The descent into the engine room felt like a journey into the very bowels of the Vigilant. The lights flickered as they passed through the dim corridors, and the walls seemed to hum with an unnatural resonance.
Kaelen's thoughts felt clouded, as if something was interfering with his mind. The signal was louder now, more invasive. He couldn't escape it. His hand trembled as he reached the engine control panel, and for a moment, he wondered if this was what the signal had been waiting for.
Would shutting down the core even work? Or would it make everything worse?
He looked back at Mira and Laz, their faces grim. They knew the stakes. They understood the danger.
"I can shut down the core's connection to the ship," Laz said, his voice tight with uncertainty. "But if we cut it completely, we're going to lose control of everything."
Kaelen nodded. "We don't have a choice. We have to try."
Laz turned to the console, fingers flying over the keys. The entire ship seemed to hold its breath as he worked. And then, just as he was about to initiate the shutdown, the lights went out completely.
The hum of the ship's systems died.
And then, the signal came. Louder. Clearer.
From somewhere deep within the ship's core.