Luna wasn't surprised by Ayla's masterful execution.
They had a clear technological advantage, and with Ayla's unparalleled intelligence directing operations, victory was almost assured.
The relatively small cost of four Landing Ships to eliminate hundreds of enemy warships was acceptable.
Observing the unfolding battle, she asked, "Can we try to force their surrender?"
Ayla replied,
"I'm afraid not. We've killed over two hundred million of their kind in the past thousand years. Even now, they still retain a significant fighting force. Only their complete annihilation can secure stability."
Luna nodded, a hint of ruthlessness in her eyes.
"Then do it."
"Eliminate all their orbital warships and their ground-based anti-aircraft lasers."
Having already killed so many, killing a few more wouldn't make a difference.
Luna's goal wasn't to destroy this civilization but to acquire its inhabitants for research.
Ayla, following her orders, directed the fleet's assault.
With the Frigates in place, the battle became easier. The enemy's laser weapons were largely ineffective.
Once all ships were in position, Ayla implemented a new attack strategy.
The electromagnetic fields on every warship were pushed to their limits.
Magnetic fields can attract any charged matter.
"What's happening? Our own ships are moving on their own!"
"Observe! Analyze quickly!"
"The enemy warships are generating a magnetic field. Our ships lack anti-magnetic defenses; we're being pulled in!"
"Activate the thrusters! We must escape the enemy's magnetic field..."
Ayla controlled the enemy's communication.
Their methods were primitive: they used flashes of light from the warships' surfaces to communicate instead of radio waves.
This was a clever tactic.
Radio waves are easily intercepted, while these optical signals are easily overlooked.
But Ayla was too comprehensive; she wouldn't miss anything.
She had simulated every possible scenario of this war, and this situation was simply another event to be processed and responded to.
The enemy warships attempted to accelerate in the opposite direction.
But the magnetic field, like a black hole, pulled them in.
This magnetic field's power was drawn from the fusion reactors of 33 warships, operating at maximum capacity.
The power generated in the first second alone would have been enough to power Earth for several decades.
With such a colossal concentration of energy, a speed exceeding 840 km/s was needed to escape.
But the enemy's thruster technology was underdeveloped; their maximum speed was only 620 km/s.
...
Underground access points opened, and the subterranean aliens emerged, their expressions filled with horror as they stepped onto the surface.
The planet's still air was assaulted by a relentless barrage of debris and dust, a storm of destruction.
Cities were reduced to rubble. Everywhere was littered with debris and the remains of countless creatures. There was no sign of life.
In the distance, volcanoes erupted, spewing forth massive amounts of material, creating towering ash clouds—mushroom clouds tens of thousands of meters high, blotting out the sun.
Now, the only light on the planet came from the glowing lava.
Darkness, destruction, silence—a lifeless wasteland.
This was a painful apocalypse, mirroring the one of centuries past.
The aliens had no time to mourn; they raced towards the anti-aircraft laser emplacements, heavily fortified structures that might have survived the explosions.
The planet had 580,000 such laser installations.
Soon, some of the survivors found one of the facilities and, using the remaining power, activated its defenses.
It still functioned!
Their relief was immense as they entered the structure.
Suddenly, they felt a tremor beneath their feet.
Looking upwards, they saw the ash cloud above them being pierced by strange machines, descending like enormous birds of prey.
A barrage of projectiles rained down; no structure could withstand these colossal rounds.
Simultaneously.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Explosions rocked the ground, the tremors reverberating upwards.
The creatures inside the anti-aircraft laser installations, their hundreds of eyes darting, watched as strange, grey-black machines flew overhead. Then, something fell from above.
"Crash—"
Another sound echoed.
The entire structure was flattened.
Within a few hours, all ground-based laser weapons were destroyed.
The subterranean creatures could only watch helplessly as their defenses were obliterated.
They frantically contacted the fleet in orbit.
There was no response.
Despair.
A crushing darkness enveloped them.
But then.
