After careful consideration, Jin decided to secure satellite Alpha.
Alpha was devoid of air and water, and it lacked any signs of life.
“Even so, there might be unknown pathogens or viruses lurking there,” Jin noted.
Applying the magi-craft Light, he irradiated the target with ultraviolet rays. He followed this with the engineering magic Sterilization to further disinfect the area. Thanks to the high concentration of free ether, the entire process was completed in a remarkably short time.
“Alright, that should be enough.”
Currently, the Atlas was the only vessel capable of operation in this environment. If they could bring satellite Alpha closer to Hale, the guard ships Sirius, Procyon, and Betelgeuse, along with the construction ship Vulcan, would be able to assist.
“Commence the plan.”
Under Jin’s direction, the Atlas began its operations.
First, it identified Alpha's center of gravity and plotted a straight line passing through that center toward Hale. Following that trajectory, it bored a hole into Alpha and fixed the Atlas within it, embedding the ship’s hull into the rock. Naturally, the hole was positioned on the side facing away from Hale.
With this, Alpha had essentially been transformed into a satellite-sized spaceship with the Atlas serving as its propulsion system.
Alpha wasn’t spherical; it was a satellite that could best be described as a gargantuan, irregular rock mass. Using Dig—a spell that functioned as both magi-craft and earth-attribute magic—a hole 300 meters in diameter was excavated.
When Jin checked the earth and stone produced during the process with Analyze, he found they were high-grade mithril ore.
“This looks very promising.”
Jin gave instructions to keep the excavated rocks properly stored.
On satellite Alpha, the Atlas sat halfway buried, making final adjustments. Since the gravity was low and they were using Gravity Magic to regulate weight, the crew managed to complete the task despite the massive 300-meter scale.
Since the crew—Cosmos 601 through 700—could not function in this high-concentration free ether environment, the operation proved difficult. Nevertheless, the necessary work was finished in about three hours.
The rock surrounding the Atlas was treated with Toughening to ensure it could withstand the ship's propulsive force.
“Alright, apply power.”
At Jin’s command, the Atlas released a portion of its thrust.
Even at 300 meters in diameter, the Atlas was nothing more than a microscopic grain compared to satellite Alpha. Alpha’s dimensions were approximately 400 kilometers on its long side and 150 kilometers on its short side.
However, the power hidden within the Atlas was immense. It was more than capable of nudging satellite Alpha out of its orbit.
Of course, the initial movement was negligible. They planned to start at 0.2G and gradually increase the engine output to 1G while confirming that the surrounding rock could endure the strain. Even with the super-powered Atlas, 1G—roughly 10 meters per second squared—was the limit of its capabilities.
The sheer density of the free ether improved the efficiency of the ship's magi-devices, which helped keep the operation viable.
As a secondary measure, Jin had gravity control devices—gravitioners—installed at various points on Alpha to generate anti-gravity in a direction away from Star Celane. These were disposable units, as they would break due to overload after about an hour of use.
Still, once an hour had passed, the combined effects allowed them to accelerate the massive satellite to 36 kilometers per second.
“The first priority is getting away from Star Celane.”
Until they left the high-concentration free ether area, the other ships would be unable to provide support. Jin prioritized reaching the safety zone over perfect navigation; any minor deviation in direction could be corrected later.
Three hours passed.
Satellite Alpha had completely broken Zipart’s orbit and was moving away from Star Celane. While its trajectory was slightly offset toward the zenith (the ecliptic north pole), it remained well within a correctable range.
Its speed had exceeded 100 kilometers per second, so the Atlas temporarily cut its acceleration. This was a precaution against cosmic dust; colliding with debris at such high speeds could cause complications, such as throwing off the orbit or damaging Alpha itself. Jin particularly wanted to avoid any loss of the valuable satellite's material.
Since damage would only scale with velocity, he decided to maintain a moderate speed.
“Even at this pace, we should reach a sector with normal free ether concentrations in about a day and a half.”
Jin felt a wave of relief. The first stage of the plan was a success.
“...Wait a minute.”
While researching the development of a more effective free ether barrier, a thought suddenly occurred to Jin.
“What happens to metals that exist in an environment with an extremely high free ether concentration? No, rather... what if they were refined in such an environment?”
He wondered about the properties of the metals that could be extracted from Alpha.
“If they are refined in a high-concentration free ether environment, wouldn't they naturally possess a higher affinity for free ether?”
Jin remembered an article he had seen as a child about refining metals in the weightlessness of space. According to the piece, refining in a vacuum meant no oxygen would be introduced, resulting in higher purity. Furthermore, metals with different specific gravities were less likely to undergo segregation when alloyed in zero-G, creating a more homogeneous material.
“Since the metallic structure wouldn't be affected by gravity, we might get something incredibly fine-grained and uniform.”
While magi-craft could produce similar effects, Jin believed it would be a massive advantage if the base material itself was of such high quality. And if the material tended to absorb free ether instead of oxygen, that would be a dream come true for a Magi Craft Medium.
“Once we’re out of the high-concentration zone, I want to run some experiments immediately.”
Jin found himself eagerly awaiting that moment.
Propelled by the Atlas, Alpha maintained its speed of 100 kilometers per second. It was reported that they would reach the sector with standard free ether concentrations in just a few hours.
“I’ll finally be able to see Alpha with my own eyes.”
Jin was restless with excitement. He loved craftsmanship, but he was equally fond of materials—especially metals. Of course, that affection was usually tied to the thrill of what he could build with them.
“Father, please do not set foot on Alpha yourself until the detailed investigations are complete,” Reiko cautioned.
“...Yeah, I know.”
Jin’s response was a second too late, betraying his eagerness.
“The surveys conducted in the high free ether concentration zone cannot be considered sufficient,” she added.
Her logic was sound, so Jin had no choice but to concede.
Two and a half hours later, satellite Alpha finally arrived before them. The Adriana and the construction ship Vulcan synchronized their speeds to match. Within minutes, their relative velocity was zero.
“My Lord, I would like to dispatch Cosmos 551 through 600 from the Vulcan to Alpha to begin a survey,” Taisei proposed.
“Yes, do it.”
Jin approved immediately. Moments later, the Vulcan’s hatches opened, and a swarm of Cosmos golems flew toward the satellite.
Broadly speaking, Alpha was an elongated ellipsoid, shaped much like a rugby ball. Since it lacked an atmosphere, its surface was rugged and pitted from eons of ultraviolet radiation and collisions with cosmic dust.
The fifty Cosmos golems touched down on the surface and began their work. They investigated the exterior and probed the interior. Jin knew there was a remote possibility that dangerous pathogens or spores were hidden deep within the porous rock.
They couldn't examine every cubic inch, so they focused on taking samples from several key locations. The survey was expected to take about four hours.
Jin waited restlessly, checking the time over and over. Seeing her master’s impatience, Cosmos 551 took the initiative and sent a small amount of surveyed ore to the Adriana via a Warp Gate.
“Oh, how thoughtful!”
Delighted by the gesture, Jin immediately headed to the Adriana's research lab to begin analyzing the ore.