Kayvaan crossed his arms, weighing his options. Staying to defend the fortress seemed absurd. Even with his team’s support and heavy air cover, they would likely be overwhelmed when the rift stabilized. Chaos Serapheas would flood the area, and Faln would bee a sughterhouse. And even if they somehow succeeded, what would be gained? A broken fortress on an insignifit border world? No, it wasn’t worth it.

  Oher hand, cooperating with the Eldar was equally unappealing. Could Sydria’s cims about Rosina’s corruptiorusted? The Aitoc Craftworld had cshed with Imperial forces aultiple systems. They were enemies, not allies. Trusting the Eldar would be the height of y. Evacuation seemed the most logical course. Pulling bad allowing the rift to colpse on its own would minimize losses. The fortress could always be recimed ter. The 101st Regiment would fight to the death, but as Marlbh had said, that was their duty.

  Kayvaan was about to speak when a voice cut through the room. “No. None of us have a choice.”

  The room turoward the speaker—Gustav, the Manufacturing Director from Ferrum 3, who had been silent until now. His tone was calm but carried a weight that silehe room. “We ot retreat. This p holds treasures you agine, and Serapheas know it. I know what they’re after.”

  Kayvaan and Elizabeth exged gnces before turning back to Gustav. Elizabeth’s expression hardened. “Gustav, what are you hiding? If you’ve been withholding critical information, now’s the time to speak.”

  “When I said there was a research station here, I wasn’t beiirely accurate,” Gustav began, his tone measured. “It’s not even a proper research facility—just an observation station monit the p’s ecological enviro.” He paused, seemingly lost in thought, before tinuing. “About six months ago, the station stumbled upon the ruins of an a underground city. Discoveries like this aren’t unusual, and there’s a well-established protocol for handling them. The report reached the manufacturing directors on the p, and soon after, it nded on my desk. I came to Aion immediately to assess the site and quickly realized the significe of the find. The ruins weren’t just a y—they were a hidden ste facility. Based on the aexts we deciphered, we firmed that something of immense value was hidden deep withiy’s core.”

  Gustav adjusted his gold-rimmed gsses, his voice steady as he reted the events. “Giveential importance of the site, the excavation was ducted with extreme caution. Early on, we uncovered fragments of an STC. Although the fragments and their temptes were mostly destroyed, the discovery electrified the excavation team. Then we found it—a plete and intact tempte.”

  At those words, the room fell silent. Evey ander Marlbh, who had been slouched in his chair, sat up straight, his attention riveted. Gustav allowed a moment of suspense before he spoke again, his voice carrying both pride and embarrassment. “This was a plete tempte. It could revolutionize produ—ouro a fe world, it would begin manufacturing whatever was encoded within. Unfortunately…” He hesitated, pushing his gsses up his nose as if to shield himself. “The tempte isn’t for military equipment.”

  Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “Then what does it produce?”

  Gustav exhaled, almost relutly, and uttered a single word: “Coca-Co.”

  Kayvaan blinked. “…”

  Elizabeth muttered, “What’s that? I’ve never heard of it.”

  “The name has a certain charm,” Marlbh offered cautiously. “Easy to say.”

  “But entirely useless.” Gustav’s tone was somber. “May the Mae God five me, but the tempte is only capable of produg a bck, fizzy beverage. I’ve analyzed its properties extensively—it ’t be used as fuel, lubrit, or a substitute fine oil. It appears to be purely able. But why would a humans add so much carbonic acid? urpose does it serve? I’ve racked my brain trying to uand. The Mae God’s designs are profound, far beyond the grasp of mortal prehension.”

  Kayvaan pihe bridge of his nose. “…”

  “Bck, and fizzy?” Elizabeth grimaced. “That sounds disgusting.”

  “It might seem unremarkable,” Gustav admitted, “but let me remind you—excavations like these are a gamble. Out of hundreds of digs, most yield nothing but dirt and broken relics. Sometimes, if we’re fortunate, we uncover funerary artifacts or antiques that fetch high prices from collectors. Disc even fragments of an STC is rare. Finding a plete tempte, no matter how trivial its use, is nothing short of miraculous. The Mae God has blessed us, even if the blessing es with a test.”

  Elizabeth’s disdain was evident. “A test? Of what? How much fizz we tolerate? Holy, what were the as thinking? The idea of drinking something like that makes me sick.”

  Gustav’s tone grew more resolute. “You’re fog on the wrong thing, Inquisitor. This tempte was found in the living quarters oy’s outskirts. The fact that it survived intact speaks volumes about the ste ditions in the deeper ses. We’ve only excavated the city’s first yer, and work on the sed has barely begun. These outermost areas hold promise, but think of what lies deeper—data archives, industrial sectors, possibly military vaults. The possibilities are staggering. The STC we’ve found is just the beginning.”

  Elizabeth folded her arms. “You’re saying there might be something useful. That’s still just specution.”

  “This is the drawing I made of the a city,” Gustav began, spreading the schematic across the table. “Take a look here—you must have noticed this yourself. The city’s design is peculiar. It’s a honeyb-shaped y, but it differs signifitly from other a settlements. While much of its architecture follows the standard ial style, some of the core buildings exhibit unusual features—streamlined, angur designs that feel almost weightless. They ck the imposing heaviypiperial architecture. If anything, they resemble Eldar strus. Beyond that, the ey feels… light, almost as if it’s meant to take flight. It’s a magical pce, a treasure trove of possibilities. With more time, I’m certain we’d uncover something invaluable.”

  Kayvaan g the schematid shrugged. “In a few months, you’ve only mao excavate the first yer. Now all we do is sit here dreaming about treasures that might be there. If you’d worked faster, we could have packed up the loot and evacuated by now.”

  “This isn’t a simple matter of digging holes and pulling things out,” Gustav shot back, exasperated. “We’re dug a meticulous excavation. Every detail matters. Every er must be examined. It’s a far cry from soldiers shoveling trenches. We use fine brushes and wooden tools. Excavating a ruins requires patiend care!”

  Kayvaan rolled his eyes. “Fine. Anyway, do you think Serapheas are here for your ‘treasure trove’?”

  “There’s no other pusible expnation. Serapheas don’t e to realspace without a purpose. Even if they were looking for a pce to rex, they’d piewhere better than this backwater. The only thing of value on this p is in that a city. Otherwise, this rock is worthless.”

  Elizabeth frowned. “When did Serapheas start g about STCs? That doesn’t add up. I’ve never heard of them pursuing teological relics.”

  “Perhaps this particur group uands the value of an STC,” Gustav specuted. “Or perhaps their goal isn’t the STC itself. The city is unusual. There could be something far more signifit hidden within. But regardless of their motives, we ’t let them roam freely. The a city must be protected.”