Chapter 10: Research Project

10. Research Projects

The CF/A-17 Wraith fighter, the mainstay fighter of the Terran Dominion from *StarCraft*.

Tang Xiao had also discovered that the CF/A-17 Wraith fighter that could currently be researched and manufactured was only the early model, which did not come equipped with pulse lasers for ground attacks.

Regardless, the Wraith fighter was an excellent fighter capable of operating in both atmospheres and space, and it had been proven in the *StarCraft* storyline during the wars against the Protoss and the Zerg.

Furthermore, later models of this fighter would be equipped with cloaking systems, becoming truly terrifying killers—stealth fighters!

Although the mothership’s current technological system belonged to *Homeworld*, and to build the Wraith fighter, the barrier between the production technologies and sciences of *Homeworld* and *StarCraft* had to be overcome, Tang Xiao believed that this hurdle must be cleared!

As both were human-based technological products, the resources required to digest and analyze the technology of the *StarCraft* Terran Dominion should still be within his control.

Seeing that the Administrator had made up his mind, Qi Jian did not continue to press the issue. As a subordinate, he needed to put forward his opinions and concerns, and then let Tang Xiao make the decision. Now, all that remained for him was obedience.

Tang Xiao summoned Daphne Clement and asked, "Are there still modular buildings for the engineering research institute in the mothership's warehouse? What is the scale?"

Clement replied, "Considering that engineering research carries certain risks and many experiments require a large amount of space, the mothership is carrying a modular scientific research space station. It can accommodate approximately 200 experts to conduct experiments and research inside."

"Issue an order to the Engineering Department to start constructing this engineering research space station immediately. It would be best if it could be operational by today!" Tang Xiao ordered.

"Yes!"

Tang Xiao opened the mothership's personnel awakening database and began searching for suitable candidates. Among the elite class, he found three engineering experts, awakened them, and called them to the bridge.

The three experts—two women and one man, all between 30 and 40 years old—bowed respectfully upon seeing Tang Xiao. The lead female expert spoke, "Hello, Administrator. My name is Guan Yan, an energy expert. This is Dr. Feng Yongwang, a mechanical expert, and this is Dr. Qu Xuewen, a materials expert."

Tang Xiao did not stand on ceremony and directly assigned them their tasks. "I need to start research on two projects simultaneously: one is infrared laser weapons, and the other is this—the CF/A-17 Wraith fighter. Tell me what conditions you need, and I will do my best to meet them."

Guan Yan frowned and thought for a moment. "Research on infrared laser weapons... that requires a physics laboratory. It would be best to equip me with at least 20 people specializing in physics. But this fighter..."

She handed the data to the male expert. "What do you think, Dr. Feng?"

Feng Yongwang, wearing glasses, looked at the Wraith fighter and shook his head slightly. "There are many technological systems inside that are different from ours. While it's not impossible to overcome this difficulty, it might take longer. Dr. Qu, work with me; we will start with some preliminary preparations. We don't need many people initially—five mechanical specialists will suffice. I will submit requests for more personnel and materials as we go."

"What about the timeline?" Tang Xiao asked.

"The complete data is right here, so the research and application of the infrared laser weapon should be completed within a month," Dr. Guan Yan replied.

"The Wraith fighter is harder to say. Although the data and such are complete, it will take at least a year to analyze it to the point where we can use and produce it. It would be great if we had a Master-level expert to lead my team; if more and better talent joined, our research progress would be greatly improved," Feng Yongwang said.

"I will provide full support for personnel and materials. Let's start working. Thank you for your hard work," Tang Xiao said with a nod.

"Not at all, Administrator. You are the one at the helm, and we only need to do our jobs well. We should be the ones thanking you," Qu Xuewen, who was much more tactful, said to Tang Xiao with a smile.

"I will list the requirements," Guan Yan said.

No matter where you are, scientific research is a taxing, exhausting, and expensive activity that consumes time... Looking at the long list of materials appearing on the screen, Tang Xiao maintained a smile on the surface, but his heart was bleeding.

The colony had finally started to show signs of improvement and had accumulated some material reserves, and now, *snap*, it was all being thrown to the research team.

...

Outer Rim, Western Reaches, Moddell Sector, Hyperspace.

"About to exit hyperspace jump, time to wake up, honey." On a disc-shaped Corellian YT-1000 light freighter, a human woman piloting the ship said to the pilot beside her.

The man in the pilot's seat, around 30 years old, shook his head and said, "I really am starting to miss Corellian ale. After finishing this job, I need to go home and get some good sleep—well, at least for three days."

"The Corellian system isn't a place where people like us at the bottom can live, Quinto. I prefer it like this—free, unrestrained." The woman walked over and kissed her lover on the forehead.

"That damn machine is acting up again!" A roar came from the rear cabin, followed by a *bang*—someone must have kicked the machine—and then a Rodian walked out.

The Rodian looked like an upright seahorse, with bulging, lidless eyes and a straw-like proboscis extending from its mouth. This was a hunting race; even after joining the Galactic Republic and entering the interstellar age, they mostly worked as bounty hunters.

"What happened, Spad?" Quinto asked, turning around.

"Ah, nothing major, just that we're going to die. Fera-C, you should be able to see the 7th indicator light on your left flashing abnormally, right?" the Rodian said irritably.

The woman looked back and immediately cried out, "Oh my god! The hyperspace shunt is unresponsive! How can this be!!" She hurriedly scrambled to operate the console, but it was useless.

"Well, now we can only pray that we won't be torn apart when we exit hyperspace," Spad spread his hands and sat on the floor, resigning himself to his fate.

"The hyperspace shunt protects us from being torn apart by physical phenomena when exiting hyperspace. If this thing malfunctions, we shouldn't have been able to start the hyperspace jump in the first place. So, unless we've had the worst luck in eight lifetimes for it to break during the jump, then it's..." Before Quinto could finish, the ship exited hyperspace.

If one were looking from the outside, they would see the ship appear in space almost instantaneously from nothingness.

After a violent tremor, they finally stabilized the ship. Quinto looked at the behemoth that had appeared before them and muttered, "That was artificial..."

"Spirits of Kalla... what is this thing!!" Fera-C was stunned, staring at the terrifying scene before her.

On the radar, one could see a crescent-shaped giant ship slowly orbiting the planet. The ship was so massive that as they looked out the porthole of their YT-1000 light freighter, they could only see an endless wall of metal!

[Easter Egg Image 1: Corellian YT-1000 Light Freighter]

[Easter Egg Image 2: Rodian]

(End of chapter)