A Civilization Destroyed

"Attention, everyone! Begin decelerating!"

Massive amounts of gamma radiation radiated outward. Every leaping organism was enveloped in light, each one like a dazzling star amid the heavens. The warped spacetime around the leaping organisms gradually returned to normal.

Having received an exploration mission, the cluster departed from the star system housing the New Empire, crossed a distance of thirty light-years, and arrived at its destination.

At the outskirts of the destination star system, the leaping organisms within the cluster immediately emitted high-power radio waves. The waves spread outward at light speed, scanned the environment of the entire star system, then returned to the cluster of leaping organisms. Through this, the entire cluster gained a general understanding of the system's environment.

"Yellow dwarf system. Seven planets: three terrestrial planets and four gaseous planets!"

The Collectors quickly constructed a physical model of the star system's internal environment. For seasoned expansionists like them, this work had long become routine.

"Begin colonial construction!"

"But remember: colonization is secondary, surveying is the priority! If you encounter anything suspected to bear traces of the Radiance Civilization, report it immediately and prioritize its protection!"

"Move out!"

After assigning tasks to each individual within the cluster, the cluster leader gave the order. At a single radio command, the entire cluster scattered toward the various celestial bodies.

There were three terrestrial planets in total. One was too close to the star and was a lava planet. The Collectors produced vast quantities of frozen carbon dioxide and dropped it onto the planet, lowering its global temperature.

Another lay in the second orbit and was relatively simple for the Collectors. Its gravity was too weak to retain an atmosphere, leaving it with thin air, but apart from that, its environment was the most stable of the three terrestrial planets. The Collectors