The weapon systems of the Eternal Seeker began charging.
As a fleet-level strategic weapon reserved for Imperium Navy capital ships, the Nova Cannon was mounted along the prow of the Eternal Seeker.
Utilizing a series of gravitational accelerators, this colossal cannon could propel a massive explosive shell over fifty meters in diameter to near-light speed.
Within a single second of firing, the shell could travel tens of thousands of kilometers, its explosive payload capable of effectively obliterating targets across a blast radius spanning thousands of kilometers.
The Nova Cannon was typically deployed for extreme long-range area suppression—a destructive force designed to shatter dense formations or hardened, stationary targets.
However, the sheer recoil generated by its firing was immense, demanding the full engine output of the entire ship to counteract, while its targeting accuracy relied heavily on complex calculations and the experience of the commanding officer.
At that moment, the muzzle of the Nova Cannon slowly adjusted its angle, locking onto the canyon region in the northern hemisphere of planet Xil.
Scanning systems had locked onto three primary Tal'darim Protoss assembly points: the defense position at the temple entrance, the eastern energy nexus, and the western barracks area.
These three nodes contained the core strength of the Tal'darim ground forces.
"Nova Cannon primed. Target locked. Fire."
The hull of the Eternal Seeker shuddered violently as all non-essential systems were instantly cut to compensate for the massive recoil.
A giant explosive shell over fifty meters in diameter launched from the prow, turning into a blinding streak of light that tore through space, plunging toward the planet's surface.
The first shell struck the defense position at the temple entrance.
Detonating several hundred meters above the ground, the shell released energy equivalent to dozens of plasma torpedoes going off simultaneously.
A blinding white flash swallowed the entire zone in an instant.
Patrolling Tal'darim Zealots, newly deployed Photon Cannons, and energy shield generators were instantly vaporized in the extreme high temperatures and pressures at the blast core.
The shockwave radiated outward in a ring, tearing distant Tal'darim soldiers to pieces and melting the rocky surface into vast, glass-like craters.
The second shell struck the eastern energy nexus almost simultaneously.
The Tal'darim Protoss had constructed a temporary power station there to energize their defense systems.
Taking a direct hit at its center, the explosion triggered a chain reaction that turned the entire sector into a sea of fire.
Stored energy units sympathetic-detonated, producing a secondary, far more violent blast as a mushroom cloud towered into the sky.
The third shell smashed into the western barracks area, where Tal'darim forces were resting and staging.
Detonating directly over the camp, shrapnel and shockwaves blanketed the area.
Rudimentary structures were flattened to dust, and before they could even react, the Tal'darim soldiers were turned to ash within the destructive wave of energy.
Three volleys of fire, three Nova Cannon rounds.
Every single shot achieved a direct hit on its intended target, its blast radius completely encompassing all major Tal'darim Protoss assembly points.
The Tal'darim Protoss lacked effective defenses against orbital bombardments of this scale; their personal shields and defensive gear were utterly meaningless against strategic weapons of this caliber.
Orbital scans confirmed that high-heat signals from the Tal'darim Protoss around the temple perimeter had vanished on a massive scale, leaving behind only three burning impact craters and scorched earth.
A handful of Tal'darim units situated on the extreme outer fringes of the blast zone or deep within hardened bunkers survived, but their numbers no longer posed a threat.
Spared from a direct hit, the primary structure of the temple suffered only minor impact from the shockwaves; while parts of its outer walls showed cracking, the main body remained intact.
Having confirmed that surface threats were heavily suppressed, the Eternal Seeker dispatched a transport fleet.
Ten heavy transports carrying three hundred Skitarii soldiers and engineering units touched down on the cleared zone near the temple.
The Skitarii forces deployed rapidly, advancing toward the temple in tactical formations.
Squads swept along the path, checking for and neutralizing survivors.
A few Tal'darim soldiers hiding behind distant cover attempted to resist, but facing the superior numbers and firepower of the Skitarii, their defense was shattered in short order.