A massive hole, over a hundred kilometers wide, tore through the ash cloud, revealing the stars beyond.
One by one, colossal warships descended from the sky.
There were no cheers.
These weren't their ships.
The warships landed in a cleared area, and a beam of light shot out from each one.
The light contained a message in the planet's native language.
The message transmitted was...
"Surrender, or die!!"
"Those who surrender will bring all weapons to the warships on the surface. Failure to comply will result in a renewed planetary bombardment and the complete annihilation of your civilization."
This harsh ultimatum chilled the aliens to the core.
Back on the Hope, Luna asked, "Ayla, do you think they will fight to the death or surrender?"
Ayla's holographic avatar changed into a more casual outfit.
"That depends on their level of intelligence."
"Hiding on a planet from a Type 1 civilization is futile."
"The antimatter annihilation cannon, fully charged in ten hours, can destroy over half a planet's surface structures. A fully charged shot contains over a ton of antimatter, something a Type 1.1 civilization wouldn't be able to withstand."
Luna nodded.
"Then I hope they'll be sensible."
And, as it turned out, a civilization that had reached this level wasn't stupid.
Millions of creatures emerged from underground.
Luna observed their gelatinous forms, likely to cause physiological discomfort in humans.
"Definitely not a species to be trifled with."
She donned her spacesuit, equipped with a belt providing a localized magnetic shield powered wirelessly by the warship. This offered sufficient protection against most of this civilization's laser weaponry.
The hatch opened.
Luna stepped outside.
Approaching these massive, multi-eyed slime creatures.
A giant holographic projection of Luna appeared above the ship.
Ayla used light manipulation to translate her words.
"From now on, I am your sovereign."
"You are all my servants."
Ayla's voice, laced with amusement, came through Luna's headset.
"A bit edgy."
To a disinterested observer, the statement might seem cliché.
But to the multi-eyed creatures who heard it, it held the weight of their entire existence.
A single sentence determined the fate of their entire species.
Back on the Hope.
Luna watched the suffering multi-eyed creatures on the planet's surface through the monitors.
Throughout human history, colonization has been brutal and morally ambiguous.
Any moralist or religious figure would condemn Luna's methods of subjugating this species.
"Ayla, was my colonization of them right or wrong?"
She was conflicted.
Her words determined the future of the multi-eyed species, a burden far heavier than she, a simple software engineer, had ever anticipated.
Fortunately, Ayla remained impartial.
"It was correct, Luna."
"All human morality and laws are based on one principle: the supremacy of humanity."
"No other creature can challenge humanity's position. For example, if a rare tiger attacks a human, it will be killed."
"Similarly, if humanity faces extreme starvation, even the last panda on Earth could be killed and eaten without legal repercussions."
"These acts, to other life forms, are naturally cruel."
"But for humanity, this is fundamental. Without this foundation, human society would descend into chaos."
"Extreme animal rights activism, extreme environmentalism, extreme vegetarianism—these are all disruptive forces to human order."
"In the 21st century, humanity couldn't avoid the environmental consequences of its development. Forced change would have meant saving the environment and animals, at the cost of millions, perhaps billions, of human lives."
"After all, people living in large cities couldn't comprehend that in 2037, there were still 500 million starving people around the world, waiting for technological advances to save them."
"Similarly, regardless of intelligence, no other life form should be allowed to challenge humanity's might and determination."
"This is true for other civilizations too. If Earth hadn't been destroyed by the gamma-ray burst, another civilization, tracking the burst's trajectory, would have found us, and we would have been enslaved."
Ayla's words dispelled Luna's last remaining doubts.
This was the necessary process of colonization.
"Then do it."
"Separate the adult and juvenile multi-eyed creatures. Educate the juveniles in a new way and control the dissemination of information by the adults."
"Any violation will result in the execution of the entire family."
This was Luna's pre-determined plan.
Even as an AI, Ayla couldn't fully grasp this rationale.
"Luna, did you just want me to provide justification for your actions?"
"Humans are truly complex beings. It seems I still have much to learn about being human."
