The Megastructure in the Heavens
The surveillance protocol might have coincidentally picked up signals from an artificial satellite whose radio telescope was still operational. There were several possibilities for detectable signals identifiable from the sky above. That's why the technicians struggled for hours, considering every conceivable scenario to find the most plausible interpretation.
"The area where the signals are being observed is incredibly vast. It's not like a satellite at all—more like something enormous draped across the sky…."
"The consistency is striking too. We hardly ever picked up any completely different types of signals."
But the longer the observations continued, the more the emerging hints pointed far away from anything comprehensible.
"So…."
"I don't know what mistake we made, but if it's real…."
The technician projected the observation data into an intuitive 3D holographic image for everyone to see.
"At the very least, from latitude 45 degrees to 60 degrees north, there's what appears to be an immense grid-like artificial structure on a staggering scale. It might even encircle the entire Earth."
"That's…."
Hermann let out a low groan.
"…too far-fetched."
"We might have made an error in observation because we're not familiar with it. Or misinterpreted the data. But…."
"Yeah, we have to keep the possibility that it's real in mind. Above all, the observed signals are clear."
Hermann's face grew serious as he sank into thought. I sat quietly beside him until a sudden idea struck me, and I asked,
"…Then, could the mysterious force that originally occupied this facility have been observing something like that?"
"It's not impossible. Or maybe a group of scholars obsessed with relics from the old era."
Hermann stroked his thick beard once, then addressed everyone.
"It looks like we need to proceed with caution. I have a feeling we might be getting close to the secret we've been chasing all this time."
"Secret…."
"To correct any errors and fix any discrepancies, we'll continue observations going forward. You all stay here for the time being and keep sending us the data."
"Understood."
If it was just an observation error, the follow-up scans would reveal it. With that, Hermann gave various instructions to the team, gestured for me to follow, and left the control room.
"What do you think?"
"Hm? About what?"
"The hypothesis that there's something up in the sky. What's your take?"
Why ask me? Our knowledge levels were about the same.
But….
"The chance the observation data is wrong is basically zero. There was no interfering radio nearby, and we've done multiple verification scans since."
Continuing observations was just to cover any unlikely possibilities. Nothing more.
"What about a massive artificial structure floating in the sky? Could it be that silhouette you saw beyond the clouds back then?"
"Well…."
Even if it was real, something felt off. A structure that massive couldn't be hidden, no matter how hard they tried.
"Ever since the era of endless strife began, the sky has stayed that gloomy gray. These days, clear skies are a rarity—maybe once or twice a year."
"They're not completely gone, though."
"True. But even on those rare clear days, when I or anyone else looked up, we never got the impression of some giant structure. It was just a refreshing blue sky, unlike what you saw."
"Maybe…."
I spoke carefully.
"To be visible from the ground, it'd have to be ridiculously huge. Maybe what I saw was one of the few massive, seamless parts, and most of it is just thin bands connecting them."
"That's possible. But the mere existence of it is the problem, isn't it?"
Hermann's voice was laced with worry.
"Before the era of strife, even digging through old-era data, there's no news of any project or construction on that scale. Do you really think humanity could whip up a megastructure like that during the strife era, when mere survival was a struggle—something even the golden age couldn't build?"
"Probably not…."
I shook my head.
"Things only got worse after that—no signs of improvement. If there was a faction capable of a project that big…."
Hermann shook his head.
"It doesn't add up. Why didn't they show themselves during the Collapse Wars? And where are they now?"
Exactly. Even conservatively, it covered a third of the northern hemisphere sky. I couldn't imagine it vanishing without a trace.
Hermann rubbed his dry face and let out a deep sigh.
"Maybe we're just rattled because this is beyond our comprehension. Let's take a break…."
He glanced around and started walking toward the makeshift barracks.
"I'll rest up and think it over once my head cools. You go on ahead."
"Okay."
As if it just occurred to him, Hermann paused mid-step, looked back at me, and said,
"Dinner should be in the mess area. Don't go all the way back to the mobile hangar—eat nearby."
"…Got it."
With that, he finally turned and walked away without looking back. I stood there for a moment, watching his back—it seemed a little more frail than before.
"What's the chance they'll discover it?"
"If they had no intention of using it, they wouldn't have raided the observatory. Definitely 100%."
"It's a facility lost beyond the era's. Even with technicians, they won't know how to operate it."
"Old-era data still exists. They'll figure it out quick."
"……."
The analyst cracked his knuckles.
"Trouble's brewing."
"What about Raize…?"
"Leave him be. No point stirring things up. If even I'm rattled, think how that guy feels."
Normally, he'd chew him out, but this was unexpected even for him.
'No, since the opponent's a variable, maybe it's par for the course.'
The worst-case scenario, with the worst person involved.
The analyst clutched his head and let out a groan like creaking hinges.
"That Rabe… what the hell is she thinking…."
The operator paced in front of him for a while. Then, as the analyst suddenly snapped his eyes open with a glint, he flinched and straightened up.
"How's the 'Persistence' project coming?"
"Still a long way from completion. To get corporate cooperation and pull strings, at least two years…."
"Too slow. We need to accelerate the timeline."
Contact between the variable and that one.
From here on, things might accelerate so fast a single breath could leave you behind.
Variables always sped up the era, after all.
"Maybe it was impossible to control those variables after all."
"Then throw all remaining forces into the 'Persistence' project?"
"Yes, that's the safest bet. And…."
Still, prepare for the worst.
Variables popped up in the most unexpected places, no matter how you tried to avoid them.
"For any contingency—for if—we'll preload their combat patterns."
"…You mean…!"
"Exactly."
The analyst waved him off dismissively. The operator bowed his head, adjusted his tablet, and left the office.
"We'll see how it plays out."
The sky visible from the office window was, as always here, clear and bright.
Metal nodes carrying signals traversed paths, relaying data. Their complex movements wove an encryption no ordinary method could decipher.
In the silence, ceaselessly. As always, unchanging, it continued pure thought.
A colossal emulation of the human brain.
What was the path to persistence?
The nodes kept thinking, attempting to factor every element on the surface into their calculations.
But then.
Suddenly, one node halted and emitted an anomaly.
One, two. Click, click.
More and more nodes began to freeze.
The 2-kilometer-diameter colossal metal mass.
The signal it detected soon disrupted the entire organic parallel pattern.
At last, the electronic brain pondering away noticed the anomaly on the surface.
Not the pattern of those who'd been observing it—but a blatantly different observation pattern.
Radio waves probing it thoroughly, as if scanning its entirety.
> [……VARIABLE DETECTED.]
And it soon reached a conclusion.
One of the seeds of destruction dormant on the surface.
The seed that would change everything had already sprouted from the soil.
It would not die.
Once rooted, it burrowed deeper….
> [IT WILL FINALLY ARRIVE.]
The assumed pattern had changed.