Using tranquilizer rounds and restraint gear, the Skitarii soldiers successfully captured nine wounded Tal'darim Protoss prisoners, including an Ascendant who appeared to hold a command rank.
Concurrently, Tech-Priest Acolytes gathered samples of partially intact Tal'darim weaponry, including modified Psi-Blades and micro-Photon Cannon cores.
Moving into the temple interior, the Skitarii encountered scattered resistance. A few Tal'darim Protoss who were deep inside during the bombardment had managed to survive.
They set up ambushes along corridors and chambers, but against the overwhelming force of the Skitarii, their resistance collapsed quickly.
Atop the altar in the center of the main hall, the second Xel'Naga artifact fragment hovered quietly, radiating a blue-white light.
Scanning for verification, the Tech-Priest Acolytes confirmed the fragment was complete and its energy readings stable.
Osiris's command came through once more: "Install structural stasis field generators and tractor beam emitters. Prepare to decouple and retrieve the entire temple structure from its foundation."
Engineering units set to work. Heavy servo-automata drilled into critical structural nodes of the temple, implanting stasis field generator anchors.
These generators would cast a protective stasis field enveloping the entire temple, preventing structural collapse during transport.
Meanwhile, additional heavy equipment excavated around the outer perimeter, severing the temple's physical connections to its bedrock foundation. Tractor beam emitters were deployed on all sides of the temple, working in unison to project a massive tractor field that enveloped the entire structure.
Preparations went on for several hours. During this window, the Skitarii cleared every corner of the zone to ensure no Tal'darim Protoss remained. The Tal'darim prisoners were escorted to the transports, and weapon samples were securely sealed.
"All systems ready. Structural stasis field online. Charging tractor beam emitters."
The temple was wrapped in a pale blue field of energy. Tractor beams pulled from four directions simultaneously, and the massive structure began to tremble slightly, a low rumble echoing from where it broke free of its stone foundation. Rock cracked and dust billowed into the air.
The entire temple was lifted slowly off the ground, hovering to an altitude of roughly fifty meters.
The stasis field preserved the integrity of the building's structure, and though debris flaked off from portions of the outer walls, no major collapse occurred.
The Eternal Seeker lowered its altitude and opened its giant cargo bay doors. Adjusting their angles, the tractor beams guided the field-enveloped temple steadily toward the bay entrance. The entire procedure was executed smoothly to avoid sudden accelerations or turns that could stress the structure.
Ten minutes later, the temple was completely stowed inside the cargo bay of the Eternal Seeker. The bay doors sealed, and internal environmental stabilization systems activated, maintaining appropriate temperature and pressure.
Confirming the recovery was complete, Osiris issued follow-up directives: "Cleanse all traces of this operation. Skitarii forces return to the flagship. Transport fleet return to base."
The Skitarii and engineering units executed an orderly withdrawal, boarding their transports. The landing craft lifted off and returned to the Eternal Seeker. On the planet's surface, nothing remained except the massive craters carved out by the Nova Cannon, traces of battle, and a hollow void where the temple had once stood.
The Eternal Seeker adjusted its heading, preparing to depart the Xil star system. The temple inside the cargo bay would undergo further analysis, and the artifact fragment would be safely extracted for study. The Tal'darim prisoners and weapon samples were also scheduled for transport to specialized analysis facilities.
Meanwhile, back aboard the Hyperion, Osiris's primary unit remained inside the temporary workspace, eyes fixed on the data screens as if everything that had just unfolded was merely a routine task processed remotely.
Valerie had already received encrypted confirmation of the operation's success. Her task was to find a plausible explanation for why both the temple and the fragment had vanished by the time Raynor's team was ready to head to Xil.
The Eternal Seeker jumped away without a sound. Planet Xil sank back into silence, with only scorched earth and a gaping crater left to prove what had occurred.