Rex digested this insane plan for a moment, then scanned it, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Haha! Starve this thing to death, freeze it to death? Great! Much more satisfying than blowing it up outright! I'll go modify the bomb!" His massive frame immediately sprinted towards the weapons depot.
"Leah, calculate the optimal bombing point and detonation depth to ensure the shockwave maximizes the potential for a geological catastrophe. Also, closely monitor the energy response in the crystal area. If it attempts to escape the planet before we can act, report immediately!"
"Understood!"
The bridge bustled once again, but this time, it was no longer a desperate struggle, but rather a clear, albeit audacious, objective.
The Nightingale adjusted its stance and flew toward the planet's dark side, seeking the optimal attack position.
Kane returned to the commander's chair and connected to Rex. "Rex, how long will the modifications take?"
"Give me twenty minutes! We need to dismantle those delicate detonators and replace them with rugged shockwave resonators! We'll make sure this planet shakes up!" Rex's voice echoed with the clatter of tools.
Twenty minutes. Kane's gaze returned to the main screen. The grayish-white "scar" continued to slowly but steadily expand.
He knew this was still a gamble. A bet that the alien race's thinking was correct, that the crystals couldn't survive in such a harsh environment, and that they were moving fast enough to complete this before the crystals could react.
But this seemed to be the best option at the moment.
For the Alliance, for the innocent systems that might be affected, and to give an explanation to the teammates who died ten years ago.
Purification isn't just about destruction.
Sometimes, eternal imprisonment is a more severe punishment than complete annihilation.
Twenty minutes would normally be a fleeting moment, but under the current circumstances, every second felt like a century. The Nightingale hovered quietly in the shadows of G-173c's dark side, like a cheetah lurking in the darkness, waiting for the moment to strike the fatal blow. Inside the bridge, only the gentle hum of system operation and Leah's voice rapidly reporting data broke the deadly silence before the storm.
"Geological structural analysis is complete. We've identified three ideal critical stress points, all located at the intersection of deep faults in the crust beneath the crater where the outpost is located. Simultaneously detonating these three bombs will generate seismic waves that will resonate within the planet, with a high probability of triggering a global chain reaction of tectonic plates." Leah projected three glowing red coordinates onto the planetary structure cross-section on the main screen.
"The energy readings in the crystal area continue to rise, and the diffusion rate has increased by 15% compared to ten minutes ago. It appears to be rapidly digesting material from the planet's surface. Perhaps it has sensed a threat and is undergoing a final expansion." Leah's voice was tinged with caution.
Kane stared at the screen expressionlessly. The edges of the grayish-white area, like ink dripping into water, continued to spread outward, encroaching on the once-dark rocky surface. A silent race was underway.
"Rex, how's the progress?" Kane called into the weapons depot.
"Done! The last shockwave resonator is installed!" Rex's voice was filled with heavy breathing after hard labor and uncontrollable excitement. "These three 'big babies' are no longer barbecue grills, but the biggest subwoofers in the entire galaxy! Guaranteed to make this rocky planet dance!"
"Excellent. Load the bombs into the launch bay and prepare for launch."
"Understood!"
A few minutes later, three narrow, modified special warheads were successively pushed into the vertical launch silo on the Nightingale's belly. Instead of their sleek, streamlined design, their warheads were equipped with special drills and shockwave amplifiers, giving them a sinister and bulky appearance.
"Bombs ready. Launch program loaded," Leah reported.
Kane took a deep breath and reviewed the battle plan one last time. Three projection points were to be arranged in a triangle, surrounding the outpost area at the center. The detonation sequence would be timed microseconds apart to ensure perfect superposition of the shockwaves.