The fleet dropped out of warp at the edge of the Verdant Crown system. Seven habitable worlds circled a stable golden star.
Precursor records called it a cradle system, one of the few left untouched with intact biospheres. This would be the empire's first real colony, not another outpost or forward base.
Elizabeth stood on the bridge of the flagship and gave the order. "This is the new Imperial Heartlands. We stop running from crisis to crisis. We put down roots here that last."
The scale of the operation hit everyone at once. Symbiont evolution swarms poured down to Eden Prime, the primary world. They carried no weapons this time.
Instead they merged with the native plants and soil, shaping hybrid cities that grew as the population needed them. Streets and buildings expanded on demand. Air recyclers breathed in sync with the forests.
