Developing Mournveil was not something Aurelian could do by simply pointing at the nebula and telling people to move in.
That was the first problem.
The second problem was that Mournveil looked almost eager to kill anyone who treated it casually.
The nebula had already proven useful as a hidden route, but usefulness did not make it friendly.
It had storm corridors, dust interference, space beasts, unstable gravity pockets, dead systems, old wreckage, and places where sensors seemed to lie even when they were working properly.
If the March wanted to use it as more than a secret road, then it needed proper maps, survey markers, repair stops, and eventually a true forward outpost that could support patrols, mining teams, hunting groups, and emergency retreats.
Preferably, that outpost would be in a system with at least one usable planet or moon.
Even better, it would have a calm enough orbital zone to build a starport later.
Best of all, it would have some route connection toward Larkspur Haven and Helion Bastion Twelve without forcing every ship to crawl through half the nebula each time.
Naturally, Mournveil had not offered anything that convenient for free.
Aurelian spent the next morning in the Black Crown’s planning chamber, reviewing the proposed routes with Astra, Eirenne, Lysara, Neris, and Meridian.
Rhoswen had also joined, though Aurelian suspected her main interest was seeing how many of the marked regions had confirmed space-beast activity.
Eirenne projected the nebula map across the table, marking known systems in cool blue and suspected regions in softer gray.
"Redglass remains the best mapped area," she said. "It is useful for hunting and materials, but not ideal as a permanent outpost. The binary-star activity complicates long-term construction, and the local space-beast migration routes make civilian development expensive."
Rhoswen looked almost offended. "That sounds like a benefit."
"For training, yes," Eirenne replied. "For warehouses, medical stations, fuel depots, and settlement staff, no."
Rhoswen considered that, then nodded. "Fine. Bad warehouse location."
Aurelian looked at the next marker. "Glasswake?"
Lysara answered this time. "Glasswake is more promising. The system has unusual crystal-density readings and several stable debris belts. The outer orbit may support a small station, but the inner route is difficult. There are reflective dust storms that confuse targeting and navigation."
"Space beasts?" Rhoswen asked.
"Likely, though not confirmed in large numbers."
"Acceptable."
Astra looked at her.
Rhoswen leaned back. "I am evaluating strategic risk."
Aurelian did not comment, mostly because she had almost managed to sound serious.
Meridian pointed toward a darker route beyond the mapped area. "The Ashring Drift is more dangerous, but the readings are interesting. The storm layers there hide strong mineral returns, and the gravity patterns suggest at least one star system behind the outer interference. If there is a habitable planet anywhere in this section, it is likely beyond that corridor."
Neris, who was half-asleep and still somehow following everything, opened one eye. "If the route is that bad, supply will be annoying."
"Annoying or impossible?" Aurelian asked.
"Annoying at first. Impossible if someone tries to send civilian convoys before we build markers."
"Then no civilian convoys."
"Good."
Eirenne adjusted the display and highlighted several staging points. "My recommendation is a limited first operation. No large migration. No permanent settlement yet. We establish a temporary survey outpost near the Glasswake outer belt, then push scouting teams toward the Ashring Drift. If the readings are promising, we expand slowly."
Aurelian nodded. That matched what Cassian had advised as well. Mournveil exploration was useful, but it could not become a drain on the forces still needed for Karven Spire, Nhalis, and the eventual Virell’s Reach operation.
The family’s war with the Kharov was not over. In fact, it had barely begun. Varensk would eventually notice the outer chain’s silence, and when that happened, the March would have to be ready.
Still, Aurelian did not want his shipgirls sitting idle while the occupation bureaus slowly turned chaos into paperwork.
They needed combat experience.
They needed materials.
They needed time away from battles where Cassian’s Tier VII vessel ended the matter before most of them could stretch properly.
Aurelian looked over the map one more time. "We start with Glasswake. Survey outpost only. From there, we send hunting and scouting groups into nearby regions. No one enters the Ashring Drift without Lysara’s route approval and Eirenne’s monitoring."
Rhoswen raised a hand. "What if we see something very worth hitting?"
"Then you report it."
"And then?"