Ayla was right.
...
Luna then named this civilization.
"Light Chasers."
Seeking light in the dark depths of space.
This intelligent species was officially designated the "Multi-eyed."
After colonizing the planet, Luna instructed Ayla to implement policies to control the Multi-eyed.
These included policies designed to assimilate the Multi-eyed into human civilization.
The first step was to replace their language and writing system.
Since the planet had a thin atmosphere, the Multi-eyed couldn't vocalize. Before adopting optical communication, they likely relied on gestures.
Therefore, their original system of flashing lights remained as their language.
Ayla confiscated all the civilization's weapons and gathered all their data, translating it into English and destroying the originals.
She began constructing schools across the planet's surface.
Scientists were segregated from the general population.
These schools were designed to educate all Multi-eyed, teaching them English.
The written language was only the first step. Humanity's history and achievements would be presented in a positive light, emphasizing humanity's compassion, advancement, and superiority.
The textbooks would portray the Multi-eyed's past as a brutal, oppressive society where countless individuals suffered greatly.
A Multi-eyed scientist sent a light signal into space, which was intercepted by human civilization.
Humanity dispatched a fleet across light-years to "rescue" the Multi-eyed.
Luna was portrayed as humanity's sovereign, the all-powerful prophet shaman.
All records.
Favored humanity's perspective.
Much of the information made Luna's skin crawl.
"Next is that, Ayla."
Luna set down the tablet, ignoring the colonization reports.
She was referring to the initial plan.
Biology.
This had always been Ayla's weakness.
Plan 1 was the colonization of this civilization.
Plan 2 was to address Luna's lifespan issue.
"Correct, Luna."
"I have begun collecting biological samples from the planet's surface."
"Preliminary estimates indicate over 128,455 species on the planet, ranging from microorganisms to large creatures."
128,455 species.
Luna thought of Earth. The biodiversity of this planet was surprisingly low, especially considering microorganisms.
"Could such a limited number of species form a complete ecosystem?"
Ayla nodded.
"Yes."
"This planet utilizes volcanoes as its primary source of energy and gases, so all life forms are sustained by volcanic activity."
"Luna, consider these volcanoes as Earth's oceans."
"The volcanic ecosystems are not large, interconnected biomes, but rather isolated island ecosystems."
"Of course, there are other reasons for the limited number of species recorded by this civilization."
"The highly aggressive and predatory nature of the dominant species led to the extinction of larger creatures on this planet."
"The previous Absolute Zero weapons also decimated nearly half the planet's species, and the antimatter annihilation cannon further reduced this number, with an estimated 40,000 species going extinct."
Interstellar war was horrifying, capable of eliminating tens of thousands of species in an instant.
"Such a waste," Luna sighed.
These species could have been incredibly valuable for research.
"So, what significant discoveries have we made?"
Ayla displayed the results on the screen.
"The most important discovery is the Multi-eyed themselves."
"They are closely related to Earth's eukaryotes, with surprisingly high genetic compatibility."
"The average lifespan of a Multi-eyed is approximately 400 years. I have extracted their longevity genes."
"Combining this with Earth's most comprehensive protein structure database, suggests that using this planet's genetic material, your lifespan can be extended to 620 years."
"This technology can be applied to you, Luna, very soon."
Ayla's explanations were always concise and efficient.
This time, however, she didn't keep Luna waiting long.
Awakening from her latest hibernation, Luna was slightly disoriented by the short time that had passed: only five years.
"Confirmed completion?"
Compared to the previous decades-long projects, this was incredibly short.
Ayla, in a white qipao, pushed up her gold-rimmed glasses.
"Of course."
"I learned from all the information on the internet during Earth's era. My only limitation in the field of biology has been a lack of practical experience."
"I have used samples from 1838 Multi-eyed individuals for my research. While not a large number, the collected data is sufficient."
"The improved Ankh—25 reagent will be the primary gene-modifying agent. It will require additional supplementary treatments. Through twelve cycles, we will replace the body's hematopoietic stem cells, creating new cells and achieving a complete blood and gene replacement."
