Chapter 22: Mission at Helios IV.

Chepotai Star Segment, Helios Star Sector, Helios Star Domain, Helios Prime Star System.

The Helios Prime Star System was one of the rare binary star systems with two stars within the Star System and more than five habitable planets. The Helios Civilization was one of the founders of the Chepotai Free Union and was one of the richest civilizations and star nations within the entire Chepotai Free Union.

At the same time, their people were not really fighters or warriors; they focused mostly on trading, business, arts, and culture. So when Arcturus entered the Helios Prime Star System, he wasn't that surprised to see that there was not even a proper defense fleet.

Most of their society was built on the ideas of pacifism and negotiation and so on... they preferred to solve all of their conflicts with dialogue and without the usage of violence. As admirable as it was, it was also an utterly foolish thing to do so.

Enve the mission to the Star Mercenary Association didn't really come entirely out of Helios Prime, which was their Homeworld, but rather from some of the most powerful corporations in Helios Prime.

It seemed that the Solar Cult's rapid increase in popularity was threatening the grasp of the powerful corporations on their own people. From what data he had on the Hyperion Federation, it was basically an oligarchy controlled by the most powerful and richest corporations within the nation.

The ideas of secularism and ideas isolationism were seriously causing them damage and risk of their monopoly on power crumbling in the future.

"We are approaching the Helios IV."

Arcturus heard Alice's voice as he looked from the windows of the command deck and observed the wonders of the space. The Universe was indeed a very beautiful place, a magnificent and wonderful place, yet it was also very dangerous and full of threats.

"Are there any defenses that could discover us?"

Hyperspace Lanes were established paths through hyperspace, which linked major worlds in the galaxy, just as roads linked major cities on populated planets. Those routes were regarded as safe, allowing starships to travel without colliding with a celestial body in realspace.

Chains of important star systems formed runs, which were vital navigational routes for trade and transit, and such routes could cross multiple sectors. Star systems could have several or a single Hyperlane entrance/exit point, meaning that such points could be guarded and fortified, and ports of access monitored and controlled.

"The headquarters of the Solar Cult has been detected. The valley on the western hemisphere of the Helios IV, locally called Converging Sun, is one of the natural phenomena on the Helios IV because even the advanced scanners of most Type 2 civilizations would have a problem finding that place.

Aside from that, I have found several starships hidden across the valley, probably ready for combat or evacuation."

Acturus looked at the information that Alice gathered and saw that the Valley of the Converging Sun, while giving the inhabitants natural protections, was in a certain way defective because there was only one visible way out.

Not including the underground pathways, but even for that, he had his way of dealing with them.

"Target all spacecraft and other vessels capable of flight and destroy them on my command. At the same time, teleport the Battle Droids at the entrance to the valley and let them slowly advance deeper into the territory of the Solar Cult and before that, find the seismic points and give them a good stir."

He then issued a series of commands as he grinned at the holographic projection, showcasing the overall population of the Solar Cult being at several thousands of people, most of them being only civilians, and only a part of them was the military of the Solar Cult.

"The weapon systems are locked on their target. I have also targeted any visible landcraft, artillery, and anti-air turrets. I can fire at any time."

When he heard the voice of the Artificial Intelligence of the Obscurus, his heart started beating at a much faster rate... this was different from the space pirates that he killed in the first place.