be needed.

  "Finally, the pnets themselves."

  "While only Tau Ceti e is in the habitable zone, we can move the other four pnets into it. With some adjustments, this should be retively straightforward."

  For a Type 1 civilization, this would be incredibly difficult.

  This involves not only moving the pnets into the habitable zone but also ensuring stable orbits and consistent rotational speeds. Any instability could create another Multi-eyed pnet or another Earth.

  This seems like a monumental task, but every detail needs to be meticulously pnned.

  "It can be completed within 500 years."

  Ay's estimate was, as always, precise.

  Moving a pnet isn't like moving a spacecraft; speeds of 10,000 km/s are impossible.

  Therefore, moving pnets within a star system is a slow process.

  This reminded Luna of the Multi-eyed pnet, still adrift, its arrival at Tau Ceti uncertain.

  "Once all pnets are in the habitable zone, we can address the Lelera's popution issue."

  "Of course, you need to accelerate the promotion of the Interstelr Explorers Guild. We need at least 1 billion Lelera to become explorers."

  These were broad strokes.

  Ay would handle the details and fine-tuning.

  Ay then presented Luna with a model of the developed Tau Ceti system.

  A rge star at the center, surrounded by numerous small Dyson swarm structures. These structures left five rge openings, corresponding to the five pnets, which would move with the pnets' orbits.

  The interstelr space would also be poputed with millions of satellites. Unlike Earth's satellites, these would be spherical, low-energy consumption, non-offensive units focused solely on signal transmission, ensuring stable communication across the system.

  Ay also constructed 700 spaceports at the edge of the habitable zone. Each port was 30 kilometers in diameter. To conserve resources, they were ft, disc-shaped structures, with cities built on the inner, system-facing side, and a comb-like structure on the outer, space-facing side.

  These "combs" were actually thousands of electromagnetic acceleration tracks. Spacecraft unching from these tracks could achieve a 16-25% velocity increase, designed specifically for long-range interstelr exploration.

  Further out were the space stations, serving as the first line of defense against attackers. These massive stations (over 10,000 meters in diameter) could function as long-range warships.

  These stations also had another critical function—deploying barriers.

  Because all the pnets were located within the habitable zone, these stations didn't need to be located far from the star; the farthest was only 6 AU, a highly concentrated defense.

  Beyond these structures were additional projects.

  For example, a 40-kilometer-diameter telescope to allow Ay to search for other habitable star systems and observe past interstelr conflicts.

  This "eye" was critical.

  However, Luna was more interested in developing the pnets themselves.

  This would, however, take a considerable amount of time.

  So much time, in fact, that she pnned to enter hibernation and wait for that day...

  This hibernation period would st 700 years.

  During this time, Ay wouldn't focus on building the capital but on mass-producing warships.

  Their priorities were eliminating the remaining Purple Thorns, assimiting civilizations, and acquiring resources.

  Without these, building a capital would be pointless.

  In Luna's 79th year of hibernation, Ay began clearing the star system's asteroid belt, deploying mining robots.

  Unlike the 3D-printed robots used in the Sor System, these were 30-meter-tall spherical robots with two massive maniputor arms.

  These robots could pulverize rge asteroids and transport smaller ones to factories for processing.

  Metals and rocks were separated and sent to different processing centers, refined into 99% pure elemental blocks.

  Nothing was wasted; all elements were utilized in construction.

  This clearing and refinement process took 316 years.

  Concurrently, pnetary thrusters were installed on pnets other than Tau Ceti e. This was retively quick, as these pnets didn't require as many thrusters as the Multi-eyed pnet—only about 20 each.

  The maximum pnetary speed would be only slightly above escape velocity, with a maximum travel distance of 3 AU.

  Fine-tuning the pnets' orbits took another 38 years.

  The pnets' orbits were adjusted to avoid interference; their rotational speeds were rgely consistent, requiring adjustments only once every century.

  These five pnets were renamed: Sora I, Sora II, Sora III, Sora IV, Sora V.