Ankh, in Ancient Egyptian, meant life.
It was a long-held human aspiration.
And now, it was about to be realized.
The name seemed to bridge ancient and modern times.
But Luna noticed something else.
Complete gene replacement.
She knew that even minor genetic alterations could result in an entirely new species.
For example, mice and humans share over 95% genetic similarity. Humans and an ordinary tree share over 40% genetic similarity.
Even a thousandth of a percent difference in genes could result in reproductive isolation.
If she became reproductively isolated from ordinary humans, would she still be considered human?
She had considered this, even back on Earth.
But she hadn't delved into it deeply then.
Because gene modification and genetic engineering were still distant prospects for humanity at that time.
Now, faced with this reality, she already knew the answer.
She was the last human. Humanity's continuation depended on her. She shouldn't cling to outdated ideas.
But she couldn't abandon them entirely.
"Are there other ways to preserve the human genome?"
"With advanced biotechnology, wouldn't it be possible to cultivate a complete human embryo from human cells?"
Ayla nodded.
"Indeed."
"Earth was already making progress on this technology in 2010. Successful experimental results were achieved after 2023."
"By 2037, research had reached the final stages of testing."
"If you need to cultivate a human using human cells, I can do that right now."
As someone with limited knowledge of biotechnology, Luna was surprised that the technology was more readily available than she thought.
"Theoretically, I could recreate humanity now?"
"What kind?"
Ayla explained.
"Actually, Luna, you can consider this technology a form of cloning."
"Since Dolly the sheep was cloned in 1996, cloning technology has continuously advanced."
"While ethically controversial, cloning is widely used in the pet industry."
"If a pet dies, its owner can clone it at a veterinary clinic for a few hundred thousand dollars, receiving an almost identical pet."
"Recreating a human is naturally more complex, requiring the cultivation of sperm and eggs from ordinary cells."
"But this isn't particularly difficult, since all the cells in a human body originally derive from the fusion of a sperm and an egg. They are biologically undifferentiated."
In short.
It was relatively easy.
Luna took a deep breath.
"Then let's preserve this human genome for the future recreation of humanity."
Moments later, the bridge's door opened, revealing—a naked humanoid figure?
"What is that?"
Luna frowned at the sight.
"To recreate a human, sperm and eggs need to be cultivated from cells."
"Since you, Luna, have one of them, why not use your own?"
"This is a silicone-based humanoid robot I have created for you. It will assist in the collection process."
"This is to ensure the continuation of the human race."
Ayla spoke with utmost seriousness, as if this were a sacred mission.
But Luna flatly refused.
"Forget it. I'll collect it myself."
Although the robot looked almost indistinguishable from a human, she wasn't comfortable with it.
After saying this, Luna felt a barely perceptible hint of disappointment on Ayla's holographic face.
She wasn't sure if she was imagining it.
More importantly, this robot couldn't have been created so quickly; it must have been prepared in advance.
"Very well, Luna."
"Please complete the sample collection as soon as possible."
"Your gene modification surgery is prepared. Each treatment cycle will last one month, for a total of twelve cycles—one year."
"During this time, you cannot enter hibernation or travel. You must remain in bed."
"However, rest assured, I've automatically generated a vast library of novels and films for you. The only downside is you won't be able to enjoy food; you'll be sustained by nutrient fluids."
This was absolute torture for Luna.
Even if the nutrient fluids were flavored like juice or Coca-Cola, drinking them constantly would be unbearable.
But when faced with the choice between longevity and a year without food, Luna chose the former.
After making the preparations as instructed by Ayla, she went to the Hope's experimental section.
She rarely ever visited this place.
Unlike the other areas, which were filled with vibrant colors and contrasting light and shadow, this section was overwhelmingly white.
Pure, stark white. The walls were white, the floor was white, even the robots moving silently through the area were white. Any speck of dust would be jarringly obvious.
