Graveyard of Empires

Days 4-7 of the battle. Corinnes secondary protocol fails, the entity breaks through at Station Gamma-Seven killing 143. Vashar processes the casualties personally. Traq makes the irrational decision to strip Sector Three reserves to reinforce Sector Seven, breaking the entitys pattern.

Two weeks after Arcadia, Traq awakens on war-torn Bateria with nightmares. Vivian directs brutal battle between Imperial and Union forces. Traq leads unauthorized mission to destroy Union communications outpost with soldiers Morty, Cecil, and Dina.

Admiral Vashar commands the Third Fleet blockading Novum. When Meridian research vessels approach, he engages Dr. Ortiz in a tense exchange before refusing the Emperors orders to fire on unarmed civilians. His entire fleet supports his decision, every captain standing down weapons.

Patrick infected by Gray Death, reveals Prometheus history to Ailana. Shares his plan with Steps 1-8, where Step 7 predicts institutional warfare (wrong) and Step 8 contingency notes force possibility. Patrick dies, Ailana walks south alone.

Jim goes to the Blue Daisy bar to drink and sulk. Hektor Menschen confronts him there, mocking and threatening, giving Jim one week before his Admiralty is revoked. Hektor mentions Jim was invited to the Cortet banquet.

Log entry from Chief Medical Officer Elena Voss dated 623 years before present. The Arcadia crew of 700,000 entered a nebula and experienced vivid nightmares. An alien entity systematically consumed human consciousness, leaving 700,000 empty minds in bodies.

Council votes to investigate Empire. Emperor Gaius secretly orchestrated the outcome, opening archives to focus on the approaching alien fleet. Traq meets with both Maven and Gaius, revealing Vanguard implant vulnerability. Empire and Union agree to unprecedented cooperation.

Desmond, Sara, and Dr. Quentin land on Novum, discover Earth flora mixed with alien biology, explore ruined city, find Feral remains, and locate archive terminals revealing a nuclear catastrophe 300 years ago. Ministry ship inbound.

Vivian trains 7-year-old Traq Lane in survival skills, having him endure four nights in freezing cold. She has a video call with Argus Wade, who fears for his daughter Abigail as Denigen's Fist returns to Core.