  Sora I (formerly e) had only 10% liquid water on its surface, with a single, rge continent. 62% was highnd, 17% high mountains, leaving only 21% pins and lownds.

  The Lelera primarily settled on the highnds (above 8000 meters above sea level), as they breathed hydrogen, which comprised 36% of Sora I's atmosphere.

  Since Sora I cked fmmable gases, there was no risk of hydrogen combustion.

  However, hydrogen combustion could occur in the oceans, hence the name "Blue Fire Sea".

  Sora II (formerly b), twice the mass of Earth, had lost its atmosphere, its surface scorched.

  Ay transformed it into a water world. Water from nearby asteroids created a 200-meter-deep ocean covering 87.2% of the pnet's surface.

  This pnet wasn't intended for habitation but for farming.

  It would become a massive farm, raising marine and terrestrial life to provide food for the Federation.

  While this was the surface pn, its true purpose was to serve as Luna's hunting ground.

  A rge estate and vil complex, Luna's residence, was built on Sora II's rgest continent; she could hunt in the forests or fish in the ocean.

  As the supreme leader of the Gactic Federation, she deserved some luxuries; she couldn't spend her life hibernating in a cramped pod.

  Sora III (formerly c), 3.62 times the mass of Earth, was designated as a primary habitat for the Federation. It cked oceans; the entire surface was urbanized.

  Each city was donut-shaped.

  The outer ring was the residential area; the inner ring was a lush park with 50% water features and 50% vegetation.

  Automated vehicles traversed the city, stopping at stations in the East District, West District, and central park.

  The central park station connected to a massive structure—a space elevator.

  These elevators reached a disc-shaped space station that served as a docking point for spacecraft and featured a 400-meter-long maglev train.

  Within the star system, beyond the spaceports, only military vessels were permitted to use ships rger than 70 meters, and no civilian ships were allowed to carry weapons.

  Within the pnetary system, no ship could exceed 30 meters in length.

  Sora III featured 78 such megacities, each capable of housing 40–60 million inhabitants.

  Each city also had an independent atmospheric control system catering to different species. Cities with mixed atmospheres offered breathable air for purchase; robots would then deliver the air to the customer.

  This air wasn't delivered via masks or helmets but was contained around the individual using electromagnetic fields.

  All cities featured rge, gravity-defying entertainment parks located above the city, with dedicated access routes.

  To prevent the areas outside the cities from seeming monotonous, rge-scale holographic projections were used. A weekly "siege battle" was simuted, allowing pyers to participate in defense missions, earning discounts at various shops within the city.

  Sora IV (formerly d), 4.1 times the mass of Earth, was designated for administration and commerce. 72% of its surface was covered in massive data processing centers and service facilities.

  The headquarters of major corporations and the Federation's central government were located here. Over 30% of the Federation's popution worked on Sora IV.

  The remaining 28% of the pnet was dedicated to residential and recreational areas.

  Even if not residing on Sora IV...

  Thanks to the high-speed (16,000 km/s) space trains, travel time between pnets was only two hours.

  Sora V (formerly f), the rgest pnet, was designated as a primary human habitat. Ay focused most of her efforts here, replicating Earth's atmosphere. Using Earth's genetic material as a base, she created numerous Earth species.

  These creatures resembled their Earth counterparts but possessed slightly different appearances; their genetic structures were identical.

  More impressively, Ay recreated dinosaurs, Earth's dominant species for a significant period.

  While not perfect replicas, they could be considered true dinosaurs.

  For future genetic research, Ay also introduced legendary creatures from Earth's mythology: Eastern dragons, Qilin, Xuanwu, phoenixes and Western dragons, behemoths, unicorns, griffins, etc.

  These creatures, however, cked any mythical abilities.

  Sora V would be primarily inhabited by humans. After 500 years, the human popution on Tau Ceti would reach 810,000, entering a period of rapid expansion and, eventually, recovery.

  Most industrial facilities were located in space due to logistical challenges.

  Under Ay's meticulous pnning, Tau Ceti was transforming.

  The newly constructed warships had already departed; the first fleet had already reached its destination and transmitted a report.