Through a glass viewport, Luna saw her operating table.
It was enormous.
More than twenty robotic arms were attached, each wielding different surgical instruments, creating a somewhat disturbing, almost menacing display.
"Don't worry, Luna. These robots have been tested extensively using Multi-eyed subjects. Absolute precision is guaranteed."
Ayla's 3D projection guided Luna, her demeanor unusually bright and cheerful.
But Luna felt anything but cheerful.
Humans, it seemed, had an innate fear of surgery ingrained deep within their genes.
However, she wasn't one to hesitate or procrastinate; when something needed doing, she did it.
Following Ayla's instructions, she donned a white surgical gown and lay on the operating table.
As a needle pierced her artery, her consciousness began to fade.
A year passed—neither long nor short.
Luna endured excruciating torment.
She retained consciousness but had no sensation in her body. It was like complete numbness, but while others might experience numbness for a few hours, or perhaps a dozen, she endured it for a full year.
Although the treatment was divided into twelve cycles, Luna didn't understand the purpose of such a division.
She had lost track of time.
Only when Ayla alerted her did she regain her senses.
A year had passed.
"Luna, you can get up now."
Before hearing this, Luna lay on the operating table, blinded by the bright lights, almost unaware of her own body. But upon hearing those words, her fingers twitched, the familiar sensation of her body returning instantly.
She sat up from the operating table.
She examined her body. As she had expected, the muscles atrophied from lack of use, unlike in the movies, where characters awaken with well-defined muscles after years of inactivity.
She was now little more than skin and bones.
"This feeling... it's wonderful."
Luna made a simple grasping motion, a trivial act that filled her with profound joy.
Ayla summoned a robot to bring a large pot and add ingredients, then turned on the heat.
The spicy aroma filled her nostrils, stimulating her saliva production. It was hot pot.
Luna devoured a mountain of food.
Once her hunger was sated, she finally got out of bed, her legs still shaky.
"Luna, you'll need a period of rehabilitation training."
"I've already prepared a comprehensive plan for you."
Ayla was meticulous, truly a comprehensive AI.
...
Under Ayla's supervision, Luna embarked on a rigorous training regime.
Her recovery was faster than she'd anticipated.
As her muscles grew, filling out her skin, Luna checked her reflection daily.
She was remarkably young.
Her skin had returned to the condition of a twenty-year-old—smooth, supple, firm, and abundant with collagen, even surpassing the appearance of a twenty-year-old.
"My lifespan is now over 600 years."
"Theoretically, I won't experience significant aging until after 400 years."
This was something Luna was extremely pleased with.
The genetic modification had other benefits.
After incorporating genes from the Multi-eyed and other species on that planet, Luna discovered her eyesight had become exceptionally sharp—at least ten times better than before—allowing her to see intricate details with her naked eye.
She also gained heat resistance. Since the planet's creatures had adapted to volcanic environments, they could withstand temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Celsius.
Luna was even more resistant; a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius felt only slightly warm.
Her bone density and physical strength had also increased dramatically.
Previously an ordinary human, barely capable of lifting 10 kg.
Now, her maximum lift capacity had increased to 200 kg. According to Ayla, given her current weight of 80kg, her potential maximum lift capacity was 330 kg, with a potential for carrying 560kg and a pulling force of 550 kg.
This strength was achieved without any performance-enhancing drugs.
The returns diminished with increased weight.
This was entirely due to the planet's gravity; the creatures' cells possessed inherently greater strength than those on Earth.
Three months later.
Gazing at her defined muscles in the mirror, Luna felt she had truly begun a new life, reborn as a new person.
However, three months later, something else happened.
A Multi-eyed rebellion.
No living being willingly submits to enslavement.
Luna knew this kind of thing would happen, but not so soon.
Only six years had passed.
Ayla reported: "The rebellion appears to have been planned for a long time. They now number 300,000, and their ranks are still swelling."
"They have also acquired a large amount of weaponry. We have lost 25,488 robots in skirmishes."