"Then I decide whether it is worth hitting."
She sighed. "You make everything slower."
"I make things survive."
"That is useful, yes."
Astra spoke calmly. "It is also why you are still allowed near command channels."
Rhoswen looked at her with deep betrayal. "I was praised yesterday."
"And today is a new day."
Aurelian turned away before he smiled too openly.
The next step was informing Cassian properly. His father had already approved the idea in principle, but principle was not the same as a plan.
Aurelian sent the written proposal through the secure channel, including the first fleet list, staging needs, supply limits, and emergency recall conditions.
Cassian answered within the hour.
The approval came with only three warnings.
Do not take too many ships away from the captured chain.
Do not let survey ambition outrun extraction capability.
And if Varensk reacts sooner than expected, return immediately.
Aurelian accepted all three.
Orvain responded even faster after being informed. He strongly supported the idea, though for slightly different reasons.
His branch needed opportunities for its younger commanders, and Mournveil offered danger without immediately becoming a full political battlefield.
He requested permission to send a small support team with the first outpost group, including engineers, a survey officer, and two junior commanders who would remain under March’s authority.
Aurelian approved the engineers and the survey officer.
He rejected one of the junior commanders after reading the file.
Orvain called him five minutes later, looking amused.
"You rejected Maeron’s nephew."
"He has three disciplinary notes for unauthorized pursuit drills."
"Only three."
"That you admitted to."
Orvain laughed. "Fair."
"I’ll take the other one. Not him."
"Good. I wanted to see if you were reading the files."
Aurelian stared at him.
Orvain smiled pleasantly. "You were."
"That was a test?"
"Everything is a test if it produces useful information."
"You and Father are becoming increasingly similar in the worst ways."
"Thank you."
"That was not praise."
"I choose to accept it as such."
The channel closed with Orvain looking far too pleased with himself.
Preparations took three days.
Not because the fleet was large, but because Neris refused to let anyone leave without proper supply margins, and Astercourt refused to approve anything that did not clearly state who was responsible if someone inevitably misplaced a cargo module.
Eirenne prepared survey drones, route markers, and relay buoys designed to survive moderate nebula storms.
Meridian packed repair frames, fabrication modules, and enough spare parts to make it clear she expected something to break.
Solenne prepared a limited carrier wing, still not fully restored after earlier losses but strong enough for scouting and support.
Lysara reviewed route plans with the careful patience of someone who had already watched old civilizations die from arrogance.
Rhoswen inspected her own close-combat systems twice and then claimed she was helping morale.
Astra is simply prepared.
That was often more worrying than everyone else combined.
Aurelian also checked on the shipgirls who would remain behind. Elowen would stay at Larkspur Haven and continue supporting Karven Spire’s environmental work remotely.
Neris would divide her attention between the expedition and the occupied systems, though she made it clear that if Aurelian created supply chaos, she would personally haunt his terminal with ration reports.
Astercourt would remain mostly behind as well, because Nhalis and Karven Spire were drowning in administrative work and she had no intention of letting newly arrived family clerks "express creativity" with occupation law.
The Thornwake sisters were not ready for deep deployment yet, but Selvarin requested that a remote analysis package be sent with Meridian.
Aurelian approved it.
By the time the expedition assembled, it was lean but capable. The Black Crown would lead. Crimson Bulwark would serve as close assault and heavy interception.
Lysara’s cruiser would handle precision scanning and analysis of old Vhaloric routes. Solenne would provide drones, fighters, and long-range reconnaissance.
Meridian would bring engineering support. Several March escorts, two Orvain-branch survey craft, and a small group of transport ships carrying prefabricated outpost materials completed the formation.
It was not a conquest fleet.
It was not small enough to be helpless either.
Before departure, Aurelian stood on the Black Crown’s command deck and reviewed the current situation one last time.
Karven Spire remained stable, though Vortan Redoubt was still quarantined.
Nhalis had accepted the first provisional council structure, and Sovan Il had agreed to help organize Vaelari district representatives.
Targan Rell remained in custody and had already asked three times whether cooperation would improve his living conditions.
Darian had replied that silence would improve everyone else’s.
Aurelian approved the response.