Chapter 369: Compact Courier 2

The remaining representatives came from engineering, education, logistics, and other civilian services, giving the group enough people from different parts of the sanctuary to make the first decisions mean something.

Their first decision was simple.

Sanctuary Ardent would remain under Aurelian’s emergency military protection while the civilian population recovered, woke more people, and built a permanent government of its own.

The second decision mattered even more.

They formally rejected any outside transfer of sanctuary property, archives, medical systems, or authority over the population unless the sanctuary’s recognized civilian representatives approved it first.

Eirenne recorded the vote and sent the result to Aurelian.

When he returned to the command center and read it, he looked at the numbers for a moment.

"That was fast."

Astercourt appeared through the channel almost immediately.

"People became very interested once they heard an Alliance claims officer was coming."

"I imagine they did."

"Some wanted to vote on whether she should even be allowed through the front door."

Aurelian looked at her.

"And?"

"I explained that this is not how Alliance law works."

"Good."

Astercourt hesitated.

Then added, "They voted anyway."

Aurelian stared at her for a second.

"What was the result?"

"Two hundred and eleven against letting her inside, thirty-eight in favor, and twelve people wrote answers that were not valid voting choices."

Rhoswen burst out laughing from the other side of the room.

Aurelian rubbed the side of his forehead.

"We are not putting that in the legal report."

"I already decided that."

Before either of them could continue, Eirenne interrupted.

"Solenne has completed the courier interception."

The main display changed.

A captured Compact ship appeared near the edge of the system, surrounded by two Human destroyers that were already guiding it back toward Sanctuary Ardent.

"Crew?" Aurelian asked.

"Fourteen. All surrendered after being disabled."

"Cargo?"

"Mostly communication systems, sensor packages, and civilian supplies."

Aurelian looked at the captured ship’s transmission history.

"What did they send?"

Eirenne had already opened the logs and was sorting through them.

"Fleet numbers, sanctuary shield estimates, damage reports, and confirmation that Arcturus support vessels have entered the system."

"Where was it going?"

The answer took a little longer.

"Saevor Drann."

That got everyone’s attention.

Ruun had escaped with his damaged flagship after the last fight, which meant somebody at Saevor Drann was still watching the situation closely.

They wanted to know whether Sanctuary Ardent had recovered or if it was still weak enough to attack again.

Aurelian turned toward the system map.

The Compact had already failed twice.

That did not mean they were finished.

"Keep the courier crew separated," he said. "Find out who hired them and whether anyone else was sent."

"Understood."

Astra studied the map for a few seconds.

"Do you think another fleet is coming?"

"Not right away."

"How sure are you?"

Aurelian looked at her.

"Not enough."

That was the problem.

Sanctuary Ardent still wasn’t ready for another serious attack.

Its main batteries were gone.

The shields were only partly repaired.

The launch halls were still damaged.

Solenne had enough ships to deal with raiders, scouts, and smaller attacks, but another fleet like Ruun’s could still cause serious damage if it arrived before the repair work was finished.

The Arcturus convoy helped a lot.

It still wasn’t enough to call the sanctuary secure.

Aurelian opened the repair report again.

The western shields were expected to reach around seventy percent strength within ten hours.

The eastern field needed almost another full day. The damaged launch halls would take several days before they could support full movement again.

Helion Bastion Twelve was already producing replacement parts, while the Continuity Vault’s surviving fabrication units were being brought online to help with smaller components.

Everything was moving.

They just needed more time.

For once, the approaching Alliance survey ship might actually help them get it.

The Compact would be far less likely to launch another major attack while an official Alliance vessel was sitting inside the system.

Attacking then would mean creating a much larger political problem, especially if Alliance personnel were caught in the middle.

Aurelian almost smiled at the thought.

Rhoswen noticed immediately.

"That expression usually means you thought of something unpleasant."

"The Alliance survey officer might be useful."

"She hasn’t even arrived, and you’re already using her?"

"I’m not using her."

Astra looked at him.

"You are."

Aurelian ignored both of them and went back to the reports.

A new message arrived from the medical level.

Elya Sorn’s treatment had been completed.

More importantly, she had stood up without help for the first time.

Doctor Marr still wanted her under observation for another full day, but every major reading remained stable.

There were no signs of rejection, no sudden damage, and none of the problems everyone had been worried about when they first activated the old treatment system.

Aurelian read the report twice before relaxing slightly.

At least one problem had gone well.

That mattered.

The Human Continuance Matrix had been one of the biggest risks they had uncovered inside the sanctuary.

If it could actually help people without repeating the mistakes buried in the old research, then it might become one of the sanctuary’s most valuable systems.

But they would keep moving slowly.

One successful treatment did not mean they started using it carelessly.

Outside the mountain, Solenne’s destroyers began towing the captured Compact courier toward the sanctuary.

Inside, the new civilian council started preparing its first official statement for the Alliance survey vessel.

They wanted their position written clearly before the claims officer arrived, especially after learning that someone from outside might try to question who actually controlled the sanctuary and its people.

Repair teams kept moving through the damaged halls.

Engineers replaced burned systems.

Medical crews checked newly awakened survivors.

Supply teams moved food, equipment, and power cells deeper into the sanctuary.

The Human Continuance Matrix cleaned its first treatment pod and began preparing for the next approved patient.

For the first time in a long time, Sanctuary Ardent was no longer simply waiting for someone else to decide what happened to it.

Its people were making decisions again.

Its systems were slowly returning to service.

Its defenses were being rebuilt.

The Compact was still watching them.

The Alliance was already coming with questions.

Neither situation was ideal.

But Aurelian still preferred it to the silence that had surrounded Sanctuary Ardent before.

Silence had allowed the Compact to occupy it for years.

Attention brought problems.

It also meant Sanctuary Ardent was no longer forgotten.