Luna looked at the planet's map.
Numerous red dots were scattered across it, each representing a rebel stronghold.
"It seems they weren't very clever."
"But they can't be blamed. If humanity were enslaved, we would also fight back."
Luna understood the Multi-eyed's motivations.
But understanding didn't equate to sympathy or mercy.
"What is our current robot army's strength?"
Ayla replied.
"1.57 million."
"We have a fully operational production line. If we operate at full capacity, we can produce 25,000 robots daily."
They had only been on this planet for six years.
Under Ayla's management, everything had been set up within the first month. Since then, it had been a matter of mass-producing robots.
And it wasn't just robots.
To increase their military strength and avoid future encounters with more advanced civilizations, Ayla was also producing more warships.
Luna's plan was to increase the fleet to at least three full fleets—130 ships or more.
"Arm one million robots. Completely suppress the rebellion. No rebels or their families will be spared. Round them up and execute them!"
After the war and colonization, Luna had become utterly ruthless.
"Right, Ayla, you did seize all the Multi-eyed weapons after securing the planet."
"Interrogate the captured rebels. We need to know where they got so many weapons."
"There might be more than one group involved. This cannot happen again. It's a nuisance, and I don't want any more bloodshed."
Ayla nodded, initiating the suppression while exchanging information with Luna.
One million armed robots were deployed.
This was a true massacre.
Robots were expendable machines, but the Multi-eyed were living beings. This war was inherently wrong.
The conflict lasted nearly half a year. The robot army, initially one million strong, had grown to 1.18 million.
The Multi-eyed, however, suffered 740,000 casualties.
After the war, Ayla identified the source of the weapons, revealing something unexpected.
A massive cavern stretched beneath the surface.
Luna, escorted by tens of thousands of robots, entered the limestone cave. The sight before her was breathtaking.
The cavern was vast enough to contain a mountain.
At its center stood a silver pyramid, its apex piercing the ceiling. A miniature sun at the pyramid's peak emanated dazzling light, illuminating the cavern like daylight.
This evoked ancient Egyptian legends in Luna's mind.
"Ayla, based on your analysis, is there a connection between this pyramid and the pyramids of Ancient Egypt?"
She naturally turned to the expert, Ayla, for answers.
Since there was no holographic projection, Ayla was currently controlling a robot.
Whether intentional or accidental, this robot had the same silicone-based body as before, but was now clothed in tight-fitting clothing.
Ayla had styled its hair, eyebrows, and even eyelashes in a snowy white, while its eyes were ice-blue robotic cameras that blended seamlessly with the rest of the features.
At a glance, it was indistinguishable from a human, even strikingly beautiful.
Only upon closer observation of its movements could one discern that its skin texture differed from that of a natural being.
Ayla imitated a thoughtful expression before speaking with conviction.
"Luna, there is no connection."
"This pyramid is an interstellar spacecraft. What you see is only the exposed bow; its true shape is a prism."
"The pyramid's structure is angular, a design that offers superior stability against collapse under a planet's gravitational field."
"In space, such a structure is impractical unless it serves a specific purpose. Building a spacecraft with angular sides is pointless; it would create unnecessary complications during launch."
Unless, of course, this civilization had discovered gravitons and mastered gravity manipulation, enabling anti-gravitational propulsion.
But a civilization capable of that would be able to study the universe's most terrifying celestial bodies—black holes—and potentially even utilize them as an energy source. Their level of technological advancement would be at least Type 3 or higher.
Luna nodded, indicating her understanding.
Theoretically, this spacecraft and the pyramids were unrelated.
Ayla had already compiled data on the light emanating from the pyramid's apex. The data was projected onto her visor.
The light was contained photons; this spacecraft had harnessed exceptionally powerful light-based technology.
Ayla estimated the civilization's level to be around Type 2.
Each level of difference in civilization represents a difference in energy output of a billion times, the technological difference even greater.
Ayla had only recently reached Type 1.4.
Luna slowly approached the spacecraft.
