Near Pluto’s orbit, a massive space station was in the final stages of construction. Only the finishing touches and full-scale testing remained before it could officially open for use and visitation by imperial citizens.Spanning nearly a thousand kilometers in diameter—about a third of the Moon’s size—the station looked nothing like a natural satellite. Its sleek, glossy exterior was adorned with enormous glass panels, each manufactured in space. These panels stretched for kilometers in length and width, and hundreds of meters in thickness, allowing light to pass through effortlessly. Yet, they weren’t just for aesthetics. Equipped with advanced safety features, the glass could filter heat and radiation while controlling the amount of light passing through in a precise five-centimeter grid, ranging from full transparency to complete blackout. Additionally, they were reinforced to withstand asteroid impacts, a testament to the station’s durability and the prestige of its purpose.This

[A/N: I encountered some immigration issues, which made it difficult to write during that period. My apologies for the delay.]A few days later…The board meeting of Connect Enterprise, the parent company overseeing eight powerful subsidiaries, was about to commence. The subsidiaries presidents of —GAIA Technologies, Inc.; Helios Energy & Utility, Inc.; Hephaestus Industries and Manufacturing, Inc.; Hermes, Inc.; Plutus Ventures, Inc.; Icarus Airlines, Inc.; Asclepius Biotechnology, Inc.; and Coeus Foundation—had all gathered for this crucial discussion.Before the formation of the empire, ARES Security Solutions, Inc. would have been included in such a meeting. However, since its integration into the imperial government as one of the three major ministries under direct imperial oversight, it had fully transitioned from a private security firm to the official Imperial Army. Now operating under the governmental structure, its reporting lines followed those of ministries and agencies,

{Robert Watson of Icarus Airlines, please proceed,}Their industry closely mirrored Hermes, with the key difference being that they transported people instead of cargo. However, their expansion potential was more limited—no matter how many ships or planes they added to their fleet, the number of travelers remained relatively consistent each year. Unlike Hermes, they also faced competition, as any company with ships meeting safety standards and proper permits could enter the passenger transport market.What set Icarus Airlines apart was its exclusive service offering trans-star system travel between the Solar System and the Alpha-Proxima Centauri system. Only a handful of companies were wealthy enough to purchase ships capable of such a journey.Despite the two-year-long trip, demand remained high, thanks to VR integration. Passengers spent the journey in VR pods, allowing them to continue their work and daily activities as usual, eliminating the need for extended leave. This feature m

“What is your name and rank?”Inside a sparse room containing only a table and two chairs, a man in a suit posed the question to the individual seated across from him.“I am Specialist First Class Amir Riza,” Amir responded, clad in his TSF exploration uniform, its insignia and decorations reflecting his rank, despite the fact that this interaction was taking place within a virtual reality.“How are you feeling?”“Excited to finally be back home, grateful for the opportunity to explore space, and relieved to have returned safely.”“Can you give us a summary of the exploration?”“Yes. Once we entered the heliosphere of our designated star system following our arrival and initial rudimentary mapping…” Amir began, methodically recounting his experience.Across the station, every member of the TSF TRAPPIST-1 expedition crew was engaged in a similar debriefing process. Each sat in identical rooms, providing their accounts as part of the mandatory post-mission psychological evaluation. Havi

Aron took a deep breath, momentarily pausing to process what he had just read. The revelation that mere physical contact had led to the discovery of an entirely unknown form of intelligent life was nothing short of astonishing.Rather than rushing ahead, he allowed himself a moment to think. What kind of lifeform could remain undetected until direct contact was made? Based on what he knew, the most plausible explanation was a lifeform without a conventional physical body, one that could embed itself into various materials, manipulating them as if they were extensions of itself, like an avatar.If that were the case, it would explain why the material reacted only when the headgear was removed. These beings must have been attuned and able to perceive even the faintest psionic waves emitted by an unprotected mind—waves that would otherwise be blocked by the shielding integrated into the headgear worn by every member of the exploration fleet.The more he thought about it, the more sense i