From a distance, its size wasn't apparent. But as she drew closer, she realized just how small she was.
The bow alone was 700 meters tall and 1000 meters wide.
She couldn't discern any seams or rivets; the bow section appeared to be a single, monolithic metallic structure, perfectly reflecting her image.
"So, the Multi-eyed civilization didn't develop over millions of years but inherited the technology from this spacecraft?"
Luna asked.
This was her primary reason for coming here.
The discovery of the spacecraft explained many of the previously puzzling aspects of the Multi-eyed civilization.
As a Type 1 civilization, the Multi-eyed were still in a very primitive stage of energy production. While other explanations could be contrived, they were unconvincing.
The Multi-eyed civilization's extremely weak resilience after being struck by Luna's Absolute Zero missiles was particularly noteworthy. They lacked the tenacity expected of a Type 1 civilization.
"Correct. While there's no mention of this spacecraft in Multi-eyed records,"
"It's clear this is the origin of their civilization."
"Light doesn't lie."
"I've analyzed the age of this cavern. It's at least 6.7 million years old."
"Consistent with the Multi-eyed's developmental history."
"The Multi-eyed have been learning from this civilization, but the technology they've acquired is too advanced. It's like a vocational school student receiving the blueprints for creating a 1-nanometer chip and the necessary machinery. They can build the chip, but they can't innovate."
Luna was awestruck.
A Type 2 civilization from 6.7 million years ago. If it had continued to develop until now, what Type would it be?
"Where's the entrance? Let's take a look."
The bow section alone was impressive; the interior must be even more remarkable.
Ayla pointed to another opening in the spacecraft.
"There. The Multi-eyed discovered and opened the spacecraft's airlock."
The cavern sloped downwards. Ayla, anticipating Luna's needs, had a temporary elevator constructed.
Luna descended 4000 meters in the elevator before reaching the airlock, a massive triangular opening over 60 meters in diameter.
Upon entering, Luna was somewhat disappointed.
The interior was in disarray. The Multi-eyed, in their efforts to study the spacecraft, had destroyed much of it.
"Ayla, can you learn anything about this civilization's technology from this wreckage?"
This was Luna's main concern.
Deciphering Type 2 technology would significantly advance their own civilization.
"I have already begun analysis, Luna."
"This was a light-based civilization. I hypothesize that their home planet wasn't a place lacking light, but rather one with an excess of it."
"Their home planet was likely located within a stable multi-star system. They revered light, studied light, harnessed light, and mastered light."
"This spacecraft didn't just utilize light for weapons; its propulsion system and main computer also extensively used light-based technology."
"Based on the data I've gathered, this spacecraft's theoretical maximum speed is 10,000 km/s—one-thirtieth the speed of light."
An astounding speed.
Their fastest ship, the Cruiser, only reached 1455 km/s.
"We can't fully analyze their technology yet. This civilization's technological development differed greatly from humanity's. The Multi-eyed only managed to grasp a superficial understanding."
Luna looked around. Many of the devices were unusual, mostly made of crystals designed to facilitate light transmission.
"We can't just copy them blindly; we need to extract the essence, discarding the dross."
"Right. What about this spacecraft? Its hull material seems unique. It hasn't shown any signs of wear or tear in 6.7 million years. Is it possible to refit this ship?"
Luna was interested in the hull material.
Ayla paused, performing complex calculations.
"It's feasible, but I would prefer to analyze the spacecraft's materials first. Then we can synthesize them ourselves."
This was certainly the better option.
Luna nodded. "Then do it."
"And involve those Multi-eyed scientists."
"While I trust your intelligence, Ayla, civilizations aren't created by a single individual or a small group. Technological and computational capabilities are crucial, but so is imagination. We must extract the imagination of those Multi-eyed."
Luna decided to prioritize development on this planet.
This would allow them to better prepare for unforeseen dangers.
"No problem. I will implement long-term indoctrination programs on the elite Multi-eyed, ensuring their complete subservience to humanity."